How to Sharpen a Knife the Easy Way
Over time, a knife will become dull from use. The edge will come out of alignment and it won’t work like a sharp blade anymore. To help keep the knife working at its best, you will need to maintain it by sharpening it. Many options are available when looking for a way to sharpen your knife, but one easy way is to use a sharpening steel. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Fold a towel into fours to put it down as a pad for supporting the steel. This will also help you avoid scratching the countertop.
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Put the steel carefully point down into the middle of the pad.
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Angle the steel 20 degrees.
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Hold your knife, blade down, perpendicular to the countertop (blade pointing straight down) and starting from the back of the knife, and the top of the steel, "cut" straight down to the countertop, pulling the knife from back to front as you do. Do not let the blade go from side to side. Hold it steady and repeat this in smooth strokes, applying some pressure as you go down to the countertop.
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Angle your sharpening steel 20 degrees the other way and repeat the same number of strokes on the other side of the blade.
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Clean your blade carefully when done and test its sharpness.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't use steel wool or anything too abrasive to clean your knife blade. Refer to manufacturer's suggestions if you own a high-end knife like.
You can also sharpen your other knifes such as pocket knifes, and fishing knives in a similar fashion. Just be mindful to clean both the blade and sharpening steel when finished.
This will sharpen your knife considerably so be careful of the blade.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
