How to Keep a Proper Angle to Sharpen a Knife
Knives are one of humanity's earliest inventions. Essential for taking apart freshly killed game, knives started as particularly sharp pieces of rock. In the modern day, some knives are cut with lasers to ensure microscopic sharpness. Unfortunately, knife blades dull with use, requiring additional sharpening to remain useful. It is very important to maintain the sharpening angle, as failing to do so will result in a less sharp, and therefore less effective, cutting edge.
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Instructions
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Guide Clamps
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Purchase a guide clamp from an outdoor retailer or online store.
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Clamp the guide onto the flat edge of the knife, using the screws provided. Ensure a tight fit, as the point of a clamp guide is to eliminate angle adjustment while you are sharpening. A loose blade will work against you.
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Adjust the sharpening angle by narrowing or widening the clamp rest. Different knives need to be sharpened at different angles to achieve the best results. Consult the included instructions for the ideal angle for your knife.
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Rest the knife on the sharpening stone. You will notice that the guide clamp holds the knife at a constant angle to the stone.
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Drag the knife across the sharpening stone clamp-first, applying slight pressure to sharpen. Do not push the blade across the stone edge-first. You may need to reposition the clamp if your knife is particularly long.
Rod-Guided System
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Purchase a rod-guided sharpening system from an outdoor retailer or online store.
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Insert the flat edge of the knife into the knife clamp. Tighten the clamp screw to secure the knife in place.
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Determine the recommended sharpening angle for your knife. Insert the rod into the corresponding guide hole.
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Grasp the sharpener stone attached to the rod and pull it downward over the blade edge. The rod is able to pivot in the guide hole, allowing you to swing the stone horizontally and sharpen the entire blade.
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Tips & Warnings
When checking the sharpness of your knives, always slide your finger across the blade--never along the blade.
References
- Photo Credit knife image by dethchimo from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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GetSerious
Jan 04, 2011
A simpler way is to lay a couple of coins or a matchbook at one end of the stone and use them as a starting guide to set the angle of the blade. It is then up to the person holding the knife to maintain the angle, but that just takes practice.
