Sharpening a knife blade. How to sharpen a knife at home: methods and tips. How to sharpen a knife correctly

Knives are one of the most important elements in the kitchen. It's hard to imagine cooking without them. There are many varieties of knives for sale, differing in shape, purpose and material of manufacture. In this article we will look at how to properly sharpen knives with a whetstone at home.

Ceramic knives are among the highest quality when cutting boneless foods. Ceramic is not subject to abrasion, so it does not lose the quality of sharpening. Metal analogues require additional sharpening over time. For this it is better to use abrasive bars. How can a beginner choose the right block? How is sharpening done and how to keep a knife sharp for as long as possible? You will find answers to these questions in this article.

Safety precautions and precautions

In order for sharpening to take place efficiently and safely, it is imperative to follow safety precautions.

Eye protection. During sharpening, friction between the metal and the stone occurs, which leads to chipping of the stone, when the smallest pieces of the sharpening stone can fly off in different directions, including into the eyes. Construction glasses are used to protect the eyes from sharp fragments.

Hands . Small sharpening stones are not always convenient to hold in your hand. While moving the knife, it can slip out and injure your hand. Moreover, during sharpening, metal particles accumulate on the knife blade, which, if they get into the wound, can lead to infection. To avoid such a situation, knives are sharpened with gloves made of thick fabric.

During work, use a sheet of plain paper to avoid scattering metal shavings on the floor.

Step-by-step sharpening plan

First stage. Wet the stone with water to wash away any dust and dirt that was on its surface. To improve the effect, some craftsmen add a drop of detergent.

Second phase. Organize your workplace. A cutting board or table will do. At this stage, it is important to determine the angle of the stone in relation to you. The optimal position is determined with experience. Then you need to determine the sharpening angle - the larger the angle, the longer the knife is sharp, and the smaller it is, the sharper it is.

Third stage. Correctly position the knife relative to the block. Place the knife at a right angle to the block, then move smoothly and slowly from the handle to the corner of the blade.

Video instructions

During sharpening, burrs form on the surface of the blade. Remove them using musat. This is a long rod with a characteristic longitudinal notch, which removes hangnails.

It is recommended to treat the blade with musat before and after each use to maintain its sharpness for as long as possible.
Carefully but gently wipe the knife dry after each wash.

Types of bars

The bars are divided into:

Ceramic.
Diamond.
Japanese water stones.
Natural bars.

For more delicate work, use abrasive paper.

How to choose a block

In order for the sharpening process to bring the desired results, it is important to choose a suitable stone for the knife. The bars are marked with several letters and numbers, which determine the type of stone, manufacturer, and grain size.

The grain size determines the amount of grinding of the metal - with a high grain ratio and a thin knife, the blade is ground down more than it is sharpened. There is little benefit from such work.

Pay attention to the color of the bar. Produces white, darker and gray shades. Light ones contain more natural components that act as an abrasive. A darker color indicates various impurities that do not have such a strong base, so they wear off and crumble faster.

Even a beginner can sharpen a kitchen knife at home, provided he follows the recommendations. A properly selected block and well-honed movements will help extend the sharpness of your kitchen appliance for a long time.

A razor is an indispensable attribute of a man, designed to maintain personal hygiene. The device is used to eliminate excess hair.

Today, the following types of shaving systems are distinguished: rotary and foil. Unlike a machine, these devices do not require the use of water, are mobile, simple and safe to use, reduce the likelihood of cuts to a minimum, do not irritate the skin, and require rare blade replacement (depending on the model - once every 0.5-3 years ). However, they are not able to remove stubble “at the root” and ensure smooth skin. As a result, the number of adherents of wet “inexpensive” shaving is not decreasing.

Intensive use of the machine leads to rapid dulling of the blades. Today, the network presents various variations of restoring the performance of a device with a detailed description of the technology for performing the work and videos.

A striking example of a high quality razor is Gillette. For a century, the Company has been producing devices and skin care products that are popular in Europe.

There are cases when the need to extend the service life of an old device is urgent, and it is not possible to purchase a new device. Let's look at how to sharpen a vest razor on jeans and quickly solve this problem.

Video training “How to sharpen a gilet razor on jeans”

Advantages of a razor

At the end of the 19th century, the American inventor King Camp Gillette first proposed placing a sharp blade in a handle holder. Due to the undeniable advantages of disposable machines, they have become firmly established in everyday human life.

Advantages of the Gillette razor

High shaving quality. When removing unwanted vegetation, the device comes into direct contact with the skin of the face. The first razor blade lifts the hair, and the second blade cuts the stubble at the root.
Low cost.
Availability. You can buy a disposable razor or replace the razor cassette either at a newsstand or in a supermarket.
No need for electricity.
Hygiene. Due to the fact that a disposable razor is used for a short time (2–3 weeks), the risk of harmful bacteria appearing on the blades is minimal.
Easy to maintain. Cleaning a Gillette razor involves rinsing the device under running hot water.

To increase the service life of the machine, it is important to know how to properly sharpen a straight razor.

Algorithm for sharpening a razor on jeans

The sharpness of the cutting blades is the main criterion for choosing a quality razor. Since a “dull” machine leaves excess facial hair and causes microdamage to the skin, it is therefore important to maintain it in “good” condition.

Let's consider the least expensive way to sharpen the “handle-blade” - rubbing it on jeans.

Necessary materials:

tight jeans;
a block or foil sleeve;
disposable razor.

It is important to perform the blade sharpening procedure on a flat, stable surface.

Method for sharpening a razor at home

Place the block under the jeans.
Sand the machine blades. To do this, rub a safety razor on jeans 50 times in one direction and 50 in the other. The direction of movement of the device is “pull away”.

After this procedure, the sharpness of the blades increases 2-3 times. Thus, properly sharpening a razor on jeans is a safe and economical option, which increases the service life of the cutting product by 2 times.

The availability and convenience of razors has led to them being extremely popular among both men and women. But it’s not enough just to choose a good razor, you also need to use and store it correctly so that it lasts longer and performs its functions efficiently. That’s why owners have questions about how to sharpen a razor so that the procedure gives the best possible result.

Most users do not try to sharpen blades at home, thinking that it is difficult and unlikely. But some still decide to find such methods and extend the life of the razor.

Such methods do exist and are quite effective at home. Although, of course, a razor blade is not a knife, it cannot be updated in the usual way.

Why sharpen your blades yourself?

The question of the appropriateness of sharpening procedures for razor blades is relevant, and there are several answers to it. Firstly, it allows you to extend the life of the machine. That is, instead of throwing away the razor, you can renew it and use it for the same amount of time.

Secondly, it saves money. After all, purchasing replacement cassettes regularly requires significant financial investments. And sharpening and updating them will help put off going to the store for at least a few months.

Thirdly, it is not always possible to buy replacement cassettes, but shaving is safe and sometimes simply necessary urgently. In order not to put off shaving until you buy a new blade, you can sharpen it and enjoy the result.

Sharpening a razor is a useful and convenient skill that can save money. Having tried to use any of the blade sharpening methods once, each user will be able to learn and perform the procedure quickly and efficiently.

Using a special sharpening device

Demand always creates supply, so not long ago special devices for sharpening blades at home appeared on the market. The device is a handle equipped with a small strip of plastic, on the surface of which a special abrasive is applied. It allows you to sharpen disposable and reusable razors with equal efficiency, extending their service life several times.

A prominent representative of such devices is the RazorPit device from a Danish company, although it also has a cheaper analogue, the Ukrainian-made Zattoch. The devices are easy to use and give good results. The sequence of actions includes the following steps:

You need to apply a little cosmetic product – gel or foam – to the surface of the device.
Use the cutting edge of the razor to move along the abrasive in the direction opposite to how the razor moves during the shaving process.
Depending on how long you use the machine, 25-30 movements are enough to get the blades sharp again.

The procedure is simple and effective, but you need to understand that the razor sharpening device itself also costs money. It may be cheaper to update replacement cassettes on the machine.

Sharpening the blade using denim

Instead of a blade sharpener, you can use denim or any ribbed fabric. The effect of this procedure is practically no different from using special devices, but it is cheaper and simpler. The procedure is as follows:

Jeans need to be turned inside out.
Under a small piece of fabric you need to place some kind of dense thing - a cardboard cylinder, a wooden block or a ruler.
Jeans are usually made from bias-cut fabric, so the thick lining needs to be laid flat. If the jeans are sewn straight, then the base must be fixed diagonally.
The razor is drawn across the fabric in the opposite direction to a normal shave. This sharpens the blades and keeps the fabric intact.

You can repeat the blade sharpening procedures several times until the steel becomes so thin that it can no longer be restored. But before this happens, you can use the machine much longer without spending much money.

If you need to sharpen the blades of an electric razor, it is better to contact a specialist. Its peculiarity is that for any action the razor will have to be partially disassembled, which means that then it will need to be assembled. For a beginner, this is not always a simple and easy procedure. But sharpening the blades of a conventional machine is a very real process that is worth trying at least once.

It is simply impossible to describe all the nuances of how to properly sharpen knives in one article, but this is not always necessary. Especially if an ordinary kitchen knife needs sharpening or you are just a beginner who needs to start somewhere.

In fact, sharpening a kitchen knife to a sharp point at home can be done easily and quickly. But the difficulty is that this must be done in such a way that the sharpness of the blade is preserved for a long time, and at the same time too much steel is not removed from the blade.

In this material we will try to simply and clearly tell you how to properly sharpen a knife with a whetstone. After all, this method is not only basic and accessible to everyone, but also the most effective. In addition to step-by-step instructions for sharpening and finishing, here you will find a selection of training videos and an overview of alternative methods - from sharpening systems to the bottom of a ceramic plate.

A little about choosing stones

Sharpening stones come in the following types:

Ceramic;
Diamond;
Natural;
Japanese water stones.

If you wish, once you gain experience, you can buy some solid and expensive diamond stones or Japanese water stones. However, it is better to start with ordinary ceramic bars (such as “Boats”), which are sold in every household goods store. They are wear-resistant, durable and affordable. The only drawback is their uneven abrasion.

Here are tips to help you find the right assistant:

What size should the block be? Ideally, it is 1.5-2 times longer or at least not shorter than the knife blade. The width and shape of the bar is not important.
When purchasing a block, make sure it is flat and free of chips.
To start, you can buy one medium-hard all-purpose whetstone. But if you wish, buy one block with two sides of different grain sizes or two stones with a large and half the grain size. In the future, a couple more stones may be added to your collection.
It's best to try to get a couple of Soviet-made donkeys, say, at flea markets or from your grandfather. Bars marked “Made in the USSR” have uniform-sized grains and high-quality binding material.

To bring your knife to razor sharpness, in addition to sharpening stones, you can also buy GOI abrasive paste, which we will also talk about working with.

7-step instructions for sharpening and finishing a kitchen knife

So, in sharpening a knife, one goal is to remove enough metal from the blade so that the cutting edge becomes sharp again. You need to start work with a coarse-grained abrasive and finish with a fine-grained one.

It is important to remember the following principles of sharpening knives:

The most important thing is to choose the optimal sharpening angle and maintain it along the entire cutting edge while sliding along the block.
Movements should be smooth, without pressure.
All bars must be moistened with water, or better yet, with a soap solution: before sharpening (so that the blade glides better and metal dust does not clog the pores), during the process (to remove the resulting suspension) and at the end, to clean the bar.

And one more important tip - the first time it’s better to practice on a knife that you don’t mind ruining. Especially if your main knife is too good and expensive. Well, let's start practicing.

Step 1. Rinse the stone with water, and then run over it, say, with a sponge with a drop of dishwashing liquid.

Step 2. Next, sit down at the table and place the stone on a wooden board, for example, a cutting board. You can place a towel under the stone. For some it is more convenient to place the block perpendicular to themselves, and for others at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Over time, you will understand how it is more convenient for you to work.

Step 3. Now you need to decide on the sharpening angle and fix the position of the knife. What should the angle be? The general principle is that the smaller it is, the sharper the blade, and the larger it is, the longer the blade retains its sharpness.

Regular kitchen knives are sharpened to an angle of 40-45 degrees. If you are sharpening a fillet knife (designed for cutting thin pieces of fish, poultry and meat), then you should sharpen it sharper - at an angle of 30-40 degrees. The selected value must be divided by 2, and then we will get the angle that should be between the blade and the surface of the block. That is, to sharpen a blade at 45 degrees, you need to sharpen each side at 22.5 degrees to the sharpening surface.

A simple technique shown in the photo below will help you fix the knife at an angle of 22.5 degrees.

Remember, you should try to stick to the chosen angle throughout the entire work.

Step 4. Place the knife across the block so that the upper edge of the handle is above the lower edge of the stone. Holding the handle with one hand and the blade with the other, we begin to slide along the block away from ourselves along the trajectory shown in the picture below.

Watch a short and clear video:

The point is that the cutting edge sliding along the stone should always be perpendicular to the direction of movement.
At the bend of the blade, the knife handle needs to be slightly raised to maintain the selected angle.
Remember also that you can’t put pressure on the blade, but you shouldn’t give it any slack either.

Thus, you need to pass the blade along the stone about 40-50 times, namely until a “burr” (burr, microsaw) appears along the entire length of the cutting edge. Its appearance will tell you that the excess metal has worn out and there is no point in grinding further. Then you need to turn the blade over and repeat the same steps. Clearly in the video:

A burr is a small roughness that is difficult to see, but can be felt by carefully running your finger along the edge of the blade (but not along the edge, so as not to cut yourself).

During operation, a suspension will appear on the blade - metal dust, which must be periodically washed off with water.

Step 5. So, the burrs have appeared, now we proceed to finishing. To do this, we repeat the same manipulations on a stone with half the grain size. An alternative finishing method is using musat.

Musat is a steel rod of oval or round cross-section with longitudinal notches. It is only suitable for editing and maintaining sharpness, but not for sharpening a knife. It is recommended to edit the knife with musat every time before and after work.

How to sharpen a kitchen knife with musat can be seen in the following video master class from the respected knifemaker Gennady Prokopenkov, who, by the way, specializes in making kitchen knives.

Step 6. If desired, you can bring your knife to a razor sharpness. To do this, take any leather or leather belt, treat it with GOI, Dialux or any other abrasive paste, and then do the same steps, but only in the direction from the cutting edge.

Step 7. Finally, we check the quality of sharpening. This is done very simply. It is enough to cut a tomato or cut paper. If you wanted to achieve razor sharpness, then you need to try to shave the hair on your arm. The sharpest knives can even cut hair, as shown in the photo below, but in the kitchen such sharpness is not required for the most ordinary knife.

Alternative sharpening methods

If your kitchen knife is a simple and inexpensive “hard worker” and/or you just don’t want to delve into the “knife culture”, then we recommend using an electric sharpener, a roller knife or a sharpening system for sharpening at home. What are their pros and cons?

An electric sharpener sharpens knives perfectly and quickly, but even the highest quality models remove too much material from the blades, thereby shortening their service life. Another disadvantage of an electric sharpener is that a good device costs more than $200.
A roller knife is an inexpensive and easy-to-use option. With its help, you can quickly sharpen a kitchen knife, but, unfortunately, the sharpness of the blade will not last long and the knife will deteriorate over time. The most trusted tool among roller scissors is the one from Fiskaris (pictured). Do not confuse a roller blade with a V-shaped one. The latter is an option for the most frugal.

Sharpening systems are good because they allow you to more accurately set and maintain an angle. There are different types of such sharpeners - with blade fixation (manufacturers DMT and Lanski) and with fixation of the stones themselves at a certain angle (Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker). Separately, we can highlight a sharpening system in which you can select the desired angle and control the position of the knife - this is the Edge Pro Apex Knife Sharpening System. Each system has its own pros and cons. For example, on sharpeners with a fixed blade it is inconvenient to sharpen wide chef knives, but on a triangle from Spyderco the knives are straightened rather than sharpened, and you can only choose an angle of 30 or 40 degrees. However, for kitchen knives these are the angles that are needed, and using a triangle is very simple. A detailed review and operating instructions for the Spyderco sharpener can be seen in the following video.

What are the disadvantages of Apex Edge Pro? Perhaps this is just a high price - $245. However, to sharpen kitchen knives, you can buy a Chinese copy of this sharpener (for example, on Aliexpress).

There is another clever way to sharpen a knife at home - using a rough mark on the bottom of a ceramic mug or plate. The principle of operation is still the same - maintaining the angle, smooth movements, maintaining the cutting edge (cutting edge) perpendicular to the direction.

Before sharpening knives at home, you need to know the intricacies of this difficult craft. The most important nuance is the angle of the blade relative to the working surface. This parameter is selected depending on the type and hardness of the material, as well as based on what the device is intended for. For example, different tools are correctly sharpened at the following degrees:

10-15 - this is how you should sharpen razor blades and scalpels;
15-20 – suitable for vegetables, meat or bread;
20-25 – they recommend sharpening chef’s tools of various types;
25-30 – chosen for hunting knives.

Which knife sharpener is better?

In the modern product market there is a large selection of sharpening tools available for purchase. Choosing such a device is not so easy, because even classic sanding blocks have a wide range of options. Prices sometimes reach several tens of dollars. Other popular devices include grinders, electronic and mechanical sharpeners, special stones, and machines. Processing a blade using each of these means has its own distinctive characteristics. It is important to know in advance how to properly sharpen knives with one or another tool at home.

How to sharpen a knife correctly

Before you start processing knives, you should know one important rule - you don’t need to skimp on tools. You can be sure that a quality whetstone at a moderate price will keep your blade as sharp as possible. Not only will low-level appliances not provide the required level of spiciness, but they can also ruin your favorite kitchen item. Take a closer look at the different tools for sharpening blades. Knowledge of how to sharpen knives correctly is useful to everyone.

Musat

One of the most popular tools for processing is musat (steel). He is a frequent visitor to both home kitchens and restaurant kitchens. Musat is necessary mainly for straightening the blades of knives, which are often used in cooking. It is very important that several correct actions with steel become a habit. It is necessary to sharpen the blades with musat before direct use of the device and immediately after its use.

The file-like device is held with one hand, and the blade is held by pulling the blade from the tip to the handle with the same movement along the steel (similar to planing). You need to sharpen on each side of the cutting object 4-5 times, but no more. It is necessary to edit the blades on the musat at a 20-25 degree inclination without much pressure or effort. Experts advise holding the steel strictly vertically during surgery, resting one end on a hard surface, such as a table.

Grindstone

The most popular means for processing blades is sharpening stones, which can be both artificial and natural. With this tool you can sharpen your favorite knife quickly and efficiently. A frequently found item in hardware stores and a very inexpensive item are boat-shaped stones. They differ only in grain size. For example, stones with a large abrasive surface are used to properly align the shape of the cutting edge. Medium-grained ones will be used to restore the blade, and fine-grained ones will be used to refine the sharpness.

It is advisable to buy a set of stones of different abrasives in order to process the required objects in different ways at once. How to properly sharpen a kitchen knife using a whetstone:

Wash the blade in cold water (cool steel is easier to sharpen).
You need to place the blade above the stone at an angle of 30 degrees.
Move the blade in the direction from the handle to the tip.
Sharpen each side of the edge evenly, using 30-50 strokes.
At the end of the process, process the blade in the same way on a fine-grained stone (10-15 strokes).
As an alternative, you can use a special leather belt for finishing, pre-lubricated with abrasive paste.
You can use sharply sharpened objects.

Bruskom

Whetstones are considered professional tools for sharpening knives. They are made from various materials, the optimal of which is considered by experts to be diamond-coated stone. This type of sharpener will process the necessary tool the fastest. The principle of correct processing of blades is no different from the identical process with stones with standard abrasive. In addition, you can choose products with electrocorundum or silicon carbide coating.

On the grinding machine

One of the fastest and most effective methods for sharpening knives correctly is to use a special circular machine with abrasive discs (made of emery). Unfortunately, such machines are not often found at home. They are bulky and require certain skills to use. Often such devices are found in factories that produce cutting tools. Blades sharpened using machines are heated to very high temperatures, so you should know an important rule - the number of revolutions of the device should be minimal.

Correct sharpening of knives occurs like this: the blade should be pressed against the circle (cup, plate, straight profile) evenly, and movements should be smooth. The sharpening angle is 25-30 degrees. The lower this indicator, the thinner and more fragile the blade will be. The operation will take a lot of time, in addition, there is a possibility of quickly damaging the tip. It is not advisable for beginners and inexperienced people to start this procedure at home.

On an electric sharpener

Electric sharpeners are becoming increasingly popular in the product market. They are easy to use and the surface becomes sharp in minutes. An obvious advantage of such devices is that they choose the sharpening angle themselves and are suitable for any type of blade - scissors, screwdrivers, etc. Many people do not know how to sharpen a ceramic knife correctly. Devices made of this material are extremely fragile, and one awkward movement on a block or nut can easily damage the blade. In this case, electric sharpeners do their job well.

Sharpening ceramic knives at home is very simple. You just need to set the mode, bring the blade to a special hole in the device, smoothly place it there, and press lightly. The electric sharpener with diamond discs will perform all other actions itself. The mechanism can work even with the most dull blades, which is why experts recommend it for purchase. If previously only famous restaurants could afford such a tool, now it is available to everyone.

Prices for knife sharpening tools

All accessories for sharpening knives can be purchased in household appliance stores, kitchen utensils departments, or purchased in an online store. The good thing about the last method is that you can easily select the necessary device without getting up from your favorite sofa. You can immediately evaluate the item in the photo. The price range is very wide, and the range is replenished every day. The highest quality are Japanese, German and domestic options.

Approximate cost of different sharpening tools, depending on the quality and manufacturing company, to make it easier to order the desired model in the online store without overpaying:

Standard sharpening stones range from 80 to 200 rubles.
Diamond bars - from 450 to 10,000 rubles.
Musat - from 500 to 3000 rubles.
Sharpening machines - from 2,000 to 20,000 rubles.
Electric sharpeners - from 700 to 10,000 rubles.

Video

Not everyone knows how to properly sharpen knives on different tools at home. These skills will be useful to any person, regardless of his love or intolerance for homework. If you know the technology, the sharpening process becomes easy and relaxed. In the videos below, experienced specialists will tell you how to properly sharpen knives at home and bring them to razor sharpness. Find out which tool is best to choose and at what price, at what angle it is better to process the blades and what technology it is advisable to use.