Sharpening is essential, as well as significant kitchen skill, which is known very well, can become handy. For all the beginners, sharpening is not a complicated process. There are various professional knife sharpener available online which are easier to use for Sharpening the knife. Abiding by these guidelines can you very well help you through the procedure. The necessary steps are:
Preparatory Steps:
The primary step for this process of sharpening is first to prepare the stone, which includes certain tasks like, for instance, the tool that needs to either be lubricated or soaked in water. Now each stone has its own set of rules.
Water stones and not oil stones are soaked in water for about 40-45 minutes before use because the hard and rough surface can damage the knife. But, on the other hand, all good quality diamond stones are required to be very well-lubricated with oil before use. So, if you want to use such a variety of stones for your knife, then you can easily see them here.
Keep this in mind that vegetable oils or olive oils are a total no-no for sharpening knives. The market very easily provides sharpening or honing oil, which has to be used. When you are oiling your stone after you pour your lubricant gently massage it so that it very well and quite uniformly spreads all over the tool.
After this process, the stone needs to be placed on a damp cloth or towel so that when you’re performing the method, it remains still in the wet surface and thus can avoid any harm. Now comes the placement of the tool.
This also depends on the type of stone one has; if it is of different grit, place the coarser surface upwards so that your carver gets sharpened fast and the same time it does not get too easily worn out.
Holding the Knife to the Stone:
Honestly, holding the knife in a proper position is an art. And to attain desired results, one needs to master the art. On the first step, form a 90-degree angle with the stone. And then slowly move your knife to a 45-degree angle. Then lastly, slowly tilt your knife towards the 45-degree angle to establish a 20-degree angle with the tool.
Control the carver blade with your fingers by placing them over it. Mainly use your forefinger to fix the flat surface supporting it with your thumb while the other fingers locate themselves in the handle of the knife as needed. During the process, necessary adjustments can be made very freely.
Sharpening of the Knife:
Once the placing of the knife and finger is done, the sharpening process will start and following are the steps:
• Run the knife blade across the gravel surface from the heel to the tip very gently and smoothly. Repeat the action for an average of 5 times. You may also go for more turns if you feel it has not been sharpened well enough.
• Secondly, flip the knife and repeat the same process for the other side, until it has been sharpened desirably.
• Flip back to the initial side of the knife and run it vertically on the stone slowly and gently. Repeat the process until it is sharpened nicely. Repeat the same process for the other side too.
• Now, turn over the stone to a much finer surface so that you can use that part of the tool to polish the blade of your knife for more accurate use. Repeat the entire process for every knife.
Wrapping Up:
Though these are the most basic steps and are applicable for all knives and stones, adhering to the proper instruction which comes with the products is always advisable.