Knife Sharpeners and Their Types

No matter how sharp a kitchen knife you choose for your kitchen, there will come a time to polish its blade. Blades dulling is a completely normal phenomenon and applies even to the highest quality knives, so you should always have a properly selected sharpener at hand. The purpose of such a gadget is to restore the knife blade's sharpness exactly as it was on the day of purchase. However, to make this possible, you need to know which sharpener to reach for. Sharpening kitchen knives can be quick and easy. So what do we have to choose from?

Types of knife sharpeners - classification based on the type of sharpening surface

The selection of knife sharpeners is quite large, so at first you may have trouble choosing the perfect model. One classification of knife sharpeners relates to the material from which the product is made. We distinguish:

• stone sharpeners,
• ceramic sharpeners,
• diamond sharpeners,
• steel sharpeners,
• tungsten carbide sharpeners.

The principle of choosing the type of cutting surface is simple: the material must be harder than the one from which the knife blade is made. Also remember that knives should be sharpened regularly.

Types of knife sharpeners - classification based on form, what kind of sharpener?

How to sharpen a knife? Knife sharpeners can also be classified according to their form (shape) and method of use. This classification is even more extensive because you can choose from:

• rod-type sharpeners - built with a comfortable handle and rod, suitable for sharpening long knives at any angle,
• compact sharpeners - have a folding form, so they work well for transport and take up little space, usually grind steel at a 17° angle, which is worth keeping in mind when purchasing,
• dog bone-type sharpeners – look like a bone: consist of a rod protected on both sides with rubber covers, can be used at any angle,
• stone block - a type of sharpener made of natural or synthetic stone with various grits, the block (as the name suggests) has a cuboid shape, it is best to use it wet to facilitate friction and reduce wear of the sharpener itself,
• V-type sharpeners - consist of a flat base and two rods arranged in a "v" shape, their use is convenient because you only need to guide the blade perpendicular to the base, and it will be perfectly sharpened, no need to watch the sharpening angle,
• electric sharpeners - are electrically powered devices that grind the knife blade independently at the selected angle, requiring only the user to move the blade along the designated line,
• sharpening systems - sets consisting of a guide and sharpeners of various grits, suitable for owners of different knives.

Also read: Ceramic Stones Shapton Kuromaku and Glass HR

How to choose the best knife sharpener?

Before choosing a knife sharpener, check which material will be suitable for polishing the given blades. The most popular steel knives can be sharpened with practically any sharpener. Meanwhile, for Japanese knives and Damascus steel knives, you will need a wet sharpening sharpener, such as a stone. If you have ceramic knives, choose a diamond sharpener. For knives with serrated blades, you need a rod-shaped sharpener. Its diameter must be matched to the size of the knife's serrations so that the sharpener allows precise grinding of each one.

Do not skimp on buying a sharpener because a poor-quality product will not last long. It is always worth checking how the handle of the sharpener is attached in the case of rod-type models, while when choosing stone sharpeners, it is good to opt for a variant with an additional mounting base. A beneficial purchase will also be a stone with different sharpening surface grits. For home use, models with a grit of 1000 - 3500 are useful. Investing in such a sharpener is a universal choice because you can often sharpen kitchen scissors or cleavers on the stone as well. A sharp knife is the most important tool right next to the cook.

The length of the sharpener may also be important. The working part of such a gadget should always be 2 - 5 cm longer than the knife blade. Only then will the work be comfortable and, above all, safe. Choosing a tool that is too short risks an inaccurately sharpened knife or even cutting your hand.

Also read: Everything you need to know about ceramic knives.

How to sharpen knives yourself?

Some knife enthusiasts even sign up for knife sharpening courses. At such training sessions, you can learn many interesting things, such as how to sharpen knives on a wheel sharpener or when blade damage may occur. Then it will be necessary to proceed with straightening the cutting edge. A dull knife has a dull cutting edge. However, there are several rules you must know before you start sharpening knives yourself:

1. 1. 1. If you choose a manual sharpener, remember to grind both sides of the blade. However, this rule does not apply to knives originally sharpened on one side only.
      2. Knives are sharpened from the base of the knife towards the tip of the blade. You should perform a smooth, even motion, lightly pressing the blade against the sharpener surface. The sharpening angle of kitchen knives is also important to sharpen the knife in the best way.
      3. When sharpening both sides, the same number of strokes should be made on each side of the knife.
      4. Serrated knives (bread knives) should not be sharpened on a stone sharpener - this risks smoothing the serrations.
      5. When sharpening knives on a sharpener without special guides, you must ensure the correct sharpening angle for each knife.
      6. When sharpening knives on a water stone, soak the sharpener or use special oil.
      7. Remember that a coarse surface with low grit is used to restore the proper shape of the blade and smooth out larger damages. Finer grain is used to smooth and polish the knife, thus giving it maximum sharpness.
      8. Sharpening knives should start with a surface with lower grit, finishing the grinding on a surface with higher grit.

Sharpening topics discussed on forums

Recently, many questions about knife sharpening have appeared on a culinary discussion forum. In this short post, I will try to gather the most important information that will help you properly sharpen a knife.

A kitchen knife is the basic tool of every cook, but even the best knife becomes dull over time. So how to properly sharpen a knife? Let's start by choosing the right tool. Various types of sharpeners are available on the market - bread knife sharpener, diamond whetstone, or ceramic stone. Which stone is best for sharpening knives? It depends on your needs and skills.

On the cooks' forum, the topic of sharpening stone grits is often discussed. Which grits are appropriate? Higher grits (above 1000) are used for finishing the blade, while lower ones (around 400) for quickly removing material and shaping the blade. For serrated knives, it is worth paying attention to special sharpeners designed for this type of knives.

Regarding technique, it is crucial to learn how to sharpen a knife with a sharpener. Movements should be smooth and controlled, starting from the base of the blade and moving along the entire length of the sharpener. Remember to sharpen the knife evenly on both sides of the blade.

In practice, the best way to maintain knife sharpness is to sharpen them regularly before they become very dull. This will allow for longer blade life and make kitchen work easier.

Also read: Storing kitchen knives

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