Even a good knife will lose some of its sharpness with time. However, sharpening a knife is easy if you have the right tool and know how to use it.
Generally three different materials are being used for sharpening steels:
1. Chromium-plated stainless steel
Sharpening steels with a chromium-plated, grooved surface deliver a fine re-sharpening result and are relatively immune to damages.
2. Ceramics
Sharpening rods with a ceramics blade sharpen gentle and careful. However, the ceramics blade is sensitive to shock. A fall can easily damage it.
3. Diamond
Sharpening steels with a diamond coating of the blade deliver a particularly fine re-sharpening result. The average life span is shorter, though, because the coating tends to wear off over time.
How to sharpen knives properly:
1. Place the knife blade against the tip of the sharpening steel at an angle of approximately 20 degrees.
2. Pull the knife down and across the steel, describing a slight arc.
3. Repeat this action on the back of the steel to sharpen the other side of the blade.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 five to ten times, alternating the left and right side of the blade.
It is very important to maintain the angle of 20 degrees and to run the full length of the cutting edge along the steel from the hilt to the tip of the knife. Speed of movement plays no part in this process.
Using the Henckels TWINSHARP Select
Sharpening Devices
This innovative and knife sharpener with its two separate sharpening modules sharpens knives simply, safely and effectively. It is easy to use because, in contrast to the sharpening steel, the angle is pre-set. Thus it is nearly impossible to use this sharpener the wrong way. Using its steel wheels, module 1 is able to gently remove small damages to the edge. Module 2 gently smoothes the edge and restores the knife to its high sharpness. Beyond that TWINSHARP Select works equally for left and right handed people. This knife sharpener may only be used for uncoated knives with a straight edge. It comprises two modules which are marked:
- Module I with steel wheels for coarse sharpening, pre-sharpening respectively and
- Module II with ceramic wheels for fine sharpening and smoothing.
How to use it:
- Place your Henckels TWINSHARP Select on an even, anti-slip surface.
Make sure the knife blade is clean.
- Take your TWINSHARP Select with either left or right hand, thumb and index finger should touch, and press it slightly on the surface.
- Place the end of the cutting edge (near the handle) in a 90° angle into the respective module. Draw the blade with little pressure towards yourself, never apply too much pressure or use a see-saw movement. Depending upon the degree of bluntness, you may have to repeat the process up to five times.
- Should your knife be very blunt, use module I first followed by module II. Knives with a little degree of bluntness may only require the use of module II to bring back the original sharpness.
- Check the result by cutting into a sheet of paper.
Important note:
- No liquids are necessary to sharpen knives with the TWINSHARP Select.
- To clean the TWINSHARP Select, simply turn it upside down to get rid of the residual sharpening dust. Use a dry soft cloth to clean off your TWINSHARP Select. Avoid wet cleaning or dishwasher use as this might damage your TWINSHARP Select beyond repair.
- Never try to open your TWINSHARP Select.
- Avoid to drop your TWINSHARP Select, as this might damage it.
- Your TWINSHARP Select is not meant for specialty knives or scissors.
- The pre-set angle of the sharpening wheels is for household knives only. To sharpen Oriental knives, a different angle might be necessary.
HENCKELS TWINSHARP
This knife sharpener uses stainless steel to sharpen and ceramic wheels to hone your ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS knives. It even adds a rich polish to your knives and is easy to use. To use, grasp the curved bar and draw the blade through the V slot 4-5 times. Use only moderate force. It's designed for right- or left-handed use.
HENCKELS TWIN Stone Pro
HOW TO USE TWIN Stone Pro:
-
Set the whetstone into the bottom case with the gray side up. The gray side is for rough sharpening and the lighter side for fine sharpening.
-
Only fine sharpen the blade with the blue side after it has been roughly sharpened with the gray side.
-
Place the stone into the transparent bottom case. Then place the case on a flat, dry surface. The rubber feet on the bottom of the case will prevent slipping.
-
Apply a small amount of water on the surface of the stone. Completely soaking it in water is not necessary.
-
Make sure to keep the stone wet while sharpening.
-
A gray liquid will develop while sharpening. Do not wash this liquid away as it is necessary for a smooth sharpening.
-
After sharpening is complete, rinse the liquid from the surface and dry off the stone completely. Keep it in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight.
HOW TO SHARPEN A KNIFE with TWIN Stone Pro
For a double-edged knife:
- Begin sharpening on the coarse (gray) side.
- Set the blade with the cutting edge faced toward you at an angle of 45 degrees to the length of the stone. The back of the blade should be kept at 10 to 20 degrees (similar to a pile of 3 coins) from the surface of the stone.
- lace the fingers of one hand lightly on the center of the blade. While maintaining the angle, sharpen the blade by moving it back and forth using even strokes.
- Sharpen the tip, center and then heel of the blade until a burr appears on the cutting edge.
- Once a burr appears, turn the knife over and sharpen the other side in the same manner.
- Turn the stone over to the fine (blue) side and repeat steps 2. 5. Please be aware that it is difficult to feel the burr when sharpening on the fine side. Therefore, sharpen the knife until it has reached the desired level of sharpness.
- As a final touch, sharpen the edge a few times in a diagonal direction lightly enough to remove any remaining burrs.
- After sharpening, remove the grinding paste by washing the knife under the tap and dry it carefully with a towel.
- A properly sharpened cutting edge should have a shiny finish and cut thin paper smoothly.
For knives with a one-sided edge
-
Only one side of the cutting edge needs to be sharpened, in the same manner as described above.
-
As the burr needs to be removed with one-sided edges too, turn the knife over once a burr appears, but move the knife back and forth on tip, center and heel on the non-edge side a few times only.
MAINTENANCE
When the stone is worn out or becomes concave, use coarse waterproof sandpaper to even out the surface by sanding it down. You can also use a touch-up stone to flatten the surface.
|
Friday, May 09, 2008
