Chef's Choice Knife Sharpener and Your Kitchen Knife Learn what make up a good kitchen knife? How Chef's Choice Knife Sharpener will tranform your food preparation experience?
Kitchen Knife From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A kitchen knife is any knife that is intended to be used in food preparation. While much of this work can be accomplished with a few general-purpose knives, there are also many specialized knives that are designed for specific tasks. Kitchen knives can be made from several different materials.
Construction Material • Carbon steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, often including other alloys such as vanadium and manganese. Carbon steel commonly used in knives has around 1.0% carbon (ex. AISI 1095), is inexpensive, and holds its edge well. Carbon steel is normally easier to resharpen than most stainless steels, but is vulnerable to rust and stains. The blades must be cleaned, dried, and lubricated after each use and new carbon-steel knives may impart a metallic or "iron" flavor to acidic foods, though over time, the steel will acquire a patina of oxidation which will prevent corrosion. • Stainless steel is an alloy of iron, approximately 10-15% chromium, possibly nickel, and molybdenum, with only a small amount of carbon. Typical stainless steel knives are made out of 420 stainless, a highchromium, low-end stainless steel alloy often used in flatware. Most consumer grades of low-carbon stainless are considerably softer than carbon steel and more expensive grades of stainless, and must be more frequently sharpened though most are highly resistant to corrosion. The thin, flexible, shiny blades common in cheap kitchen knives are typically made of lowcarbon, inexpensive stainless alloys. They are difficult to sharpen, so they are often made with serrations, which slows dulling and enables them to cut adequately when they do become dull.
• High carbon stainless steel normally refers to highergrade, stainless steel alloys with a certain amount of carbon, and is intended to combine the best attributes of carbon steel and ordinary stainless steel. High carbon stainless steel blades do not discolor or stain, and maintain a sharp edge. Most of these 'highcarbon' stainless blades also feature higher quality alloys than less expensive stainless knives, often including amounts of molybdenum, vanadium, cobalt, and other components intended to increase strength, edge-holding, and cutting ability. Examples of such steels include 440-C, AUS-8, AUS-10, ATS-34, ATS-55, vg-10, 154cm and many others. • Laminated blades attempt to use the best of multiple materials by creating a layered sandwich of different steel alloys. By alternating layers of brittle and hard steel the blade combines the attributes of both metals though it is neither as stiff as the brittle steel or as flexible as the hard steel in isolation. Many higher-quality knives are made this way. A laminated blade's edge can often be made harder than an ordinary stainless steel knife, in turn facilitating a more acute grind on the cutting blade and increasing the knife's cutting abilities. • Titanium is lighter and less wear resistant, but because it does not get hard, it does not take a very good edge. However it is more flexible than steel. Titanium does not impart any flavor to food. It is typically expensive and not well suited to cutlery, used only as a buzz word. • Ceramic knives are very hard, light, do not impart any taste to food and do not corrode but require special tools for sharpening. Ceramic blades are also very brittle, and will chip if struck against hard objects or sharpened improperly. They may snap if used to pry or lever foods or other materials apart. • Plastic blades are not very sharp and are mainly used to cut through vegetables without causing discoloration. They are not sharp enough to cut deeply into flesh, but can cut or scratch skin.
Blade Steel blades can be manufactured either by being forged or stamped. 1
• Forged blades are made in an intricate, multi-step process, often by skilled manual labor. A chunk of solid or powdered steel alloy is heated to a high temperature, and pounded while hot to form it. The blade is then heated above critical temperature (which varies between alloys), quenched in an appropriate quenchant, and tempered to the desired hardness. After forging and heat treating, the blade is polished and sharpened. Forged blades are typically thicker and heavier than stamped blades, an advantage in some situations. • Stamped blades are cut to shape directly from cold rolled steel, heat-treated for strength, then ground, polished, and sharpened. Though they are not preferred by most professional chefs, several popular knife brands, such as Global, do use stamped and heat-treated blades in their premium knives. Stamped blades can often, but not always, be identified by the absence of a bolster.
Edge Further information: Grind The edge of the knife can be sharpened to a cutting surface in a number of different ways. • Flat ground blades have a profile that tapers from the thick spine to the sharp edge in a straight or convex line. Seen in cross section, the blade would form a long, thin triangle, or where the taper does not extend to the back of the blade, a long thin rectangle with one peaked side. They are heavier and tougher than a hollow ground knife. • Hollow ground blades have concave, beveled edges that are ground starting midway down the blade, instead of at the spine. The resulting blade has a thinner edge, so it may have better cutting ability, but it is lighter and less durable. • Serrated blade knives have a wavy, scalloped or saw-like blade. Serrations make knives ideal for cutting things that are hard on the outside and soft on the inside (such as bread or tomatoes) that might otherwise be ruined by a slightly dull knife with a plain, flat-ground edge. They are also particularly good on fibrous foods like celery or cabbage. Serrated knives cut much better than plain edge blade knives when dull, so they may go longer without sharpening (some serrated blades are claimed never to need sharpening.) However, they require specialized equipment and a different technique in order to resharpen them. Further, serrations are often used to improve the cutting ability of a less-expensive, soft stainless alloy blade, (usually incorporating an extremely thin blade design to reduce friction). For this reason, some professional chefs recommend buying at least a moderately-priced serrated knife made of highcarbon stainless, as these knives will inevitably dull and have to be replaced or resharpened. Some companies have names for their own serration patterns and apply them to an entire line of knives. Examples are Cutco's Double-D edge and Henckel's Eversharp Pro series.
• Granton edges have semi-circular scallops ground into the edge that alternate on either side of the knife and extend from the edge to the middle of the blade. This edge was designed and patented in 1928 by Granton Ragg Ltd.1 A similar design, kullenschliff (kulle is Swedish for hill; schliff means sharpened in German), has oval scallops (kullar) hollowed-out of one or both sides of the blade above the edge. These are normally found on meat carving knives but have recently appeared on other types of knives, especially Western variations of the Japanese santoku. The design of scallop-sided blades is an attempt to ease the cutting and separation of meats, cheese, and vegetables.
Handle The handles of kitchen knives can be made from a number of different materials, each of which has advantages and disadvantages. • Wood handles provide good grip, and most people consider them to be the most attractive. They are, however, slightly more difficult to care for as they must be cleaned more thoroughly and occasionally treated with mineral oil. Most wood handles, especially those of ordinary varnished hardwood, do not resist water well, and will crack or warp with prolonged exposure to water. They should be hand-washed for that reason. Some people argue that ordinary varnished wood handles can harbor more microorganisms as the varnish layer wears off, thus requiring resealing or revarnishing to seal the wood's pores. • Plastic handles are more easily cared for than wooden handles and do not absorb microorganisms. However, plastics may also be less resistant to ultraviolet damage and may become brittle over time, resulting in cracking. Some plastics are also slippery in the hand. The material is lighter than most other materials, which may result in a knife that is off-balance or too light for some tastes. • Composite knives are made from laminated wood composites impregnated with plastic resin. Pakkawood and Staminawood are commonly encountered composite wood handles. They are considered by many chefs to be the best choice because they are as easy to care for and as sanitary as plastic, they have the appearance, weight, and grip of hardwood, and are more durable than either. They often have a laminated, polished appearance, and may have intense or varied coloring. • Stainless steel handles are the most durable of all handles, as well as the most sanitary. Many argue, however, that they are very slippery in the hand, especially when wet. To counter this, many premium knife makers make handles with ridges, bumps, or indentations to provide extra grip. One disadvantage of some all-metal handles is that knife weight usually goes up considerably, affecting the knife's balance and increasing hand and wrist fatigue. 2
knife stability and extra weight
Nomenclature
A
Point:
The very end of the knife, which is used for piercing
B
Tip:
The first third of the blade (approximately), which is used for small or delicate work
C
D
Edge:
Heel:
The cutting surface of the knife, which extends from the point to the heel. The edge may be beveled or symmetric. The rear part of the blade, used for cutting activities that require more force
E
Spine:
The top, thicker portion of the blade, which adds weight and strength
F
Bolster:
The thick metal portion joining the handle and the blade, which adds weight and balance and keeps the cook's hand from slipping
G
Finger Guard:
The portion of the bolster that keeps the cook's hand from slipping onto the blade
H
Return:
The point where the heel meets the bolster
J
Tang:
The portion of the metal blade that extends into the handle, giving the
K
Scales:
The two portions of handle material (wood, plastic, composite, etc) that are attached to either side of the tang
L
Rivets:
The metal pins (usually 3) that hold the scales to the tang
M
Handle Guard:
The lip below the butt of the handle, which gives the knife a better grip and prevents slipping
N
Butt:
The terminal end of the handle
Types Chef's knife Main article: Chef's knife Also known as a cook's knife or French knife even though the knife style originates as the German cook's knife , the chef's knife is an all-purpose knife that is curved to allow the cook to rock the knife on the cutting board for a more precise cut. The broad and heavy blade also serves for chopping bone instead of the cleaver making this knife the all purpose heavy knife for food preparation. Chef's knives are most commonly available between 15 cm and 30 cm (6 and 12 inches), though 20 cm (8 inches) is the most common size. Bread knife Bread knives are a type of serrated knife that is usually between 15 cm and 25 cm (6 and 10 inches), with 20 cm (8 inches) being a common length. The serrations on the blade make it ideal for cutting bread and other foods with a hard surface and soft interior. An offset serrated knife uses an offset handle to ensure the cook's knuckles will not touch the cutting surface when the blade has cut all of the way through the food. Butter knife Butter knives have a dull cutting edge and are generally used for spreading. Though more common as part of a table setting, they are used for meal preparation. Paring A paring knife is a small knife with a plain edge blade that is ideal for peeling and other small or intricate work (such as de-veining a shrimp, removing the seeds from a jalapeùo, or cutting small garnishes). It is designed to be an all-purpose knife, similar to a chef's knife, except smaller. Paring knives are usually between 6 and 10 cm (2½ and 4 inches) long.
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Utility A utility knife is between a chef's knife and paring knife in size; generally too fragile for heavier cutting tasks, and not well suited to fine tasks, the utility knife has declined in popularity. They are usually between about 10 cm and 18 cm (4 and 7 inches) in length.
Meat knives
and is actually a general-purpose knife, analogous to the French chef's knife or the Japanese santoku. The confusion arises from the fact that Chinese chef's knives are rectangular and that some (particularly older, traditional knives made of carbon steel) have somewhat heavy blades. Also, the fact that the blade is heavier toward the tip encourages skilled Chinese chefs to use a swinging or "tapping" stroke as well as a "pushing" stroke. However, the edge has the gradual bevel of a chef's knife and may be damaged if used for splitting bone. Actual cleavers in China have the same profile as chef's knives but have much thicker blades with a sharp bevel and heavier handles. Boning Main article: Boning knife
Old carving knife and carving forks, non-stainless steel. Stag handles. Note folding fork guards.
Carving A carving knife is a large knife (between 20 cm and 38 cm (8 and 15 inches)) that is used to slice thin cuts of meat, including poultry, roasts, hams, and other large cooked meats. A carving knife is much thinner than a chef's knife (particularly at the spine), enabling it to carve thinner, more precise slices. They are generally shorter and wider than slicing knives. Slicing A slicing knife serves a similar function to a carving knife, although it is generally longer and narrower. Slicers may have plain or serrated edges. Such knives often incorporate blunted or rounded tips, and feature kullenschliff (Swedish/German: "hill-sharpened") or Granton edge (scalloped blades) to improve meat separation. Slicers are designed to precisely cut smaller and thinner slices of meat, and are normally more flexible in order to accomplish this task. As such, many cooks find them better suited to slicing ham, roasts, fish, or barbecued beef and pork and venison Cleaver Main article: Cleaver (knife) A meat cleaver is a large, most-often rectangular knife that is used for splitting or "cleaving" meat and bone. A cleaver may be distinguished from a kitchen knife of similar shape by the fact that it has a heavy blade that is thick from the spine to quite near the edge. The edge is sharply-beveled and the bevel is typically convex. The knife is designed to cut with a swift stroke without cracking, splintering or bending the blade. Many cleavers have a hole in the end to allow them to be easily hung on a rack. Cleavers are an essential tool for any restaurant that prepares its own meat. The cleaver most often found in a home knife set is a light-duty cleaver about 6" long. Heavy cleavers with much thicker blades are often found in the trade. A "lobster splitter" is a light-duty cleaver used mainly for shellfish and fowl which has the profile of a French knife. The so-called 'Chinese cleaver' is not a cleaver, and most manufacturers warn that it should not be used as a cleaver. It is more properly referred to as a Chinese chef's knife
A boning knife is used to remove bones from cuts of meat. They have a thin, flexible blade, usually about 12 cm to 15 cm (5 or 6 inches) long, that allows them to get in to small spaces. A stiff boning knife is good for beef and pork, but a flexible boning knife is preferred for poultry and fish. Fillet A fillet knife is like a very flexible boning knife that is used to fillet and prepare fish. They have a blade that is about 15 cm to 28 cm (6 to 11 inches) long, allowing them to move easily along the backbone and under the skin of fish. Ham slicer A ham slicer is a special type of slicer, with a long blade and rounded tip, that is offered by some manufacturers. They are specially tailored to cutting ham, as they are generally thinner and more flexible.
Small knives Peeling Also known as a Tourne Knife or Bird's Beak Knife, a peeling knife has a pointed tip that curves downward sometimes upward and side to side (towards the blade). They are often used for many of the same tasks as paring knives. They can be used to cut decorative garnishes (such as rosettes or fluted mushrooms), slice soft fruits, or peel skins or blemishes. They are also used to make a cut known as a tournĂŠe cut in vegetables such as carrots. Decorating A decorating knife is any knife with a decorative blade. The most common pattern is a simple zigzag. Decorating knives are used for making fancy cuts for garnishes and presentation. Trimming Usually about 5 cm to 8 cm (2 to 3 inches) long, a trimming knife has a small, curved blade that is shaped somewhat like a boning knife. Trimming knives are ideal for small tasks such as decorating and peeling. Fluting Usually about 5 cm to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) long, a fluting knife has a small blade that is very straight. Fluting knives are ideal for small tasks such as decorating and peeling.
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Cheese knives Soft cheese Soft cheese knives are specially designed for slicing soft cheese. They generally have holes in the blade to prevent the cheese from sticking. Hard cheese Hard cheese knives are specially designed for slicing hard cheese. They are sharp, so they can cut exact slices, and often have a forked tip, allowing them to be used as a serving utensil as well. Parmesan cheese Parmesan cheese knives are specially designed for slicing very hard cheeses. They have very short, thick blades that allow the user to put pressure into the cut.
Japanese knives See also: Japanese knives Santoku Main article: Santoku The Santoku knife has been called an Asian chef's knife in deference to its general utility at a variety of cutting tasks. The Santoku has a straighter edge than a chef's knife, with a blunted sheepsfoot-tip blade and a thinner spine, particularly near the point. From 12 cm to 18 cm (5 to 7 inches) long, a true Japanese Santoku is well-balanced, normally flat-ground, and generally lighter and thinner than its Western counterparts, often using superior blade steels to provide a blade with exceptional hardness and an acute cutting angle. This construction allows the knife to more easily slice thin-boned and boneless meats, fish, and vegetables. Many subsequent Western and Asian copies of the Japanese Santoku do not always incorporate these features, resulting in reduced cutting ability. Some Western Santoku-pattern knives are even fitted with kullens, scallops on the sides of the blade above the edge, in an attempt to reduce the sticking of foods and reduce cutting friction. A standard in Asian (especially Japanese) kitchens, the santoku and its Western copies have become very popular in recent years with chefs in Europe and the United States. Usuba hocho Main article: Usuba bocho Usuba knives are Japanese knives used primarily for chopping vegetables. Both the spine and edge are straight, making them resemble cleavers, though they are much lighter. Deba hocho Main article: Deba bocho Deba knives are Japanese knives used primarily for cutting fish. They have blades that are 18 cm to 30 cm (7 to 12 inches) long with a curved spine.
Chinese chef's knife A Chinese chef's knife or Chinese kitchen knife — sometimes referred to as a "Chinese cleaver" though it is not a cleaver — is the rectangular-bladed, all-purpose knife traditionally used in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and many other Asian countries to
prepare a variety of meats, fish, and vegetables. The popularity of this style of knife has spread with the associated cuisines. Several manufacturers produce Chinese-style chef's knives fabricated to the highest, modern standards with high-end carbon and stainless steel alloys — particularly in Japan but also in Germany, Brazil, etc. They resemble Western cleavers in appearance, but most Chinese chef's knives are relatively thin-bladed and designed for slicing, chopping, and mincing vegetables, fish, and boneless meats. Heavier so-called 'bone' cleavers are produced and are used much like Western-type meat cleavers to prepare large sides of beef, pork, and other boned meats. However, Chinese-style knives of this weight are not common in the West. The average Chinese home uses some variation of the rectangular-bladed knife, usually around 18 cm to 28 cm (7– 11 inches) in length. Traditional knives had a simply-forged, carbon steel blade with a long, ground bevel, but the typical Chinese chef's knife is now a stamped blade. The traditional handle is a full-length tang that is only about 1 or 2 cm wide, which is passed through a metal cap, then through the center of a round, wood dowel, then bent over and hammered into the end of the handle to retain it. Newer models, particularly those made in Japan or Germany, have full-width tangs and riveted or injection-molded handles, but these handles generally retain something of the traditional, round crosssection. The wide, blade keeps the cook's fingers well off the cutting surface and the round handle gives a nice "pivot point" for the cutting stroke. The blade has a curvature or rocker along its edge that is generally uniform, improving the knife's ability to chop and mince meats and vegetables. The broad rectangular blade also serves to scoop up chopped food for transport to the wok or bowl. Although it may seem unwieldy, skilled practitioners worldwide may be observed using this style of knife for everything — even carving and fine work normally accomplished with a paring knife.2
Specialty knives Tomato Main article: Tomato knife A tomato knife is a small knife with a serrated blade. Typically about the size of a utility knife, tomato knives are ideal for cutting through the tough skin and soft flesh of tomatoes. Oyster An oyster knife (also known as a clam knife) has a short, thick blade that is used to pry open oysters and separate their meat from the shell. Some models have a shield built into the handle that prevents the knife (and hand) from slipping and going too far into the shell. Deveiner A deveiner or deveining knife is a small knife used to remove the colon ("vein") from the back of shrimp. Grapefruit Main article: Grapefruit knife A grapefruit knife has a long, fat, dull blade that is used to separate the flesh of a grapefruit from the peel and inner membranes. The blade is usually serrated, with a blunt tip, and 5
some knives even have a different blade style on each end of the handle. Chestnut A chestnut knife is used to score a chestnut with an "X" cut prior to roasting, so that steam does not build up inside and cause the nut to explode. They have very shallow blades so that they can cut through the shell without cutting through the nut inside. Mincing Also known as a Mezzaluna (Italian: "half moon"), a mincing knife is a uniquely designed knife comprised of a semicircular blade within a similarly shaped handle. Because they have a highly curved blade, they make a good rocking motion and are ideal for mincing. Many mincing knives come with a wooden cutting board with a circular bowl-shaped indentation that matches the curvature of the knife. Some models have two blades that are parallel to each other to increase their mincing power. Large mezzaluna-like knives with shallow curves are sometimes used to cut pizza, though the rolling pizza cutter is more common for this purpose. Tourner Also called a bird's beak or peeling knife, the curved blade of this short knife is used to peel vegetables, or to make a seven-sided, football-shaped cut when making vegetables into garnishes.
Knife block A knife block is a common way to store knives safely and close at hand in the kitchen. This is an angled block of wood, steel, or other material, with slots for inserting knife blades, and sometimes other accessories, like kitchen scissors. Many knife blocks, particularly those made of wood, cannot be cleaned on the inside. Magnetic knife bars and in-drawer holders are becoming popular as more sanitary alternatives.
Notable brands Company Country Some of the most exceptional hand made Japanese style knives made these days. Sold on US infomercials in the 1970s
Accessories Cutting board Main article: Cutting board
Japanese brand produced by Yoshikin
A cutting board is kitchen utensil used in conjunction with a knife. It is a flat surface, generally made of either wood or plastic, on which to cut food and which protects counter tops and knives from damage.
Made in Germany. (Henckels International: Spain and China)
Carving fork Main article: Carving fork A carving fork is a long, two-pronged fork used to hold meat steady while it is being carved. They are often sold with carving knives or slicers as part of a carving set. Honing steel Contrary to what many believe, the honing steel is not a sharpener. A honing steel straightens the blade while a sharpener sharpens the blade. A honing steel is a rod made of steel, ceramic, or diamond, generally about 30 cm (1 foot) long (although can be longer) and 6 mm to 12 mm (Ÿ to ½ inch) thick. It is used to hone a knife blade after sharpening in order to restore the edge and improve cutting ability.
Alton Brown (Shun: Alton's Angles)
(Shun Ken Onion)
Sells only ceramic knives
Shears Main article: Kitchen scissors Shears are essentially kitchen scissors, though they can be used for many of the same jobs as knives, such as chopping herbs. Users should be very careful not to cut food with shears that do not separate, as they cannot be properly cleaned and may harbor bacteria.
Website Prominent Other/ brands notes
Traditionally sold for fundraising purposes K Sabatier,
Made in Thiers, France, 6
Au Carbone
Au Carbone line are carbon steel
Pro Culinaire
Made in USA & Japan
RH Forschner, Swiss Army Spitzenklasse, Made in Grand Germany Gourmet
Notes References • Brown, Alton (2003). Alton Brown's Gear For Your Kitchen. Stewart, Tabori and Chang. ISBN1-58479-296-5. • Wolf, Burt;Aronson, Emily;Fabricant, Florence (2000). The New Cook's Catalogue. Alfred Knopf. ISBN0-375-40673-5. • Lee, Matt and Lee, Ted (December 15, 2004). When a Knife Is the Gleam in a Cook's Eye. New York Times. • Cooking For Engineers - Examination of Parts of a Chef's Knife and what to look for when buying a kitchen knife • "How to Succeed at Knife-Sharpening Without Losing a Thumb"New York Times, September 23, 2006
See also • Knork - a knife and fork combination • Sporf - a spoon, fork, and knife combination
External links •
Media related to Kitchen knives at Wikimedia Commons
• Cooking For Engineers - explains common kitchen knives
such as sandpaper. For finer sharpening, a leather razor strop, or strop, is often used. The smaller the angle between the blade and stone, the sharper the knife will be, but the less side force is needed to bend the edge over or chip it off. Very sharp knives sharpen at about 10 degrees (which implies that the knife's edge is a 20-degree angle). Typical knives are sharpened at 15 degrees. Knives that require a tough edge (such as those that chop) sharpen at 20 degrees or more. For an extremely durable edge (such as a chisel or drawknife), blades can be sharpened to 30 degrees. In general, but not always, the harder the material to be cut the higher the angle of the edge. The composition of the stone affects the sharpness of the blade (finer grain produces sharper blades), as does the composition of the blade (some metals take and keep an edge better than others). Clamp-style sharpening tools use a clamp with several holes with pre-defined angles. The stone is mounted on a rod and is pulled through these holes, so that the angle remains consistent. Another system is the crock stick setup, where two sticks are put into a plastic or wooden base to form a V shape. When the knife is pulled up the V, the angle is held so long as the blade is held perpendicular to the base. Honing stones (also called whetstones) come in coarse and fine grits and can be described as hard or soft based on whether the grit comes free of the stone with use. Arkansas, USA is a traditional source for honing stones, which are traditionally used with water or honing oil. India is another traditional source for stones. Ceramic hones are also common, especially for fine grit size. Japanese water stones (both artificial and natural) come in very fine grits. Before use, they are soaked in water, then flushed with water occasionally to expose new stone material to the knife blade. The mixture of water and abraded stone and knife material is known as slurry, which can assist with the polishing of the knife edge and help sharpen the blade. Generally, these are more costly than oilstones. Coated hones, which have an abrasive, sometimes diamonds, on a base of plastic or metal, are also available. Sharpening blocks made with corundum are expensive. Sharpening with diamond stones can be a real time saving step in the sharpening process. Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance known to man and as such can be used to sharpen almost any material.1 Diamond sharpening stones are an excellent tool for flattening waterstones. Use a very coarse diamond stone and draw crosses on the surface of the waterstone with a pencil in order to determine when you are finished. Rub the diamond stone against the surface of the waterstone under running water until the pencil marks are removed completely.2
Editor's Note: Read Chef's Choice Knife Sharpener review here.
Knife Sharpening From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Knives are sharpened by grinding against a hard rough surface, typically stone, or a soft surface with hard particles,
Diamond stones are also the only way to manually sharpen Carbide cutting tools commonly used in woodworking and machine shops. A fine grade of diamond such as a 25 micron sized diamond is appropriate and the number of strokes taken on each cutter wing should be the same in order to maintain the balance of the carbide tool such as a router bit.3 Another sharpening tool is known as a honing steel. A honing steel is a type of hardened cylindrical rod used similarly to honing stones. For example, a butcher steel is a round file with 7
the teeth running the long way, while a packer steel (used in the meat packer's industry) is a smooth, polished steel rod designed for straightening the turned edge of a knife, and is also useful for burnishing a newly finished edge. Because steels have a small diameter they exert high local pressure, and therefore affect the knife metal when used with very little force. They are intended for mild steel knives that are steeled several times a day, but are not well suited for today's tougher and harder steels.
Knife Sharpening Experts: Stropping It
Stropping a knife is a finishing step. This is often done with a leather strap impregnated with abrasive compounds, but can be done on paper, cardstock, or even cloth in a pinch. It will not cut the edge significantly, but produces a very sharp edge with very little metal loss. It is useful when a knife is still sharp, but has lost that 'scary sharp' edge from use.
You've got a burr on your blade edge and it should be removed. At this point, tiny bits of metal still cling to your knife's edge. These bits feel like sand on the edge. But you'd like to get it as fine as it can be, even slippery sharp at that.
Maintenance may be done with a sharpening steel. This process can affect alignment of the edge. Realigning the edge can keep a knife sharp as often a rolled edge is responsible for dullness. A very sharp knife has an edge that is too small to see with the eye; it may even be hard to focus in a microscope. The shape near the edge can be highlighted by rotating the knife and watching changes in reflection. Nicks and rolled edges can also be seen. If a knife is used as a scraper, a prybar, or encounters hard particles in softer materials or fully, there may be a sideways load at the tip. This may damage the knife.
See also
Article Source: http://www.thecontentcorner.com You've just sharpened your knives. You know that they're as sharp as can be because you've tested them. They have a burr that confirms it. Should you stop there?
Maybe you've got knives that are going on display. Maybe they're going to be included in a ceremony of some sort. Or maybe you'd just like to show off your fine knives to your friends and family. I'm sure you'd want your edges to shine, to make them silky smooth. Well, then. It's time to strop it. Stropping is a technique used to clean off a blade's edge after sharpening. It is meant to bend and twist those clinging metal pieces until they fall off. It's also done to realign the microscopic teeth created on the edge while sharpening. Stropping is done by swiping both sides of your blade's edge over a leather strap. When you can no longer feel clinging bits, you have successfully stropped your blade edge. It should be shining nice and bright at this point. This is how stropping was always done in the past, but times are changing.
• Sharpening • Sharpening stone • Razor strop
References 1. ^ "Woodworkers Guide to Sharpening" English, Fox Chapel, Pg 27, 29 2. ^ "Woodworkers Guide to Sharpening" English, Fox Chapel, Pg 27, 29 ""Sharpening" Lie-Nielsen, Taunton Press, Pg 23, 24 3. ^ "Sharpening" Lie-Nielsen, Taunton Press, Pg 194, 196
External links • Sharpening products, manufacturers, and tips
Editor's Note: Read Chef's Choice Knife Sharpener review here.
Who would've thought that one day you could electrically strop an edge? I sure didn't. The world of electric knife sharpening has come a very long way. Some electric knife sharpeners are quite remarkable. Many of the high priced sharpeners are equipped with their own stropping abrasives. How about that? It's true. All it takes is over $50 to a few hundred dollars to get a fantastic electric sharpener that'll both sharpen and strop your edges for you. Just like that. Yes, I know. It seems like an awful lot of money for just an electric knife sharpener. But if you've got the means and don't care to diddle with it, electric knife stropping is surely possible now. It is entirely up to you. Let's make one point very clear. Stropping is not sharpening. It isn't, really. But stropping with a polishing compound or an abrasive compound sure is. When you do this, when you add such a compound to the strap, the stropping has now become its own form of sharpening. Now that it's able to remove metal from the edge, it has become a sharpener. All by itself, however, the strap can do no more than strop an edge. Therein lies the difference. For fine knife sharpening, stropping is always the last step. It is done after absolute sharpness has been achieved. It makes each knife edge as fine as it can be. They will shine and shine. Isn't that special? 8
Len Q. is a master blade sharpener and an adventurer who strives to protect the natural world. If you would like to learn about ▪ Knife Sharpening: How to Sharpen Knives, Maintain and Store Them ▪ Sharpening Devices, Tests for Sharpness, Steeling and more ▪ Sharpening Other Edges (i.e. Chain Saws, Lawn Mower Blades, Gardening Tools, Axes) Find it Here at www.MakeKnivesSharp.com
Editor's Note: Read Chef's Choice Knife Sharpener review here.
Using Manual Knife Sharpeners Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com Our grandfathers used manual sharpeners for all their knives and cutting tools for years and decades. Some of them had the skill to sharpen a knife's blade to perfection, creating a razor sharp blade that could cut everything in its way. These sharpening techniques were not easy to learn, and they actually take a lot of time to put into practice. To sharpen a knife with manual, round knife sharpener, you need a lot of time and patience. The round knife sharpener is the simplest type there is, but it is still popular in home use. Using an electric knife sharpener simply doesn't fit to some people and they feel they have everything they need already. There is something calming in the knife sharpening process and this is also one of the reasons people don't want to finish it quickly. Electric sharpener does the job right, but sometimes that is not enough.
learning how to sharpen a knife with round knife sharpener. Of course, there are always cheaper manual sharpeners that you can find and we do recommend them instead of the pricey ones. If you really want a round knife sharpener, you don't need to have expensive, fancy one. Some of the good ones you could use are Tablecraft, Mundial, Cerafuse, Victorinox and Butcher. You can find some great prices with Tablecraft but if you want a fancy, diamond honed knife sharpener, you will find it quite easily for a higher price. At the end of the day, it is your decision and you will decide what to do with your time and sharpening skills. Electric knife sharpeners are easier to use and you'll learn to use them much faster. But there is that strange attraction in a round knife sharpener and its old ways of work, so if that's your cup of tea, then go for it. To find a bit more about round knife sharpener and electric Chef's Choice sharpeners, visit our knife sharpeners blog.
Editor's Note: Read Chef's Choice Knife Sharpener review here.
Chef's Choice M130 Professional Knife-Sharpening Station, Platinum (Kitchen) tagged "electric knife sharpeners" 5 times August 26th, 2008
To use a manual knife sharpener, you have to use your skills much more then with electric one. You're gonna need strength and focus to sharpen your knife correctly. The round knife sharpener is made out of stainless steel and has a handle for you to grab on it. The handle is usually made out of wood or plastic. To sharpen your knife, you have to slide your cutting tool against the stainless steel with a force. More force you apply, more effective your knife sharpening is. But with more force, you can lose the traction and miss the angle you want to achieve.
Chef's Choice M130 Professional Knife-Sharpening Station, Platinum (Kitchen) By Chef's Choice
This is why you need to have patience and focus on what you are doing. You don't want ti make a mistake and slide your knife in unwanted direction. Because your knife will move fast and strong, you have to be careful not to overdo it and lose control.
Chef's Choice M130 Professional Sharpening Station, White (Kitchen) tagged "electric knife sharpeners" 6 times
If you think this is too much to handle, you are probably an electric knife sharpener person. Lots of other people avoid manual sharpeners for that reason too. You will definitely need time to learn proper manual knife sharpening. Other thing that comes as a minus for these sharpeners is their price. Some of them can cost a lot more than 50 bucks, which is quite interesting. For this kind of money, you can find electric one and save yourself some time and hassle with
Buy new: $128.49 Customer Rating: Customer tags: knife sharpener(35), electric knife sharpener(24), chefs choice(13), sharpeners(12), knife(10), small electrics(6), electric knife sharpeners(5), sharpner(3), knife sharpner(2), household(2), americas test kitchen best 2006, chefs choice m130 - knife sharpner
December 13th, 2009
Chef's Choice M130 Professional Sharpening Station, White (Kitchen) By Chef's Choice Buy new: $126.78
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Chef's Choice 110 Professional Diamond Hone Sharpener (Kitchen) tagged "electric knife sharpeners" 2 times December 24th, 2008
Chef's Choice 110 Professional Diamond Hone Sharpener (Kitchen) By Chef's Choice Buy new: $84.99 9 used and new from $74.04 Customer Rating: Customer tags: knife sharpener(7), chefs choice(4), electric knife sharpener(3), electric knife sharpeners(2), knife sharpeners(2), sharpeners, knife sharpening systems, knife sharpner
Chef's Choice M130 Professional Sharpening Stations (Kitchen) tagged "electric knife sharpeners" 4 times April 23rd, 2009
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