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- THE SHARPENING - |
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Sharpening is not an easy thing to do; it requires
a certain knowledge about the various possible techniques.
This guide about sharpening should be a great help for both beginners
and experts.
Read carefully !
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How to sharpen :
The way is always the same whatever the stone is
; you must ALWAYS
go TOWARDS
the edge as if you were going to cut a fine slice of the grindstone.
- The position of the stone is up to you, try several
ways.
- To make it easier, fix the stone on the table or
a bench with a clamp or just put it on a wet kitchen-roll paper (to
prevent it from slipping).
In that case, just take the right angle (15° to 20°) with all the body
push it with the point forward as if cutting a slice of stone.
A few movements in a way and about the same number in the other for
a symmetrical work.
- You can also hold the stone in one hand, the knife
in the other and cut a thin slice of stone ; in this case, the knife
will rather slide from the handle to the point.
It's a very convenient way when you haven't any room for the stone,
but the angle of the edge is more difficult to keep.
The best thing is to try, to have your own way.
If the knife is particularly difficult to sharpen,
you can also draw circles (this method can often be seen) but in this case,
you must pres the knife on the stone and stop pressing when you are far
from the edge (always the same rule: go toward the edge which avoids the
wire edge).
As usual in France there's an exception to the rule when you use a water-mill.
In this case the best way avoid the edge which allows us 2 advantages.
- Less danger for you, if you drop it and for the
knife if you press too much accidentally.
- Anyway the work by a mill is rough, the wire edge will
be taken off on a stone.
The water grindstones you can find in a shop usually go from the edge
rather than enter the edge.
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Roughings and badly damaged edges :
If you want to put an edge again to an ordinary
kitchen knife, you can use a coarse-grained stone the sort of synthetic
stone, soft about 1,5 $ a pair in a supermarket (stones for scythes) you
must take off a lot of material, it would take you hours on a fine grained
stone.
Extreme but true to life case : a big kitchen knife whose edge has been
notcled with a polishing-lathe you grind 1 or 2 millimeters all along the
edge, be careful not to heat the blade too much, dip it into water several
times then use the water-grindstone. You can pratice on old broken or notched
blade which would be lost in any case or on a flat piece of iron...
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Sorts of stones and their uses :
Use a coarse-grained stone for roughing out or
a badly damaged edge then a fine stone for the finish or a valuable knife
(less risks if something gets wrong.
Another rule.
Always use water
even on an oil stone an Arkansas stone sold with an bottle of oil will be
OK with water better than with oil expect if the stone has been used with
oil you must go on with the oil which will have invaded the pores of the
stone, and thus of no use with water.
- The stone from Arkansas, a very hard stone which
can't be worn away can be found hard (grey) or soft (white a little
less hard).
Ideal to do everything or nearly if the edge is not too much damaged
(if not it takes time) use water rather than oil.
- Stone from Vielsalm a small Belgian village where
you can find a stone unique in the world, very thing, made of tiny garnet
grains in a schist.
Use it with water, it wears out quickly (it splits from the grain) but
the very hard garnet grains can attack the hardest stainless steel,
with it, you can get a razor edge without a strop, but it's rather expensive.
You can have it flat again by rubbing it on another of the stone from
Vielslam always with water.
- The stone with diamonds or DMT stone: very convenient
unbreakable can be used without water (just for help) and everywhere
often in a pocket.
The price is the only problem but it will attack the hardest steel.
- The stone for scythes or synthetic stone, 1,5 $ a pair.
Convenient for the roughing out, you will obtain a coarse ridged edge
which will cut fairly well and won't last.
- The moonstone sold some time ago, rub two stones to
obtain a foam. Dunno !
A big stone will be easier to use but more expensive,
the price will be prohibitive for the stone of Vielsalm
To put it in a nutshell, if you must buy only one, buy two :
- A stone of Arkansas which can be easily found for a
razor edge if you want.
- A 1,50 € stone in a supermarket for the works the roughng
out.
If you break it or spoil it, you will easily recover!
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The razor edge , the strop :
For a super finish and a razor edge, sharpen the
knife with a very small angle (12°) a thin stone then rub on a strop with
a razor paste (as our grandfathers used to do).
No need to have a special instrument the paste can be bought at a cutler's
(1,5 - 3 $) and must be spread on an old thick piece of leather (from an
old bag or belt).
Then rub your knife on it, on either side from the edge in this case.
It's magic! After that, you can shave (try it on your arm).
But if you use it frequently) the so thin edge won't last if a single cut
in a plate destroys the edge.
Think of the use you want to do before choosing the angle and the sort of
sharpening.
- A very twin edge can cut a hair into several pieces.
- Another test try to shave a kitchen roll piece of paper.
The blade will catch the thin threads of paper. Difficult to explain
you will feel it.
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Some observations :
A well sharpened knife must not glisten when you
look at the edge by light if it does it means it is flat therefore not well
sharpened.
An edge which lasts must be smooth, bright. A coarse and notched edge won't
last and cut less.
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