Sharpening knives properly - an overview of the different options
A knife is not just a tool, but rather an extremely important tool that can definitely be described as indispensable in numerous situations. Conclusively, it is all the more important that the heart of the knife, the blade, maintains excellent sharpness at all times. Continuous care is the be-all and end-all to ensure that this goal is achieved in the long term. One of the most important parts of the wide range of maintenance measures is sharpening.
If you would like to do this essential task yourself and do not want to have your knife sharpened by a service provider, we have summarised an all-round overview of the various sharpening options in the following text. This way you can be sure that you know all the strengths and special features in advance and that the steel of your knife will soon look brand new again. Say goodbye to dull knives! With the following tips, you can quickly get your blades back into shape.
WHAT TOOLS CAN BE USED TO SHARPEN DULL KNIVES PROPERLY?
There are not only many different types of knives on the market, but also many different ways to get them sharp again. The most effective and popular options include:
- Sharpening stones / whetstones
- Grinding sticks
- Pull-through grinders / knife sharpeners
- Electric grinders
- Sharpening steels
Depending on skill, knife type and taste, knife owners can choose between different approaches. The knife sharpeners all have advantages and disadvantages, so that you can perfectly weigh up for yourself in advance which solution is the most suitable.
WHAT MAKES A SHARPENING STONE OR WHETSTONE SO SPECIAL?
A sharpening stone or whetstone is characterised above all by the fact that you can achieve a very sharp result in the end. Stones with a very fine grain make this possible without any complications. In addition, the option is welcomed by many knife lovers because it can extend the life of a knife enormously. With a product of this type, the knives are not only sharpened briefly for the moment, but rather kept permanently sharp. Thin sharpening also works excellently with the knives.
The only disadvantage is not really a disadvantage when you look at it more closely. The use of the whetstone requires a little skill, especially at the beginning. However, the necessary skills are acquired very quickly, so that this initial hurdle can be overcome extremely quickly. A whetstone is therefore also suitable for beginners. Our sharpening stone set with wooden box and our sharpening stone set with acacia wood base, for example, both include detailed sharpening instructions, so that even beginners can work their way forward step by step. The integrated angle holder also ensures that you can maintain the optimum angle.
WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SANDING STICK?
Compared to the whetstone, the sharpening stick is a much simpler version. Although the life of the knife does not suffer with this option, the maintenance of sharpness is of a shorter nature. It is primarily a matter of achieving a quick maintenance sharpening. Regardless of this, however, the result can be achieved well and quickly.
Knives that are already extremely dull should not be treated with a sharpening rod. Thinning out a knife is also not recommended. In this case, it is better to use another knife sharpener to be able to sharpen the knife properly.
HOW CAN A KNIFE BE SHARPENED PROPERLY WITH A PULL-THROUGH SHARPENER?
A pull-through sharpener is a very practical tool that can be quickly mastered even by beginners. As is the case, for example, with our 5 in 1 blade doctor, users can fall back on various functions here, such as:
- Ceramic grinding rod
- Tungsten steel grinding slot
- Ceramic grinding slot
- Diamond grinding rod
You can work your way through the 4 steps step by step. In the end, the knife is perfectly sharpened without any effort or great investment of time. The sharp blade cuts everything again as if you were gliding through butter. Lightweight, space-saving and always ready for use, knife fans can acquire an excellent solution for on-the-go, with which they can sharpen knives properly. In this video you can watch the exact application steps of the blade doctor again. As a fifth function, the tool also has a practical bottle opener.
WHAT EXACTLY DOES AN ELECTRIC SHARPENER DO?
An electric grinder does exactly what the pull-through grinder does, only, as the name suggests, it does it electrically. This means that you can reach your goal more quickly when sanding and the operation is automatically beginner-friendly.
However, the partly higher pressure means that the material is removed more. This is probably also the main reason why many people still prefer to use the variant described above. The electric version is also not suitable for thin grinding.
IS A SHARPENING STEEL STILL RECOMMENDED AT ALL?
When one thinks of a sharpening steel, one usually associates this product with the kitchen or a kitchen knife. However, this image is a fallacy, as more effective methods have also emerged in this area in modern times. With whetstones, you can work with comparatively much finer grains. The same applies to grinding sticks. Nowadays, both types are better suited in a direct duel if you want to sharpen your knives properly.
