A dull kitchen knife is a knife without functionality, which is why it is important for you to keep them sharpened up.
Using a dull knife is also considered unsafe because you have to put a lot of force to cut your vegetables and meat. This struggle can leave your hands injured. So, it is better to buck up and get ready to sharpen your knife blades.
People are widely using electric knife sharpeners for less time consumption, however, not everyone can afford them. For that reason, we are here to teach you how you can sharpen your blade with a stone.
If you are on a tight budget, buy any type of sharpening stone.
Sharpening A Blade With A Stone
There are so many types of knife sharpeners people use, but sharpening stone is one of the oldest types of sharpeners.
It was the only tool used to sharpen the blades in ancient times, which is why its importance is still considered.
However, if you are dealing with a knife that has broken edges, you can first hon it with a honing rod before sharpening it.
Determine The Dullness
To check how much sharpening your knife needs, you need to examine its condition first. Get your knives out and examine them one by one.
The dullness of your knife will determine how badly it needs to be sharpened. Try to cut with each of your knives and check how much the knife resists.
Choose The Stone Wisely
Have you visited a friend’s restaurant where you saw some strange looking stones in the kitchen? Well, these are the sharpening stones that chef’s keep by their sides.
Chef’s knives are always in cutting, which is why they keep them for instant sharpening. Make sure that you choose your sharpening stone wisely.
It should be made of natural or synthetic material that can be soaked and lubricated easily. You can also consider a grit guide so that you can make the right decision.
Grit Level Is Important
Selecting the grit level is another important thing that must be done with care. When you will go out to buy a sharpening stone, you will see that they have different grit sizes enough to jumble you up.
There are 3 most commonly used grit sizes that are coarse, medium grit, and fine grit that has different levels ahead.
Prepare The Sharpening Stone
Once you are done with making the stone choice, start preparing it for the work. Most of the people prefer whetstone to sharpen their knives because they are durable and effective.
Follow the instructions that came up with your stone and prepare it accordingly. You will get to know whether you need to soak it in the water or put oil on it.
Sharpening the Knife
When the sharpening stone is ready, place the edge of your knife in a 20-degree position. Make sure that the edge of the knife is placed away from you.
Place your fingertip on the flat part of the knife and hold its bevel strongly. Start sweeping from one side to another slowly, and gradually set the pace.
Do it on both sides, and then move towards the finer grit. Repeat the process, and your knife will be sharpened and polished as well.
Clean The Knife And Stone
Don’t leave your knives and stones just like that. As soon as you are done with the sharpening procedure, clean them.
Pocket knives are the easiest to clean after sharpening because of their compact size. However, you need to take care of all your knives. Keep them dry so that they will not get rusted or dull.
Conclusion
Sharpening a knife with stone is as easy as squeezing a lemon, but when it comes to serrated knives it gets difficult. However, if you know how to sharpen a serrated knife, things will get easier. We hope that this article will solve half if not all of your worries.
Hi, I’m a clinical psychologist and inclined towards best buying practices for home and kitchen things. Critical towards choosing the best product and honest with my feedback. I’m a seasoned writer having more than 4 years of experience in multiple niches as well.
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