Quite logically, the blade of a knife becomes used up when using it. So to insure a perfect cutting edge, you need to sharpen it regularly. There are as many technics as there are tools. Some will prefer a stone to any other tool, the lazier will prefer to use a sharpening machine and the others will look for sharpeners or rod sharpeners.

Stone sharpening

Basic rules :
The bigger the stone is, the easier to use it it will be (and the more money it will cost). The finer the stone is, the greater is the precision of the sharpening. To begin the sharpening and gain time, you can use a coarser stone.
Note: it is easier to make up a mistake made with a fine stone than with a coarser stone.

Which stone to choose?
There is quite a range of sharpening stones. The best sharpening stone is the Stone of Vielsalm, coming from Belgium. It erodes quickly but sharpens the strongest stainless steels. The Arkansas stone is more common. It is everlasting and very efficient.
To begin with, amateurs should use a bonded synthetic stone, which is perfect to save a very damaged knife.
A diamond stone or TDM stone is very practical as it is unbreakable and not cumbersome , it can be used without water if needed and sharpens the strongest steels. The only weak point is its price, often expensive.

Sharpening stones are to be found at armourer's.

Sharpening technics :
Always sharpen towards the blade, as if you wanted to cut a thin slice of stone.
Define the sharpening angle of the blade according to the stone and to your preference (generally 15 to 20°). You will reach a better result by helding the stone in place, you do not necessarily need to vice it. You can also put it on an antiskid covering, like a sponge. Sharpen symetrically. Always use water during the sharpening (or oil for special stones). If the knife is particularly hard to sharpen, you can sharpen by making circles: press the knife against the stone when you enter the stone and unpress when you push away from the cutting edge.
Note: if you are using a water-cooled grinder, make sure to avoid the edge to elude wounds.

A finish razor-sharpened on a leather strop :
To have a perfect finish and a razor cutting edge, you have to sharpen your knife with a very thin angle (around 12°) on a fine stone and then strop it on leather with a razor sharpening paste. You do not need any special equipment: you can buy the razor paste at any armourer's. Then spread it on an old thick piece of leather (from an old bag, a belt...) and put your knife on it, on both sides, and avoiding the cutting edge. It is amazing: a cutting knife that has been sharpened with leather shaves. Try it on your arm and look at your hair fall.

Other sharpening technics :

The butcher sharpening steel :
Simply slide the blade like scissors on both sides of the sharpening steel. That's it.

Tools like two carbide wheels in steel or tungsten :
These tools sharpen quickly and easily a knife. Press the tool against the blade and make sure to swivel it at 180° between each transition. This tool is only for emergency repair.

Sharpening machines :
We do not talk here about the professional sharpening machines which are far too expensive for individuals, but about these small machines that you can buy at armourer's and that enable you to sharpen easily damaged blades. Here it is not the knife that moves around the stone but the stone moves around the knife. For some people, it is a miracle, for others a scandal. You will be your own judge of this solution that will be more expensive than a simple sharpening stone. Read the indication of usage of the manufacturer to use the machine correctly.

Last recommendations:
On a well-sharpened knife, you must not see anything shine when you put the cutting edge under the light. If the cutting edge shines, then it is flat which means badly sharpened. You can also check the quality of the blade on a simple paper sheet. Put the blade through a sheet in the air and then try to cut the sheet towards the bottom, your gesture must be flexible and plain. A well-sharpened blade must cut the sheet without tearing it up.
A long-lasting cutting-edge is a smooth and shiny one. A gross or dentated cutting-edge will not be as long-lasting and cutting.

Quelle: Wikipedia


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