Can a knife be sharpened with a grinder

How to care for your knife: storage, use, sharpening, cleaning, and lubrication

If cared for properly, a knife will last its owner for the rest of its life, and the concept of care includes: proper use, storage, cleaning and sharpening of the blade, as well as the order of the handle and sheath.

The first thing to decide for yourself is whether or not the knife is going to be a universal tool. Actually, a good knife can do a lot of things, from opening locks and digging out the ground (for example, to set pegs for the tent) to filigree cutting of raw fish. But the more often it performs the tasks of the first plan, the less suitable it becomes for “delicate” work.

• Have with you a complete set of household tools that may come in handy: screwdriver, awl, scissors, a pry bar, etc. д. Not a viable option in real life.
• Carry the simplest EDC (everyday carry): a limited set of gadgets in a compact and handy package. Usually it is a paracord, flashlight and multitool or one multitool.
• Choose a special knife for rough handling not sorry to change periodically (what people call “a throw-away knife for a hundred”) and use other tools. quality, expensive and, most likely, your most beloved ones. for their intended purpose.

Intended use is the first rule of gentle handling. You shouldn’t crush boar’s bones with a thin fish knife or use a ceramic blade for slicing cheeses. The knife also doesn’t have to “cut nails”, contrary to the opinion of amateurs. The 100-ruble knife is good for disposable works not for its intended purpose, and the “real” knife should be kept for its intended purpose.

A few proven ways to sharpen a knife without a machine tool

Sometimes you may have a situation where you need to sharpen your knife, but don’t have the tools at hand. In this short article, we will tell you how you can use the tools at hand to sharpen your knife. You may have heard of some of these, but you might also discover here some great tricks you didn’t know about.

Use a ceramic cup or saucer

This is the method that everyone usually knows. Usually most of the surface of a mug is polished, but the bottom of the mug, the part that touches the table, is usually pretty rough. Not all mugs may have this, but usually old mugs have this rough circular band on the bottom.

This surface can be fairly coarse, medium grit, or fine grit, depending on what material the mug is made of. And you can use this feature to sharpen your knife.

Find an old mug that has a rather rough circle on the bottom. This trick will not work if the surface of the mug is completely polished. A rough surface is what will sharpen the blade.

Place the mug on its neck on a hard surface (a table usually does a good job). Make sure the surface is not too slippery. If it is, you can add a piece of cloth or a wooden cutting board under the cup. This is only to make the process easier.

Take the knife and simply sharpen it as you would on a regular ceramic bar.

Use a nail file.

This item is also quite common, as is a ceramic mug. Only in this case you are using a good old nail file as a sharpening stone to sharpen the blade. Nail files can sometimes be quite rough and quite accurately represent the texture of actual sharpening stones that are used to properly sharpen knives.

This tiphack will be a lifesaver if you don’t have anything else with you. It can also be a lightweight, little improvised sharpening device if, for example, you go on a camping trip. Especially good for this are wide, double-sided knife files that have different grit on each side.

Yes, yes, we know the chorus on this subject is endless, but the trick turns out to be very useful when you have two slightly blunt knives. And there’s nothing else. Just use one to sharpen the other! In this technique, you basically use the other knife as a sharpening or honing rod to make your own knife sharp.

Surely you’ve heard from other people, or even knife-making experts, that you shouldn’t use a knife to sharpen another knife. Well, that’s just because people do it wrong. Most people use a knife blade to sharpen the blade of their own knife. Of course, this is wrong, and will damage the blades of both knives!

The proper way is to sharpen the shoe of the second knife to sharpen the blade of the first! Damaging the blade is much harder than damaging it, and even if you do, the cutting edge will not be affected. Simply use the shank of a second knife as a shredder.

Use a flat rock

Yes, you can just use a random stone instead of a sharpening stone, and while an actual sharpening stone will probably give you better results, using a flat stone can be a very good option if you don’t have one within reach.

This method can be very practical, as you don’t have to carry anything on your backpacking trip. Well, for example, you’re a complete minimalist and carry a very limited set of items. The key to this tiphook is to find a good, relatively smooth, flat stone. Find a proper stone, moisten it with water and sharpen your knife. It’s very simple!

Use car glass

As strange as it may seem, using a car window can be a very effective method of sharpening if you don’t have any sharpening equipment around. In this method, you will use the edge of the car window as a sharpening rod. The key is that the edge of the car window, unlike the rest of the window, is not polished, and has a slightly rough surface. By running the knife over that part of the glass, you’re going to sharpen the knife slightly. It’s not very convenient, but it works in principle. Especially, this trick can be very useful if you’re in a pretty desolate area, like Greenland or the East Siberian highlands. You just need to open the window halfway, and it becomes an accessible tool for sharpening blades!

A slate is probably one of the closest things to a sharpening stone you can get in this list of random household items. The key to this tiphook is to use the slate as an actual sharpening stone, using the same motions and techniques.

If you don’t have a sharpening stone handy, you may find it easier to find a slate. For example, at the nearest junkyard. Or just rip off a piece of roof from an old barn. Slates are rough enough for sharpening to be effective, but allow you to remove creases and irregularities in the cutting edge.

Use shards of glass

The thing is, the edge of broken glass is not polished. Unpolished glass is a good choice if you want to sharpen your blade. The sharpening technique here is the same as for car glass, since both use coarse glass. The main thing is to take care not to accidentally injure your hands in the process. Even a small piece of glass can be used as a musate, especially when it comes to quickly correcting a carbon steel blade.

Use sandpaper

In this method, you use the roughness of the sandpaper to sharpen the knife. The roughness of sandpaper is similar to that of stones, and is a good short-term solution if you don’t have handy sharpening equipment.

One of the tiphacks is to stick sandpaper on a piece of wood using double sided tape. The result is an improvised sharpening stone. Quite workable, by the way!

Like glass and slate, brick is also one of those everyday things that is pretty close in its characteristics to a sharpening stone. In this method, you use a brick just like a regular sharpening stone. which means you use the same motions and techniques you would use if you were using actual sharpening equipment to sharpen a knife.

Basic sharpening options

To sharpen a knife blade, you can resort to the manual method or automated devices. Each method of sharpening has its own specifics that need to be understood.

Electric sharpening machine

Ceramic knives are sharpened with a sharpening machine, but when using this device you need to take into account a number of nuances. It is worth preparing for the fact that the process will be longer than when sharpening metal products. This is due to the fact that during the procedure, the ceramic blade is not pressed tightly to the wheel.

First of all, it is necessary to acquire two grinding wheels with diamond coating (80 microns. for sharpening, 40 microns. for grinding). A good result can be achieved by adhering to the following conditions:

• low speed of rotation;
• Small tapping of the wheel, circulation in one plane;
• close, but not strong pressure of the blade to the grinding wheel;
• The blade should be moved leisurely from the base to the end, repeating the process 3 to 6 times and maintaining the factory sharpening angle.

Automatic knife sharpener

So that the consumer is not inconvenienced during the use of home tools made of ceramics and could independently sharpen it, manufacturers have released special sharpeners This is the price of knife sharpeners produced in Japan and the United States. On the market you can also find cheaper analogues from China, but no one is responsible for their quality.

The cutter is equipped with diamond-coated discs (2 pcs.) and works with battery power, batteries or plug power. First you need to study the manual, which specifies how to insert the blade into the device correctly. Then the device automatically adapts to the thickness of the blade and sets the desired sharpening angle. The process does not take long and the quality of the work is sure to please the owner.

In the process of sharpening the blade with this device it is also possible to get rid of small chips on the tip. Some models are equipped with a device that cleans the work surface from sharpening waste (crumbs, dust). Of course, such purchase is worth thinking about if the knife costs a lot of money.

Manual devices

The principle of operation of a manual sharpener is the same as that of an electric one, but the only difference is that the discs are set in motion with the help of hands. This model costs less, but a person will need to show stamina and dexterity while doing the work. The sharpening angle of such devices is usually adjusted. The knife blade is placed in a special hole on the tool, and then you must slowly move it along the discs (from the handle to the tip).

Special diamond-plated stones, which look like files, are also designed for sharpening delicate knives. When using a bar, the sharpening angle must be determined independently, so this method is suitable for more experienced craftsmen.

Diamond paste

To consolidate the result after sharpening, usually use diamond paste (abrasive not more than 5 microns). It can also be used directly to sharpen the blade if the knife is a bit dull. In more complicated cases this method is inappropriate.

First the paste is applied to a firm and flexible surface. Ideally, it should be a piece of leather, but cardboard is also fine. Then grind the tip with even strokes. The result will be very good, but the whole process will take a lot of time.

With proper care and careful handling, a ceramic razor blade can last for years and years. A couple of times during this time it will be necessary to sharpen it, but how to do it. independently at home or resort to professionals. each consumer decides for himself

It is important to remember that sharpening ceramics is a time-consuming process that requires attention and meticulousness

How to sharpen a safety razor blade

A man’s razor is an item of personal and daily use for shaving. Regardless of whether you use a disposable or reusable cassette razor, it does take a while for the blades to wear out. Even razors made of stainless steel tend to blunt over time. It is impossible to shave with them. irritation, small cuts on the skin with such shaving is ensured.

Sharpening the blades of disposable machines

While disposable razors can be replaced without regret, because they’re cheap, changing the refill cartridges on a reusable razor requires a lot of money. But razors can be given a “second” life, extending their working life several times over. To help in this can sharpen blades for shaving. This can easily be done at home.

This is the easiest way, which does not require any financial and physical costs. How to sharpen a safety razor blade if it is a disposable razor? Before you start sharpening, the razor must be prepared by cleaning it of dirt, rinsing it under running water and wiping it dry with a terry towel. After preparation the following actions are carried out:

• denim is prepared. In order to protect it from minor cuts, the fabric is turned inside out and placed on the table, i.e. on a flat surface.
• a hard, even object (ruler, bar) smaller than the width of the blade is placed underneath. The razor should pass freely over the surface of the object under the cloth.
• the dense lining is located under the fabric, the seam of which goes diagonally.
• The razor blade is placed on the ruler or bar and drawn in the opposite direction of shaving 50-60 times.
• The loom is rotated, and the other side of the razor is ground the same number of times.

This way the “life” of the razor is prolonged several times.

In addition to denim, a good sharpening result gives the use of a leather belt or a piece of leather from some thing. The procedure is carried out according to the same rules as with the use of denim.

• the machine blade is sharpened on the back, unpainted side of the belt.
• the result will be faster than sharpening on cloth, due to the density of the leather of the belt.
• to drive the razor blade on the belt in half quantities, i.e. 10 to 20 times on one side and on the other side of the shaving surface.

In addition to the usual leather belt, for sharpening your razor, you can use a belt used to dress dangerous razors. How to sharpen a razor blade on this belt?

Razor straightener belt is a piece of leather with wooden knobs attached to the ends of the belt, or the same piece of leather, but mounted to a wooden bar, i.e. has a flat surface. On this belt to sharpen a disposable razor is not very difficult. After 10 to 20 passes the blade returns to its former cutting ability, and the shaving machine is as good as new.

How to sharpen a razor blade if you don’t have any handy tools? To make the razor sharper, you can use your own hand. The skin on the forearm of the hand, covered with downy hair, resembles the skin of a belt. This is a property that can be put to good use.

• Disposable razor is conducted from the elbow to the wrist of the hand.
• The sharp part of the machine is turned away from itself.
• The razor is run over the skin of the hand ten to twenty times.
• turning the machine, it should be led from the wrist to the elbow.

This is how you can sharpen a disposable power tool blade. The quality of sharpening in this case will be somewhat lower than the similar action carried out on a denim or belt. The reason for this is that the “live” skin of the hand is softer, the grip on the shaving surface is less than when sharpening on other objects. The result of such sharpening is of lower quality. But in some cases this method is quite acceptable.

The most unusual method of sharpening shaving blades, is the method using the pyramid. Even though it is patented and has a place, its mechanism of action cannot be explained. To carry out this method it is necessary to make a certain structure.

A pyramid is made of various materials. It is possible to use gypsum cardboard, usual cardboard or chipboard.

• the base of the pyramid is a square of size 500×500 mm.
• The height of the edge is 400 mm.
• edge length is 480 mm.
• the height of the pyramid is 320 mm.
• The height of the pedestal for the blade is one-third of the pyramid height, i.e. 107 mm.

The construction is glued using “Moment” glue or “liquid” nails. The basic condition of the pyramid’s work is the positioning of the sides and the base of the structure along the sides of the world. The pyramid is set according to the compass. The face of the pyramid is to the north, and the blades to be sharpened “look” from south to north or vice versa.

The blade of the machine is placed in the prepared pyramid on a pedestal. It is a prerequisite for sharpening that it is not in contact with any objects. Razor stays in the pyramid for up to a week. After this period, it regains its original sharpness quality.

Sharpening the blades of reusable machines

Not only are shaving machines available in a disposable version, but also in a reusable version. How to sharpen a razor blade on a cassette, and is there any way to do it?

Multi-use razors take significantly longer to use than disposable razors. But after a certain time even these devices blunt blades. You can sharpen a refillable cartridge the same way you can sharpen disposable razors:

The sharpening effect of any of these methods is sure to be, in some cases more, in some cases less. This way you can extend the life of your razors, saving you the cost of buying new ones. Restoring blades after repeated use is a way to always shave with a sharp razor, avoiding irritation and scratches to the skin.

How to make the blender stay sharp longer?

Manufacturers of kitchen appliances suggest operating them according to the rules, so that the devices do not break down for longer. Blender blades will stay sharp for a long time if:

• Remove even small bones and gristle from meat before chopping it;
• Avoid accidental ingestion of cherries and grapes with pips;
• Add little liquid (water, milk, oil) to the foodstuffs being processed.

For crushing ice, you need a device with at least 1000 watts of power. Low-power models are suitable only for making smoothies, yoghurt, liquid dough, whipping eggs.

The blender, as well as any other appliance, does not forgive a careless attitude. If you use this technique according to the rules, repair and replace it much less often. A quick and easy way to sharpen the blades back to sharpness is to grind egg shells.

How to use a circular blade sharpener

There are various devices for sharpening knives, including knife sharpeners with circular disks. The difference is that the sharpening material in this case is a special rotating roller, which grinds the cutting surface at an angle of 45 degrees.

The main advantage of this type of sharpener is that it leaves no burr on the blade after sharpening, and the work is done easily. Also, appliances sharpened on a roller sharpener stay sharp much longer than a V-sharpening tool.

Most often such sharpeners are adapted not only for knives, but also for scissors.

• So first make sure you have selected the cavity for sharpening your knife.
• Hold the sharpener in your left hand and the knife in your right hand.
• Place the knife blade in the hilt area between the discs and firmly push it to the tip.
• Repeat the same process several times.
• Be careful not to cut yourself.

Sharpening blades on your own

Sharpening the knife with the burr

Sharpening the blade with a sharpening stone is considered the best, provided, of course, that it has been performed by an experienced sharpening machine. To sharpen your knife on the sharpening stone do the following:

• Move the blade across the block so that during the movement it touches the surface of the slicer, along its entire length.
• Try to keep the angle of the blade at the same angle while moving.
• After 2 or 3 movements, turn the knife over and repeat the sharpening process on the other side of the blade.
• Thus, alternating the sides, sharpen the knife until an edge (burr) appears on the edge of the blade.
• Change the coarse sharpening stone to the grinding stone.
• Grind the blade of your knife until the edge is gone.
• Test the sharpness of your knife by cutting through several folds of hemp rope, or try cutting through a piece of paper.

Also see how to sharpen a knife with a sharpening stone in this video:

Sharpening a hunting knife on a Lansky sharpener

Hunting knives are made of hard steel, so their initial sharpening requires sharpening stones with low abrasive grains.

• Clamp the blade in the vise of the sharpener.
• Place a sharpening stone with a low grit size on the shank.
• Select the angle of the blade (for hunting knives, it’s usually 20 to 30 degrees).
• Insert the pin into the desired hole.
• Lubricate the cutterbar with the oil that comes in the sharpening set.
• Start moving the bar along the blade of the knife, from the base to the tip.
• Turn the sharpener over and repeat the process, with the other side of the knife.
• After the edge is formed, change the block and make a final grinding.
• Since hunting knives are mainly made with a double-sided blade, after sharpening one side, change the position of the knife in the vise and start the sharpening process on the other side.
• Once you finish sharpening, polish the blade of the knife with the felt.

How to sharpen knives in a Lansky sharpener, see the video:

Sharpening scissors

Sharpening of scissors must be carried out on a special sharpening machine. Sharpening blades with the help of handy tools (sandpaper, the edge of a glass, etc.).) may improve the sharpness of the scissors for a while, but not for long. If you do not have the opportunity to sharpen scissors at a professional, you can try to make an independent sharpening against an abrasive stone. A few simple rules should be followed when sharpening:

• Sharpening stone must be fine grain.
• The sharpening of the blade is done, over the entire surface of the edge at the same time.
• The angle of the blade should coincide with the factory edge.
• Moving the blade across the stone should be done from screw to tip.
• Scissors should be sharpened in disassembled form.

When sharpening scissors, take your time, patience will be your ally.

How to sharpen scissors quickly, you can also see in the video:

Sharpening planer and chisel blades

Sharpening a planer blade and a chisel blade are virtually the same. The sharpening process described below therefore applies to both tools:

• Set the chisel on the wood chisel at an angle of 30-40 degrees.
• Hold the chisel in your hand and with the fingers of your free hand press the chamfer against the burr.
• Start dragging the chisel along the sharpening stone until a burr forms on the smooth side of the chisel.
• Change the wood chisel to a finer grit one and perform final sanding of the chisel.
• Check the sharpness of the chisel blade by removing shavings from the corner of the block.

In addition to manual sharpening, the chisel can be sharpened on a machine with a rotating abrasive disk:

• Turn the machine on and let the blade reach full speed.
• Holding the chisel with both hands, rest its chamfer on the sharpening disc.
• Be sure to observe the angle of the chisel, otherwise you will spoil the blade of the tool.
• Do not press the chisel with great force and do not hold it too long on the disk, this will lead to overheating of the metal and the destruction of the blade.
• While sharpening, wet the blade with water.
• The final grinding of the chisel blade, it is better to produce by hand, with a fine-grained bar or sandpaper.

Do not forget that when sharpening products on the machine, a lot of sparks and small particles are formed, which can get into the eyes, so be sure to work in protective goggles. And wear gloves to protect your hands when turning the circular saw blade.

How to sharpen tools you can also learn from the video clip:

Sharpening ceramic knives at home. important hints

Ceramic knife is a real boon for every housewife. It makes cutting food simple and easy, even if you’re talking about a frozen piece of meat (although cutting such food is undesirable). You will agree that it is much more pleasant to spend not two or three hours for cooking as before but half an hour to cope with cutting, and even make every piece perfect thanks to the incredibly sharp blade. But to keep it that way for a long time, you need to properly sharpen the blade.

Let’s talk about it in more detail.

Why ceramic knives are so popular?

Before we tell you how to sharpen ceramic knives at home, let’s study the main pros and cons of such products, their features, as well as share the secrets on the choice of such a necessary tool in the kitchen, as a knife.

• a uniquely sharp blade that cuts through soft and hard foods equally well;
• small weight;
• long life without additional blade sharpening. with proper care, you will need to sharpen once a year, or even less frequently;
• The ceramic will not rust as it does with knives equipped with metal blades;
• ceramic does not oxidize, which means that the foods you cut with this knife will not oxidize either;
• Ceramics do not cause any allergic reactions, which is important for people prone to allergies.

True, even in a barrel of honey there is bound to be a fly in the ointment. There are disadvantages even in such almost eternal products like ceramic knife. You should also be aware of them beforehand.

• The fragility of the material. if the knife falls on the tile from a great height, it can split;
• Difficulties with self-sharpening;
• The maximum length of a ceramic one is often 18-20 cm, which makes it not a very good tool for cutting some big products;
• If you do not wash the knife after cutting fruits, which leave behind staining marks, it can leave stains on the blade;
• despite the fact that ceramic knives look less threatening, it dulls one’s vigilance and they are terribly sharp.

In addition, store such items in a stand, not in a drawer with the rest of the tools. Be careful to sharp temperature fluctuations. the real ceramics can crack. But the main disadvantage of such products is, of course, the difficulty in sharpening with your own hands. Certainly, it is possible to give the knife to a workshop, where it will be quickly returned to the desired form, but it still costs money, which you do not want to part with. Therefore, today we will consider how to sharpen ceramic metal knives with your own hands.

Whether and how to sharpen a ceramic knife at home?

To sharpen such products you will need a material that is harder and stronger in structure than ceramic. Finding it at home can be difficult. And in general, if you listen to professionals and manufacturers of such products, ceramic knives can be sharpened only with materials that have a diamond coating, and nothing else. So, you can be helped:

If we talk about special sharpeners, the most high-quality and well-known models can be called the Japanese “Kyocera”, which specializes in the production of products made of fine ceramics. Sharpeners come in two kinds. mechanical and electric. True, such a purchase will cost you a lot of money, but if you use only ceramic tools, you can’t do without it.

Of course, in the sale you can find models of other. American, European and Chinese manufacturers.

When choosing, it is necessary to pay attention to the calculated thickness of the blade, its suitable type and sharpening angle of the ceramic knife. If you choose a device for the price, it is better to choose a manual model.

True, not always you will be able to sharpen the product with the first time. here you need the skills and a certain knack.

As we’ve already said, for sharpening you can use electric emery board with diamond-coated wheels as well. other products will just ruin your expensive knife. If you decide to use diamond paste, you should take a product no more than 5 microns.

As we said, there are three basic ways to sharpen a ceramic blade, except for the workshop. Let’s consider each of them, and you already choose the appropriate one.

Using the sharpener

Undoubtedly, the easiest way to sharpen knives is by using a special sharpener. All you have to do is to insert the blade into the kerf, fix it in place at the desired angle and get to work. There are models where the blade cannot be clamped. you will have to spend it on the sharpening device several times.

When using such equipment, set the minimum frequency of rotation, beats and follow the recommendations for selecting a suitable sharpening angle. this parameter is the key. The edge of the blade should be a little rounded, not straight as with ordinary knives, and try not to press down hard on the blade, so as not to break the fragile product.

If you have not yet purchased a special sharpener, you can use an electric sander, adding a diamond wheel with a grain not exceeding 40 microns. The sharpening angle in this case is about 60 degrees, the edge should be rounded.

Tip: If you have never dealt with such a tool, it is better not to sharpen it, so as not to break the knife and along with it the electric sander.

Diamond paste

The principle of using diamond paste is simple. apply the product to the cleaned knife surface with a wooden die and start wiping the blade until it becomes sharper.

This work is quite simple, but it is unlikely that the average housewife will find such a paste in the kitchen, and buying it is not the best option, it is better to buy a quality sharpener.

Modern housewives prefer irons with ceramic soleplate, which are famous for their quality and excellent ironing. But what to do if the soleplate began to be covered with soot? We will tell you how to clean it at home.

Ceramic hob needs very careful and gentle care and cleaning. In our article you will find practical recommendations for cleaning such a stove with modern and folk remedies.

10 main rules for using a ceramic knife

In order not to wonder how and with what you can sharpen a ceramic knife, it is worth following just 10 simple rules for using such a useful and necessary tool in the kitchen. Let’s look at them in detail.

How to care for ceramic knives

Ceramics require care in order to last long enough. A few important points can be highlighted for maximum longevity:

• Preferably wash the product by hand. It is better to do it in warm water with nonaggressive detergents.
• Avoid dropping them. Dropping them from heights can cause damage.
• Do not cut hard food (pitted fruits, meat with bones) on a board or table. Although a ceramic product is much sharper than its metal counterpart, it is inferior in strength.
• Only use a diamond sharpener for sharpening. The material is very strong, and only a harder material will sharpen it. Those who wish can buy a sharpener for zirconia blades, but to work with it you need skill. Sometimes it is easier to use the services of professionals if you are not confident in your abilities.
• It is necessary to store such knives separately from their metal counterparts. Preferably in special sheaths to avoid damages.

Having finally figured out how to sharpen a ceramic knife at home, you can safely experiment with cooking. Less time will be spent on processing them. But you should always remember that ceramics is a fragile and expensive thing. That’s why care and precision are paramount.