Clip for a knife on a sharpener. Device for sharpening knives. Homemade manual knife sharpening machine.

20.07.2018

Necessary condition safe use of knives is their high-quality sharpening. If a blade is handled incorrectly, it can bring a lot of trouble to the owner, ranging from irritation to injury, so it is important to always keep the tools in working order with quality care.

Types of knife sharpeners

Depending on the scope and principle of operation, professional sharpening tools divided into mechanical and electrical. Also on the abrasive surface sharpeners are:

Installing the new edge took about 20 strokes on a rough wheel; The fine and polishing steps took about 10 and 5 strokes, respectively. Everyone said the process was perhaps three minutes of work. The engine was impressively powerful, never allowing the wheels to be sharpened to swamp or "catch" in knife metal. This sharpening of almost the entire blade is important. Without it, you will not only lose the ability to cut with the heel of the knife, especially useful when you are cutting tough root crops where the use of the heel provides stability and pressure, but also over time the cutting edge develops a "dish" or dipping that prevents the back of the blade from coming into contact with the carving board and cut all the way through food product.

natural;
ceramic;
with diamond coating.

A tool for sharpening knives is also chosen by price, scope of use and blade material. So, for ceramic, only the same abrasives are used, for restaurants, electric tools are more often chosen, because. They can easily save you time and effort. A professional knife sharpener can also be used at home and is easy to choose thanks to our modern range of sharpening tools.

The first time you sharpen a blade, use the coarse setting first to set up a brand new bevel. The fine wheels then form the secondary bevel and finally the honing wheels polish the secondary bevel. After that, the use of honing wheels and the occasional pass on thin wheels will keep the edge sharp for months or years before you need to cut a whole new edge with rough wheels. Maintenance easy: once a year you open the hopper on the underside of the machine and destroy the metal chips that it has conveniently captured there with the help of a magnet.

Electric knife sharpener

Easy to use is an electric knife sharpener. It is a small machine with gaps in which abrasive discs are placed. The angle of the sharpener with gaps can be different, set by the manufacturer. Such a kitchen device can be sharpened not only kitchen appliances but also scissors. A professional knife sharpener with ceramic discs is used in the restaurant business, although often chefs use hand sharpeners to work with personal tools in order not to ruin them.

Stylish and precise sharpening

It also weighs 5½ pounds. For most people, these specs make it too big to keep on the counter or in a drawer, and too heavy to keep up. You'll want to find a place for it in your closet without a prescription. As noted above, you can usually find such systems in cheap single-stage grinders that have a reputation for removing too much a large number metal from blades and creating wavy edges that truncate quickly and quickly.

And when we entered our test, we were skeptical. In three or four passes, they remove metal chips and create a new, sharp edge. You have to keep the blade steady through everything, but the tension that the spring-loaded hands put on the blade makes this task much easier. To hone, you tilt the tip up and make six to eight strokes. Then, to get the final polished edge, you spread your arms to their widest point with your other hand and draw the blade horizontally, allowing your weight to provide the only downward pressure.

Mechanical knife sharpener

The concept of a mechanical blade dresser includes different kind instruments, ranging from musatov, ending with special installations. main feature- during work, the application of effort is required. Most of the assortment is represented by mechanical cutlery with different types of abrasive surface:

The whole process is easy to learn and fast to complete - less than a minute. It's impressive: Cardboard is so strong on the blades that knives can use it as a kind of stress test. First, its size is quite small - 4½" by 3½" wide and deep and 6½" high - you can keep it on the counter, meaning you'll sharpen your knives more often every time you use them, good That too few people are disciplined to follow as it usually means pulling knife steel from a box or block of knives.

Secondly, this sharpener is so dainty to look at and so easy to use that it almost encourages you to use it. Secondly, it's ambivalent because lefties just have to turn it to engage their dominant hand. And third, unique among our test models, it can sharpen blades all the way to the heel because left and right carbides meet at the same point.

grindstone;
musat;
mechanical sharpener.

The whetstone can be of any size and origin: Japanese water stone, Arkansas, novoculite. Musat is a metal rod with an abrasive coating and a wooden or plastic handle, a very simple tool used more often at home. It is important to use the fastener correctly: the movement of the handle must occur along the tool at an angle of 20-25 ° so that it becomes sharp.

A smaller point, but an important one, is that this design isn't completely reliable like our other picks. You have to pay attention and use a steady hand and pressure to get a straight edge. Not difficult, but you may need a little practice to master this process.

This would make a solid pocket tool for campers, hunters and anglers. But this compact model is not stable enough for long or heavy kitchen knives, and you cannot use the spring-loaded arms to use the polishing function.

How to choose

A professional knife sharpener is chosen by type and grit abrasive material, which can be natural (for example, diamond), or a granular coating of synthetic origin. By particle size, abrasives are:

coarse (with large grains) - used for regrinding;
medium and fine-grained - ordinary sharpeners;
especially fine-grained - blade polishing.

Next - the choice of sharpener design. For home use, musat or small whetstones are often chosen. On trips, you can take special pocket sharpeners with you, which have a convenient size, folding design. Mechanical sharpener has become popular in recent years thanks to a range of sharpening options different types tools. This setup has the following features:

He also dropped an alarming amount of dust, indicating that his grinding wheels were sinking rapidly. That and the lightweight motor made us skeptical about its long-term performance despite good feedback and a three-year limited warranty. The tall, wide guide frames meant it couldn't sharpen the last ¾ inch of the blade, an unacceptable shortcoming.

We will review our feedback. Blade Type: Blade type determines which sharpener is suitable. Straight edge on one side: Requires a sharpener that allows you to sharpen one side of the blade at a time. Requires a conical diamond or ceramic material or ceramic rods or stones with a triangular shape requiring a tapered diamond or ceramic rod or cardboard hooks or pointed objects: a smooth sharpening groove is required. Sharpener Type: The type of sharpener determines your level of success.

selection of the desired abrasive stone;
fixation in the required position of the blade;
setting the desired angle of the sharpener, etc.

The mechanical installation may be called professional sharpener for knives. To operate it, you first need to understand the features of the work, having studied the instructions, then practice sharpening. An inexperienced user can ruin a blade by choosing the wrong force, angle, and sharpening material. The easiest device to use is electric sharpening, since everyone can use a sharpener by setting the necessary settings in advance.

Some features to consider when buying a sharpener. Sharpening skill. . One type of sharpener can handle a wide range of knives and tools. Others are designed for sharpening specific types of edges. For example, a flat sized stone can be used with knives and a variety of tools such as pliers and chisels. However, a flat stone cannot be used to sharpen a serrated knife or scissors. Likewise, a conical rod sharpener will sharpen some jagged edges, but cannot be used to sharpen woodworking tool tools.

How to use

To understand how to sharpen a knife correctly, you must first figure out what the correct blade should be. The blunt surface of the cutting part of the blade under the microscope looks loose, not even. Before using the tool, it is necessary to assess the degree of damage to the cutting part in order to choose an abrasive material: strongly blunt devices must first be ruled with a coarse abrasive, and only then polished. On different knives, the way of working is different:

A fine-adjustment system will help the unskilled user maintain a constant angle while sharpening the knife, but an experienced flat bench user can achieve the same result as sharpening in the free hand. Explore the range of sharpener types, consider your skill level, and choose the style that best suits your needs and applications.

There are electric knife sharpeners

Great for quickly restoring the edge of very dull knives; Especially good if you have a lot of turning knives. Precision systems deliver guaranteed results every time. . Sharpening abrasive material. There are five main abrasive abrasive categories: Arkansas stones, carbides, ceramics, diamonds and synthetics. Each of these abrasive categories offers its own unique characteristics and sharpening options. Regardless of your abrasive preference, all of these products will deliver results.

musat - the movement of the blade is made along the rod at a small angle without strong pressure, which can allow a minimum application of effort;
whetstone - you need to sharpen, starting from the area near the handle, gradually moving to the tip of the blade, applying force with the handle at an angle;
mechanical knife sharpener - with sharp movements, the blade is held between the stones.

Overview of popular manufacturers

Apex edge pro is a professional knife sharpening united in a tool in the form of a machine. Made in the USA, this tool is designed to work with a wide range of blades. Widespread due to high quality and reasonable price.
Ganzo is a Chinese manufacturer of knives, sharpening systems, whose product is popular due to its low price and decent product quality.
Lansky is a popular American manufacturer of sharpening systems that compare favorably with quality, as well as simple sharpening technology.
Ruixin is a manufacturer from China. The systems of this company are cheaper than those of the competitor Ganzo, but differ in that the stones must be leveled before using the grinder.
Abrasive stones, manual, mechanical knife sharpeners for professional work and home use are produced by Gerber, Wenger, whose products occupy an expensive segment in the market.

The choice really comes down to how much and how quickly you want to remove the metal from the blade. Diamonds: Because diamonds are the hardest substance, known to man, diamond abrasive sharpeners are fast, durable and very effective. The diamonds are captured in the nickel deposition process to bond to the metal substrate. Premium diamond grinding surfaces are characterized by a unique discontinuous surface that collects and holds metal filings that normally accumulate on the grinding surface and blur the diamond abrasive. Great for use on very hard tools or stainless steel. Diamond stones always remain flat, unlike natural Arkansas and synthetic stones, which wear with use and even sharpen carbides. They come many times. Carbides: very aggressive; Quickly removes metal; Great for quickly restoring a good cutting edge in 3 or 4 strokes. Ceramic: removes very little metal; great for finishing and maintaining a sharp edge. May appear in different media, colors or shapes. Arkansas Stones: The stones in Arkansas are real "novaculite" quartz, native to Arkansas. They remove the least amount of metal while grinding the edge to razor sharpness; No other sharpener can do both of these tasks at the same time. They are the best abrasive for honing and polishing edges to razor sharpness and are known as "the best finishing stone in the world". Synthetic: fake diamond; Great for quick setup edges, as well as for finishing. They also have multiple granules, colors or shapes. The secret of sharpening is the consistency of the angle on the abrasive surface and equal treatment on both sides of the blade. Every time you sharpen a knife, tool, or scissors, you are removing metal from the blade. Protect the surface during use and storage. Use a pointed liquid when sharpening with flat stones. Some people recommend dry sharpening and cleaning the sharpener as needed. We recommend that you always use a sharpened liquid, regardless of whether the flat stone can be used wet or dry, because it cleans and cleans the pores of the sharpener, dissipates heat from friction, and ensures smooth sharpening. When you use oil on natural, synthetic or diamond stone, it's hard to go back to using water. Treat the decision to use the oil as permanent.

They are very aggressive and quickly remove metal.
This allows sharpening with or without honing solution.
Alternative sides often.
Check your progress regularly.
Handle the sharpener with care to protect the sharpening surface.

Use just enough to keep a visible layer of fluid on the stone while sharpening.

Where to buy and how much does a knife sharpener cost

You can buy professional sharpening systems and machines in offline stores such as Eldorado. Easier to find at specialized points of sale in Moscow and others big cities or buy using the Internet, in specialized online stores and on the websites of official dealers of manufacturers. The cost of such systems ranges from 900 to 3000 rubles. depending on the manufacturer:

When the pool becomes cloudy, pat or lightly wipe with a cloth and add fresh liquid. After each use, use a little extra liquid and wipe the sharpener clean and dry after use. After 3 or 4 uses, we recommend cleaning your stone with soapy water and a soft brush to eliminate debris buildup. Glossy gray streaks are an indicator of debris growth. An old toothbrush is great for cleaning rocks.

If you're worried about damaging your good knives, find a cheap knife to practice on the first time you're trying to sharpen. Regular sharpening may only involve fine-tuning the edge, but infrequent sharpening may require much more work to restore the edge. If you look at the edge quickly enough, it won't take long for the edge to come back. Keep your sharpener where you use your knives. You will be more inclined to sharpen a dull edge as soon as you notice it if you have a sharpener. Back or replace your abrasives whenever possible to ensure a proper sharpening process. This edge can be used for hard and soft foods such as meat, vegetables and fruits. Inspect the condition of your blade by holding the edge of the knife and looking down the length of the blade.

Practice sharpening on a cheap knife.
Smooth out quickly.
Sharpen the edge as soon as you notice that it doesn't work as well as it should.
The rectangular blade provides a smooth and clean cut.
Look for spots or spots reflected by light.
Is the blade jagged or very dull?

If this is the case, you should start the sharpening process with a coarse abrasive to remove inconsistencies in the edge of the blade and take it from very dull to sharp but not finished.

Gerber - 2000-2500 rubles;
Wenger - 1000-1500 rubles;
Ganzo - 2500-3000 rubles;
Lansky - 3000-9000 rubles;
Ruixin - 2000-2500 r.

How to make a do-it-yourself knife sharpening machine

For those who want to build a professional sharpening system with their own hands, it is easy to fulfill their dream without using a drawing. From improvised means, having a manual device with an abrasive coating for sharpening, you can build it at home. The main thing is to find a basis for fastening, to build a hinge system with adjustable height and tilt. Additionally, you can add polishing surfaces to the base for professional blade work.

I wanted to learn how to sharpen knives, I won’t say that I didn’t know how to do it at all. He sharpened, of course, with his hands on the stones, and tried to withstand the angle, it seemed to work out - the knives shredded the paper.

I decided to take this process more seriously. And, as usual in Russia, do everything yourself from what is at hand, and even for nothing. We have such fans and I am like that. For such, in fact, the article.

I looked at sharpening machines on the Internet, settled on Apex. First of all, I looked for it on Chinese sites, there are, of course, copies and they were inexpensive (before the dollar exchange rate changed), now Chinese ones are too expensive for us. I looked at how it works, what are the nuances. Yes, it can be repeated.

Making Apex

Looking ahead, I’ll say that it didn’t work out completely for free, I still had to spend money, but not much. About 150 rubles.

Instead of a base, I took a 2 mm galvanized sheet. I bent it by eye (for some reason I guessed exactly 20 grams into the corner). Attached to chipboard. Instantly glued magnets from old hard drives, it took 3 magnets. I looked out for knife stops on the Internet, it’s convenient, it’s a great idea. I found a support for the hinge in the garage, it is threaded 8mm.

At first I thought about changing the angle with nuts, but I decided that the angle changes often and driving the nuts back and forth and locking each time so that there is no play would be inconvenient.

Where can I get a guide for stones? An old bed caught my eye, or rather a back, remember, probably, these were in the years of the USSR. Why not a bar from the back. I attached a square profile 25x25 mm to the bar (preliminarily polished). Remember there curly bushings. With their help (it took three pieces), in one you need to drill a hole up to 11 mm (rod diameter). I added a nut for 10 and a hairpin with a ball from the same bed, I got a comfortable handle.

I decided to sharpen with sandpaper, there is such a method, it seems to be very budgetary and quite good. I bought several sheets of skins of different grain sizes. So that there are no sandpaper residues, the length square profile made the width of the sandpaper sheet 230 mm. I made a cut on the bar and drove an engraving washer there right size. Everything came together perfectly, as if it were intended for this.

I was afraid that it would be difficult to center the profile, but in this way, the profile itself fell into place. I glue the sandpaper on the stationery glue pencil.

Hinge for sharpener

I thought for a long time about this knot, how to make it so that there is no backlash. Thought to do it. I drove into a bearing store, it turned out that there are such AL supports (in my opinion, a sliding ball stands for). Available in sizes 10, 12, 15 inner diameter holes. But the stem is 11 mm. It's hard without a turner. But there was a way out. In the store, across the road, they sold spare parts for KAMAZ trucks, and there I found such a brass bushing for 10mm brake pipes. I bought ShS-12 (65 rubles) and a bushing (8 rubles). At home, I drove the sleeve onto the rod, it expanded remarkably with a hammer, rubbed it a little against the rod, as it was. I inserted it into the loop (with glue, just in case, to eliminate backlash) and flared it. Everything grew together again. There was a small backlash, in the AL itself, it is Russian-made and has a little backlash (I went over a dozen in the store - all of them). I wanted to weld the AL to the fastening nut, but another idea came to my mind how to do without welding. I went to a plumbing store and bought pipe fasteners. It says 3/8” costs 27 rubles. I worked it up a little on sandpaper so that the working angle of the loop would not decrease. Next, with a stud with an 8 mm thread, I connected the clamp to a long nut and drilled a 9 mm hole in the right place of the long nut. The lamb was made from a purchased lamb for 5 rubles. Nuts and studs are the same for 8 mm.

When I assembled it (I clamped the loop into the clamp), the play disappeared, the clamp bolts compress the loop and the play goes away completely. It turned out better than welding. And it is easy to replace during production.

Oddly enough, all the details fell perfectly into place. I had to do a minimum of alterations. There is no backlash. Everything turned out to be very simple, I even made a second rod to polish the cutting edge.

According to the knurled, I spent half an hour on the second barbell. Glued on the edge:

skin for goi paste
clean skin
wooden ruler with goi paste
clean wooden ruler

I use them in different order.

I want to say that the idea was a success, in two days, I sharpened all the knives I could find. Angles can be measured with a household protractor, or a phone with an installed program for measuring angles

Compared to the manual method on stones, sharpening is much easier and sharper. Paper is cut, hair is shaved. I didn’t try to cut my hair, I think it’s excessive sharpness and it’s useless in life, although with due diligence you can achieve it.