The Correct Way Of Sharpening Kershaw Knives

By Author: Martha Kile
Total Articles: 12
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Knives are very useful tools. You can use them for outdoor activities including camping and hiking; for food preparation; for creating artistic masterpieces; and also for combat. A Kershaw chive knife as well as Ken Onion knives are examples of knives that you can use during these occasions. Keeping them razor sharp, however, is tricky particularly if you are doing it by yourself. Employing professional sharpeners is ideal but costly. If you'd like to cut costs by carrying out the task yourself, listed here are basic reminders you need to know:

-Know what materials are best for sharpening.

You cannot just pick a random rock on the sidewalk and carry it home as your knife sharpener. There are certain rocks you should use that can really file your knife right. If you are planning to sharpen your Kershaw chive or your Ken Onion knives, you will need an Arkansas stone or sandpaper as sharpening tools. Make sure you handle the knife with a steady hand. If you cannot do it, leave the sharpening to a professional.

-The right angle makes a fine knife!

Find the best position in sharpening your knife. If you ...
... don't know the best angle, ask the maker or a reputable knife shop. They'll let you know what angle is appropriate for your knife. If you're not able to consult a knife expert, be cautious and choose an angle of 10���°-30���° per side. Take note that shallower angles help make sharper edges that don't last long, while steeper angles tend to be more resilient. A 17���° angle is a safe bet. Kershaw chive and Ken onion knives are relatively smaller so finding an angle for them should not be difficult.

-Knife lubrication: Applicable in special cases.

Check with the maker before lubricating your knife. Sharpening stones including carborundum can be used for wet or dry sharpening but are destroyed when oiled. Ensure that your sharpening stone is an 'oil stone'.

-Grinding knives

Grind your knife halfway through steel. Flip the knife over and follow the same procedure till you make a new edge.

Important warnings you need to heed!

Electrically powered stones and grinding wheels have to be used carefully. Bear in mind that knives dull quickly when you use these sharpening tools because the heat produced while grinding can soften the steel.

Get quality knives for cooking! Cheap stainless steel knives don't have very strong edges plus they dull pretty fast. You can use a steeper sharpening angle for these or maybe just order a knife with stronger steel.

Remove the right amount of metal to create a new edge. If you do not do this, you may leave dull edges on the knives. Dull blades will reflect light from the very tip of the blade. A well-sharpened knife isn't going to show any 'bright spots' should you hold it up against a bright light.

Dragging your finger across a recently sharpened edge to test its sharpness will naturally leave you with a cut. A better and more sensible way of testing the sharpness of the blade will be cutting a piece of paper between your two fingers.

Martha Kile is a skilled knife sharpener who owns ken onion knives and kershaw chive knives.