HOW TO SHARPEN KNIVES EFFECTIVELY?
Eid-ul-Azha is just around the corner, and we make tons of preparations to celebrate it nicely. Most of these are related to the kitchen. Making ginger garlic paste, papaya paste, shortlisting Eid recipes and, freezing tomatoes and peas are part of the Eid prep in almost all Pakistani households. Besides these, there is one more thing that is done routinely before Bakra Eid. Knife Sharpening, that if not done correctly, becomes a major headache for the ladies. Plus, you have to request the male members to take the knives and get them sharpened from an appropriate place.
What if we told you that there is a way to save yourself from the above hassle and sharpen your knives at your homes? Yes, and today we will be teaching you how to sharpen your knives most effectively.
Things you will need
Paper towels
Sharpening stone
Honing steel
Fine sandpaper
Blade guard set
Step 1
Standard Maintenance
Before you begin, there are some basic rules of knife maintenance that you need to follow. Always wash your knives with neutral soap and water thoroughly. Then dry them thoroughly before you place the blade guard & store them.
Step 2
CHOOSE your TOOL FOR SHARPENING & BEGIN!
Any process needs appropriate tools to make it easier & effective. Similarly, you need to choose the best tool for sharpening knives; that is easy to use and budget-friendly. Whetstones, manual & electric sharpeners are some of the options; used at homes to sharpen knives. We will explain how to use each thing to sharpen knives.
A whetstone is a particular sharpening stone. It needs to be soaked in water for five minutes before use. The stone has two surfaces with different grains, one with a lower grain (coarse grinding) and a higher one (fine grinding). Keeping the blade at a 10°-30° angle, pass the knife back and forth on the surface of the coarser stone using slight pressure for a few minutes; on both sides of the blade.
A manual knife sharpener is quite handy and; helps in the regular upkeep of knives. It has chambers consisting of non-motorized wheels or a V-shaped abrasive surface. To sharpen your knife, you have to pull it through these chambers using even pressure. Repeat the process till the dull blade is sharp enough.
An electric knife sharpener is more precise & requires less effort. It has motorized wheels that spin and sharpens the edge of the knives evenly. You have to hold the blade securely but do not apply any pressure as you pass it through the sharpener.
Step 3
Test the knife after sharpening
No matter which method you opt for sharpening, you need to conduct a small test to check if you have done the job right or not.
Take an old newspaper or any spare paper. Fold it in half and make sure there are no creases in it. Lay the blade against the top edge at an angle and slice outward. If the knife fails to slice cleanly, repeat the above step and then check again.
Step 4
Honing the knife
After you have sharpened your knife, it is time to hone its blade. You can use the steel rod that comes with your professional knives to hone the knife’s blade. There is a particular technique that you need to follow. Keep the rod vertical and slide your knife along the length of the rod in a sweeping motion on alternate sides. Please make sure that you begin the movement with the blade pressed at an angle of 15-20 degrees. It serves to straighten the knife and remove any metal burrs.
Step 5
Removing Oxidation & Lubrication
Sometimes you can see oxidation stains on the blade faces and the edge of the blade. You will find these stains along the contact line between the handle and the blade. Gently rub some fine sandpaper on the oxide stain; after wetting it with water. Make sure to press very gently. The last step is rubbing a cloth moistened with WD-40 Multi-Use on the blade, which counteracts any oxidation. Dry the knife with paper towels thoroughly to remove any residue of WD-40 MUP.
Step 6
Sharpening clasp knives
Clasp knives have particular joints on which the blades are pivoted to rotate. Dirt accumulates in these areas and causes oxidation that, in the long run, leads to difficulty in extracting or moving the blades. We use WD-40 Multi-Use on these joints, which protects the metal from rust and corrosion, penetrates and lubricates the blocked parts, and eliminates and protects any surface from moisture.
Conclusion
This wraps up the process of sharpening knives. Although before Eid-ul-Azha, it is an absolute must to sharpen knives, but; you can follow these steps and maintain your knives all year long. Dull knives are not only a pain when it comes to cutting food but, they can also lead to cuts & bruises.
Disclaimer
The uses shown and described for WD-40 Multi-Use Product were provided to WD-40 Company by the users themselves. These uses haven’t been tested by WD-40 Company and do not constitute a recommendation of suggestion for use by WD-40 Company. Common sense should be exercised whenever using WD-40 Company products. Always follow the instructions and take heed of any warnings printed on the packaging.
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June 25, 2021
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