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From: pc@hplabsb.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: knife sharpening
Message-ID: <1681@hplabsb.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 14-Jun-83 13:31:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: hplabsb.1681
Posted: Tue Jun 14 13:31:51 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 15-Jun-83 19:42:16 EDT
Lines: 25


	We purchased a good knife at a cutlery store where they seemed
	to love knives so much they wanted to be sure the one we got
	was going to a good home.  There recommendation was:

		For every 20 minutes of cutting time, use a good carbon
	blade sharpener  (looks like a very rough metal pole with a
	handle).  Hold the knife blade at a 20-degree angle to the 
	sharpener and use a slicing motion, moving the blade from base
	to tip along the sharpener.  Repeat on alternate sides of the
	knife blade 6 - 8 times.  This keeps an essential "rough" finish
	on the blade, which is what enables the blade to cut.

		Periodically (every few hours of use), the blade MAY
	need to be sharpened with a stone.  If the edge of the blade
	is very fine, it is possible for that edge to become slightly
	bent or curled.  It should not get dull if you are using the
	carbon sharpening tool correctly.  The stone basically makes
	a new edge on the blade.  In so doing, it takes off the rough
	finish that you need for cutting, so you must always follow
	stone sharpening with the carbon-steel sharpener.  I use a
	crockery stone sharpener which consists of two crockery rods,
	each 20-degrees off the vertical axis.  These rods fit in
	a wooden base.  One just uses the same slicing motion on
	alternate rods to put a new edge on the blade.