Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabsb!pc 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.