Knife sharpeners: what are they and how to choose?

Any objects that have a cutting edge, even when made from expensive alloys, become dull over time. Because of what such inventory becomes difficult to perform the actions for which it is intended. To fix the problem, it is worth purchasing a special sharpener. Depending on the requirements of the owner, the type of steel from which the knife is made, you will have to give preference to different sharpeners. How to choose them, the principle of operation of the tool and the rating of the best manufacturers of kitchen sharpeners, you will learn from our article.

A knife sharpener is a one-piece blade made of abrasive material that can grind down the surface layer of soft metal. Sharpeners are available in various variations such as manual, mechanical, electric and so on. There is also a whetstone, which in its characteristics differs from the kitchen sharpener that is familiar to all of us.

All types of sharpening tools one principle of use - the outer edge of the knife blade is applied to the abrasive side of the sharpener at an angle or flat (depending on the type of device) and the blade is sharpened with forward / backward movements.

The abrasive coating can also be used to remove cracks, roughness from the surface of steel objects, smooth out small curvatures of the blade, and polish the surface of the tool.If the wrong type of sharpener is chosen, or rather its coating, then the kitchen fixture may become dull during sharpening or, conversely, the surface of the sharpener itself will be damaged.

Each type of sharpener has its own pros and cons. Disadvantages of electric sharpeners braking of the engine under strong pressure of the blade on the machine, which can affect the quality of the sharpening of the tool. Pros - speed and ease of sharpening.

Hand sharpeners require more time and effort to sharpen the tool, which may be a disadvantage for some people, but such a sharpener will serve faithfully for decades, and does not require electricity. The same applies to grinding machines with mechanical control... However, its bulky size, as well as the presence of dexterity in working with the device, do not make this tool widely used. But these sharpeners are suitable for sharpening a variety of objects with a cutting edge: scythes, sickles, scissors, and so on.

Sharpening bar it is convenient to use, but this item is a traumatic one, since there is no handle or protective frame on the bar. Sharpening speed is average, high quality. The sharpening block has a long service life. Metal ring sharpeners (roller) easy to use, transport and store. But the quality of sharpening is almost average. This tool is only suitable for household scissors and knives. For high-quality sharpening of kitchen tools, it is recommended to use musat. It does not require any skill, it is easy to use and allows you to achieve maximum sharpness of the kitchen knife blade, as well as it is convenient to store it.

Sharpening tools can be conditionally divided into several segments according to their functional characteristics.

• Standard sharpeners... Inventory of a simple form, abrasive material is placed in the body of the object at an angle from two or one side of the sharpener. These can be the following options:
  • a tabletop vacuum sharpener with a suction cup, which allows the tool not to slide off the table and frees up the hand;
  • a knuckle-duster or pocket sharpener, which is worn on the hand;
  • roller, which is a metal ring embedded in a plastic or metal case;
  • "Fish" - the object is made in the shape of a fish, where the carcass of the fish is a handle for holding a sharpener, and sharpening rings or a stone are mounted in the tail of the device;
  • a round sharpener that looks like a yo-yo toy with a sharpening blade in the middle of the structure.

• Knife blade fixation products... These are usually mechanical or automatic electronic sharpeners. An object with a rotary mechanism allows you to reliably fix a knife or other object in the sliding holders of the grinder, safely sharpening the inventory. Sharpeners with an adjustable sharpening angle or with a degree adjustment are equipped with a special button that allows you to set the desired angle at which the abrasive material will be placed in relation to the cutting edge of the tool. This function helps you to quickly and easily sharpen knives at home.

• Sharpeners with free movement of the knife when fixing the grindstone or coating. These fixtures of the stationary type are most often used in repair shops. A tabletop sharpener is a monolithic structure on which an abrasive material is stretched in the form of a belt. Belt sharpeners are always electric. The motor spins the blade at a given speed, the object is sharpened in free motion.

• Tools for sharpening without fixation. These are any types of sharpeners that do not need to be placed on a surface. These include musat, folding, bar and others. These devices are universal in use, easy to transport.A tool with a freely variable sharpening angle has a great advantage over sharpeners with fixed stones, but requires dexterity.

Several varieties are distinguished depending on the mechanism of action.

• Electric sharpener... This is a cumbersome tool, used mainly in public catering places, in industries. The device and the size of the machine make it possible to sharpen a large batch of sharp instruments in a short time. Today you can find models intended for home use.

• Grinder... It can be mechanical or automatic. The device is a footrest for accelerating a disc or a stand with a motor. A clamp and a flywheel are fixed directly to it. When the machine is connected to the mains, the motor accelerates the grinding wheel to the set speed. In the mechanical type, the movement of the disc is driven by a foot mechanism. The surface of the sharpener is made of stone coated with diamond chips. The kitchen tool is applied to the plane of the disc at an angle, the blade of the knife is held by hand. A few seconds will be enough to sharpen the blade.

To use a sharpener requires skill and safety.

• Hand sharpeners are an abrasive block attached to a handle or just a sharpening block. The principle of their work is simple. These adaptations do not require specific skills from a person.

The tool is made of a metal rod with a rib and a handle. It has light weight, ease of use, compact size. The sharpening of the inventory is carried out as follows: the edge of the knife blade is located in relation to the sharpener rod at an angle of about 30 degrees, the working surface of the knife is sharpened with translational movements. The main thing is that the movements should be in one direction, for example, the hand moves only forward. Edging is performed on both sides.

A whetstone is a simple abrasive grindstone in the form of diamond grit or silicon. Before use, it must be wetted, like a knife. The tool is applied to the bar at an angle, then the cutting edge is turned. Eight movements are enough on one side. To properly sharpen a knife, you need dexterity and skill.

Consider the types of spraying used for sharpening devices, as well as the grain size of the abrasive.

This abrasive is used for processing blunt knives. A strong impact can give the instrument the same sharpness, remove jaggedness, chips.

Coarse abrasive sharpeners are available as manual, electrical and mechanical attachments.

Most often, this option is made of diamond, silicon chips. It is considered the most versatile coating. A device with a medium-grained abrasive copes with the removal of small irregularities on the cutting edge, while giving the blade sufficient sharpness. Diamond plating is not capable of spoiling the aesthetic appearance of the equipment.

For home use, fine-grained abrasives are not suitable. Sharpeners with this abrasive are used for grinding and polishing working tools, sharpening manicure accessories. Fine abrasive is available as an optional sharpener attachment. Soft coated stones can be used to sharpen ceramic tools, but the sharpening quality will be average. For better sharpening, it is better to use diamond-coated sharpeners.

The choice of a sharpener depends on the following factors:

• where the sharpener will be used;
• the type of the sharpened tool;
• the skill of using a sharpening device.

Musat allows the kitchen knife to stay sharp longer and extends the lifespan of the utensil. If the cutting edge is slightly dull, then the musat can be used. In other cases, sharpeners are used with the correct abrasive material. As a rule, musat is widely used by chefs.

If the sharpening of the tool will be done only at home, then you can buy the simplest and most versatile sharpeners, for example, products with metal discs or with a coarse-grained coating. Such inventory costs about 400 rubles. Items with natural or synthetic stone (electrical, mechanical, manual types) will cost an average of 1,500 rubles.

All products intended for polishing knives, or sharpeners of a complex design with a wide profile of work will cost about 5-10 thousand rubles. Professional tools, grinding stations with high quality abrasives are the most expensive. The market price starts from 10 thousand rubles.

The table shows the top of the best foreign products.

The table below contains an overview of Russian devices.

Japanese technique works best with Asian-style knives - they, as a rule, have a thicker alloy, a wider cutting edge, and a certain degree is required for sharpening, so evenly placed metal discs in a sharpening device will not work. The same goes for Chinese products. These products are distinguished by an affordable price and high-quality coating.

Swiss devices are distinguished by ease of use, durability, high-quality abrasive materials. Victorinox products are especially popular. American branded sharpeners Chef's Choice are versatile. Each machine is equipped with three sharpening holes, which differ in sharpening angle, abrasive coating. That is, using just one device, you can put in order knives made of different materials, for example, steel, ceramics, as well as polish them, and carry out fine-tuning.

Among Russian devices, one can distinguish ordinary grinding diamond bars... Products are supplied in covers, the price of the device fluctuates around 450-750 rubles. Instructions for use are attached to each bar. The base of the product is made of aluminum.Material consumption is minimal. The owners note the ease of use of the sharpener, the ability to edit and sharpen kitchen and hunting knives, and dangerous razors. They do not scratch the surface of the instrument.

Roller type manual sharpeners have an average popularity due to the quality of the sharpening of the knife. These attachments will not work with Damascus, High Carbon, and Forged steel. They are able to leave damage on the metal or, conversely, make the knife blade more dull.

On the advice of the manufacturer, you should hold the knives with your hand on the edge, with the blade facing you. The material from which the sharpener is made deforms quickly, the quality of sharpening of the cutting edge is low. The product quickly deteriorates.

Sharpeners from Japanese manufacturers have received positive reviews. These attachments can be used to tidy up scissors, knives and are also suitable for serrated blades. Company product Samurai shark made of high quality plastic, abrasive material - tungsten carbide. The device is easy to use, the sharpening speed is fast, the quality is high, the tool does not require much storage space.

In the next review, you will get acquainted with some types of pocket knife sharpeners and the identified features that can lead to very negative consequences.