KEEP THAT KNIFE SHARP

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Now, hold the knife handle in your right hand and support the back edge of the blade with the fingers of the left, as illustrated in the photographs. (You need both hands to control anything larger than a penknife, which is one reason why the whetstone must be secured in place.)

Starting at the far end of the stone, position the heel of the blade (the section near the handle) against the surface . . . determine your angle . . . and firmly draw the cutting edge toward you as if you were trying to shave off a layer of stone. At the same time, move your hand to the right . . . so that the entire length of the blade trails down and across the honing surface. It's also wise-as you approach the tip -to raise the handle slightly, to be sure the curved portion of the knife's point remains in contact with your sharpening tool. With practice . . . you'll develop a smooth, sweeping action with every pass.

After four or five of these strokes, repeat the process on the other side of the edge. Depending upon your degree of ambidexterity, you can either transfer your knife to the left hand and repeat the steps . . . or keep it in your right hand and push the blade away from you. But remember-in the latter case-to push the edge across the stone . . . don't drag it as if you were stropping an old-time razor.

(Some authorities say you should alternate the sides to be sharpened after each pass . . . but I usually make five strokes before I switch over. What's important-of course -is to make an equal number of sweeps on each side, while keeping the blade-to-stone angle constant.)

As you proceed, stop every now and then to test the knife's sharpness. Once you get the hang of maintaining the proper angle, you'll be tempted to see just how sharp you can make the blade . . . but this is a terrible mistake! Excessive honing will produce what we call a "wire edge" . . . which curls over on itself and is extremely weak.

If you absolutely must have a straight-razor-sharp blade . . . buy a black Arkansas oilstone (they're used to sharpen surgical instruments) to "finish off" your cutlery. But consider yourself warned! The resulting wickedly fine edge will dull very rapidly.

FINISHING TOUCHES

When your knife is as sharp as you want it to be, give the stone another healthy dollop of oil and a wipe with a clean rag . . . to keep it from caking up with particles. Should the surface become clogged or glazed, scrub it with an old toothbrush, a touch of powdered cleanser, and water. If your stone came boxed, replace the lid as protection against dirt and nicks. . . which could ruin your investment.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print