Knife Sharpener Buying Guide


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Knife sharpener comes in different types such as a sharpening steel, a sharpening stone or an electric knife sharpener. While all these blade sharpening tools practically serve the same purpose, they are often used in different occasions.

 

Sharper knives always work better.

Regardless if you’re a chef, a cook, a hunter, or just an average person, who needs to use a knife a sharper knife is always more ideal than a blunt knife. The simple reason is it makes knives major function more efficiently, which is cutting and slicing.

 
This is precisely why cooks and chefs usually have a sharpening steel or a sharpening stone that comes in handy. It makes their food preparation much easier.

 
In the same token, regardless if you are using a chef’s knife, hunter’s knife, paring knife, or boning knife among others, making it sharper makes the tool better. In fact, an old and cheap dilapidated sharp knife will even work better than a new expensive dull knife.

 

Work safer with sharper knives.

Contrary to common belief, sharper knives are not more dangerous if handled properly. In contrast, blunt blades are accidents waiting to happen. Sharp knives are safer because when it hits or slices across the material to be cut, it will certainly cut through.

 
A dull knife on the other hand might be resisted by the object that can result to a slip. Hence, a sharp knife allows you better control in chopping or slicing. While a blunt blade will compel you to exert more effort in pushing knife against object that can result to mishaps. Getting a sharpening steel or sharpening stone to hone your knife will prevent you from getting cut.

 

Sharpening should be safe and easy.

Rubbing your knife in any surface can sharpen your knife. In fact, some chefs do tricks by rubbing knives against each other to entertain guests. That however could be risky. Using blade sharpening tools like a sharpening steel or a sharpening stone is safer and easier.

 
You can apply better pressure to a sharpening steel or stone for better refining the knife blade without risk of getting cut or injured by the tool. For better convenience, you may use an electric knife sharpener with less effort.

 
In which case, simply place or insert the knife’s blade in its motorized rotating abrasives. The abrasive will chip away blunts and dulled portions of the knife in a matter of seconds.

 

Frequency of sharpening.

How often should you sharpen your knives? The answer lies on a lot of factors including how often you use your knives, type of knives that you use or depending on your preferences among others. In the average, people should sharpen their knives with a sharpening stone at least every month.

 
Chefs on the other hand usually carry a sharpening steel handy to sharpen their knives time and time again as the need arises. Meanwhile, the type of steel used for the knife may also dictate the frequency for sharpening.

 
Stainless steel knives need honing ever after every 2 or 3 uses to keep them efficient. Carbon steel knives must be polished every after each use. In the average, you should sharpen your knives with a blade sharpening tool at least once a month to keep sharp and to remove rust and other stains which the blade may have accumulated.

 

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