Как правильно точить нож точильным камнем: Как точить нож точильным камнем

Инструкция по заточке ножей: как правильно точить, оптимальный угол заточки, распространенные ошибки

Не верьте заверениям утверждениям, что ножи бывают самозатачивающимися и в дополнительной заточке не нуждаются. Это не более чем маркетинговый ход. А вот интервалы между заточками, действительно, могут быть разными – от недели (изделия эконом класса китайского производства) до года и более (премиум-ножи японских брендов). При каждой заточке снимается определенное количество стальной стружки, поэтому если проводить процедуру слишком часто и неправильно, режущая кромка быстро стирается и инструмент выходит из строя. Но не стоит бояться точить ножи самостоятельно – если все сделать правильно, лезвие вновь обретет остроту и сохранит ее надолго.

Выбираем камень

В магазинах представлены точильные бруски разных видов – керамические (лодочки), алмазные, водные камни. Также существуют инструменты для регулярной правки лезвия – мусаты. Они представляют собой длинный стержень с рукоятью.

Чем лучше точить ножи, чтобы они служили как можно дольше? Для профессиональных японских инструментов со стальными лезвиями подходят только водные камни. Эти изделия отличаются чрезвычайно тонкой режущей кромкой, а при влажной заточке снимается минимум металлической стружки. Применение мусатов также актуально, но только для периодической «поправки», полировки еще не затупившегося лезвия. Это позволяет продлить период, когда заточка не требуется.

Водные камни классифицируются по зернистости. Этот показатель отмечается маркировкой # или grit. По степени зернистости водные камни бывают:

1. Грубые (до #1000). Применяют для придания формы режущей кромке и восстановления нужного угла заточки.
2. Средние (#1000-3000). Используют для основной заточки, чтобы сделать лезвие острым.
3. Тонкие (более #3000). Требуются для финишной правки лезвия на завершающем этапе заточки.

Для правильной поэтапной обработки клинка желательно приобрести бруски каждой разновидности.

Что касается параметров камня, то специалисты рекомендуют выбрать брусок, длина которого превышает длину лезвия не более чем в 1,5-2 раза. Толщина камня не сказывается на процессе заточки, но более толстые изделия прослужат дольше и работать с ними удобнее. Впрочем, тонкий брусок можно приклеить на деревянную основу, чтобы облегчить эксплуатацию.

Еще один важный показатель – твердость точильного камня. Мягкие бруски стоят дешевле, но в ходе заточки на поверхности образуется суспензия из воды и частиц камня, которая царапает лезвие. К тому же мягкие камни быстрее стираются.

Как определить правильный угол заточки ножа

Чем меньше угол – тем острее нож. Однако не стоит менять угол, заданный производителем. Это может привести к нарушению геометрии и негативно сказаться на качестве реза. Чтобы понять, под каким углом точить нож, вспомните, где он был произведен. У японских изделий угол минимальный – 15-20 градусов, у европейских – 30-45. Если вы затрудняетесь с идентификацией, используйте следующие способы определения углов заточки ножей для кухни:

1. Поместите режущую кромку в ножницы. Зафиксируйте полуоткрытые полотна ножниц в заданном положении и измерьте угол транспортиром. Чтобы ножницы не сместились до замера, закрутите скрепляющий болт до предела.
2. Используйте парафин. Нанесите слой парафина на рабочую доску и воткните в него лезвие. Дождитесь застывания парафина и вытащите клинок. Сделайте фото полученного отверстия и измерьте угол.
3. Ну и конечно самый простой способ задать вопрос производителю. У него А по кухонным ножам Samura этот вопрос как раз можете адресовать нам.

Инструкция по заточке

С помощью водных камней можно точить ножи вручную на домашней кухне. Важно делать заточку поэтапно, соблюдая технологию. Учтите следующие нюансы:

1. Смачивать брусок нужно перед началом работ, чтобы лезвие плавно скользило, в процессе – чтобы убирать образующуюся суспензию, и после – чтобы очистить камень.
2. Нельзя давить на лезвие, прикладывая усилие, так вы рискуете деформировать камень и снять слишком много стружки с режущей кромки.
3. Необходимо постоянно следовать выбранному углу заточки. Удобнее всего использовать для этого специальные устройства – держатели угла заточки.
4. Начинают работу всегда с крупнозернистого камня, заканчивают – мелкозернистым.
5. Если вы делаете это впервые, потренируйтесь на ноже, который не жалко испортить.

Теперь разберемся, как правильно точить ножи бруском. Процесс включает в себя следующие этапы:

1. Подготовка. Помойте, тщательно вытрите и высушите нож. Обработка загрязненной или жирной поверхности непродуктивна. Точильный камень необходимо замочить в воде. Используйте емкость для непищевых продуктов. Каждый камень нужно замачивать отдельно, чтобы отделяемые частицы не оседали на камнях разной фракции. Время замачивания зависит от показателя зернистости. Грубые камни помещают в воду на 3-5 минут, средние – на 10-15, тонкие – на 20-30 минут. К работе можно приступать, когда с поверхности замоченного камня перестанут подниматься пузырьки воздуха. Подготовьте место для работы. Можно использовать в качестве подставки старую деревянную доску или расстелить полотенце. Удобно производить заточку с помощью фиксатора бруска.
2. Установка угла заточки. Установите нужный показатель на держателе угла заточки, если он у вас имеется. Если нет, можно свернуть лист бумаги так, чтобы получить нужный угол и придерживать его под лезвием.
3. Заточка. При односторонней заточке лезвие точат по линии выступающего спуска до появления заусенца с противоположной стороны. Обычно для этого требуется 40-50 движений. При направлении вперед слегка надавливайте на нож, назад – ослабляйте давление. Затем противоположной стороной проведите по камню несколько раз, чтобы убрать заусенец. При двусторонней заточке лезвия сначала обрабатывают одну сторону до появления заусенца, затем другую. Мысленно разделите клинок на 2-3 равные части и точите каждый участок по очереди. При первичной грубой обработке важно убрать механические повреждения, если они имеются. Если лезвие не повреждено, можно начинать сразу с камня средней зернистости, чтобы не снимать с поверхности лишнюю стружку.
4. Финишная заточка. Обработка мелкозернистым камнем нужна для идеальной остроты лезвия. Действуйте аналогично с предыдущим этапом. Заусенец при этом обычно не образуется.
5. Проверка результата. Ни в коем случае не проверяйте остроту лезвия пальцем. Вероятность пореза слишком высока. Используйте для оценки качества реза помидор – кромка продукта не должна сминаться, а оставаться идеально ровной. Другой вариант – разрежьте лист бумаги на весу. Острый нож справится с этой задачей безупречно.

Как точить керамические ножи

Керамические ножи изготавливают из циркониевой руды с различными добавками. Такое лезвие очень твердое, прочное и износостойкое. При производстве заточку осуществляют промышленным способом и при правильной эксплуатации ее хватает на несколько лет. Однако рано или поздно может возникнуть потребность в заточке и этого инструмента. Керамические лезвия точатся устройствами (брусками, точилками) с алмазным напылением. Нужно также учесть, что у керамических ножей угол заточки больше, чем у стальных – около 40-45 градусов. Заточка производится в один этап с применением алмазного камня или точилкой с алмазным абразивом. Главный недостаток керамического ножа – хрупкость твердого лезвия. Если на нем образовался скол или трещина, скорректировать повреждение при заточке на удастся. Поэтому такие кухонные инструменты требуют деликатного обращения, в том числе при заточке. Действуйте аккуратно, не давите на лезвие слишком сильно. В остальном техника заточки такая же, как и у стальных клинков.

Альтернативные способы заточки

Для домашнего использования многие потребители выбирают более простой метод заточки – с помощью точилок или ножеточек. Они удобны в эксплуатации, безопасны и не требуют особой сноровки. В некоторых моделях есть возможность установить нужный угол заточки. Однако у таких устройств есть недостаток – в отличие от ручной обработки, они снимают большое количество металлической стружки и инструмент быстрее изнашивается. Существует несколько видов точилок:

1. Универсальные. Роликовые, настольные, V-образные – с их помощью можно точить и править лезвия ножей и ножниц.
2. Электрические. Точат быстро и качественно, могут быть оснащены функциями грубой и тонкой заточки.
3. Механические. Самые бюджетные, для ручной заточки. Используются вместо брусков, могут иметь направляющие для пальца.

Часто потребители задаются вопросом – можно ли точить нож ножом. Это допустимо в случае, когда оба клинка изготовлены из стали одного и того же типа. Но такой метод не является заточкой. Скорее, это процедура сходная с обработкой мусатом – только «поправляет» режущую кромку. Заточить таким образом тупой нож вряд ли под силу рядовому обывателю. А вот получить травму – проще простого. Поэтому все же лучше выполнять правку мусатом, а заточку – бруском или точилкой.

Распространенные ошибки

Итак, мы выяснили, как правильно точить ножи вручную. Перечислим частые ошибки неопытных потребителей, чтобы подвести итог. Точно не стоит:

1. Класть камень прямо на стол, без подложки.
2. Пользоваться только одним водным камнем для заточки.
3.  Смачивать камень только 1 раз.
4. Точить грязные и жирные ножи.
5. Чрезмерно надавливать на нож в процессе заточки.
6. Нарушать фабричный угол заточки.
7. Заканчивать заточку раньше времени, не убрав заусенцы полностью.

Такие действия могут снизить эффективность вашей работы или вовсе привести к порче лезвия.

90000 3 Proven Ways to Sharpen A Knife and Extend Its Live 90001 90002 If you buy an item via links on this page, we may earn a commission. Our editorial content is not influenced by commissions. Read the full disclosure. 90003 90002 One of the most basic and yet essential pieces of equipment in the kitchen are kitchen knives. No matter if you are chopping away at a head of lettuce or thinly slicing roast beef for a sandwich, having a sharp knife is imperative to a good, clean cut. 90003 90002 In order to better understand the importance of sharp knives, we are going to look a little deeper at what sharp knives do and then dive into how to keep them sharp.90003 90002 90009 90009 90003 90012 90013 The Importance of Having Sharp Knives 90014 90015 90002 90017 90017 90003 90020 90013 1. Having a sharp knife is safer. 90014 90023 90002 It’s true! Having a sharp knife is safer than one that is not. The sharp knife is more predictable, therefore reducing the ability of the knife to slip. In addition to it not slipping, you are also not pressing down as hard. A knife not pressed down hard and one that does not slip means a knife not going places it should not, such as your finger! 90003 90020 2.It might help keep your eyes from burning. 90023 90002 When cutting an onion, it is not uncommon for many people’s eyes to burn. With a dull blade, you are pressing down harder which mean you are pressing juices out of them. Juices from the onions equate to the eye burning sensation. 90003 90002 On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are sharp knives that remove less onion juice out of the onion – therefore giving you better flavor and less watery eyes! 90003 90020 3. It saves time. 90023 90002 The length of time it takes to cut using sharp versus dull is very different.One blogger found that, on average, a sharp knife saved them ten minutes. Not to mention the frustration of trying to cut up food with a dull knife. 90003 90020 4. Take care of your tools. 90023 90002 90039 90039 90003 90002 Knives are an investment to any good kitchen; however, knives come at a price. I purchased a good knife set on Amazon last August that was recommended to me by a professional chef. I do not regret it! 90003 90002 This is not the typical knife set that many people pick up from department stores.There are no steak knives to be seen; however, they are culinary professional-style knives at a good price. 90003 90002 If shelling out a hundred dollars is still too much for right now, that’s okay. Just purchase one good eight-inch chef’s knife and use it for everything until you are able to branch out. 90003 90012 90013 Why Sharpening Yourself Gives You an Advantage 90014 90015 90002 Sharpening the knife yourself gives you some advantages over having someone else do it for you. One, it saves you money.Equipment to sharpen your knives will be an upfront cost but not shelling out money every time you want them sharpened will save you in the long run. 90003 90002 Another reason it is advantageous for you to sharpen them yourself is it gives you control over how you want it sharpened. The angle at which you sharpen the knife will determine how well it cuts for certain projects, which we will get into here in a little bit. Knowing what is going on with your knives will help you in the long run versus having someone else do it and then not being one hundred percent sure if it is at the perfect angle.90003 90002 We understand why sharpened knives are important, and the importance of a quality knife, now it’s time to look at 90057 how 90058 to sharpen the knife. 90003 90012 90013 Honing: It is Not Sharpening But is Important 90014 90015 90002 90065 90065 90003 90002 A lot of people get these two items confused, so let’s clarify this before we begin. Naturally, both 90013 honing 90014 and 90013 sharpening 90014 are very important. Honing straightens out the edge of an already sharp blade while sharpening takes away some of the knife.Naturally then, honing is something to be done on a regular basis whereas sharpening should be done once or twice a year. 90003 90002 To start honing, you need the steel stick that typically comes with many kitchen knives set. If you chose to get the Mercer set I recommended (good for you!) And you do not have one from a previous set, then I recommend purchasing. 90003 90002 Okay, now that we have the tool, it’s time to get started. Here’s the step by step: 90003 90078 90079 Place the bottom of the honing skill against a counter.90080 90079 Grabbing the knife comfortably, draw it downwards from heel to tip. Do this in one movement, angling the blade to the steel at about a twenty-two-degree angle. 90080 90083 90002 90013 Side note 90014: I’ve read several different places that the best way to figure out a twenty-two degree angle is to take a piece of paper and fold it triangularly twice (the first time gives you at forty-five degree angle, the second time at a twenty-two and half degree angle. There is a great tutorial found here.) 90003 90002 90089 90090 90003 90092 90079 Do this five times on each side of the honing tool and then twice more on each side, making sure not to push but go down the tool naturally. 90080 90083 90002 Now that we know how to hone, let’s look at what to do once or twice a year and different ways in which you can truly sharpen your knives. 90003 90012 90013 Ways to keep your kitchen knives sharpened 90014 90015 90020 90013 Knowing When to Sharpen 90014 90023 90002 Since sharpening knives means you are taking some of the material off the knife, this is something that you should do only when it is absolutely necessary.Finding out when to do this is fairly simple: 90003 90002 Take a piece of paper, either newspaper or regular lined / printer paper, that has been folded but not creased by one end. From top to bottom, slice the paper in half, slicing outwards. 90003 90002 Assuming you have honed your knife recently, if the paper does not slice cleanly your knife is ready to be sharpened. 90003 90020 90013 Sharpening with an Electric Sharpener 90014 90023 90002 90117 90117 90003 90002 Before I begin talking about this way of sharpening your knives, I must give you a word of advice.Using an electric sharpener is the quickest way to losing more of the material on your knife. Losing that material quickly means you will be purchasing new knives quicker. 90003 90002 Okay, if you’re stuck on using the electric sharpener then here is how to get the most out of this machine. 90003 90124 90079 Some sharpeners come with only one slot, others have multiple. The coarsest slot will be noted with the word coarse or number one and it will go to the final one in the sequence, either the last number or the word “fine”.90080 90127 90002 The coarse setting is best used for a knife that is in major need of being sharpened. Owned your knife set for five years and just now sharpening them? Use the one, or coarse, setting. If you sharpen regularly, then using the fine is a better option. 90003 90124 90079 Hold your knife at a ninety-degree angle, making sure that the tips touch the stones and use light pressure as you pull it through the electric knife sharpener. If you have to hold the knife sharpener, use the non-dominant hand to do so.90080 90079 Repeat this process several times, making sure to take it out of the sharpener each time and start at the base working the way to the tip. Do not sharpen the blade using and back and forth motion. 90080 90127 90002 Some electric knife sharpeners are good for bread knives, be sure to look at that before you purchase your sharpener. 90003 90020 90013 Sharpening with a Whetstone 90014 90023 90002 90143 90143 90003 90002 Similar to an electric sharpener, the whetstone comes with two sides: one side coarse and one side fine.Each side is made for the same thing, a coarse setting for when your knives are basically dead to the cutting world and a fine setting for when you have kept up with them. 90003 90002 The advantage you have with a whetstone is that it takes away the least amount of material from your knives; however, like many things, it does take some practice to be able to do this well. 90003 90124 90079 The first step is to soak the stone. This helps to lubricate the knife as you sharpen. Some websites suggest five to ten minutes while other sites say twenty.The best rule of thumb is to stop soaking once there are no more air bubbles in your water. 90080 90127 90002 If you are doing several knives, I recommend keeping the water beside you and soaking them about the time your hand gets tired and you need a break. If you are only doing one or do not get tired easily, you still need to make sure your stone stays wet as the combination of the small particles of the stone help it to stay rough which encourages sharpening. 90003 90124 90079 Like with your honing device, you will set your knife at a twenty-two-degree angle against the whetstone.90080 90079 Start with the coarse setting if needed. Use moderate pressure, slide the blade forward starting at the tip and working to the base in a constant motion. 90080 90127 90002 Just as with the electric sharpener, it’s important to remember not to use a back and forth motion. Another reminder: Keep it at the twenty-two degree angle at all times. 90003 90124 90079 Do this over again about ten times. 90080 90079 Once you have used the coarse setting, switch to the fine setting and do another ten strokes.90080 90079 Slide the edge of the blade to the stone twice to help remove any particles. 90080 90079 To finish out the process, hone the blade and then wash and dry to make sure you have removed any particles left behind. Run water over the stone to remove any particles as well. 90080 90127 90020 To conclude ways to keep your kitchen knives sharpened … 90023 90002 Learning to keep knives sharpened is important to have a knife last a long time. Do not believe the hype of knives that never need sharpening.Knives getting dull are a part of the proc 90003.90000 How to Sharpen Your Knife on a Whetstone 90001 90002 Anyone who owns a trusted blade should know how to sharpen it, and a whetstone is the classic method. Professional knife sharpener Peter Nowlan demonstrates three steps to the craft. 90003 90002 90005 I say it all the time: There’s something deeply satisfying 90006 about drawing a blade over a whetstone. My own interest began 35 years ago watching my father sharpen a chisel. 90003 90002 Fast forward to today, and I’m a retired Navy officer running my own business in Halifax, Canada: New Edge Knife Sharpening.It’s a formality to make a little extra money pursuing a labor of love. As part of a partnership with Knife Planet’s free online knife sharpening classes, this article will help “whet” your whistle in crafting keener blades. 90003 90010 90011 A Quick Guide To Knife Sharpening 90012 90002 A knife is only as good as its edge: The sharper the better. Make it sharp and keep it sharp with these tips. Read more … 90003 90002 Below are three steps to learning the traditional Japanese practice of sharpening with a Japanese whetstone, also known as a water stone.90003 90017 Whetstone Sharpening: What You Need 90018 90002 To get started, you will need the following: 90003 90021 90022 1,000-grit whetstone-you can find these online for about $ 20 90023 90022 Stone holder-anything to keep the whetstone steady as you sharpen 90023 90022 Ample lighting and space 90023 90022 Water and a clean cloth to wipe the blade 90023 90022 Decent-quality knife 90023 90032 90017 Step 1: Find the Angle 90018 90002 90036 90003 90002 90005 Lay the knife flat on the water stone 90006 and, holding the edge in place, raise the spine of the knife with your dominant hand to find the sharpening angle.The exact digit is not important; it’s maintaining the chosen angle throughout the process that matters. 90003 90002 This will be a challenge but gets easier with practice. A quick way to reach an angle is to lift the spine and place your non-dominant pinky between the spine and the stone. This will give you an angle of about 15-18 degrees depending on the thickness of your pinky. 90003 90002 You can also create a visual guide out of a roll of quarters or a piece of wine cork. Simply place the roll or cork on its side at the end of the stone and rest the spine on top to see the angle you need.90003 90017 Step 2: Raise the Burr 90018 90002 90005 Burr formation is critical to sharpening success. 90006 What’s the burr? It is a very thin strip of metal, a deformation that forms at the 90051 apex of the blade after you grind material away from one side. You can feel it, though it may be tricky at first. And it will always form on the opposite side of the one you are sharpening. 90003 90002 Drawing the blade over the stone pushes metal up and over the edge of the apex of the knife, where it builds on the opposite side.Basically, you are peeling away fatigued metal and exposing fresh, new steel when sharpening a dull knife. 90003 90002 The goal is to form the smallest burr possible by regulating sharpening pressure from the tip of the knife to the heel, and to make it as uniform in size as you can. 90003 90002 Forming the burr signals the switch from sharpening one side to the other. It also tells us we are reaching the very edge the knife. 90003 90002 90060 90003 90062 How to raise the burr 90063 90002 Start sharpening the right side of the blade.With the tip of the knife at the bottom of the whetstone, push the knife to the top away from you. While doing so, apply pressure with two fingers on the blade. Those two fingers should be placed as close to the edge of the knife as possible without touching the stone. 90003 90002 You need to adjust your fingers as you move the knife back and forth. Because sharpening takes place under your fingers, start with them at the tip and, as you pull the knife back toward you, release pressure completely and pause.Then, shift your fingers just a little down the blade toward the heel. This finger dance is critical and takes time getting used to. 90003 90002 90069 90003 90002 The motion of applying pressure this way is called Trailing Strokes. As you push the knife away from you, you apply burr-forming pressure until you reach the top of the stone. Then, as you pull it towards you, you release the pressure. You apply pressure in only one direction. 90003 90062 How to check the burr 90063 90002 Use common sense and know that moderate pressure is necessary to form the burr.I move from tip to heel, then heel to tip a few times, and then check for a burr. 90003 90002 90078 90003 90002 90005 Be careful: 90006 Do not move your fingers laterally along the edge, you’ll cut yourself. Feel for a rough area running from tip to heel. Again, it takes time to know what to expect because the best burr will be subtle. Just know that the bigger the burr, the more metal you are removing-more than necessary. Do not worry, you will not ruin the knife doing this. You’re learning here, and mistakes are part of the sharpening journey.Learn from them. 90003 90062 Switch sides 90063 90002 As soon as you feel the burr, it’s time to sharpen the opposite side. The idea is to remove material, thus creating a burr on both sides of the blade. 90003 90002 The final goal: Form a burr, consistent in size and length (heel to tip), on both sides of the knife. Then, we go to the final step. 90003 90017 Step 3: Remove the Burr 90018 90002 90093 90003 90002 90005 Removal of the burr is just as essential as forming it. 90006 Your goal is to finish the sharpening process with as clean an edge as possible.90003 90002 We do this by following the same pattern, same angle, and same motions but with reduced pressure. Whatever level of pressure was necessary to form the burr, reduce it by approximately 50 percent. 90003 90002 Simply by reducing the pressure, you will start to shave any remaining burr off of the apex of the blade. You’re now cleaning the edge. 90003 90002 Beginning on the right side of the knife, move from tip to heel and heel to tip, then flip the knife and repeat. For the left side, it’s opposite-start at the top of the stone to reach the heel area completely.So, you will move from heel to tip and then tip to heel. Remember to apply and release pressure as you did earlier, exactly the same as in Step 2, but with light, refining pressure. 90003 90002 Finish by further reducing pressure as you repeat the process above. Visualize the goal: cleaning the old edge and forming a new, sharp edge. 90003 90002 Keep doing this, and test your knife for sharpness by cutting a piece of paper or a tomato. If you’re satisfied, you’re done. You now have a sharp knife.You did it! 90003 .90000 How to sharpen a knife for preppers – The Prepared 90001 90002 Even if you’ve purchased the best survival field knife for emergency preparedness and have a proper sheath, you’re still not quite finished with this critical prep. Field knives are a workhorse meant to be used and abused in emergencies, so the time to practice using and caring for your knife is now – not after SHTF. 90003 90002 Good news: Although knives have a passionate community that often makes this topic seem daunting, there are simple 80-20 tips that are good enough for normal people.You can even sharpen a blade with easily-found materials like a car window, cardboard, or sandpaper. 90003 90002 If you’re not an advanced knife user (and do not care to become one), the cheapest, quickest, smallest, lightest, and simplest field knife sharpening method is to use a pull-through sharpener. For under $ 10, these common tools are easy to throw in your go-bag, use without much practice, and are enough for most people’s field knives. 90003 90002 90009 Reviews 90010: Best pull-through sharpeners, sharpening stones, and strops and compounds 90003 90002 But there’s a meaningful jump in knife edge quality and lifespan when you use proper sharpening methods like stoning and stropping.An additional $ 20 of gear and some practice can make the difference between a workable edge (and a blade that lasts for years) versus a great edge (and a blade that lasts for decades) – which is why knife enthusiasts almost never use a pull- through. 90003 90002 Combined with cheap and basic tips for oiling and storage, a well-cared-for knife will serve you well when you need it most. 90003 90002 Summary: 90003 90018 90019 Practice using and caring for your knife 90020 before 90021 an emergency.90022 90019 Sharp knives are safer than dull ones because they require less force to cut and are less likely to dangerously skip and jump around. 90022 90019 The easiest and cheapest sharpening method is a pull-through tool, but it has meaningful downsides. 90022 90019 Stropping is the method our experts prefer, but it requires more materials and practice. 90022 90019 There is much more to caring for and sharpening a knife than average people assume. 90022 90019 But you do not have to become a knife nerd – one or two cheap products and some basic practice is enough to cover the 80-20 for most people.90022 90019 Your goal is “good enough,” not perfect. 90022 90019 Knives rust and corrode more easily than you might expect. 90022 90019 Try not to store knives in sheaths – especially in sheaths made of materials like leather that can hold moisture and accelerate corrosion. 90022 90039 90002 Be prepared. Do not be a victim. 90003 90002 Want more great content and giveaways? Sign up for The Prepared’s free newsletter and get the best prepping content straight to your inbox. 1-2 emails a month, 0% spam.90003 90044 Why you should trust me 90045 90002 I’m one of those knife nerds who keeps a stack of books about knife history and maintenance next to my dedicated workbench. I’ve loved knives for decades and spent way too much time and money on them. After becoming a prepper and professional knife and outdoor gear reviewer a few years ago, I’ve reviewed countless knives and have interviewed the industry’s top makers, elite soldiers and law enforcement, big game hunters, and leaders of online knife-enthusiast communities.90003 90048 Knicks happen: Use your head with knife safety 90049 90002 From chefs to wood workers to hunters, every serious knife user has been cut many times in their life. It’s just part of using a knife. Getting a knick does not mean you’ve failed, so keep a first aid kit nearby and use your head: 90003 90018 90019 Hand your knife to another person by grasping the spine of the blade and handing it over handle first. 90022 90019 Cut away from your body, never toward it. 90022 90019 Keep a firm grip on both what you’re cutting and your knife.90022 90019 A sharp knife is safer than a dull knife because it requires less force to use (so you’re less likely to fumble). 90022 90039 90048 A “good enough” edge is better than “perfect” 90049 90002 You do not need to learn how to put a screaming sharp edge on a blade that even Hattori Hanzo would respect. 90003 90002 Sharpening and other knife maintenance practices are important, but it’s definitely possible to obsess over them too much. A little bit of effort goes a long way with knife care.90003 90002 We’ve encountered many serious bushcrafters and soldiers over the years – people who depend on their knives in the worst environments – who have never bothered to learn how to put a fine, mirror-polished edge on a knife. Yet these folks all manage to get by with a cheap diamond stone or a pull-through, a scuffed up blade, and a serviceable field edge. 90003 90002 In fact, there’s a point of diminishing returns when creating a sharp edge (especially at narrower edge angles). The sharper the edge, the thinner the material gets at the point, which means it will bend and chip faster than an edge that’s “good enough”.90003 90002 For survival knife purposes, a good-enough edge is one that: 90003 90018 90019 Requires minimal removal of metal to maintain 90022 90019 Is easy and forgiving to maintain 90022 90019 Lasts a long time before having to be restored 90022 90019 Performs well for a variety of tasks 90022 90039 90002 All sharpening involves removing some metal from the knife. The more you remove, the faster you’ll reshape the blade and eventually ruin it. So for a knife that’s intended to last a lifetime, we want to remove as little metal as possible when sharpening.90003 90002 You should not need complicated edge guides to help hold the blade at a picky angle while sharpening, nor should you need lubricants and other accoutrements that you will not likely have in the field. It’s fine to use all this stuff for chef knives or shop knives, but you should be able to sharpen a survival knife with one tool, and without worrying about ruining your work if you make a stroke at the wrong angle. 90003 90002 Some edges wear away quickly, either because they’re too thin and they fold, or they’re too jagged and their microscopic “teeth” wear down.These edges are good in certain circumstances, but for a field knife we ​​need to optimize for edge retention. 90003 90002 Jagged edges are better for cutting through flesh or fibers quickly, while smooth, polished edges are better for shaving, chopping, and carving. Given a survival knife is used for an unknown and wide range of needs, we recommend a polished edge to have that “jack of all trades, master of none” versatility. 90003 90048 Standard ways to sharpen a knife 90049 90002 Sharpening a blade means removing material from the metal to reshape it into a fine edge.When you run a blade over a sharpening tool, you’re essentially shaving it down to a point. The finer the point, the sharper the knife. 90003 90096 Stones (bottom left, bottom right), strops (top left, middle), and rod (right) 90002 All of the different sharpening methods use that same principle, just accomplished in different ways and to different degrees of severity. 90003 90002 90009 Pull-through sharpeners 90010 are commonly found in home kitchens. They’re simple, cheap, and often come with new kitchen knife purchases.A pull-through is essentially a V notch with a gritty material on each side of the V, so as you pull the knife through, its grinds both sides down equally to an apex. 90003 90002 90009 Sharpening stones 90010 are blocks of hard material, sometimes with diamond, ceramic, or similarly-tough materials baked in. You can use them dry, but most modern knife stones use an oil or water to keep the surface slick and to collect the little metal shavings (called “swarf”) you create through sharpening. 90003 90002 90009 Sharpening rods 90010 (a.k.a. ceramic or steel rod) are basically a stone in a rod shape. You mostly see steel rods in professional kitchens, where they’re used to straighten an edge that has folded over. Ceramic rods actually remove metal and are used for honing, usually on serrated edges where a regular flat hone is not a good fit. 90003 90002 90009 Strops 90010 work similar to stones, but are made of a semi-flexible material combined with an abrasive compound. If you can imagine the leather straps used by old-timey barbers to sharpen a straight razor before a facial shave, that’s a strop.90003 90002 90009 Sandpaper 90010 is a cheap method that works better than you might expect. The grit of the sandpaper (a number like 400 or 800) determines how rough the paper is and how much metal material is removed. See the mousepad and sandpaper trick below. 90003 90048 Pull-throughs are the easy answer (but come with tradeoffs) 90049 90002 Pull-through sharpeners are easy to use and learn. So much so, they pass the “10 year old child” test, so if a kid or random person needed to sharpen their knife with your tools, they’d be able to figure it out pretty easily.90003 90002 90124 90003 90002 Pull-throughs are hard to screw up as long as you hold the blade at a simple 90 degree angle to the sharpener and do not damage the edge by pressing down too hard. 90003 90002 This method is limited to simple V-shaped edges that are decent (and better than nothing), but not great. So if you use your knife often, it will not perform super well and will require more frequent sharpening. 90003 90002 When you combine the need for frequent sharpening with the very high amount of metal loss inherent to pull-throughs, it means you’ll wear your blade down more quickly over a period of years instead of decades.90003 90048 Which knife sharpening method is best for preppers? 90049 90002 Even when you ignore the navel-gazing internet debates, selecting a sharpening method is not an easy, black-and-white answer once you advance beyond the cheap and simple pull-through sharpeners. 90003 90002 For preppers who want to be able to properly sharpen a knife, especially for long-term post-collapse planning, making the decision between stoning and stropping involves thinking about the kind of edge grind you want (or are stuck with).90003 90002 The best sharpening technique and tools for you depends on that edge shape: 90003 90002 90141 There are many edge shapes, but we only care about the plain or “flat” V, a rounded convex, or the special Scandi. The Flat V images are deceptive, because even though the whole blade is a flat V shape, what matters in this case is the smaller V at the very tip – that’s the sharpening angle that matters. Scandis have a big, bold, and simple edge grind to make stone sharpening easier. Convex edges are a subtle rounded shape that comes to a point.90003 90002 Most knife users fall into one of three main “edge plus technique” camps: 90003 90145 V-shaped edge plus stone 90146 90002 When you free-hand sharpen a normal, V-shaped edge on a stone, you must hold the blade at a perfectly consistent angle on each stroke, like a robot. This requires either a ton of practice or a mechanical edge guide, as one off stroke on an aggressive diamond stone could undo much of your work. 90003 90149 You have to free-hold the right angle while swiping the blade – every time 90002 This approach is traditional and popular, partly because it gives you control over how skinny or fat the V angle is.90003 90002 But we do not recommend it for most preppers because of the damage risk and that it requires more practice and / or extra equipment than the other two methods. 90003 90002 Stoning can also create sharp burrs or jagged teeth, which requires a strop or separate fine-grain stone to polish off. All but the finest grit stones leave a jagged edge that feels sharp to the touch – but that is not the kind of sharpness we want. This micro-serrated edge is initially an aggressive cutter (the jaggedness makes it work like a saw), but once the microscopic teeth you’ve engraved on the edge wear down with use, the blade will quickly dull.90003 90002 However, if you already know how to properly stone free-hand, it’s fine to stick with this method. 90003 90145 Scandi grind plus stone 90146 90002 Scandi grind knives (like the 90009 TOPS BOB 90010 knife) are intentionally designed with a flat, wide bevel that you hold flat against the stone as you move. That design removes the need to be a perfect, free-hand angle-guessing robot. 90003 90164 A Scandi’s wide, flat edge bevel (the dark strip covering 25% from the edge) makes it easy to hold the right angle 90002 This method’s simplicity and ease of use with smaller portable stones makes it incredibly popular in bushcraft circles.90003 90002 The major downside, though, is that you’re limited to Scandi grind blades. You can not easily turn a non-Scandi into a Scandi, or vice versa. So you typically buy a Scandi knife and keep it that way forever. 90003 90145 Convex edge plus strop 90146 90002 Our knife experts greatly prefer the convex edge shape because it cuts well and holds sharpness better than any other shape when used in the wide range of scenarios we plan for in emergencies. It’s also easy to maintain a convex edge, including with improvised materials you may find after SHTF.90003 90002 Strops are great for convex edges – so much so that it’s hard to use a strop and 90020 not 90021 end up with a convex edge. Any knife can be converted to a convex edge just by stropping it enough. 90003 90177 The somewhat-flexible nature of leather is forgiving and creates a great convex edge 90002 Strops make the “hold a consistent angle” problem moot. When you strop one side of a convex edge by dragging it across a strop with some natural “give” in the material, you’re polishing a rounded surface, so as you naturally vary the angle a tiny bit on each stroke, you end up polishing the whole, curved surface until the edge is sharp.Consistency is important, but this method has a lot more wiggle room than stoning. 90003 90048 How to use a knife sharpening stone 90049 90002 Check out our choices for the best sharpening stones. 90003 90002 When you sharpen a normal, V-shaped edge with a stone, you drag the blade across the stone at a perfectly consistent angle, using a minimum of pressure. 90003 90002 Many of the best sharpening videos online are for kitchen knives, but the principles work the same for field knives – note that the angle for a field knife is generally wider at about 25 degrees or higher.90003 90002 The highlights, roughly in order of importance: 90003 90018 90019 Know the angle you’re using, and keep it totally consistent on every stroke 90022 90019 Use the same number of strokes on each side 90022 90019 Use the same pressure on each stroke 90022 90019 Pivot the blade up as you move toward the tip to maintain the correct angle 90022 90019 Take your time 90022 90039 90002 This video demonstrates sharpening a kitchen knife on a double-sided 90009 DMT DuoSharp 10 90010 of the kind we recommend in our sharpening stone review.90003 90002 90207 90208 90003 90002 If you’re sharpening using a small pocket stone, the technique is slightly different, as demonstrated in this video: 90003 90002 90213 90208 90003 90002 (90009 Tip 90010: Do not waste your money on the lubricant they’re selling in the video. It’s not necessary on a diamond stone, and saliva or water will work fine if you want a little liquid anyway.) 90003 90002 It’s important to know that the tip of the blade needs special attention when you sharpen.After you’ve passed the straight part of the blade and move into the curve (or belly) of the blade, you’ll rotate the blade as you make your way toward the tip. When you do this, it should feel like you’re making the angle steeper as you go toward the top, but you are not. This video explains the phenomenon very well: 90003 90002 90223 90208 90003 90048 How to sharpen a Scandi grind 90049 90002 A Scandi grind is far easier to sharpen on a stone than other grinds, and this excellent video explains why by showing the theory behind it: 90003 90002 90231 90208 90003 90002 The following video is the clearest one we’ve found for sharpening a scandi grind.It’s a simple video for a simple concept and technique: 90003 90002 90237 90208 90003 90048 How to strop a knife 90049 90002 Stropping is similar to learning how to ride a bike – it takes a bit of (often frustrating) practice to get a feel for it, but once it clicks you’ll be set for the rest of your knife-using life. 90003 90002 So invest in some good tools (see our review of the best stropping gear), watch the videos, practice, test the edge often, and do not get frustrated if what you’re doing is not working.Just change it up a bit until you start seeing progress. 90003 90002 Remember: 90003 90018 90019 Using too much pressure is counterproductive because the leather will fold up and over the edge, causing it to dull. 90022 90019 Let the weight of the blade and gravity do the work. 90022 90019 Load the suede side of the strop (and ignore videos that tell you otherwise). 90022 90019 For prepper field knives, black compound is usually good enough. 90022 90019 Pick a stroke – either tip-to-heel or heel-to-tip – and practice with it consistently.90022 90019 Stop once in a while to test your edge on a sheet of paper. 90022 90019 If you’re not making progress, change up the angle (it may be too low or too high) and be absolutely sure you’re not putting pressure on the blade. 90022 90039 90002 Before you get started, it’s important that you load the strop with compound the right way. We use a heat gun or blow dryer, but this video recommends heating up the leather briefly in an oven: 90003 90002 90267 90208 90003 90002 For field knives, we load and use the suede side of the leather.If we go to the smooth side at all, it’s for very fine, final finishing. 90003 90002 Once the strop is ready, you can begin: 90003 90002 90275 90208 90003 90002 This series of older videos from KnivesShipFree is very good, and we recommend you watch the installments covering convex edges, beginning here: 90003 90002 90281 90208 90003 90002 You’ll notice that most stropping videos start the stropping stroke at the bottom, or “heel” of the blade and move up the edge toward the tip.If you do this, then you must take care to keep in mind the note about changing the angle of the blade that we mentioned in the section above on sharpening with a stone. 90003 90002 One alternate stropping stroke that seems to work for many folks is starting the stroke at the top and working down to the heel: 90003 90002 90289 90208 90003 90002 90293 90208 90003 90002 The key is to experiment and find out what works for you. 90003 90002 It’s important to stop stropping periodically and test your edge on some paper.Testing is the only way you can know if you’ve got the correct combination of angle and pressure, or if you’re off somehow and just wasting your time. 90003 90002 Stropping is not the kind of thing you can do while watching TV or otherwise zoning out – you’ll need to pay attention as you strop. However, we’ve found stropping to be a relaxing, almost meditative activity that’s enjoyable in its own right. 90003 90002 Once you get good at stropping, you’ll spend far less time on it if you make it a point to maintain your edge by touching up your blade in between uses.Regular stropping makes for a quick, low-hassle edge maintenance routine. 90003 90048 Prepper tip: the sandpaper and mouse pad method 90049 90002 One stropping method many knife users use with great success is the “sandpaper and mousepad” hack. Instead of a strip of leather loaded with stropping compound, you place a piece of the 90009 3M Wet or Dry sandpaper 90010 over a mouse pad. 90003 90002 This method gives you precise control over the amount of grit you’re using and the aggressiveness of the strop.So you can start out reworking a badly damaged edge with, say, 400 grit (smaller number = rougher paper), then move to 600 for sharpening, and gradually work your way up to 1200 grit or higher for an ultra-fine edge. 90003 90002 90313 90208 90003 90002 The primary drawback to sandpaper stropping is that the sandpaper wears down quickly, and loses its bite. If you do a lot of stropping then you’ll go through a lot of this stuff, so it’s cheaper in the long run to buy proper stropping compound.90003 90002 We actually prefer mousepad and sandpaper to leather strops with black compound for turning a regular V edge into a convex edge for the first time. You can get good results quickly with it, and you can use a large, square sheet that’s much easier to work with than a narrow leather strip. 90003 90048 Oiling a knife 90049 90002 A modern field knife already comes with an anti-corrosion coating or uses a metal that’s inherently resistant. Although a good knife will survive without additional protection, adding a tiny bit of oil can help keep your knife looking and working like it’s brand new.90003 90002 The easiest method is to wipe the blade down with a silicone-impregnated cloth. A field or hunting knife will often be used to cut food, so we like to use a non-toxic corrosion protectant. 90003 90002 Our Pick 90003 90328 90044 Best bang for the buck: 90045 90044 Kleen-Bore Silicone Gun and Reel Cloth 90045 90002 Large, non-toxic, silicone-impregnanted sheets make it easy to clean and protect your valuable knife investment.90003 90335 90044 Keep your handles clean: 90045 90044 Howard Butcher Block Conditioner 90045 90002 This non-toxic conditioner is great for cleaning the synthetic materials used in field knife handles. 90003 90002 Most gun and knife enthusiasts like the $ 7 per sheet 90009 Kleen-Bore Silicone Gun and Reel Cloth 90010 because of the size, price, and ample amount of silicone in the cloth.The 90009 Birchwood Casey 90010 and 90009 Hoppes No. 9 90010 cloths are also popular and slightly cheaper than our recommended pick. 90003 90002 A silicone cloth works fine for both the blade and the handle, but there’s another good trick for spiffing up a canvas Micarta handle (our favorite handle material): butcher’s block conditioner. 90009 Howard Butcher Block Conditioner 90010 is a food-grade mix of oils and beeswax, and it will make scuffed, dull Micarta handle look better than the day you got it out of the box.This stuff is also recommended for wood-handled knives. 90003 90048 Removing rust and corrosion 90049 90002 Field knives, especially those with carbon steel blades, will get light rust spots on them from time to time. It happens more often than people expect. But this is nothing to panic over; simply remove the rust with a mild chemical. 90003 90002 We recommend 90009 Break Free CLP 90010, a compound that’s popular with gun enthusiasts and that works just as well on knives for removing rust and corrosion without marring the blade’s finish.90003 90002 Apply a little bit to the blade, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it down with a paper towel. 90003 90002 In the field we’ve used the fine sand from a flowing riverbed to get rust off. We’ve also used 90009 Chore Boy Copper Scouring Pads 90010, and various plastic scouring pads for cleaning cookware, although any abrasive pad will scuff a satin-finish blade. 90003 90002 In cases where you’ve wrecked an uncoated blade’s finish, either by letting the rust get too bad or by scuffing it up with an abrasive, you may have to bust out the 90009 Flitz Polish Paste 90010 to restore the factory shine.90003 90002 Regular stropping will also remove reasonable rust buildup on the edge of the blade. It’s important to know that electron micrographs have shown that rust can build up on a blade’s edge and begin to degrade it, even when that edge looks bright and shiny to the naked eye. So if you have a carbon steel blade, keep it clean, dry, and coated. 90003 90048 Sharpening and caring for a knife after SHTF 90049 90002 Thankfully, if you understand the basics of how stoning and stropping work, you can service a blade in a pinch without proper materials.After all, your badass grandfather did not need colored stropping compounds to maintain his straight razor. 90003 90378 Sharpening a hatchet on cardboard scraps loaded with toothpaste 90002 If you’re caught in a total grid-down scenario or just do not have your gear, remember the basic mechanics: 90003 90018 90019 Polishing and shaping is better than chiseling and grinding 90022 90019 Rough, gritty, uneven surfaces are bad 90022 90019 Fine-grained surfaces are good 90022 90019 Whatever you use should allow for even, long, consistent strokes 90022 90039 90002 Examples of things you can use to sharpen that you might find laying around: 90003 90018 90019 Leather belt 90022 90019 Nylon backpack straps 90022 90019 Neoprene 90022 90019 Seat belts 90022 90019 Nail file 90022 90019 Cardboard 90022 90019 Newsprint 90022 90019 Smooth river stones 90022 90019 Base of a ceramic mug 90022 90019 Car window 90022 90019 Spine of another knife 90022 90039 90002 We’ve even heard of green paint used as a stropping compound because it contains chromium oxide, which is what gives stropping compounds their grit.And we’ve personally used toothpaste to great effect. 90003 90002 These hacky methods are of course less ideal. You can run a blade over an old leather belt, and it will work to a degree, but it will take a lot longer than a proper strop and compound. 90003 90048 Testing the edge and practicing with your knife 90049 90002 You are not prepared if you are relying on gear or skills you’ve never used. The time to find out if your knife is a fake Chinese knock-off or if your sharpening technique is working is before an emergency – not during or after.90003 90002 Do’s and don’ts for knife testing: 90003 90018 90019 DO cut a variety of materials, from hard and soft wood types to rope to food, and see how well the edge holds up. If the edge is getting dull too quickly, then you’ve got a bad heat treatment and you’ll need to replace the knife. 90022 90019 DO chop into some downed limbs or other dead wood with the knife to get a feel for how comfortable the handle is and how well the edge holds up. 90022 90019 DO open a can of food with your knife, and see if you’ve wrecked the edge or the point.Although that’s not a normal use for knives, any good prepping knife should be able to crudely open a can without more than cosmetic damage; if you damage the edge, see the remarks on heat treatment above. 90022 90019 DO carefully drill into some wood with the tip. Technically, this is knife abuse, but you’ll want to know if your knife can handle being used to drill out a crude hole or pocket in some downed wood. Be sure to pick wood that’s on the softer side, and take as much care as you can not to damage the tip while still getting the work done.90022 90019 DO make something with the knife: fire, shelter, pointy stick, or a small carved item. 90022 90019 DO shave some hair off your body (carefully!), And / or cut paper with the blade periodically as you test your knife, in order to gauge how quickly the edge is dulling. 90022 90019 DO NOT do a tip strength test by jamming the tip in and working the blade side-to-side. You’ll likely break the tip, even on some of the best knives. 90022 90019 DO NOT throw the knife. You’re not going to throw the knife in a survival situation, so do not bother doing it as a test.90022 90019 DO NOT try really hard to break the knife, because you may well succeed. Any knife can be broken if you subject it to enough abuse and lateral stress, so do not throw your money away by doing this. 90022 90039 .