A sharp knife in the kitchen is the key to peace in the family. After all, a dumb cutlery can cause irritation in the hostess, which will certainly affect not only the cooking process and the appearance of the dish, but also the mood of loved ones.
Of course, you can take the knife to the workshop, where it will be processed qualitatively. But, firstly, it will take some time, and secondly, the head of the family may feel disadvantaged, having lost the opportunity to show his skill. Therefore, experts recommend purchasing at least one abrasive block for home use.
Classification
There are 5 types of abrasive whetstones for sharpening knives:
- ceramic;
- diamond;
- from water Japanese stone;
- made of artificial water stone;
- from Arkansas stone.
Each of them has its own characteristics, which will be described later. In any embodiment, the tool is usually presented in the form of a volumetric rectangle of special stones or with a surface of abrasive material.
Ceramics
Bars of this type are made from microscopic electrocorundum grains or silicon carbide. Their undoubted advantage is the slow wear of the abrasive material. Such bars will last a long time if used to straighten the blade.
And experts call the negative moment a quick change in the grinding properties of the surface of the bar due to clogging of the gaps between the microparticles with metal chips. Such stones require constant cleaning and use of lubricating fluids.
To prolong their life, sharpening craftsmen recommend periodically grinding the bars under running water. Good care will allow for a long time to correct home knives without visible material costs.
Diamond bar
The surface of the bar consists of natural material or artificial chips, similar in strength to diamonds. There are two methods of coating a bar.
In the first case, the small granules of the nickel alloy are smeared as it were on the working part of the tool. Due to the high degree of granularity of the bar, the sharpening of the knife occurs at a high speed, but leaves visible scratches. And, in addition, unlike ceramic samples, the surface of the tool itself is ground off without the possibility of further restoration.
In the second case, organic-based crystals are used, which reduces the number of scratches and increases the service life of the bar.
Japanese stone
This natural tool has its own rules of use. So, before use, experts recommend soaking the stones in water - each sample in a separate container - and wait until they stop releasing bubbles. Then they are removed, fixed on a stand and proceed to sharpening. It is first made on a coarser bar, periodically wetting it with water, and then polished on fine-grained.
The complexity of working with natural stone, a high degree of wear and high cost do not contribute to the spread of such sharpening among ordinary people. But through the use of Japanese water stone, you can qualitatively sharpen any intractable knife in a professional workshop.
Artificial water stone
This material is slightly inferior to natural samples, but has the same degree of granularity over the entire structured surface, which greatly facilitates the process of turning and reduces the cost of the material.
Despite the second place among water samples, these stones have proven themselves in home use.
Arkansas stone
This most expensive tool for use at home has quartz particles in its composition. When working, it provides minimal grinding of the surface, which ensures an excellent result.
The only negative experts say the need to use a specialized lubricant, without which the abrasive block will deteriorate in the first sharpening. Work without technical oil will lead to clogging of the surface with processing waste that cannot be removed from the pores by any means. As a result, an expensive tool will just have to be thrown out.
Bar Parameters
The quality of knife sharpening depends not only on the tool material, but also on such indicators:
- forms;
- graininess;
- hardness.
Widespread abrasive whetstone boats. The shape of the regular rectangle is also quite popular, which, although it is more convenient to use, but slightly reduces the quality of processing.
The grain parameter determines the amount of metal removal. So, the most powerful removal of the working part of the knife provides material with an indicator of 200 microns.
Different hardness is used for different sharpening. So, for roughing, softer abrasives are used, and for the final - the toughest materials.
How to choose a tool?
In order to sharpen a knife in a quality and trouble-free manner, you need to purchase the right tool. An abrasive block must satisfy the following conditions:
- be 2 times longer than a knife blade;
- not have chips and cracks on the surface;
- have the correct geometric shape.
It is better if there are several bars with different degrees of granularity at home. To polish the cutting part of specialized knives after sharpening, it is necessary to use GOI paste.
How to sharpen
For the first time, having even a super whetstone made of high-quality abrasive material, it is recommended to sharpen the knife that is not a pity to spoil.
In addition, experts advise to adhere to a number of rules:
- Moisten the bar with water and grease with any washing solution.
- Put the grinding tool on a hard surface at an angle of 45 ° to yourself.
- Give the desired angle of inclination of the knife so that the connection of the knife and the handle is outside the stone and perpendicular to its long part.
- Carry out a few slides away from you, and then 40 times towards you.
- Turn the knife to the bar with the opposite cutting side, and repeat the movement.
- By sliding, to eliminate the burr, which is not always visible visually, but is determined by touch.
- If a double-sided abrasive block is purchased, then the knife is refined with the second side with a lower grain size. The same manipulation can be carried out with another tool or musat.
The procedure for sharpening the tool should be accompanied by periodic wetting in order to eliminate small metal debris. If you need a perfectly sharp device, then editing can be provided with a piece of skin treated with GOI paste. The movement of the leather device in this case should go in the direction from the cutting edge of the knife.
Analogs of the grinding bar
Of course, buying abrasive bars is ideal for a good host. In the absence of such, you can resort not only to the services of specialized workshops, but also purchase special knife-sharpeners:
- manual roller;
- mechanical V-shaped;
- electric;
- system for turning knives.
The penultimate option, despite the high cost, leads to an early grinding of the blade. Manual devices require the application of certain efforts. Specialized systems are notable for their high price, however, they can give the correct shape and angle of sharpening to a kitchen knife, as well as keep the cutlery in working condition for a long time.
A few words in the end
There are a lot of people who find any reason, if only not to do housework. This also applies to knife sharpening. And if a man does not have a soul for this, do not buy expensive stones or whole grinding systems. It is enough to buy a cheap hand-held device for emergency needs and take it as a rule: carry knives to the workshop, and spend free time on your favorite activities with your family.