Thanks Wilton.. I will try to verbalize the sound in text... It may be a challenge unmet.. so bear with me..
The sound of the knife edge as it passes through the sharpening stroke is a continuous "Swiiiiiinnnnnnggggg" type sound that varies in pitch slightly as you get to the thinner tip of the blade, yet, at the same time remains a constant volume which indicates the pressure you are exerting on the cutting edge while held at the optimum approach angle in contact with the abrasive surface.. Whow.. that makes a long sentence... sorry. If you vary either... angle.. or pressure... the sound will change as the stroke progresses with your change in approach attitude. If you develop the proper sharpening stroke, it will be fluid and relaxed yet in control of both angle and pressure along the "V" of the cutting edge. Equal pressure on both sides of the knife produces a cutting edge well centered in profile. Most knife sharpeners, when starting out, have difficulty getting the "Swiiiiinnnnnngggg" to be equal for both sides of the knife because it takes a different muscle set movement for each side of the knife.. Relax, play with it.. it will come.. Go to Goodwill.. but the dullest knife there and practice till you get the "hang of it"... then re-donate it.. sharp, of course. On Thu, Nov 26, 2015 at 12:30 PM, WILTON via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com > wrote: > Rings or clings? ;<) > > Wilton > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "G Mann via Mercedes" < > mercedes@okiebenz.com> > To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > Cc: "G Mann" <g2ma...@gmail.com> > Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2015 1:40 PM > Subject: Re: [MBZ] sharpening knives?? > > > I use 3M Wet or Dry Carborundum sand paper on a glass sheet. >> >> 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of 320 grit cut in 1/2 , so you are working with a 1/2 >> sheet. Spray bottle of water to wet the glass and the 1/2 sheet of paper >> rings to the surface. >> >> Glass is very flat so it gives me a clear surface to work from. I then >> spray the "grit" surface of the sheet and stroke the knife at the proper >> sharpening angle. >> >> As the sheet becomes less "sharp" and stops cutting, I rotate the >> sandpaper >> to a new area and keep sharpening the knife. Respray with water as >> necessary.. You may find it helpful to remove the sandpaper and wash it >> under a stream of water to remove the broken grit pieces and "grindings" >> from the knife, which refreshes it. >> >> When the paper becomes dull, use the other half. Repeat as necessary, for >> the rest of the knives in the group... This is the first cut. >> >> Next, shift to 380 grit... repeat... >> Then 400 grit.. repeat.. >> >> I like to finish off with the use of a ceramic rod, which is, I believe, >> about 800 grit. >> This gives a fine finish to the cutting edge which is truly razor sharp. >> >> Through all the above, listen to the sound of the knife as you stroke it >> through the sharpening cut. If you have the right angle and the right >> "stroke" you will hear a repeatable sound of the knife against the >> sharpening material across it's length, regardless of whether it is a long >> or a short knife. Find that "sweet spot sound" and you will make sharp >> knives quickly. When done right, it will be a smooth fluid motion that >> traverses the full blade from butt to tip at the cutting edge angle. >> >> I also like to place the glass plate on a towel which keeps it from >> slipping on the work table, and I place the edge of the glass at the edge >> of the table which gives me full sweep with the knife handle and lets me >> control the edge angle [which is what you are sharpening]. >> >> It is my experience that most women and few men have ever been taught >> proper sharp knife care and handling.. so if you are brave enough, explain >> to the cooks >> that a sharp knife NEVER cuts into a hard surface, like a metal pan, or a >> tile counter, and ALWAYS to protect the sharp edge.. That a sharp knife >> laying open in a drawer will always become a dull knife. They should >> ALWAYS >> be hand washed, not banged around in the dishwasher with other dull >> utensils. AND,, when placing a sharp knife in the knife rack.. always put >> it with the back of the knife down [upside down] which further protects >> the >> sharp edge. >> >> If you are restoring a badly abused knife, I suggest the use of a fine cut >> mill bastard file, to start the process of re-making the edge angles. I >> have restored many knives which were considered lost after gross miss >> handling by people who thought they should be used as pry bars or can >> openers. Some required reshaping the points with a hammer and anvil to >> straighten them first. Then refiling the blade profile, followed by the >> sharpening procedure above. >> >> HTH, >> >> Grant... >> "A man who can't keep his wife's axe sharp isn't worth a flip" >> >> On Thu, Nov 26, 2015 at 10:32 AM, Peter Frederick via Mercedes < >> mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: >> >> I use waterstones. Takes forever to get a decent edge on German >>> stainless.... >>> >>> Peter >>> >>> _______________________________________ >>> http://www.okiebenz.com >>> >>> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >>> >>> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >>> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________ >> http://www.okiebenz.com >> >> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >> >> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >> >> > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
