When using a knife, sooner or later the time comes when you need to sharpen its cutting edge. And it doesn’t matter at all whether the blade is expensive or cheap, made of good steel or not, it needs to be sharpened. This process only at first glance may seem simple, until you have to take the grindstone in your hands.

This is where a lot of questions come in:

1. First of all, it is necessary to start with an assessment of wear or deformation of the cutting edge. This is determined by visual inspection. Small nicks or gouges indicate an extremely worn edge.
2. Next, we proceed directly to sharpening. You should start with a coarse-grained stone, for more fast withdrawal required amount metal and leveling blades.
3. Then apply successively medium-grained and fine stone.
4. For perfect sharpness, the blade is fine-tuned on a piece of genuine leather.

Rules for sharpening knives:

• The cutting edge must be kept at a certain angle throughout the entire sharpening process. For most knives, this angle is 20 degrees. Blades that are intended for cutting branches, bones, etc. are sharpened at an angle of 30-40 degrees.
• The knife blade is carried out along the whetstone with uniform pressure along the entire length, maintaining the sharpening angle. It is necessary to achieve a tight fit of the metal to the bar. The pressure should be carried out while holding the blade away from you.
• First, it is worth processing one side of the blade, and then move on to the other. In this case, the blade is held with the tip towards itself.
• When finishing the blade on a fine-grained bar or a piece of skin, the knife is pointed away from you.
• It is necessary to guide the blade along the whetstone smoothly and accurately. The process does not like to be rushed.

Sharpening methods

Sharpening methods depend solely on the type of tools and equipment used. At the moment, there is a great variety of devices: from the simplest mechanical sharpeners to complex devices with an electric drive:

Bars from natural stone have a fine grain, therefore they are mainly intended for finishing the blade and maintaining the cutting qualities of the knife

Varieties of sharpening tools

There are several basic tools for sharpening knives:

1. It is a round metal rod with a notched grinding surface and a handle. Most often used for periodic finishing of the blade. Allows you to quickly return the blade to working condition. Not applicable for severe blunting.
2. The sharpener is mechanical. A compact device that has a handle and a sharpening element that allows you to process the blade from two sides at once. Pros: fast sharpening and small size. Cons: Inaccurate finishing of the blade, resulting in its rapid blunting
3. The sharpener is electric. A universal tool that allows you to sharpen any knives, with varying degrees of bluntness. There are a lot of electric sharpeners, various sizes and forms. They are distinguished mainly by the set of functions.
4. Machine with an abrasive wheel. professional tool, intended for industrial applications. Requires certain knowledge and skills.
5. Sharpening bar. The simplest tool that requires minimal knowledge. There are bars according to grain size: coarse-grained, medium-grained and fine-grained. The most common option is when the bar has a working surface on both sides of different grain sizes.

Musat - most often used for periodic finishing of the blade

sharpening technologies

Sharpening on a whetstone

With this type of sharpening, two types of bars are taken with different indicators of abrasive grains per cubic millimeter.

They start on a rough bar and grind the metal until burrs appear on the cutting edge. Further, on a fine-grained bar, the process is continued until the cutting surface of the blade is completely leveled.

The bar is placed on a fixed plane, which will allow you to gain additional control. Spend the blade on the abrasive at the beginning of the cutting edge forward, perpendicular. An angle of about 20° should be observed and maintained throughout the entire process.

The movements are repeated several times, then proceed to the second side. The number of repetitions is selected individually, but it is worth remembering that too many will lead to a shift in the center of the blade.

To maintain cutting qualities on long time should be polished or polished. This action is performed using a fine-grained bar. Experienced craftsmen for finishing use special natural stones.

Do not forget about safety measures, so the tool is held so that in case of slipping the blade does not touch the hand

Editing a knife on a musat

Sharpening a tool with musat is most often used by butchers, as it allows you to keep the blade in working condition without spending a lot of time on it.

Musat is taken in one hand, the blade in the second. The blade is placed at an angle of 45 ° and pulled sequentially from each side along the sharpening tool. Do not forget about safety measures, so the tool is held so that in case of slipping the blade does not touch the hand.

The movements of the knife can be made both on yourself and away from you. Selected individually.

Features of sharpening knives made of different materials

Ceramic knives have recently become an essential tool in any kitchen. The market offers even whole sets that cope with the most difficult tasks.

Contrary to the claims of the manufacturers that the ceramic knife does not require sharpening and always remains sharp, after six months of operation, the blade begins to lose its cutting properties.

It is not advisable to apply the above methods of sharpening to a ceramic knife. When using bars and sharpeners, it is possible to break the blade. Musat will also not bring any benefit.

Only diamond discs and various pastes are designed to sharpen a ceramic knife. This operation can only be performed on grinding machines, which are used only in factories and workshops specializing in sharpening various kinds of knives.

To keep your nerves in order best solution will contact the workshop, where ceramic knives will be corrected and sharpened.

It is possible to sharpen a ceramic knife only on grinding machines, which are used only in factories and workshops specializing in sharpening various kinds of knives.

Quality checking

Checking the sharpness and quality of sharpening the blade is one of the most milestones all work. This determines whether the desired result is achieved, and whether to continue finishing the blade.

Important! You should not check the sharpness of the blade by running it over your fingers, as this can lead to negative consequences.

There are many safe ways:

1. Paper. Trying to cut the paper in a suspended state, with a sharp enough blade, it will not be difficult. The cut edges should be smooth, without roughness. A knife that is not sharp enough will tear the paper.
2. Check for fresh vegetables. Take a cucumber better tomato, put a knife on its surface and stretch it without pressure. If the point entered the pulp and cut the vegetable, then everything was done correctly.
3. By glare. When bringing the tip to the light, no glare should appear. They talk about the presence of unfinished sections of the blade.
4. Ordinary thread. Try to cut a thread that is vertical. You can tie a small weight to the bottom end. A sharp blade should do the job without any effort.

Any knife requires periodic sharpening. When buying, you should still pay attention to the quality of the product, this will avoid problems in the future.

The main nuances that can affect the sharpening process:

• The slopes of the blade should not differ from each other.
• On the descents there should be no bumps and thickenings.
• The heel of the blade must not be rounded.
• A ceramic knife retains a certain level of sharpness throughout its entire service life. Its sharpening is complicated and optional.

It is necessary to maintain the sharpening angle according to the type of knife and its further use:

• For working with meat carcasses - an angle of 25 °.
• For hunting knives- an angle of 35-40 °, if the blade is in everyday use, then the angle can be increased to 45 °.
• For a dangerous razor - an angle close to 10 °.

In the absence of specialized sharpening tools, improvised tools can be used:

1. A piece of genuine leather or a belt. With their help, you can easily correct the sharpness of the blade, provided that the knife is not brought to a deplorable state. For the best effect, you can smear the skin with Goi paste and wait 4-6 minutes until it is absorbed.
2. Metal rod or plate. In this case, there will be no obvious improvement, but the sharpness of the blade will be enough for several applications.
3. Ceramics. A piece of broken or old plate, cups. Only a rough surface will do, most often on the outside of the bottom of the cookware. The smooth side will not give any effect.
4. A rock. The most ordinary stone will do. Choose from the best flat surface, without protrusions, and fine-grained structure.

A good whetstone has a fairly high price and is not so easy to pick up. To prolong its life, it is recommended to lubricate before use sunflower oil. Oil will not allow small particles of metal to clog the pores of the stone. After lubrication, it is necessary to withstand about 5 minutes and only then proceed to sharpening the blade.

In general, the process of sharpening your favorite knife is purely individual. It requires patience and attention to detail, which determine the quality of work. Well, and most importantly - the experience that is acquired only in the process of sharpening, and only over time.

If there is no desire to delve into all the subtleties and nuances, but you only need to sharpen the knife, you should purchase an electric sharpener that will do everything by itself.

Good kitchen knife is a pledge of beautifully cut dishes and a satisfied cook. The right device is considered to be the one that performs its main function - it cuts, and does not break products. But after prolonged use, even professional models lose their sharpness. Then there is a need for musat.

What it is?

Musat - hand tool for dressing knives, which allows you to maintain a presentable appearance of the knife and extend its service life. His appearance it resembles an ordinary semicircular file. Depending on the application, musats are classified into the following types.

• household- from 18 to 23 cm. They practice for sharpening ordinary kitchen knives.
• Universal- from 26 to 29 cm. Their cost is higher than that of the previous version. Necessarily present in the configuration for expensive cutters. Suitable for hard blades.
• Professional- from 26 to 36 cm. Used for dressing knives that cut meat.

Cooks generally prefer to use short musat, 26 cm long.

Varieties

Musats are distinguished by material. For ceramic characterized by a special coating. On one side there are notches that allow you to process the metal layer of the knife. On the other hand, the surface is smooth - for polishing and straightening. Such a tool is necessary for sharpening old devices or products with a not very durable surface.

Diamond With a tool, you can sharpen a knife in several movements, polish the surface and carry out editing. For its manufacture in the industry, special chrome-plated steel is used, which is characterized by high strength. outdoor part coated with diamond particles. The knife remains sharp for a long time after processing.

As soon as you have finished working with diamond musate, be sure to wash it by hand to keep the tool in good condition for a long time.

metal appliance made of chrome vanadium steel. Differs in high hardness and different working surfaces.

Musats are also distinguished by shape, which must be chosen, focusing on the main goal. If you need the lightest possible tool, then it is rational to opt for round model . To create maximum tight contact with the surface - on oval.

It is believed that the highest sharpening results can be obtained when operating a flat tool. Tetrahedral tools are a symbiosis of several types and are necessary in special cases.

To select a quality tool, the following rules must be observed.

• Choose a model in which you can see your own reflection. Professional chefs are guided by this indicator.
• The magnet on the tip of the musat increases the level of comfort of its operation. After all, this way you can effortlessly remove dust from the knife.
• To protect your fingers from possible damage, choose models where there is a guard between the handle and the shaft.
• From the materials please Special attention on ceramics, since such a tool is characterized by durability and excellent sharpening properties without harm to the steel of the knife.

Ceramic musat is fragile, so you need to be very careful with it, since each blow forms chips and cracks.

• Observe the rules for storing the tool. If, for example, a diamond tool is stored together with knives and other hard objects, it will quickly become dull.

Before choosing a musat, carefully check the quality of the product and its rating in relation to other models. A good diamond tool does not peel off the coating. Ceramic models do not have visible mechanical damage. Density steel model uniform, without roughness. And only if these indicators are observed, it is possible to buy the best musat offered by the market.

Subtleties of sharpening

Due to active use, the blades quickly become dull, and the cook can only work with a very sharp knife. At home, there is also a need to increase the level of sharpness of the knife. At least the one that is most often used. Buying new models is unprofitable from an economic point of view, and it is unreasonable when there is musat. But for many, it still lies idle, because at first glance it is not entirely clear how to use it. Several methods of straightening knives are practiced.

In midair- a sharpening technique that involves the use of musat on weight. Thanks to this technique, the knife is sharpened easily and quickly.

First you need to put the knife at a slight angle, up to a maximum of twenty degrees, relative to working surface. Then you should sharpen with quick movements, but without too much fuss. The turmoil will not speed up the process, but it is quite possible to get hurt.

1. Take the knife in the hand that you are used to working with, and place the blade on the bottom of the musat. The cutting surface must be located “away from you”.
2. Run the blade over the tool without moving the tool from the set position.
3. Do not apply too much force when working. It's better to do a couple of easy sets than one, but with a lot of effort.
4. After several such actions, turn the knife over and perform the same actions on the other side.

To sharpen a knife, it is enough to go through the tool about five times. But this is effective for knives that are sharpened regularly. If the accessory is already very dull, then the number of approaches should be doubled.

There is a more simplified version - Calmly. Using this technique, even a beginner can sharpen a knife. The method involves sharpening with the help of a support - a board or countertop. Thus, it is much easier to define and hold correct angle. The algorithm of work is similar to the previous method, but still has some differences.

1. The object should rest against the table in a vertical position, and then positioned at an angle of 20 to 25 degrees.
2. Run the knife across the musat perpendicularly.
3. Move the tool in an up and down direction only. Lift the tool off the surface to lift it up.

Make sure that the knife does not slide on the surface, but is firmly installed - this is the only way to sharpen the tool well. Otherwise, the knife will dull even faster.

Dressing knives

The above instrument can be useful not only for sharpening a kitchen appliance, but also for straightening the blade. To do this, you need to use some recommendations.

1. Musat is installed, as in the case of sharpening, the surface must be non-slip, you can put a towel under the tool.
2. Then it is necessary to tilt the device to the same degree as in the previous case.
3. The tip of the kitchen appliance should be attached to the right - where the rod begins, and drawn from end to base. This action must be performed until the blade of the device acquires the desired shape.

If you learn how to edit kitchen appliances, they will last much longer.

How to determine the effectiveness of Musat?

After you have sharpened, you need to check the sharpness of the knife with the following options.

• paper test. Take a sheet of paper and try to cut a strip from the sheet. With a sharp knife this action is easy to perform. A dull blade will slip or simply tear the paper into uneven and sloppy pieces. For the experiment, use absolutely any sheet. But it is better to take a magazine one, because it is thinner than other types. To cut it, you need a very high-quality sharpening.
• Tomatoes. Every housewife knows that it is impossible to cut tomatoes beautifully with a blunt knife, because instead of neat slices you get gruel. Try not to put pressure on the vegetable, but simply cut off a small slice from the end. If the blade easily makes beautiful slices, then it is sharp. With poor sharpening, the knife will simply slide off the surface of the vegetable. And it can't be cut without effort.
• hair on hand. For the experiment you need hair on own hand. Run the blade against hair growth. Be careful not to get hurt. If the blade is really sharp, the hair will cut off easily. And if it is blunt, then the hair will simply bend.
• Thumb. For use this method checks require certain skills. Swipe gently across your thumb, being careful not to touch the very edge so you don't cut yourself. A sharp blade is characterized by a clear edge, and a dull one is oval.