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Honing a Knife Blade
For those who are new to the world of knife sharpening, often the most challenging part is knowing when to stop. How do you know when the knife is sharp enough? How do you get it to that point?
When sharpening a knife, sharpen until you see burrs. Then, turn the knife over, and sharpen the other side. The honing process will remove these burs, but they are important. Burrs are the only way to know that you have removed enough of the metal to sharpen the blade.
Once the blade has been...
How to Buy a Kitchen Knife Set
Are you ready to upgrade your mismatched kitchen knives, bought haphazardly, for a new set of kitchen knives? If so, then you may be wondering what to look for in a kitchen knife set. There are many different kinds of kitchen knives, and the distinctions can be confusing to anyone who isnt a chef.
The first thing to learn when looking at kitchen knives is the differences in the knife shape. The most common knife is a chef knife or French knife. This knife has a long, wide blade, and it can be...
An Introduction to Knife Terminology
If youre looking to buy a knife, it can be confusing if you dont know what all of the knife terms mean. First, youll want to decide what kind of knife you want. The basic divisions are fixed blade or folding blade. Folding blades, like pocket knives, fold between the handle and the blade. A popular type of knife is a fantasy knife, which is an artistic style of knife not usually meant to be used, but rather to be collected and displayed. Other styles include utility knives, which can be used...
Sharpening Serrated Blades
Although your serrated knives will still cut as they grow dull, you will begin to notice a tearing or shredding action rather than smooth cuts. If this is happening, then it is time to sharpen your knife. Sharpening dull serrated blades can be a bit more difficult than sharpening plain blades. Maintaining serrations is important if you want your knife to cut well, but they do require a bit more experience to sharpen. Serrated blades can also take longer to sharpen than a similarly sized plain...
Types of Hunting and Survival Knives
There is a surprising variety of survival and hunting knife types on the market today. Each is designed for a specific purpose. If you are an outdoor enthusiast it is especially important to own a hunting or survival knife; they are also popular among knife collectors. Whether you are a knife enthusiast or collector, or use the knives for hunting, camping, or other outdoor activities, it can be helpful to learn about the design and purpose of each knife type.
There are hunting and survival...
Using a Pull Through Knife Sharpener
A pull through knife sharpener differs from an ordinary knife sharpening stone because the pull through style ensures an accurate and consistent angle. In contrast, when using a sharpening stone you must physically hold the knife against a sharpening stone at the specified angle.
Each knife blade is designed to have a specific blade angle for optimum performance. Additionally, too sharp of an angle can make the blade more likely to bend or break. A pull through knife sharpener takes the guess...
Making Your Own Custom Knives
Though most people are familiar with mass produced knives, did you know there are craftsmen who spend many hours making a single knife? Every detail is carefully considered to create a knife worthy of a showcase.
Custom knives made by expert craftsmen use use only the highest quality materials to produce a blade that far surpasses anything you would find in a chain store. Each individual knife is made by hand, often using the same techniques that would have been used centuries ago, though...
Using a Strop
If you are considering sharpening your own knives, you may have heard about a strop. A strop is a strip of leather that is used to hone the blade of a knife, straight razor, or other blade. Although usually made of cowhide leather, there are certainly other types available. It is an optional step at the end of the sharpening process, usually used for fine knives and straight razors.
After youve sharpened the blade using a sharpening stone or other sharpening device, you should still fine-tune...
Knife Sharpening Angles
Today, more and more people are sharpening their knives themselves to save money and avoid the hassle of sending the blades out for sharpening. If you have recently started sharpening knives and other household blades, you need to know about sharpening angles. Too many people ignore the angle they are creating on the blade, believing that it doesn't matter as long as the knife is sharp.
When sharpening your knives, the angle is actually among the most important considerations, as it determines...
How Knives Are Made
Have you ever wondered at the beauty of a well-made knife? Whether you are a collector or use your knives in the kitchen or outdoors every day, a well-made knife is built to last, not to mention a work of art. Whether crafted for use or for display, most knives are assembled in the same basic way.
Before the knife can be assembled, the individual parts must be made. Knife manufacturers have their choice from hundreds of different handle materials, not to mention grades of steel for the blade....
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