Knife Sharpening: A How to Guide

In the olden days knife sharpening was done with the help of a bench stone or similar objects. But with the improvement of technology the choices you have are numerous and to opt for the right one is based on the type of the knife and what suits your taste. In knife sharpening there are a lot of facts to consider before you choose the correct one for your job.

Grinding wheel material:

In order to sharpen your knife you need a grinding wheel which has grainy materials embedded in it. These abrade the knife, sharpening it in the process. There are various types of particles used on these wheels depending on the type of knife involved. If you have a knife made of steel or bronze then Aluminum oxide is your choice of material to be put on the wheels. This is the most frequently used material and is also useful for sharpening iron knives.

If you have a knife made of alloy or is of steel then you may consider the use of Zirconia alumina. This is an alloy of zirconium and aluminum and was introduced to impart more strength to the sharpening wheel. Next to aluminum this is the favored one for knife sharpening.

Recent additions include the incorporation of ceramic aluminum oxide. This material can be used alone or alloyed with other materials to give a very potent and clear-cut edge to your knife.

Types of wheel

Though there are many types present in the wheel shape the straight and the cylindrical one are the most favored ones.

Grit size

Depending on your needs you can choose a fine grain or a coarse wheel. A size of 10 or 24 indicates a coarse one and 100 or 180 denote fine grain. If your job involves finishing up then the fine grain is best suited for your purpose. A coarse grain comes in handy for very blunt knives that need a lot of sharpening to be done on them.

Bench Grinder

This is the most affordable of all grinders and is very simple and effective to use. Even hand tools and drill bits can be sharpened by the bench grinder. With a 1/3 to 1 horsepower motor and a wheel of 6 or 10 inch this grinder can be placed on your work bench and used with the help of a tool rest.

Chain saw

To sharpen your chainsaw the efficient way is to purchase an automatic sharpener. With this you can fix you chain in place and each tooth is sharpened one at a time as the wheel goes down. Manual ones are not worth the money spent on them as they have numerous chains on them. You need to employ a lever to hold the chain and these often come with many wheels. An automatic sharpener is the best alternative if you are dealing with a plain chainsaw.