With the unique ways to sharpen a blade, people tend to follow one variety over all the rest. I think it comes down to personal taste, or maybe even which they’ve been brought up with.
Once a person decides the best way to sharpen a blade, all others feel almost foreign when it comes to the delicate art.
What makes a knife so special for me is its simplicity. But there’s so much more than that, because apart from keeping it sharp, there’s nothing else it needs and yet it’s one of the most versatile tools around.
There’s a certain air of quality when you have a sharp blade by your side and its usefulness is quickly appreciated the more you use it.
While knives come in all manner of shapes and sizes, so do the methods used to keep them in pristine condition. There’s everything from a hunting knife to a simple pocket knife to keep by your side and everything in between.
Swiss Army knives took things to a whole new level when they began to release multi-tool varieties several decades ago. Those types became an instant phenomenon, with boys the world over dreaming of owning one. I was one of those boys and now own several.
The Different Ways to Sharpen a Blade
Way #1: Whetstone
Using a whetstone has a certain appeal for many. The process is simple and yet leaves a blade that’s razor-sharp within a few minutes of effort.
For a more in-depth process, check this article. It’s a step-by-step guide that will help anyone keen to try this method. It’s not a very difficult process and works best when done with a slow and methodical rhythm.
If you’d like to buy a quality whetstone, here are some great options for you to check out. As with anything purchased online, be sure to check out some reviews for the product. That way you’ll be sure to receive a quality product that will do what you need it to.
Way #2: Sharpening Steel
A sharpening steel is one favored by many who use knives on a more regular basis. Butchers are one profession that prides their use of steel. While they may use another method to sharpen their knives properly before any shift, the steel is a great way to re-sharpen on the fly.
The only downside to sharpening steels is that they need a relatively sharp knife, to begin with. If your blade has a very dull edge that hasn’t had much attention, a steel may not be suitable. You may be better off choosing another option from this article.
Way #3: Blade
There is a common misconception that using a knife to sharpen another knife works really well. While this may be possible in a few instances, the fact is, it may end up damaging your knife significantly.
The reason is that to sharpen a blade, a material harder than the blade being sharpened is needed. If the same material is in both blades, you may end up with 2 damaged knives.
Way #4: Pull Through
The pull-through sharpeners available have a great simplicity to them. The process makes very short work of sharpening a blade.
But there is a distinct downside to this knife sharpening method. The end result doesn’t always stay sharp for very long. The blade tends to dull quickly after being sharpened with this option.
Way #5: Guided Stone
The guided stone sharpening system is a simple-to-use tool that takes all the hard work out of the process of sharpening any blade you might have. The machine comes in several sizes and price points, so do your research before settling on one.
Way #6: Countertop
Several countertop knife sharpeners exist and it may just come down to price and size. The one I recommend is the Zulay Premium Knife Sharpener. It’s built super tough and leaves your knives with an incredibly razor-sharp edge.
This one is well worth your attention. Because countertop knife sharpeners live in most standard household kitchens, manufacturers have made them very simple to operate.
Final Thoughts
There’s a reason why people often call knife sharpening an art form. That is because the act of knife sharpening can take on an almost specialized air about it.
When you consider that knives used to mean so much more to people throughout the ages. Having a sharp blade by your side would often mean the difference between life and death in historical times.
Our ancestors valued a sharp blade much more than we do today, but what we have brought with us, are better and more efficient ways to sharpen a blade, regardless of the shape it may be in to start with. A knife can be a truly valuable tool if kept in proper shape.
