brandnewedgarzootsuit
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We see famous chefs using this tool and we sometimes mistakenly believe it is sharpening the knife. It actually straightens the blade, which is an important part of maintenance each time the knife is used.
The angle is key when honing your blade.
This tool is used in many kitchens for knife sharpening. It is best used when knives are just becoming dull or difficult to use. Holding the knife straight up in the device and pulling it from base to tip is the best way to see results. The left side is fine and the right side is coarse.Use the coarse side for a few swipes, then the fine side. (Edit for accuracy)
The whetstone is the most advanced sharpening tool, but also the most useful for knives that are extremely dull or nicked.
Soak the stone in a tray of water and place on a towel. Never use the stone while it is dry.
This method is also best with a 20° angle. You can fold paper to help guide the process. We know the corner is 90°.
Fold in half to achieve 45°.
Fold in half one more time for 22.5°, which is close enough to 20°.
Hold the knife to the Whetstone, placing the folded paper behind it. This will give you a good feel for 20°. Pull the knife back from base to tip across the stone for a few swipes, then do the same to the other side of the knife. https://youtu.be/Wk3scs5FqCY
TCGView
I have all of these and the whetstone does actually take a little practice to get good with. You want to maintain the angle every stroke.
dashriproc1
The blade edge "feathers" with use. Sharpen away from the blade's edge (not into it as you may even see chefs mistakenly do). If you sharpen toward the blade's edge, you force the "feathers" to bend further and have to keep sharpening until the "feathers" fall completely away to expose a new blade edge. It can work, but you significantly reduce the life of the knife.
rayneayami
Not all knives run at 20 degrees either, some run at 17 degrees (japanese mostly), and cleavers at 30 degrees
BobRossLeftHand
The most advanced tool for a heavily nicked blade is a grinding wheel. After that can come the whetstone.
NerdvanaNC
There are also many comments with extra knowledge about knives
Straich11
Instructions too complicated. Got dick stuck on ceiling fan.
senefen
Hey! How do I sharpen my kitchen scissors! I messed up and used a knife sharpener and now they're super blunt. I have a whetstone to fix it.
derboexnergammler
Paul sellers Has a Video about scissor sharpening on Youtube. https://youtu.be/4rVt6ZLB9Wg
bpa77
I only hone my 8 year old knife and it still splits atoms it's so sharp. I'm not sold on most articles dismissal of it as a sharpening tool.
brandnewedgarzootsuit
Use what works!
HaroldLoveggs
A steel doesn’t straighten the blade, it straightens the cutting edge which tends to deform with use.
Timbagged
Peasants, the knives I bought have someone come to my house and sharpen them for me.
IanWolff
Left is fine, right is coarse.. But whatever.
captbananapants
If you want to learn to use a whetstone check this guy out. His other vids will also help you pick a stone https://youtu.be/KB87xoFm46g
michaelwallaceart
I just got a stright razor but I don't think it's sharp enough. Is a wet stone plus the leather thing my best bet?
brandnewedgarzootsuit
Everyone on here has an opinion, but I’m sure those would get your straight razor nice and sharp.
ZYN84
This makes me want to scream on several different levels... There is good information here but terrible misconceptions!
Alaskanpipeliner2
Neat.
TumekeBro
Can you sharpen damascus steel on a stone or do you need a ceramic or tungsten steel?
theCommish2
hold the knife at 12-14* depending on the specific edge...
MrDrProfScientist
If you have a knife that you have a lot of love for or money put into, don’t use a pull-through. If it’s a basic kitchen set, go nuts.
ecclectic2
Pull through 'sharpeners' tear the edge of the blade, often leaving an uneven, almost serrated edge. It cuts after, but it doesn't slice.
WlIISmith
But will it keel?
WlIISmith
VinerialBlumpkin11
All smooth edges look serrated on a microscopic level. It is the micro serrations that actually cut. A quality pull through used properly
VinerialBlumpkin11
Does just fine for 99.9% of the population. I'm not a professional, but I butcher plenty of my own animals and while I can make a supreme
VinerialBlumpkin11
Edge with a whetstone, a pull through gets the job done much more quickly.
TheSpaceCowboy2071
The paper angle tip is great!
elfoe
There are also diamond boards, which can be used dry
Allanonshea1
My dad had those, as a kid i wondered what kinda special popsicle you got those from
Templeofpoon
I prefer slightly moist diamond boards.
EquinoxActual
They can, but you should still use honing fluid or they clog and the whole process takes much longer. Source: I use diamond plates
ihatedhipstersbeforeitwascool
always move from base to tip. for knives.
commoncomment
Personal preference: I aim for 14 degrees.
GuyInTheHat
This should consider the individual blade, thick blades should go 20, thin blades ~15
BruceVelocity
its also a matter of how often you want to sharpen. a 15 degree edge dulls 4 times as fast as a 20...but cuts better.
GuyInTheHat
We aren’t even talking about chisel style blades, though it seems like they are waning in popularity
DigitalBang
Can you soak the stone in wood?
otherJeffsarefalseJeffs
Only if you soak the wood in water first.
SmollDoge
It‘s an old reference, sir - but it checks out!
MillennialsRuinEverything
Soak the stone in wood that has already been soaked in wood
CatatonicCowMoo
HolyPlaceboBatman
No, only logs.
GuyInTheHat
Works well to soak it in rocks too
secretoaster
The white part is fine
areweprophets
My BF just bought me a knife for my bday. Im so concerned Im going to fuck it up. Any tips for the kinds of stone I should get to sharpen?
EquinoxActual
Don't worry. Unless you machine sharpen or break the blade, anything you do is fixable.
EquinoxActual
Personally I'm a big fan of diamond plates (DMT or EZE-lap) because no maintenance and they last forever, but they're a big investment.
NothingButReactionGifs
Unless you use diamond stones, you will need to re flatten them your sharpening stones every so often. Extremely dull knifes can be 1/2
NothingButReactionGifs
Reground with a bench grinder before using the stones.
MrDrProfScientist
Please don’t do this if you are inexperienced. You’ll get irregular, awful hollow grinds. 15 year old me and a machete can confirm.
GuyInTheHat
Beware, these can overheat the knife and affect the temper
NothingButReactionGifs
Very true. I was told you shouldn't let it get too hot to hold.
GuyInTheHat
Also, this does not appear to be a reaction gif....
NothingButReactionGifs
GuyInTheHat
You shouldn’t let a fine knife get hot at all
NothingButReactionGifs
*
Snuggledealer
45° inclusive is pretty obtuse for fine kitchen work. Fold the 45° paper wedge in thirds and you will have a better edge for fine cutlery.
EquinoxActual
Why they don't tell you to split an angle into thirds: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angle_trisection
Snuggledealer
It is just fairly easy to roughly fold into roughly equal thirds. Akin to folding a letter in thirds to place inside a standard envelope .
EquinoxActual
Folding a letter into equal thirds is not proven to be mathematically impossible ;)
Snuggledealer
That's not what your mom told me last night!
Quadraxis86
how long would you have to soak the stones for? just a few minutes?
RackhamTheRed
You'll need to add some water during the sharpening process anyway, doesn't matter that much.
NothingButReactionGifs
Depends. I do mine for 10 cause that's when the bubbles stop coming out, but I re-wet them while sharpening.
brandnewedgarzootsuit
If it is a stone that soaks, can you put it in the water until the bubbles stop rising to the surface. Often less than a minute.
ColonelColon
Depends on the whetstone you're using. Not all use water and not all soak.
GuyInTheHat
Use dish soap instead of water or oil
altonbrowndeserveshisownmemefuckyouifyoudisagree
Oh really. I might give that a try
RackhamTheRed
Whouldn't that seep into the stone and make it rot fromt he inside? I know that they stink like hell when left soaking
GuyInTheHat
Never been an issue for me
RackhamTheRed
Friend of mine left his stones soaking for weeks (idk why thou)... started smelling like death itselfe
GuyInTheHat
Weird, no dish soap has never caused me this kind of issue
Dunhaaam
There are also stones that you use oil instead of water.
ICarpeYourDiems
mineral oil
rayriceselfdefenseclass
Bar and chain oil
Dunhaaam
Rem oil seems to work pretty well in my experience
Airbear360
There are also non-soaking stones that you just splash water on instead of submerging it
TheSpaceCowboy2071
Iirc they're both the same, except when you use oil on it you should never use water with that stone again
lronMaiden
Nope water stone loses its performance if you oil it.
LiberalViking
Hot soapy water soaks can reset this.
narfltarts
They aren't. Oil stones are green and have a smooth surface. I would use them if i weren't lazy and just raped the knife with a sharpener.
brandnewedgarzootsuit
Absolutely, just make sure it’s never dry.
AlmightyThor117
nanman2
Heard this line before
tobesmcgobes
It was in the post just above
Hellstorm99
Made that mistake...
RackhamTheRed
Oil ain't wet
KindofaBadPerson
SacrificialClam
What happens if its dry though? (Serious question)
Zethol
I too am curious
snurx
Then it becomes a drystone
icyanddicey
Ayyyyyyyyyyy
SacrificialClam
*roll eyes gif*
brandnewedgarzootsuit
The porous stone will become clogged with debris.
SacrificialClam
That wont happen if it has water in it though?
brandnewedgarzootsuit
That’s the idea. If you keep it wet the debris won’t clog the pores.