What Is a Sharpener?
Sharpeners are tools used to grind knives and other cutting tools to improve their sharpness.
Generally, after continuous use of a kitchen knife, the edge of the blade becomes rounded due to wear and tear, and the sharpness of the blade deteriorates. Sharpeners can be used to easily restore sharpness.
While a whetstone is used to sharpen the blade, sharpeners improve the bite of the food by scratching the cutting edge. Therefore, a sharpener cannot be used as a substitute for a whetstone when performing routine maintenance.
If you want to use a knife for a long time, it is better to use a whetstone, but sharpeners are useful when you want to quickly restore the sharpness of a knife because anyone can use them with a simple operation.
Usage of Sharpeners
Sharpeners are mainly used to sharpen kitchen knives, but some products can also sharpen scissors, sickles, and other blades. In general, many of them are compact and portable, making them convenient for outdoor use such as camping.
Various manufacturers offer products in a variety of designs and shapes, and by selecting one suitable for the environment in which it will be used, it can also be used as an interior decoration product.
Structure of Sharpeners
Sharpeners have a simple structure. Each type of sharpener has a built-in whetstone, which is used to sharpen knives and other cooking utensils by sliding them over the whetstone.
The whetstone is made of materials such as ceramic or diamond and can be used for various types of knives.
How to Select Sharpeners
Sharpeners are generally categorized into four types: roll-type, cross-type, electric-type, and sharpening rod. It is important to understand the characteristics of each and choose the one that best suits your needs.
1. Type
Roll Type
The roll type is the most popular type of sharpeners because of its wide variety. A roll-type sharpener incorporates a grinding stone, which can be sharpened by placing the blade on the grinding stone and pulling it.
Sharpeners are sold in types ranging from those with one grinding stone to those with three, each of which has a different roughness of the grinding stone, allowing for a clean finish. However, care should be taken to avoid frequent use, which can result in jagged edges and damage to the blade.
Intersecting Type
Crossed sharpeners are used by placing a knife between two V-shaped grinding stones. However, since it sharpens in the horizontal direction to the cutting edge, only the cutting edge is sharpened and burrs are left behind.
If you use this type of sharpening knife for sashimi knives, which have excellent sharpness, you should avoid using it for expensive knives because it may damage the cutting edge of the knife in addition to deteriorating the sharpness of the knife.
Electric Type
Electric sharpeners can be used electrically, so even those who are not confident in their strength can speed up the process. Generally, it has the same shape as a roll sharpener, and you can sharpen a knife by placing it on the rotating whetstone and sliding it.
Electric sharpeners are characterized by the fact that they are less likely to produce uneven sharpening, but care must be taken to avoid damaging the blade if the sharpening is done incorrectly.
Sharpening Stick
As the name suggests, a sharpening stick is a stick-shaped sharpening tool that is used to sharpen knives by rubbing them against a file-like surface. This type of sharpener requires adjustment of the amount of force and the angle at which it is applied to the knife and may be difficult to use until you get used to it. However, it is compact and convenient for use with scissors and slicers as well as kitchen knives.
2. Materials That Can Be Used
Kitchen knives and other blades are made of various materials, such as stainless steel and ceramic. Using a sharpener that is not compatible with the blade material will damage the blade, so it is important to read the information on each product carefully and select a sharpener that is compatible with the blade material.
3. Safety
Sharpeners are compact and lightweight, which can lead to serious injury if not properly secured. Electric sharpeners are relatively safe to use because they do not require the application of force, but for manual sharpeners, it is necessary to check the safety features, such as non-slip or suction cup fixation.
4. Hygiene
Kitchen knives and other cooking utensils come in direct contact with food, so hygiene measures are also important. A stainless steel type of knife has a grinding stone that is resistant to rust and can be kept clean for a long period. Products with a removable grinding stone are also available and are recommended when hygiene is important.