It’s another auspicious occasion, and your extended family members are converging in your home. The decisions have been made, and there will be a memorable banquet which means your kitchen will be filled with a fantastic aroma. All the ingredients are in place, and it’s time to initiate the preparations.
After cleaning the broccoli, you try to chop them, but alas, your kitchen knife is too blunt to do the task. Since you only have one knife, you need to find a way out, but how easy will it be? Do you remember the knife sharpening steel you bought with your knife set?
This is the time to use it, even though you should be cautious when you sharpen a knife with a rod since the knife can cut you accidentally. There is no reason for regrets because we shall cover the most efficient way to use a knife sharpening rod.
How does a sharpening rod work?
Before understanding how a sharpening rod works, it’s crucial to know precisely the type of tool you are using. What is a sharpening rod? Think of a kitchen tool that resembles a menacing sword with a handle and a rounded stick-like rod. That’s the precise definition of a knife honer. Usually, the knife sharpening stick is made of diamond-coated steel, ceramic, or steel and each of the materials works differently, and their durability also differs.
If you are fortunate enough and you are close to a laboratory where you can access a microscope, then you’ll realize that your kitchen knife blade has multiple tiny teeth. Whenever you use the knife to chop a vegetable or anything else, its tiny teeth get damaged. As a result, it loses the ability to chop vegetables quickly, or in other words, it becomes blunt. It’s when knife honing becomes essential as the knife honer realigns the knife’s toothy edges.
How do you use a knife sharpening rod?
There is a genuine need to know how to handle your knife sharpening rod to last long and does its duty when needed most. However, some of us never understand the importance of such a tool until it wears out. But since we are determined to guide you on ways to use a knife sharpening rod, we’ll also inform you on top maintenance tips and how it can impact your knife honing experience.
#1. Consider the length of your sharpening rod
If you’ve ever tried honing your chef knife and nothing worked well for you, then perhaps you missed an essential trick. Before sharpening your knife, confirm that the sharpening steel has a length equivalent to the knife blade. For instance, sharpening a 15-inch knife requires the use of a sharpening rod that’s longer than 15 inches.
#2. Keep the knife sharpening steel clean
Maintenance is the secret of ensuring durability because you’ll not be comfortable buying a knife sharpening stick every time. The second thing you need to do is rinse your sharpening steel whenever you use it. After that, wipe it carefully with a towel to remove tiny metal filings so you don’t find them on your delicious soup the next time you sharpen your knife.
#3. Keep your knife honer close while chopping foodstuff
How many knocks will the knife blade take before it becomes blunt again? When working in the kitchen, especially on your plastic or wooden cutting board, you may knock your knife blade, but since your knife sharpening steel is nearby, you’ll grab it and sharpen the knife instantly.
How do you sharpen a knife with a sharpener?
There are various knife sharpening steel brands out there, and all functions almost the same way. Their main task is to make your knife sharp and functioning. So, when we provide a procedure on how to sharpen knife with rod, keep in mind the information can be applied to all other sharpening rod brands. We know that some people have devised ways of sharpening a knife, but if you look at most of them carefully, the truth is they are challenging and put you to risk. Let’s sharpen the knife now.
Set your things ready
Place the knife sharpening rod on your work surface and make it face downward. However, it would help if you held it by the handle since there is a guard at the handle top which protects your hand whenever you are sharpening your knife. The other crucial step is to angle the sharpening road at most 15-Degrees and make it stable, so it doesn’t slip when you start honing a knife.
Remember, your safety is paramount, and you must minimize the chances of accidents. So, keep a distance between the rod and your body if best. Let the distance be your arm’s length or more. Doing so will protect you from injuries.
Thirdly, obtain your knife and place it against the knife sharpening stick. However, the knife needs to be closer to the handle of your knife honer to ensure you do a great job without damaging your blade.
Choose the right angle
The other step involves fixing your knife in such a way that it tilts at 15-Degrees. However, you can adjust the angle depending on the type of blade edge you need. Choosing a wider angel will make you get a thicker knife blade edge. Additionally, when you select a smaller angle between the sharpening rod and the blade ensures a shaper blade.
Slide the blade
Now, we shall slither the knife blade against the knife sharpening rod by pulling the knife in your direction. However, it’s a delicate procedure where you should do it slowly and steadily without applying colossal pressure. Sliding slowly for 5-10 times ensures you don’t injure yourself but provides perfect results.
After you sharpen knife with rod or one side, do the same for the other side, and you’ll be back to chopping your vegetable with a sharp knife.
Do sharpening rods wear out?
The durability of your sharpening road depends on its materials. Generally, stainless steel is durable and stronger but can be too harsh for Japanese Knives. Also, knife honer made of ceramics are ideal for delicate knives and will always perform best.
Lastly, Diamond sharpening rods are too hard and best for all types of blades with hard material. To be straightforward, sharpening rods will wear out with time, although the rate will vary depending on the frequency of use and sharpening road material.