How to Use a Grinding Wheel to Sharpen Knives
Knives are used by a wide range of people. Knives are used for a variety of tasks in industries, families, and restaurants. It is also suitable for gardening. A knife, like any other tool, must be properly maintained to retain its efficacy. This includes sharpening your knife regularly to keep its blade sharp whenever you need it.
A dull knife will not make a clean cut and will require more force to cut through the material. Most people use a whetstone. It’s a traditional way of sharpening knives, which may not be useful if the knife is extremely dull. A whetstone just sharpens the blade between sharpenings.
Nowadays, a bench grinder is commonly used to sharpen all-purpose knives. The bench grinder wheels spin at such a high speed that all scratches are removed, leaving a knife sharp. A bench grinder is a more affordable solution than buying new knives.
This complete guide will show you how to sharpen a knife with a bench grinder.
4 Simple Steps To Sharpen Knife Using Grinding Wheel
4 Simple Steps To Sharpen Knife Using Grinding Wheel
Step 1: Clean The Knife Properly
Before starting the process, it's essential to clean the knife properly to remove dirt.
Step 2: Keep An Eye On The Grinder's Rotation Direction
When approaching the grinding stone, make sure the stone is rotating away from the blade's edge. If the stone spins towards the knife's sharp edge, it could catch on it and destroy the edge, or it could even rip the knife from your hands and send it flying in your direction.
Step 3: Sharpening The Knife
To begin grinding, turn on the bench grinder and place the blade on the tool rest. To sharpen a knife with a straight blade, apply gentle downward pressure while pushing the edge forward. Brush the knife across the surface to remove rough edges, holding the blade flat on the wheel.
Step 4: Testing
Place the blade at the top edge of the sheet of paper. If the knife cuts through with little effort, it is sharp; otherwise, repeat the procedure.
Things To Keep In Mind While Sharpening A Knife
Sharpening a knife is a very simple procedure if you understand the following tips:
- Always wear safety gear before sharpening knives.
- Because the grinding wheel rotates at a rapid speed, the blade may become extremely hot. As a result, it can become brittle and shatter easily. To avoid this, keep a bucket of cool water beside you and dip your knife into it to cool it down.
- When using a grinder, be sure your knife is held at the proper angle. Do not overstretch yourself.
- Use knife sharpening wheels, which are specifically designed for sharpening, if you're sharpening your knife on a grinder.
- When sharpening a knife, always follow the natural curve of the blade. As you sharpen the blade, the bench grinder will pull it into line, so pay attention to it. This movement prevents the knife from grinding in one position. It also helps in the timely movement of the blade.
- Bench grinders spin at a high rate, making it difficult to sharpen a knife. Reduce the bench grinder's speed and make sure it's still fast enough to sharpen the tool.
Conclusion
Bench grinders come very handy for sharpening knives It barely takes two to three minutes to finish. You'll be a knife sharpening master once you learn the procedure.
