Manual tool for sharpening knives. Device for sharpening knives with your own hands: from simple to complex. Steps for making a sharpener

Blunt knives on the farm can not only cause a bad mood for the hostess, but also cause accidents. Hardware stores have a range of tools designed for sharpening knives, but not all of them suit customers. Alternatively, you can make a knife sharpening machine yourself, the drawings for its manufacture are not difficult for a person who knows how to craft.

Types of stones for processing blades

Before you start making a machine for sharpening knives with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with the information about its components. Grinding stones, or they can also be called - abrasive stones are one of the decisive factors in achieving an excellent result, but the skill of the master plays an equally important role.

Types of grindstones

So to get the perfect sharpening, you have to practice a lot.

There are the following types of stones suitable for sharpening cutting surfaces:

• Tools that require water to work. The advantage of this type of whetstone is material savings - the surface of the tool is less subject to wear.
• Oil stones are similar in structure to water stones, but have an oily surface.
• Natural stones are made from natural materials. Before making a tool, such a stone undergoes industrial processing.
• Artificial stones - artificial materials are used in their manufacture. It is believed that a tool made from non-natural components is inferior in quality to natural materials, but at the same time they are quite cheap.

If desired, you can make a homemade abrasive bar. To do this, you need to take a flat rectangular Plexiglas 5 mm thick and stick sandpaper on it using double-sided tape. This is the easiest way to make a knife sharpener, it is convenient because when the sandpaper is worn out, it is easy to replace it.

Why is the sharpening angle so important?

The angle between the edges of the blade is called the sharpening angle. Precise observance of the given angle is the main requirement when processing the cutting surface with an abrasive tool, and it is its value that affects the sharpness of the blade.

With a simple marker, you can control the turning angle, just paint over the area to be sharpened with it. Even ink wear indicates a good blade finish.

Prerequisites for a grinder

In order to make knives for your own hands, you need to carefully plan the stages of work and draw up drawings. If the master has experience, then he can develop them on his own or use ready-made drawings that are offered in special literature.

For a perfect cutting surface, the machine must meet the following requirements:

• reliable and at the same time not too rigid fixation of the knife in a vice;
• observance of the angle value, during the sharpening process, the angle must be constant;
• the design of the machine should provide for the possibility of changing the angle of sharpening.

You can read below how to make your own devices for straightening blades, which are in no way inferior to purchased mechanisms.

DIY knife sharpener

The most affordable sharpener option

We make the fastest version of the device. To do this, you need to prepare 2 pairs of wooden corners, an abrasive block and a protractor to correctly determine the sharpening angle. The dimensions of the bars should be the same. Wooden corners are fastened together with adjustable screws, and a sharpening bar is securely fixed between them at the required angle.

Despite the ease of manufacture, such machines have a number of disadvantages, these include:

• the processing angle has to be maintained manually - which is not very convenient during a long processing process;
• the need for rigid fixation of the device on the working surface for its stability;
• when sharpening, you need to constantly control the tension of the screeds so that the bar does not change its position.

But it should be noted that such simple homemade quite suitable for processing home kitchen knives and do not require large financial investments in the manufacture.

Manual grinder with adjustable bar

This machine is a more complex design, but it is much more convenient to use. The basis for its creation was a model of a machine called the Lansky sharpener.

Sharpener Lansky

The advantage of such models is the reliable fixation of the knife blade.

The device is a support table on which the knife is fixed. At the opposite end of the table, a screw post with a bar is vertically fixed. A guide rod is inserted into this bar, on which an abrasive bar is mounted. By moving the bar along the screw rod, you can change the value of the angle of metal processing.

The advantages of machines with a similar design include:

• high processing accuracy;
• the possibility of replacing the bar with sandpaper glued to plexiglass;
• The wide support base allows you to fix the machine with the help of any table.

When operating the machine, the difficulty lies only in the long adjustment of the position of the whetstone. If you plan to process different types of blades, you will have to reconfigure the device each time.

Possibility to adjust the position of the knife

An alternative to a machine with a movable grindstone is a device where it is possible to adjust the position of the knife relative to the bar. Basically, its design is similar to the adjustable bar machine, a little easier to manufacture.

On the plane of the base, a movable block is mounted for fastening the rod with a bar. Clamps are also installed on it, one adjustable, the second persistent. With the help of an adjustable clamp, the angle of sharpening can be adjusted.

The only drawback of this model is the appearance of bar wear in one certain place. This disadvantage can be eliminated by installing a long pin for adjusting the edge relative to the surface to be treated.

Each of the above options has its own advantages and disadvantages. When making your choice in favor of a particular model, it is necessary to focus on the level of skills and the magnitude of the needs for operating the machine.

Video: Making a knife sharpening machine

Currently, there are several types: a machine for sharpening knives, for a hairdressing machine and others. This article talks about how to make a knife sharpening machine at home: detailed drawings with dimensions, photos and videos (2-3 videos) are presented.

Often, when sharpening knives at home, households use abrasive whetstones. However, in order to use them in practice, you need the necessary skills and experience with them. After all, if the knife is sharpened at the wrong angle, then the blade remains dull.

Scheme of the location of the block to the blade.

Before the direct manufacture of the machine, you need to listen to the advice from the sharpeners.

When sharpening a knife, the master performs the following actions:

Defines the angle between the working area of ​​the blade and the block. Moreover, for each model, the angles are different;

The knife is located at an angle of 90 degrees to the direction of the bar. The grooves that are formed when the razor blade rubs against the bar should be at 90 degrees to the knife line. The angle in such a situation is equal to half the sharpening;

Typically, the angle is 25 degrees;

The locksmith starts processing from the beginning of the foot blade;

When adjusting the grinding angle, the master paints over part of the foot blade with any marker. As a result, the mechanic directly controls the work area.

As a rule, after sharpening, the working blade has non-uniform deformations. Therefore, with self-processing, the “reference point” should not be the sharp part of the knife.

The choice of whetstones for sharpening a knife

The main indicator of a bar is granularity.

The block is the main component that makes the blade thin and sharp. As a result, before choosing a design, you must select the desired bars.

When self-sharpening knives, the household uses these types of bars

which have a high grain size. By using such bars, the shape of the foot blade is corrected.

with medium grain. With the help of such bars, the locksmith removes the grooves that form during the initial processing of the knife.

whetstone, which is covered with GOM paste. In such a situation, the locksmith polishes the blade.

When processing knives for the kitchen, two types can be used - with medium and high grain. And also in this case it is necessary to use a touchstone.

Base

In the manufacture grinding machine at home, you can use various parts. In particular, you can use laminated box plywood 12 mm thick, which was previously used to create radio equipment cases.

When building a machine at home, the household performs the following actions:

Selects a base for such an installation, which must weigh at least 5 kg. Otherwise, the machine will not be able to sharpen cutting devices and tools. Therefore, in the manufacture of such equipment, the tenant uses various steel corners measuring 20x20 mm;

Further, he cuts 2 parts from plywood with a jigsaw, which have a trapezoidal shape, the base is 170 by 60 mm, and a height of 230 mm. When cutting, the locksmith makes an allowance of 0.7 mm for sharpening the ends: they eventually turn out to be straight and fit the markup;

Installs between the inclined walls on the sides 3 parts - an inclined surface made of plywood of such dimensions 230 x 150 mm.

In such a situation, the trapezoidal sides are on the side on a rectangular surface.

The result is a base - a wedge. In such a situation, a protrusion of an inclined surface with a size of 40 mm is formed in the front;

Then, along the side wall ends, the locksmith marks 2 lines with a thickness gauge. At the same time, it retreats by half the thickness of the plywood;

Drills the ends of the inclined surface and for some time connects the details of the base;

At the back of the structure, the locksmith connects the side walls with a 60x60 mm block, which is attached to the end with two screws from 2 sides; - makes a 10 mm gap in the bar.

In such a situation, it recedes 50 mm from the center - 25 mm from the edge. To maintain a vertical position, it is first drilled with a non-thick drill from 2 edges, and then expands;

Then, at the top and bottom, two threaded fittings-futors are screwed into the slot, and in the fittings - a stud 10 mm in size, the length of which is 250 mm.

If the threads do not match the studs, the lower futorka is adjusted.

Handpiece device

In the manufacture of the handpiece device, the following actions are performed:

Removes an even inclined part from the base, refines it and installs a fixation device on it, as well as a clamp of the device used;

He measures 40 mm from the edge in front and, using a garden saw, cuts a groove at this mark, the depth of which is 2 mm;

Using a shoe knife, the top 2 veneered layers are chipped from the end of the board. The result is a sample in which the locksmith inserts a 2 mm steel plate flush with the common surface;

The armrest has in its composition 2 strips of steel with dimensions of 170x60 mm and 150x40 mm. The machine operator connects them along the large end, which has equal marginal indents, and makes 3 through slots of 6 mm.

With the help of bolts, it tightens the slats along the slots made. In such a situation, the machine operator leaves the bolt heads on the side of the large top plate;

Then he removes metal defects of the weld in the form of sagging and grinds the plate until it has a smooth surface;

Attaches a small reciprocal bar to the edge sample, transfers the slots with a drill and fixes the handpiece with bolts.

fixing device

The second important part of the handpiece is the clamping bar. It can be made from 2 parts.

L-shaped bar measuring 150x180 mm, the width of the shelves of which is 50 mm (upper);

Reciprocal plate in the form of a rectangle measuring 50x100 mm (lower).

In the manufacture of the clamping bar, the machine operator performs the following actions:

Sets the bottom bar on the far edge of the top;

Makes 2 holes in the center and retreats 25 mm from the edges of the part, connects the parts through the holes with two 8 mm bolts;

Screws in 8mm bolts on 2 sides. In a similar situation, the hat of the near bolt is located near the top bar;

Welds the caps of the bolts to the plates and pre-grinds until roundness is formed;

Yes, the inclined board retreats 40 mm from the edge and draws a line with a thickness gauge;

Makes along the edges at the bottom and at the top one 8 mm slot in 25 mm;

Using markings, he connects the edges of the slots and makes a cut with an allowance with an electric jigsaw. File expands the groove to a width of 8.5 mm;

It fastens the planks by means of a groove, which is in the board, tightens the top bolt with a nut and, thus, firmly fastens the plank.

Then tighten the connection 2 with a nut;

When pressing the lower bar (in the niche of the base), he screws a wing nut onto the second bolt.

Sharpening angle control

When adjusting the sharpening angle, the locksmith performs the following actions:

On the stud, which is located in the bar of the machine base, he throws a large washer and tightens the nut.

The rod does not turn in the futorka makes a block for adjusting the grinding angle from a small carbolite bar, the dimensions of which are 20x40x80 mm.

At 15 mm from the block edge, it drills a 20 mm end from 2 sides, widens the gap to 9 mm, then makes a thread inside;

50 mm retreats from the axis of the new slot and drills another one in the flat part of the workpiece - 90 degrees to the previous one. This slot has a diameter of 14 mm. In such a situation, the locksmith strongly flares the hole using a round rasp;

Screws the block onto the spire - sets the desired eye height without the use of fixing screws;

Fastens the block from 2 sides with M10 hex nuts.

The use of interchangeable blocks and the manufacture of the carriage

In the manufacture of a grinding carriage, the machine operator performs the following actions:

Welds 30 cm M10 threaded studs with a smooth rod, the thickness of which is 10 mm;

Uses 2 solid bars 50x80 mm and the thickness of which is 20 mm. In all the bars in the center and on top, 20 mm recedes from the edge, and then makes a gap 10 mm wide;

Screws a wing nut onto the bar, then a large washer and 2 bars, then a nut and a washer;

Between the bars, he clamps rectangular grinding stones or makes several interchangeable grinding stones.

As a block base, the machine operator uses a rectangular tube from a profile or a piece of cornice, the width of which is 50 mm;

It sands the flat machine part and cleans it of grease, glues strips of sandpaper with a grain size of up to 1200 grit with Super Moment glue.

The sandpaper should have a fabric base, and on 1 of the bars you need to glue a strip of suede to apply polishing to the blades.

A simple homemade machine

The most common version of the machine design are 2 pairs of wooden rails, which are fastened together with screws. Between such parts, the machine operator sets the bar.

The main reason for the popularity of the usemanual homemade machine for sharpening various knives is its stability. During operation, the machine structure does not move along the workbench.

When fixing the bar, the locksmith uses support strips that are located between the wooden elements.

However, such homemade machine has the following disadvantages:

The master exposes the blade to the stone manually. With prolonged work, it is difficult to keep track of the sharpening angle;

In the manufacture of such an installation, it is necessary to use a fixing unit. The machine structure must be stable, so it must be firmly fixed on the workbench;

In the process of work, the screeds weaken and the location of the bar changes.

Another advantage of such a scheme is the ease of manufacture. Such a machine design is more often used when sharpening knives for a jointer and for the kitchen.

Wooden slats can be different thickness. At self-manufacturing a simple grinding machine, you can use various improvised components.

During the initial study of all the nuances of manufacturing, you need to watch thematic videos that describe in detail how to make a machine at home.

With the help of a knife, we cook food, cut food and perform other household chores. Therefore, it is very important that the blade of the knife always remains sharp. Theoretically, there is nothing complicated in sharpening knives, but in practice it turns out that not everyone can sharpen a blade well. To have an idea of ​​how to sharpen knives and how to do it correctly, we advise you to read our article.

Before you start sharpening a knife, you need to find out what material it is made of. There are several types of knives:

• • Carbon steel knives are the most affordable, made from an alloy of iron and carbon, easy to sharpen and stay sharp for a long time. Among the shortcomings, it can be noted - oxidation of the knife blade from interaction with food or an acidic environment, because of this, rust and stains appear on the knife, and the products acquire a metallic taste. Over time, after the formation of plaque on the blade, oxidation stops.

• • Low carbon stainless steel knives are made from an alloy of iron, chromium, carbon and in some cases nickel or molybdenum. Stainless steel knives are inferior in hardness to carbon steel, so they dull quickly and require regular sharpening. The advantages include - resistance to corrosion.

• • High carbon stainless steel knives are a higher class of knives, with a higher carbon content and additions of cobalt or vanadium. Due to the higher quality alloy, this species knives do not require frequent sharpening and are not subject to corrosion.

• • Damascus steel knives - mainly made as edged weapons, but there are also kitchen options. The Damascus steel knife is a multi-layer blade made of different high quality alloys. The disadvantages include the high cost of knives.

• Ceramic knives have gained popularity because of their sharpness and ability not to dull for a long time. But in addition to the advantages, ceramic knives have a significant disadvantage, which is their fragility when falling from a height and poor fracture resistance.

Sharpening tools

Touchstone (whetstone)

Grinding stones are available with a different number of abrasive grains per square millimeter. Therefore, for rough sharpening and finishing grinding, it is necessary to use bars with a minimum and maximum abrasive content. In foreign-made whetstones, information about the number of abrasive grains is on their marking. Grinding bars of domestic production have to be chosen "by eye" or ask the seller which whetstone to use for primary and which for finishing sharpening.

Mechanical sharpener

Mechanical sharpeners are mainly used for sharpening kitchen knives. The sharpening process, although it happens quickly, but the quality leaves much to be desired. For this reason, for hunting and sporting knives, it is recommended to use other sharpening methods.

electric sharpener

Modern models electric sharpeners, allow you to achieve high quality sharpening, due to the built-in function, automatic detection of the angle of the blade. The electric sharpener is perfect for both domestic use and for sharpening knives in catering establishments. The range of electric sharpeners is presented in a wide range, so the price may be different, but if you want your knives to always remain sharp, then buy more "advanced" and expensive models.

Musat

Musat - designed to maintain the sharpness of the edge of the knife. In shape, musat resembles a round file with a handle. Musats are included in knife sets, and many owners often confuse them with a tool for full-fledged sharpening of the blade. Keep in mind that with the help of musat you will be able to maintain the sharpness of a sharpened knife, but if the knife is completely dull, it will not work to sharpen it with musat.

Sharpener "Lansky"

This sharpener is used for sharpening small and medium-sized knives. The design of the sharpener allows you to sharpen the blade at your chosen angle. Sharpener "Lansky" consists of a rod with a removable whetstone and two corners connected to each other. The corners simultaneously serve as a vise for the knife and a scale for selecting the sharpening angle. The sharpener also comes with ANSI marked whetstones in various grit sizes.

Sharpening and grinding machines

Sharpening machines are mainly used in production, for high-precision sharpening of blades of rotating shafts. In addition to high-precision machines, there are electrically driven abrasive wheels and rotating grinding discs. Sharpening knives on such machines should only be done by an experienced craftsman, because due to the speed of rotation of the circle or disk and high temperature heating, with any unsuccessful movement, the knife blade will become unusable.

Self-sharpening blades

Sharpening a knife with a whetstone

The sharpening of the blade, made by a whetstone, is considered the highest quality, of course, provided that it was produced experienced master. To sharpen a knife on a whetstone, do the following:

1. 1. Place a whetstone with a low content of abrasive grains on a fixed surface. If the bar is small, it can be clamped in a vise.

1. 1. Holding the knife at an angle of 20-25 degrees with respect to the surface of the bar, start moving the knife along the whetstone with the cutting edge forward.

1. Move the blade along the bar in such a way that during the movement it touches the surface of the whetstone, along its entire length.
2. Try to keep the same blade angle while moving.
3. After 2-3 strokes, turn the knife over and repeat the sharpening process on the other side of the blade.
4. Thus, alternating sides, sharpen the knife until an edge (burr) appears along the edge of the blade.
5. Change the rough sharpening stone for a grinding stone.
6. Sand the knife blade until the edge is gone.
7. Test the sharpness of a knife by cutting through a hemp rope that has been folded several times, or try cutting through a piece of paper.

How to sharpen a knife with a whetstone, see also the video:

Sharpening a hunting knife on a Lansky sharpener

Hunting knives are made of hard steel, so their initial sharpening requires whetstones with a low content of abrasive grains.

• Clamp the knife in the vise of the sharpener.
• Install a whetstone with a low content of abrasive grains on the shaft.
• Select the angle of the bar (for hunting knives it is usually between 20 and 30 degrees).
• Insert the rod into the desired hole.
• Lubricate the whetstone with the special oil included in the sharpener set.
• Start moving the bar along the blade of the knife, from the base to the tip.
• Turn the sharpener over and repeat the process on the other side of the knife.
• After the edge is formed, change the stone and do the final sanding.
• Since hunting knives are mainly made with a double-edged blade, after completing sharpening on one side, change the position of the knife in the vise and start the sharpening process on the other side.
• When finished sharpening, polish the knife blade with felt.

How to sharpen knives in a Lansky sharpener, see the video:

Sharpening scissors

Sharpening scissors must be done on a special grinding machine. Sharpening blades with the help of improvised (sandpaper, the edge of a glass, etc.) can temporarily improve the sharpness of scissors, but not for long. If you do not have the opportunity to sharpen scissors from a professional, then you can try to sharpen yourself on an abrasive stone. When sharpening, you need to follow a few simple rules:

• The sharpening stone should be fine-grained.
• The blade is sharpened over the entire surface of the edge at the same time.
• The angle of the blade must match the factory edge.
• The movement of the blade over the stone must be done from the screw to the tip.
• You need to sharpen scissors in disassembled form.

When sharpening scissors, do not rush, patience in this matter will be your ally.

How to quickly sharpen scissors, you can also see in the video:

Sharpening plane and chisel blades

Sharpening the blade of a planer and a chisel practically does not differ from each other. Therefore, the sharpening process described below applies to both tools:

• Set the chisel on the whetstone at an angle of 30-40 degrees.
• Holding the chisel with your hand, use the fingers of your free hand to press the bevel against the whetstone.
• Start running the chisel over the grindstone until a burr forms on the smooth side of the chisel.
• Change the touchstone to a fine-grained one and make the final grinding of the chisel.
• Check the sharpness of the chisel blade by removing chips from the corner of the bar.

In addition to manual sharpening, the chisel can be sharpened on a machine with a rotating abrasive disc:

1. Turn on the machine and let the disc reach full speed.
2. Holding the chisel with both hands, lean its bevel against the grinding wheel.
3. Be sure to observe the angle of the chisel, otherwise you will ruin the blade of the tool.
4. Do not press the chisel with too much force and do not hold it too long on the disk, this will lead to overheating of the metal and destruction of the blade.
5. While sharpening, wet the blade with water.
6. The final grinding of the chisel blade is best done by hand, using a fine-grained bar or sandpaper.

Do not forget that when sharpening products on the machine, a lot of sparks and small particles are formed that can get into your eyes, so be sure to work with safety glasses. And in order not to injure your hands on a spinning disk, wear gloves.

You can also learn how to sharpen tools from the video:

Tips for quickly sharpening the blade with improvised means

Stone

To quickly sharpen a knife on a hike or on a picnic, you can use an ordinary cobblestone. Use any stone lying on the ground instead of a whetstone and run the blade of a knife along its surface. You will not achieve razor sharpness, but you will return the knife to working condition.

Second knife

It is quite possible to sharpen two knives at once, without sharpening stones and accessories. To do this, you need to take a knife in both hands and start sharpening the blade of one knife on the blade of another. After 5-10 minutes of this work, the knives will become sharper than before.

glass items

The blade of a knife can be sharpened slightly on the rough edge of glass or ceramic objects. For example, about the bottom of a glass or edge tiles. The main thing is that the surface is rough.

Leather belt

A leather belt is more suitable for finishing and razor sharpening a knife blade than for rough sharpening. But if there is nothing at hand except for the belt, then you can try to sharpen the knife on it. To do this, you need to give the belt a stretch and start to drive along it with a blade, you may not achieve strong sharpness, but you will polish the knife to a shine.


By learning how to sharpen knives and tools yourself, you will acquire a skill that will be useful to you throughout your life!

You can sharpen a dull knife without going to the workshop and spending extra money on your own - you need a grinding stone and a steady hand. The difficulty is that it is not easy for a person without experience to maintain the angle of inclination of the blade with respect to the abrasive bar, and without this the knife can be spoiled: bent, twisted or dulled even more.

It is more convenient to restore the sharpness of the cutting edge with a device that is easy to make in 2 hours from scrap materials - those leftovers that can be found on a balcony, in a garage or a barn. A do-it-yourself knife sharpener can be both a primitive system and a complex functional unit.

A knife sharpener makes the job much easier.

The main types of homemade devices

The main condition for homemade knife sharpeners is not to distort the angle between the edges of the blades set in production. It is not easy to withstand it by hand, without a full hand and skill.

The device fixes the sharpening angle, so sharpening a knife with a special tool is much easier than with a bar.

The following are the simplest and most popular sharpeners, each of which can be made independently:

A sharpening (abrasive) bar or stone is a necessary element of any factory-made or home-made device for sharpening a knife. It is convenient when it has the shape of a rectangle (should be longer than the blade), so it is easier to sharpen the tool.

Stones come in different grain sizes: coarse, medium and fine.

It is determined by the number of grains per unit area and is expressed as a number, the smaller it is, the rougher the stone.

To sharpen knives, you will need bars with medium and fine grain.

For sharpening knives, abrasives with a grain size of 200-350 are not used. Such grains can deform the blade. Knives are sharpened on bars with an average grain - from 600. After the main processing, the blade is ground and brought to a shine with sandpaper for 1000-1200 grains.

A double-sided bar, when there is a rough abrasive surface on one side and a more elegant one on the other, is doubly convenient, since it can be used to sharpen the knife and finish it.

Stones also differ in the material from which they are made. Natural - from shale and corundum rocks. These stones are coarse-grained and wear down quickly because they are moistened with water or oil during work. There are diamond and ceramic bars that are more wear-resistant and will last longer than natural ones.

Self-production of a simple model

All homemade devices for sharpening knives, they help to accurately maintain the specified angle of inclination of the bar to the blade, which is important for maintaining the performance of the tool and obtaining a good cutting edge of the blade.

Easy for self assembly is a machine designed by Lansky. To make it, you do not need special training or special technical knowledge. You will need a minimum of the simplest materials that are always at hand. In the store, such a machine costs about 1500 rubles.

The principle of operation of the Lansky machine tool is that the knife is securely fixed and its processing takes place at a given angle using replaceable sharpening nozzles made of stone of different grain sizes. The result is a sharp blade edge.

Step by step master class

Required Consumables:

1. A metal bar with a diameter of 6 mm, which must be cut into rods of different lengths.
2. Welding electrode for the manufacture of corner guides. It is completely cleaned of flux and polished with medium-grained sandpaper.
3. Carbon stainless steel 3-5mm thick for clamps. Through holes are made in them. Tip: machine oil will make it easier to drill slots in the plates. You can wash the oil with a concentrated solution of soap residue.
4. Metal corners measuring 9x9x0.6 cm.
5. Fasteners: nuts, screws.

Sequencing:

1. grinder with diamond disc(Bulgarian) cut corners, the edges of which are then leveled with a file and sanded with sandpaper.
2. in horizontal and vertical planes drill holes.
3. Handle the bevels of the guide rail.
4. A rack is made from a bolt with a nut. Then fix it in a clamp or vice so that the whole structure is securely fixed.
5. Assemble the entire device.
6. Attach abrasive and knife.
7. Testing the device.

Blade sharpening rules

There are several subtleties that are important when sharpening knives:

• it is recommended to start processing the blade from the base of the knife, from its bluntest part;
• it is advised to paint the edge of the blade with a marker in any color so that when sharpening it does not protrude beyond the working area;
• the sharp edge should be perpendicular to the grindstone;
• household knives are sharpened at an angle of 20-25º;
• the movements must also be correct: it is necessary to sharpen smoothly and evenly, without much pressure;
• in conclusion, the blade can be passed several times over a ribbon belt rubbed with goyi paste.

Knife sharpening angle diagram.

Sharpening device from mounting brackets

The prototype of a home-made sharpening device from mounting brackets is the drawing of the aforementioned professional Lansky sharpener.

For the manufacture of such a device you need:

• metal plates 4x11cm;
• aluminum corners;
• metal bars 15 cm long;
• bolts and nuts;
• tap for threading;
• grinding machine for metal;
• vise or clamps;
• small file for fine sanding.

You can do without a grinder. It will be replaced by a file or any tool that can smooth out the sharp corners of metal structures.

A high-quality do-it-yourself knife can be made from mounting corners.

Assembly sequence:

1. On metal plates, according to the scheme, designations are made where to drill grooves.
2. Threads are cut in the prepared holes of the taps.
3. To make the sharpener comfortable, all surfaces of the metal structure are treated with a file: sharp corners are rounded, burrs are filed, edges are leveled;
4. Holes are drilled in the corners according to the drawing.
5. With a file, expand the place for supporting the rod.
6. Threads are cut in the holes with a tap.
7. Nuts with a diameter of 6 mm twist the rods inserted into the extreme grooves.
8. A 14 cm bolt with a diameter of 8 mm is screwed into the expanded hole in the base. Before that, a wing nut must be screwed onto the bolt, and two nuts onto it. This bolt will support the entire structure.
9. Bolts are attached to the remaining grooves. With their help, the blade will be fixed.
10. Nuts are screwed onto the rods, a corner is strung and fastened. The sharpening angle will be adjusted by raising or lowering the rods.
11. A device for attaching an abrasive stone is assembled from a thin L-shaped metal rod, a threaded rod with a diameter of 6 mm, two holders and a wing nut. The end holder must have a through hole for the spoke.

This knife sharpener is quick to assemble, easy to use and has a wide range of sharpening angles.

Why is the sharpening angle so important?

The angle of the cutting wedge (the distance between the edges of the blade) is an important characteristic of any knife. It is set during production, depends on what function the cutting tool performs and varies from 55º (machete) to 10º (scalpel).

• for splitting and cutting hard materials - splitting bone, chopping bamboo, splitting coconut - you need a strong cutter with an angle between the edges of the blades of 45-55º;
• knives for separating meat from bone and cutting fibers with veins are sharpened at an angle of 40º;
• for a blade similar in functionality to an ax (they can chop wood, chop meat, cut straw), an angle of 35-40º is characteristic;
• universal knives (hunting or fishing) are sharpened at an angle of 30-35º;
• for standard kitchen work (cutting bread, vegetables, cheese), an angle of 25-30º is suitable;
• for cutting fillets, the tool is sharpened at an angle of 10-15º;
• for a dangerous razor blade and a scalpel, an angle of 8-12º is provided.

In order for the knife to work properly and serve for a long time, it is important to sharpen it at the right angle.

The myth of supposedly self-sharpening knives was shattered very quickly…. About life. This is not surprising, the laws of physics, there are laws of physics, against them, so to speak, even marketers are powerless. If there are no sharpened knives in the house, if you remember the famous bard, there is nothing good. Today, the editors of the site will help solve the problem of blunt blades and tell you how and with what you can properly sharpen a knife at home. We will introduce our readers to different types tools for sharpening knives, talk about their effectiveness, and also teach you how to make a simple grinder at home.

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Types of devices for sharpening knives

A sharpening stone for sharpening knives is probably the very first device of this type. A simple, and, most importantly, affordable tool has been successfully coping with its task for many millennia.

Until now, the classification of machine tools depends on this once uncontested sharpener. By type of abrasive material can be:

• bars;
• grinding stones.

Drive type:

• manual;
• electric.

By place of use:

• domestic;
• professional.

However, in modern world a whetstone can only sharpen a simple hunting knife. In other cases, the quality will be much to be desired. In addition, only soft metals are sharpened with a stone, if the cutting part of the blade has a hardness above 55 HRC, you cannot sharpen it with improvised means.

Important! Each type of blade has its own edge angle. And during sharpening, it must be held along the entire length of the workpiece surface.

Some types of modern whetstones are still in use today. An example of this natural stones- Japanese water stone (we showed it in the photo above) or American "Arkansas". Master grinders even conduct special master classes on sharpening knives using natural stone. Interestingly, before the processing process, it is soaked in water, sometimes with soapy water, and dried after work. The whole process resembles a sacrament for the initiates. Therefore, it should not be surprising that these rocks are too expensive, and most grinding devices use artificial abrasive surfaces.

Blades for sharpening knives

These are artificially turned abrasive-coated whetstones, which are suitable for manual sharpening of both carpentry and plumbing tools, as well as for kitchen knives.

Bars, depending on the material from which they are made, can be of varying degrees of wear resistance and grain size. Consider the main types of materials that are used in the manufacture of whetstones:

1. natural stones, such as novaculite or Japanese water stone. Working with such a tool is not very easy. They require certain skills and craftsmanship.
2. Diamond(with diamond coating) – can be different shapes and graininess. Wear resistant. Democratic price.
3. Ceramic. Relate to more modern look sharpening bars. Combine the strength of a diamond coating with the hardness of natural stone.
4. artificial: electrocorundum or carbide. Fast grinding abrasive, low quality and the same price.

Artificial abrasives are created by mixing diamond powders of different fractions, as well as electrocorundum and carbide.

Important! Of great importance in this case is the material used to glue the rock, as well as the percentage of all elements. The stronger and better the composition (this also applies to the particles themselves), the more resistant the grinding abrasive will be.

Moreover, there are two types of a bunch of elements - a galvanic bunch and a soft one. In the first case, the crystals are glued strictly on the surface of their base, made of nickel alloy. In fact, the crystals are located in a very thin layer on the bar. A soft bond is a chaotic arrangement of bonding and abrasive elements. The second type is less durable.

Sharpening stones for knives

If we talk in more detail about grindstones, we need to talk about the main varieties used in such tools, this will help to understand the process in detail and understand how to sharpen a knife correctly. But before talking about them, one cannot fail to mention the stages of sharpening, which in this context will play a decisive role in the description different materials and machine tools.

Stage	Description	Illustration
sharpening	Restoration of a blunt edge without adjusting the sharpening angle.
fine-tuning	Edge grinding with fine grit abrasives.
Edit	Polishing bevels and cutting edges with a ceramic pencil, GOI paste or on a leather belt.
Regrinding (deep sharpening)	Full restoration of the desired sharpening angle, blade profile geometry and elimination of chips on the edge. Most often, such work is carried out on special machines.

Let's move on to the description of the main options for grindstones.

Japanese Waterstone

They are used equally effectively at all stages of sharpening. There are artificial analogues (on a ceramic basis), but professionals use original, natural materials. Stones require special care, because the most important rule masters - a perfectly flat surface of a grindstone.

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"To check the levelness of the stone, use a simple method. Wet the timber and place it on a paper sheet on a flat surface. The imprint will allow you to assess the degree of evenness of the stone.

"

Novaculites, or "Arkansas", "Turkish", "Belgian" stones, are natural shales and chalcedony interspersed with the smallest particles of garnet and quartz. Today they are used as natural stones and their artificial substitutes.

Important! Stones work only in combination with special oil lubrication. The extraordinary and unique structure of the stones allows them to be used at different stages of processing.

Musat for sharpening knives

Musat is a kind of file, most often installed vertically. The peculiarity of this tool is that its surface is magnetized, which means that metal flour will not fall on you.

Musats come in different shapes: round, faceted, flat with beveled edges

Each variation has its own merits. So, for example, round musat weighs a little, but oval sharpens better, since its edges provide more complete contact with the surface to be treated. Tetrahedral - more versatile, here you can refine it better required angle sharpening.

Household manual knife sharpeners

You can talk for hours about the options and varieties of manual machines used in everyday life. These are the usual home mini-sharpeners, known to almost everyone, and more specific devices with a polishing wheel.

The easiest way to work with mini-sharpeners that control the course of the tool. In this case, the degree of sharpening depends on the effort that the person makes.

Household electric knife sharpeners

Electric grinders are more convenient. Working with them saves time. Most often, such drive machines have various modes of operation, which are controlled by switches.

Usually such machines are compact, safe, simple and reliable, since all grinding wheels are hidden inside the housing. In this case, the sharpening angle is regulated by a special spring, which completely eliminates errors in sharpening.

Professional manual knife sharpeners

Professional hand tool a bit like a carpenter's vise. The subject of sharpening, in fact, the knife, is clamped with special clamps.

The grinder itself is mounted on an emphasis. Here it is very important to properly fix the machine and avoid slipping of the device during sharpening.

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"If you do not have the skills to work on this tool, it is better to use automatic sharpeners. In addition, such a machine cannot be assembled without certain knowledge.

"

Professional electric knife sharpeners

Professional machines are distinguished by their versatility. Usually this is a machine with a massive abrasive disc. Such tools allow you to sharpen not only knives, but also metalwork tools, for example, planers and chisels.

The combination of low speed and continuous cooling results in high-quality workpiece processing already at the stage of incisal formation. And at the final stages of work they provide the blade razor sharpness. IN professional instrument a large number of nozzles and interchangeable disks are provided. Moreover, the clamp where the blade is fixed can move freely along the caliper in the horizontal direction. Moreover, the angle of sharpening can be adjusted.

How to sharpen a knife

For high-quality sharpening of the machine, experience and certain knowledge are needed. Let's start with the basics.

Optimal sharpening angles and sharpness for kitchen knives

It's no secret that there are a lot of knives for different materials. A good housewife has her own knife for vegetables and meat. Consider right angles sharpening of various tools.

Tool type	Sharpening angle
Razor and medical scalpel	10-50°
Professional for chefs	20-25°
Universal	25-30°
For difficult jobs	25-30°
Cutlery kitchen utensils	55-60°
For fillets	15-20°
Home universal	30-35°
Boning and cutting	25-30°
Professional for fish	25°
Professional for vegetables	35°
Hunting and "Swiss" (sharp)	30-35°
Hunting and "Swiss", resistant to blunting	40-45°

For your information! Blades with a sharpening angle of 50 ° are considered the sharpest knives; such versions with a certain steel grade can cut nails. When sharpening knives, you can vary the angle at your discretion within the named range.

In general, the sharpness of the blade depends on the shape of the blade. And it, in turn, must correlate with certain clear correspondences between the blade and the blade.

How to sharpen a knife at home with a bar

The process is simple, but quite painstaking. Without sharpening experience, trying this process is pointless. Typically, craftsmen use two whetstones with different abrasive densities - with coarse grain and fine.