How to Sharpen a Pocket Knife

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07-08-2024 |
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What is the use of a knife that has lost its edge so much that it doesn't cut anything?Pocket knives are useful, but due to their accessibility, they tend to be used for many purposes.It is common to see a person use a small knife to carve wood, open boxes, cut food packages, even catch an unknown insect, and then wipe the blade on their pants and put it in their pocket.Many people tend to use a cordless blade - even though it requires more force.Knives sharpen in minutes.Try these two methods to sharpen your favorite blade.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Sharpening a Knife with a Stone

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1
Choose the type of stone to use to sharpen your knife. It doesn't matter what type of stone you choose, but a 5 x 15 cm stone will make your sharpening job easier.The different options available for purchase include diamond stones, ceramic stones, and natural abrasive stones.
- Natural abrasive stones:These stones are generally considered the easiest to use and contain fine to coarse grained silica.You must soak them in cold, clean water for ten minutes before using them to sharpen the blade.Keep in mind that when one of these stones is used a lot, it often has dips and grooves in the areas where the knife rubs.
- Ceramic stones:these also need to be soaked in water before use, but only for three to five minutes.They are harder than natural grinding stones, which means they will sharpen the blade faster.Ceramic stones generally last longer, but are a little more challenging to use than natural abrasive stones.
- Diamond stones:these stones are available in different varieties including the hardest, fine and superfine ones.Diamond stones are very hard and very porous.^{[1]
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  Research source}In many cases, diamond stones are actually metal plates with diamond dust attached to their surfaces.These stones are the hardest whetstones and the ones that sharpen the fastest.Keep in mind, they are also by far the most expensive.
2
Lubricate the whetstone. If you use a natural grinding stone or ceramic stone, you need to soak the stone in water for the right amount of time.Experts recommend also using a lubricant such as mineral oil.You can purchase this oil at a local hardware store.The purpose of the lubricant is to prevent the pores of the stone from becoming clogged with filings and sand.The heat caused by the friction created by rubbing the knife is also reduced.Too much heat can in fact deform the blade.^{[2]
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- Machine or sharpening oil can be used with a grinding stone or ceramic stone, and diluted dishwashing detergent is useful for use with a diamond stone.
3
Find the bevel angle of the blade. This is also called the rough grinding angle.The blade of each knife is sharpened at a particular angle according to the purpose of the knife.Most pocket knives have a 25-30 degree bevel edge.^{[3]
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- If you are hesitant to sharpen the knife without knowing the exact angle, you can go to the store where you bought the knife for help, or call the manufacturer.You can also find the specific bevel angle for your knife online.
4
Place the knife against the stone at the correct angle. Hold the knife position against the stone with the blade facing away from you at the established bevel angle when sharpening.
- Holding the knife in the same position for a long time can be difficult.If this is your first time sharpening a knife, or you feel like your hands can't keep still for very long, you may want to buy a sharpening guide.Or use the directions that come with the knife to hold it at the right angle.Keep in mind that guides aren't much help with curved blades.^{[4]
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Drag the knife along the stone. Quickly move the knife down and across the end of the grinding stone.Repeat as necessary to produce a sharp edge, usually about 12 times.As you perfect your skills, the movement will tend to be a circular motion of the blade over the stone.
- The curved blades and the longer ones of the abrasive stone will have to be passed over the entire stone, to uniformly sharpen the entire blade.
Turn the knife over and move the blade across the grinding stone, maintaining the angle.Do this between 6 and 8 times or until a sharp edge has formed.
7
Turn the stone over so that the finer side is facing up. Move the blade, with its appropriate bevel angle, along the finer side of the stone.This will smooth out any bumps or 'bumps' that may have formed along the edge of the blade during the sharpening process.^{[5]
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- Instead of using the finer side of the stone, you can also run each side of the blade through a sharpener at a more open angle than the one used for sharpening.This removes irregularities and refines the sharpness of the blade.Sharpening with a sharpener is also a quick way to renew the edge between sharpenings.
8
Check the sharpness of the knife. Hold up a piece of paper and try to cut it downwards with the knife.A sharp blade will slide easily through the paper.
- You can also check for any rounded parts of the blade or any imperfections by holding the knife up to the light (you can even use the sun) and looking for a brighter reflection.The reflections are only noticeable when there is a rounded edge somewhere on the knife, or when a section of it is no longer sharp.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Use a sharpener

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1
Be aware that sharpeners are best suited for 'smoothing' the edges of knives. Sharpeners are also known as sharpening steels.While sharpeners, in a sense, sharpen knives, what they really do is hone the blade -- with the same result as sharpening the blade on a stone.^{[6]
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- There are different types of sharpeners.The most common is honing steel rod, which is also known as sharpening steel.It is a very effective and reliable knife sharpening tool.Sharpeners can also be made of ceramic or diamond dust.Both of these materials are reliable because they are two of the hardest materials that exist.Diamond sharpeners are known for creating smoother blades, but both sharpen knives very quickly.
To be safe, place the tip on an old tea towel on top of a cutting board (so you don't damage other countertops).The sharpener should be held straight and downwards so that it is perfectly vertical.
3
Find the bevel angle. Once again, you need to determine the angle at which you should hold the blade against the sharpener.Knives should typically be held at a 25-30 degree angle.
- Go to the store where you bought the knife or to a hardware store and ask them to determine the bevel angle of your knife if you don't feel confident you know the right angle.
You need to scrub slowly and use a light touch - don't push the knife against the sharpener with a lot of pressure.Move the blade from the butt of the handle to the tip as you slide it along the sharpener.^{[7]
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If your knife is sharp enough, you should only swipe the knife along the sharpener a couple of times on each side.If your knife has completely lost its edge, you will have to swipe it several more times.

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