Straight knife blades are the most straightforward of all blades, making them the perfect place for beginners to start. Begin by carefully studying the blade in a well-lit space. Hold the knife so the edge points up. Peer down the length of the blade making note of all nicks and flat spots, which will be apparent in the light. The duller the blade, the coarser the stone you’re going to have to start with. Typically, there are three “stages” of sharpening, with Stage 1 referring to the most intensive part of the process. It requires a coarse stone with a grit level of 200 or less. Stages 2 and 3 refer to sharper blades that only need touched up. 2 and three are the final stages of attaining a razor sharp edge.
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Practice on a knife blade you’re not particularly fond of before moving onto your prized possession. It may sound silly, but you’ll be happy if you notice that you’ve scratched your crappy blade and not your best one while you were learning the ends and outs of sharpening. Beginners have a tendency to press too hard or use too severe of an angle when learning to sharpen a knife. They also tend to use less water or oil than an experienced knife sharpener. Throughout the entire process, you should be able to see a small pool of sharpening lubricant on the stone. If the honing oil or water changes color or gets streaky, that means there’s debris trapped in it. Stop sharpening and rinse the stone off. Then, reapply your lubricant and get back to work.
