Jon Snowdon cuts to the chase
Jon Snowdon cuts to the chase and tells you how to sharpen up your knives
Iam frequently asked what method I use to keep my knives sharp, so here we go. Whether you are cutting the Sunday roast or carrying out a field gralloch on a deer carcass, a sharp knife is an important piece of kit. Also, it is safer than a blunt one because you do not have to use undue pressure during use. Using excessive pressure can be dangerous and this is when accidents occur. Forcing a knife to cut results in having no control of where the point or the edge ends up.
Many people have suffered serious, sometimes fatal accidents using excessive force when wielding a blade. The golden rule, never to be ignored, is that the handler should always cut away from themselves so that in the event of the blade slipping it does not cause any harm to the operator or anyone around them.
A knife handle should also be held firmly; the good ones have a tang at the blade end of the handle so that your hand cannot slip down the blade when in use. You will know about it if it happens. A knife handle should be made from non-slip material to prevent the hand slipping down the blade. Keep your hands behind the cutting edge at all times.
Knives should be easily cleanable, especially when they are used in food production and cross-contamination needs to be prevented.
Sharpening
There are many sharpeners out there, from the quick V-shape – where you simply draw the blade through the sharpeners – to the more sophisticated ones that sharpen a blade to a chosen angle. It is generally said that the ideal angle for a blade edge is 17 to 20 degrees. Basically, the angle of the ground blade does not want to be too wide or it will prevent the blade moving easily through the meat.
I have used the Lansky sharpener and it certainly does the job once you get used to it. I find it a little cumbersome and the part that grips the blade to ensure the blade does not move when grinding is awkward. I have a colleague who puts tape on the blade to make sure it is held firmly in the clamp. If that has to be done it indicates to me that the maker could take another look at its system and improve it.
The now popular small, V-type sharpeners work quickly, especially if you are in the field and have blunted the blade. The sharpeners are angled and a couple of draws through the sharpener puts an edge on the blade so that the job can be done cleanly without tearing the meat. The only drawback is that they tend to tear the blade metal. Just look through a magnifier at a blade that has been sharpened this way and you will see how rough the edge is. However, it’ll give you an edge for a short period if you need it in the field. They have the added advantage that they are small enough to fit in a pocket, too.
The best way to sharpen any blade is to use a whetstone or oilstone. Mine has two sides to it, one coarser than the other. This enables a badly blunted blade to be brought back into condition with only a few strokes. Once that is done you can turn the stone over to the smoother side and it gives your blade a smooth finish with a razor-sharp edge.
I remember being fascinated watching my grandfather in his workshop. This was a magical Aladdin’s cave full of items from his job as a carpenter. I can recall the excitement of being surrounded by myriad exotic tools, the heady smells of wood, oil and French polishing mixtures while he sharpened his chisels and plane blades with an oilstone. The old ways are often the best.
Angle of grind
Here is where a little practice is needed. If you are using the sharpeners that have an angle guide then you simply set that angle and away you go. If, as I do, you use a stone then it doesn’t take much practice to achieve a 20-degree angle on both sides. We all know what 45 degrees is; halve that and you are close enough. It does not have to be perfect, so long as the angle you produce is not too wide and is about the same on both sides of the blade.
Whetstones can be lubricated with water. Better still is the oilstone, which is lubricated using a light oil to produce a smoother, polished finish. The stone is easily set up for grinding, either on a base or held in a vice, which I do with mine. Note that the vice needs something on the jaws so that it doesn’t crack the stone. Mine have rubber attached to them but cloth will do the job. The vice does not need to be overtightened, just firmly gripped. Be warned: winding-in the jaws too enthusiastically could mean that you end up with a beautiful stone lying in small pieces on the floor.
Hold the blade at the angle you intend and draw it over the stone, then draw it back using the other side of the blade, all the time trying to keep the light pressure evenly on each side and at the same angle. There is no need to rush; take your time and you will find that in no time at all the blade will be sharper than it was when new.
If you are sharpening a blade that has not been sharpened for a while and has lost its edge, use the coarser side first to bring the edge back then repeat the process on the smoother side of the stone. The result is a smoothly finished and very sharp edge.
Good practice
The secret is to sharpen your blade regularly. If you watch a butcher you will see they use a steel. Every minute or so they tweak the blade back into condition by drawing it over the steel. Cutting meat blunts a blade and all blades need a bit of TLC on a regular basis. It is not necessary to use a stone or other sharpener every time, the blade can be brought back to a razor edge on a steel. Does anyone remember their grandfather or father using a razor strop for the cutthroat razor? They are also a great way to finish off the blade to a sharp shine.