The sharpening and honing disks are spring-loaded on their drive shaft to provide an
optimum sharpening pressure that ensures rapid yet uniform sharpening along the length
of the edge and minimizes the potential for gouging the edge.
The knife is first sharpened in Stage 1 with alternate pulls on each stroke in the right and
left slots. Depending on the condition of the edge, it may be necessary to make only 2-3
alternating pairs of pulls in each slot. With a very dull or heavily steeled edge, it may be
necessary to make as many as 10 alternating pairs of pulls before moving to Stage 2. In
any event, whenever sharpening in Stage 1, proceed until a distinct and uniform burr is
created on the edge along the entire blade length on each successive pull through the right
and left slots. A burr (as shown in Figure 4) is a distorted and bent over edge created by
the sharpening process. Its presence is a confirmation that the sharpening in Stage 1 is
complete and the knife is ready to be honed in Stage 2.
It is important to know how to feel for the burr. It is relatively easy to feel by moving one or
more fingers across and away from (
not
along or into) the edge. One convenient method
of doing this is shown in Figure 5. Grip the blade as shown. Put the index finger and/or the
middle finger in contact with the face of the blade and move it/them forward across and
away from the edge. The burr will be detected only along the side opposite from the one
last sharpened (for example, if the last pull was through the right slot of Stage 1, the burr
will appear on the right side of the knife). There will be no burr on the opposite side of the
knife edge until the knife is pulled through the other slot. Pull through other slot and make
certain burr is created there.
Caution: To avoid any danger of being cut, do not move
fingers along the length of or into the blade edge.
Burr
Figure 4. Feel for the burr (as shown) along entire
blade edge before proceeding to Stage 2.
5
Figure 5. Burr can be detected by sliding fingers
across and away from the edge. Caution! See text.
Move fingers
across and
away from edge
