Sharpen knives and tools – with a high quality grindstone no problem

Do you occasionally watch TV programs star chefs look at in pots and pans? You may have noticed how carefully the professionals use their kitchen knives. They keep the sharp blades in a special case and do not give their high-quality knives out of hand. Hobby cooks, who have ever tried in the sweat of their face to cut a piece of raw or prepared meat into handsome slices with a blunt knife or to fillet a fish, should perhaps take a look at the professional cooks in this regard. Because dull blades can really spoil your work in the kitchen.

But even the best and most expensive blade loses its original sharpness when used frequently or handled improperly. Then there are two options. Either bring the knives to a blacksmith or scissors grinder, or you can sharpen the blades yourself. If you hire a service provider, it can be expensive because such specialists are rare. If you want to become active yourself, you will need grindstones of different grain sizes, because the grinding process takes place in stages. You should also find out what exactly matters when grinding. On the Internet you will find instructions that demonstrate that pretty well.

What you should know about whetstones before you buy
The grinding process has probably been around since people use tools. First of all, teeth of animals, pieces of wood or even stones were made into the desired shape with the aid of suitable stones from nature or surfaces were smoothed with the aid of a grindstone. The process has been refined over time. Is today of one grindstone the speech is usually a flat Toolmeant with a crystalline work surface. If he grindstone An angular, round or oval shape depends above all on the type of workpieces to be machined. If you want to sharpen the blades of kitchen knives, you need a perfectly level grinding surface and a very homogeneous surface structure. With grindstones that meet these requirements, you can too razorand scissors grind.

Natural whetstones
Originally, only materials found in nature were used for grinding. Even today, there are still professionals who prefer natural grindstones. Most of these are limestone or sedimentary rocks, in which fine corundum, quartzite or semi-precious stones have been incorporated in the course of geological history. Because it is a natural material, the differences in grain size and homogeneity of the stored material can be significant. This clearly affects the quality of the grindstone. Since the natural resources are limited and thus an increasing shortage is observed, these grindstones are relatively expensive.

Synthetic grindstones

Significantly less expensive are usually grindstones, which are produced industrially. These consist of a carrier, are embedded in the abrasive particles. This can be corundum, but also made of diamond and silicon carbide high-quality synthetic grindstones are made. How long a synthetic one grindstone Last but not least, the integration of the abrasive particles depends on how well the work results. Ceramic bonded whetstones last a particularly long time. On grindstone with a very good price-performance ratio, for example, is the GRÄWE whetstone SHARPHOME. With the 1.000 grit the basic sharpness can be restored and further refined with the 3.000 grit. A holder made of bamboo with rubber feet makes working easier.

Eyes open when the whetstone purchase

If you want to avoid unnecessary disappointments when purchasing a grindstone set, you should take a close look at the product and ask the dealer if in doubt. For example, both natural and synthetic whetstones are sold under the name ‚Japanese Waterstones‘. The quality can be excellent in both types. It is not for nothing that many hobby chefs swear by their gemstone stone set. If you want to be on the safe side, read through the reviews of customers thoroughly, which usually give a good guide.