How do I sharpen this trimming knife blade? It's curved.

[mckeand13]

I've got this Wushof trimming knife and it's getting dull. I'm a novice at sharpening but have done so pretty successfully with other larger knives in my set and my waterstones.

The other types were easy. They didn't have this "reverse" curve to them at the choil. They all have an outward curve.

This one looks like I would only be able to get about 1/2 the blade sharpened since I'd have to keep a lot of the blade off the stone. It would start mid way on where it starts to flatten out and then out to the tip.

Please offer some suggestions on methods I'm obviously unaware of. Does a blade shape like this require sharpening with "rods" instead?

Thanks!

 

[HeavyHanded]

You could lap one long edge of your waterstones to a slight radius and do it on the outside edge. You might have to lower the handle to hit that region just as you elevate it to hit an outward curve.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Easiest method, if a round sharpening rod isn't available, is to just wrap some wet/dry sandpaper around any cylindrical rod or object (broom handle, round shank of a large screwdriver, section of pipe, etc) and sharpen on that. An edge-trailing (stropping) stroke is usually best, but edge-leading can be done if your touch is light (and it should be, for good sharpening technique in general). Could also wrap the paper over the rolled-over edge of a countertop in the kitchen; a stone countertop with a radiused edge should be great for this.

Otherwise, a round rod in diamond or ceramic (or one of each) would be ideal for the recurved sections of blades like these.


David

 

[bgentry]

If that picture is accurate, I don't think you use the recurved portion of the blade for actual cutting. I've done numerous knives with this shape, and I've fairly well sharpened that portion, but I noticed that it was rather blunt in that area and not sharpened to a real apex from the start. Maybe there's some cutting technique I'm unaware of that would use that part of the blade, but I can't think what it would be.

Brian.

 

[mckeand13]

Thanks for the replies.

bgentry, it's true that I don't need or want to sharpen all the way back to the curve at the choil. I just thought that trying to sharpen on flat stones only would only allow me to go about 1/2 way back from the tip and I'd like to go further than that.

I'll do what area I can on the stones and then switch over to a rod with sandpaper to get back farther. I can then finish the entire length with the rod to ensure there's no transition.