If you have a stainless steel knife and want to keep it sharp, you need to learn how to sharpen it. You can use whetstones, diamond-based stones or sandpaper to get the job done.
The first step is to maintain the correct angle between the stone and your knife. This ensures that the blade of the knife stays in contact with the stone.
Why is Stainless Steel Hard to Sharpen?
If you have ever tried to sharpen a knife made from stainless steel, you may be wondering why it is so difficult. Unlike carbon steel knives, which are forged from iron and carbon, stainless steel is made by melting chromium into the blade.
Combined with the presence of carbides, stainless steel is harder to sharpen than carbon. This means that it requires more skill, tools (CBN/diamond abrasives), and time to achieve a sharp edge.
One of the most common types of stainless steel used in hunting, kitchen, and tactical folders is 440A. It is a relatively hard steel that achieves good edge holding while retaining excellent levels of corrosion resistance.
VG-10 is another popular type of stainless steel that is often used in Damascus and Migaki style blades due to its excellent combination of edge formation and edge retention. It also has a high Vanadium content for rust resistance.
Stainless Steel Sharpening Tools
Sharpening tools are an important part of maintaining any tool, but especially knives. They help keep a blade sharp so it can perform its best in the kitchen and in the field.
Manual sharpeners and honing stones are both effective ways to keep your knives in tip-top shape. However, electric sharpeners can make the job easier and faster if you use them regularly.
These devices come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from handheld v-sharpens to fully electric models. Whether you choose a hand-held or an electric sharpener depends on your preferences and budget.
A common feature on both types of sharpeners is grit options that go from coarse to fine. Coarse grit removes nicks and chips, while finer grit refines the edge. Some sharpeners even offer a third (or fourth) grit for gentle touch-ups.
Stainless Steel Sharpening Techniques
Stainless steel is a popular choice for knives due to its ability to resist corrosion and staining. This is due to the inclusion of chromium, which makes up a minimum of 11% of the metal composition and imparts rust resistance properties to the blade. Chromium also forms a passive film over the surface of the steel that prevents staining from acidic or alkaline foods.
To sharpen a stainless steel knife, use a whetstone to achieve the desired edge. Start with a more aggressive grit than you would normally choose for carbon steel and progress through grit levels to achieve the finish you desire. If you’re new to whetstone sharpening, it’s important to maintain the right angle between the stone and your knife to ensure a sharp edge is achieved. You may notice that a grey liquid is produced during the sharpening process, which is called mud and helps to blend the stone with the steel.
Stainless Steel Sharpening Materials
Stainless steel knives can be sharpened with a variety of different materials. These include sharpening stones, honing rods, and diamond cut steels.
These materials are designed to remove material from the edge of the blade to create a sharper cutting surface. They are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and grits. Typically, sharpening rods are long enough to allow you to pass them over the edge of your knife for complete sharpening.
Stainless steel is a metal alloy that contains chromium, nickel, and molybdenum. These components make the steel resistant to corrosion and staining from use, and they also increase its strength. These properties also make stainless steel a good choice for kitchen knives. However, stainless steel does require a little more care when it comes to sharpening. It is also more brittle than high-carbon steel, so you may need to exert more effort when sharpening it. For this reason, it is best to invest in a quality sharpening tool for your stainless steel knives.