Whether it be from general wear and tear or simply from age, no matter what type of knives you have in your kitchen collection, there’s going to be a time when you discover that your knives have begun to become blunt.
When this happens, your knives will not be able to offer the same cutting quality that they once did!
This is where the beauty of a handheld knife sharpener comes into the mix.
Specifically designed to help give worn-out kitchen knives their edge back, handheld knife sharpeners are ideal for sharpening a variety of different kitchen knives from the comfort of your very own home – the only question is, how do you use one correctly and safely?
If you’re currently wondering about how to use your handheld knife sharpener, then rest assured that you have clicked on the right article.
In this guide today, we are going to be providing you with step-by-step instructions on how to safely use a handheld knife sharpener, which is otherwise known as a pull-through sharpener.
So, whenever you’re ready, just read on!
How To Use A Handheld Knife Sharpener
Handheld knife sharpeners are designed to be super convenient and simple for home use, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take caution while using them.
To help you understand a little more on how to use your very own handheld knife sharpener, please check out the following instructions for helpful guidance:
Step One
To begin using your handheld knife sharpener, take the sharpener and place it on a flat, sturdy surface that isn’t going to buckle or bend when you apply pressure/weight to it. Ideally, for the best results and to ensure your safety while you are using your handheld knife sharpener, this should be something such as your kitchen countertop.
Step Two
Once you have done this, you can then proceed to carefully take the handle in your hand (the hand that you do not write with).
Apply a firm grasp to the handle to make sure that the handheld knife sharpener does not move while you are using it to sharpen all of your blunt knives.
Step Three
When you are ready to begin using your handheld knife sharpener, take the knife that you would like to sharpen in your hand and hold it by the handle.
Step Four
When you are satisfied that you have a strong grip on the handle of your knife using your dominant hand, and that your non-dominant hand is firmly grasping the handle of the handheld knife sharpener, you will then be ready to begin actually sharpening the knife!
Step Five
To do this, take the knife and carefully insert it into the bottom (or the heel) of your handheld knife sharpener.
As you are inserting your knife into the handheld knife sharpener, gently begin to lift the handle so that you are following the natural shape of the blade to help make sure that you are able to get the cleanest, smoothest sharpen.
As a side note, keep in mind that each swipe of the knife should last for anywhere between 1-3 seconds – if you drag the blade for any longer than that, then you might find that the blade is left uneven.
Controlled, swift pulls that last 1-3 seconds are going to help you achieve the sharpest blade!
Step Six
You’re going to want to make sure that you are repeating the above step that we have just talked you through until you can see that there is a burr across the tip of your knife’s blade.
Once you can see this across the edge of your knife’s blade, this is going to be a clear indication that the knife has been optimally sharpened.
Step Seven
After you are done sharpening your knife, you can then go ahead and smooth out the edge of the blade with the fine grit area of your handheld knife sharpening tool.
After you have completed this, and you are satisfied with your knife’s blade, you can move onto the next step.
Quickly wipe down the edge of the blade with some warm water to help get rid of any leftover debris from filing down the blade using your handheld knife sharpening tool.
Top Tip:
As a safety side note, please remember that the instructions that we have provided you with above are only to be used as guidance.
As we have already briefly touched upon in a previous point above, handheld knife sharpeners can come in a variety of different designs, which is why we recommend you also ensure that you are referring to the safety manual that you would have got with your handheld knife sharpener upon purchasing it.
In your safety/owner’s manual, you will be able to find all the relevant safety information and instructions on how to use your specific model of handheld knife sharpener.
Wrapping Up
After reading through this article, we hope that you are now much more confident about how to go about correctly using your handheld knife sharpener!
Just like we have already mentioned in a previous point above, even though handheld knife sharpeners are specifically designed to offer the user plenty of convenience (the biggest being the ability to sharpen knives from the comfort of your own home) they can still be a little tricky to use if you don’t know-how.
Luckily enough, by following the instructions we have provided you with above, you should find that using your handheld knife sharpener is simple, quick, and safe.
Why don’t you save this page while you are here?
That way, if you ever need to come back and refresh your knowledge on how to properly use your handheld knife sharpener, you will know exactly where to find this page. Thank you for reading!
