Knife Sharpening Tools –
Part VI
The Leather Strap
As seen in many old movies, at
the barber shop, the final process
for sharpening your knife
includes a leather strap.
What this process does is give
the blade a final polish and "shiny finish".
The length of the strap should be
at least 2 feet, and at least 3 inches wide.
Also try to get thick leather so it will not break while you use it.
Again the process is similar to
the whetstone and steel rod sharpeners.
You have to connect the leather
strap on one side of it to a table, or a chair.
Make sure the height is about the height of your hips.
Hold the other side of the leather strap with your hand, and glide
the
knife's blade on the strap away from you, with the edge of the
blade
pointing to you.
Repeat this process 10 times on
each side.
Remember: this process does not
sharpen the knife, it polishes it so
it glides easily on the food
you are slicing, so nothing will stick to your
sharpened blade.
Tips for sharpening:
-
Always keep the blade edge in
the same direction of the sharpening process.
-
It doesn't matter
if the edge
of the blade is forward or backward.
-
A knife that never needs
sharpening has not been invented yet, and probably never will.
As you use your knife, the blade dulls. It is a natural process.
What does have an effect is how long it takes the knife to dull.
The harder the metal, the longer it takes the blade to dull.
-
Opposite to the common
conception, the sharper the blade of your knife is, it is safer
to use.
A sharp blade will not slip and cut your hand.
Follow these links to the other parts of
the article:
The Tools for sharpening your chef knife
The Whetstone
The Steel Rod Sharpener
The Leather Strap and Sharpening Tips
