A knife is just an ordinary everyday tool for the average human being. A lot of different kinds of knives exist: survival knives, field knives, kitchen knives, butcher’s knives etc. But, they all have one thing in common: in order for your knife to last longer and look better and cleaner, you must take care of it with specific tools. Some popular ways of sharpening your knife is by using a whetstone, which is one of the best ways of sharpening a knife, other than taking it to a professional. But, what if you needed something that’s easier to use, smaller, and is cheaper than buying a whetstone or paying someone to do it? Well, the Smith’s Knife Sharpening Tool is one option worth considering. In this article, we will be talking how to use a smith’s knife sharpener properly, and taking a deeper look at it.
Instructions on how to use the Smith’s Sharpening Tool
- Remember that the hand guard is there for a reason, keep your fingers in there securely on the thumb rest, otherwise are risking hurting yourself from the edge of the knife.
- To start the sharpening process you will need to place the knife on a solid surface with the edge pointing upwards and you will need to pressure the handle with your hand to hold it in place. You can let the blade extend out of the solid surface for about 1 inch to maximize results.
- Put the edge of the knife inside the V in the head of the sharpener. Also you will need to position the head of the sharpener at a 90 degree angle to the cutting edge of the knife. Hold the knife with one hand and the sharpener with the other. Now, draw the sharpener across the edge of the blade while applying low to medium pressure. Note that you will feel the metal scraping off of the knife and don’t be concerned about that which is perfectly normal. You will need to repeat this process for about 4 – 5 times or until you feel like your knife is sharp enough.
Note
Light pressure is sufficient when using the sharpener. Heavy pressure might cause you to lose control of the knife and could cause possible injury.
- The cutting heads on the sharpener can get damaged over time but luckily they are reversable and replaceable. To do that you will need to remove the screw and the plastic cover piece from the sharpener. After that rotate the cutting heads on the other side and then place everything back together.
If you want to read more of our articles have a look at our review about Glock knife.
Smith’s Pocket Pal Knife Sharpener
This knife sharpener called the Smith’s Pocket Pal Knife Sharpener is a more complex and has more built-in sharpeners on it used to sharpen many more types of knives. This one also has the same “V” heads for knives, but it also has some additional sharpeners. The full list of the sharpeners in this tool is the following:
- Tapered diamond rod for sharpening serrations
- Carbide blades to quickly set the edge
- Ceramic finishing slot
All of these sharpeners have a different purpose, and you need to use them carefully.
This tool is also used to sharpen different kinds of knives, but for more experienced people and people who want to put extreme care into their knives for couple of reasons. You will need to hold the stone at a right angle, you will need to use lubricant in order not to damage your stone, you have to choose what type of stone does your knife actually need and also you need to clean this stone after each use.
If you want to learn more about sharpening knives have a look at our guides how to sharpen a pocket knife correctly or our guide about using a butterfly knife.
Basic sharpening Instructions
The first thing you need to know is that you must lubricate the stone. You can use special liquid for this like the Smith’s honing oil for example. Also, soak the stone in water for a couple of minutes. Make sure that you aren’t using too much of honing oil, as this won’t get you better results.
Note: If you don’t use proper lubrication, you will damage the stone, and it won’t be repairable.
Another thing you should have in mind is that you should follow the angle of the knife. If you are a beginner simply consult someone more experienced than you or try with a knife that is disposable. If you make a mistake in terms of figuring out the angle, you might deform the whole knife. The deformed knife is also a damaged knife, and it is unsafe to use it because of several reasons. First, it has lost its balance. Second, it might break and injure you.
After placing the blade on the angle guide, push it away from your body. Use a bit of pressure, but don’t force it. You might leave scratches on the blade. Try to maintain the same sharpening angle, and after you are done with one side, switch to the other.
Conclusion
We hope that our guide helped you figure out how to use one of the most popular knife sharpeners – the Smith’s Knife Sharpener. These sharpeners are incredibly popular on an international level because they are effective and efficient. Most importantly, besides the small rough patch at the beginning, they are really user friendly and beginner friendly too.
Don’t be scared to make a mistake (avoid using your best valued knives first). Simply try it out and you’ll figure it out as you go. However, you should also be patient. The process of knife sharpening is a delicate one and you need to remain calm while you are doing it. Anyway, you may also be interested to know more about using a Lansky pocket knife sharpener.
If you want to check some of our other related articles have a look at the best folding knives under $100 or best Elk Ridge knives.
Gary Portman is the founder and main author of Knivesadvice.com. With his extensive knowledge and experience, he is committed to assisting people in choosing the perfect knife for their needs. Through his articles, Gary shares valuable insights on various aspects of knives. With his expertise, readers can make informed decisions and find a knife that is tailored to their preferences and requirements. You can find more info about Gary here.