How to sharpen a knife with a diamond edge? SwiftEdge single knife sharpening system

In a world where precision and efficiency are the keys to successful culinary masterpieces, or general cooking pleasure, a sharp knife is an indispensable companion for any cook. Whether you're a passionate home cook who appreciates the craftsmanship behind each dish, or you just want to whip up some quick food, the ability to maintain a precise and sharp knife edge is essential. This is where the adjustable angle knife sharpening system with diamond whetstones comes in as your secret weapon.

How knife sharpening works

First the principles, then we'll get to the grinding later. If you're already familiar with this, you can skip ahead to the next heading.

Sharpening a knife is done by removing steel on each side of the edge, to thin out the knife's edge and make the triangular shape of the knife's cross-section become sharper at the tip. From being rounded, what is shown as red in the figure below is removed, to become a pointed triangular shape.

When you remove steel from the edge of a knife, it will eventually become so sharp that the steel almost bends over to the opposite side. This edge is called the "raw edge". This is a central part of sharpening knives. It is small and difficult to see, but by running your finger across the edge, against the cutting direction, you can feel that a small edge has developed on the opposite side of where you have sharpened. In the picture below you see a close-up of an edge sharpened with a 1200 grit diamond disc on the right side, and the raw edge bends to the left. It is difficult to see with the naked eye, but your finger can feel it.

(from Scienceofsharp.com )

This will be noticeable on the opposite side of the side where you are sharpening, and is a sign that you have sharpened all the way to the apex, or the end of the edge. When the entire edge has a rough edge, it is a good indicator that you have sharpened enough. You can then switch sides and sharpen until you achieve the same on the other side, and then you can move up in grit, for example from 240 to 400, then to 800. Each time you switch sides of the knife, you remove the rough edge and make a new one on the other side, and as you go to finer grits, the edge becomes more refined and sharper, but it will usually always be a rough edge in the end. When you have achieved the desired fineness, remove the last of the rough edge by stroking the knife back and forth on a leather strap or similar, opposite to the direction of cutting. If you do not have a leather strap, a newspaper, cardboard box or an old belt can work well. Stroke back and forth in the opposite direction of the cut, just flat enough to strike and break off the raw edge. When you have broken off the raw edge along the entire length of the knife blade, the edge is straightened and sharp. You can further polish the edge by inserting the leather strap with polishing paste, but it is not necessary.

How to get a smooth and correct angle on the blade?

This innovative tool is not only easy to use, but it also offers an exceptional level of control over the sharpening process, meaning you get sharper eggs more easily. It is fully adjustable and works on any knife as long as it can be fitted (3mm thickness). Let's begin your journey to culinary perfection and master sharp eggs together!

First watch the video, then read the guide below:

How to get sharp eggs with the SwiftEdge system from Storbua:

1. Clamp the frame to a table edge or similar in an area that is safe to work.
2. Screw in the rods (vertical and horizontal) and attach the whetstone to the whetstone rod.
3. Screw the knife into the knife holder with 2 screws
4. Choose grit based on how much steel you need to remove. Start with 240 and work your way up from there on a knife you haven't sharpened with this system before to build up the edge.
5. To know the angle, you can measure with your mobile phone, or simply just mark a little on the edge and see where the diamond edge removes the mark. When the mark is completely removed, you grind all the way to the edge.
6. Use the turning function: Once you have sharpened one side all the way down and achieved a raw edge, as described above, pull the knife out carefully but firmly, and turn it around 180 degrees so you can sharpen the other side of the knife. (see video)
7. Continue on the other side with the same grit, until you have sanded the edge all the way down and achieved raw edge on the other side.
8. Switch to a finer whetstone (about doubling the grit, e.g. 240 to 400) and continue. You don't need to go that high in grit if you just want a good functional edge, but we have diamond whetstones that go all the way to 3000 grit .
9. After sharpening, the blade must be sanded to remove the rough edge that has built up. This is done by brushing the blade against the cutting direction on a leather strap, for example , double-sided leather strap with handle . As mentioned, this can also be done on a newspaper, a belt or a cardboard box.

Tips and tricks:

1. Safety is paramount. Never unstrap a knife unless the area is safe from distractions, tripping hazards, or other hazards such as animals or children. When the knife is unstrapped, you must be vigilant and stay away from the blade, as it is unstrapped and will eventually become quite sharp.
2. It can often be difficult to know where the whetstone hits the steel. Use a marker to color the edge so you can easily see where you hit, as the whetstone will grind away the marker. You can use this to know that the angle of the whetstone is correct, and when you have sharpened the entire edge all the way to the tip. When the entire marker mark is sharpened, you have the correct angle in relation to the factory edge. When the marker mark is completely gone, you know that you have sharpened all the way to the edge.