Zappos Blogs: How To
Clay: Hi, my name is Clay and today I'm going to show you how to sharpen a knife using the Chef's Choice 1520 Angle Select sharpener. OK, for today's demonstration, we've got the Chef's Choice 1520 AngleSelect knife sharpener and we have a seven inch chef's knife. OK. This is the front view of the knife sharpener. This particular knife sharpener can sharpen an Asian style knife, or a Euro-American style knife. And then it strokes it or strops it to an extreme sharpness. That's the stroking stage, and this is the sharpening stage. The Asian style knives typically have a 15 degree edge to them, such as this one. This is the santoku knife. The blade edge is 15 degrees whereas a typical European or American knife will have a 20 degree edge. If you want, you can convert a European American style knife by an Asian style knife by using Stage 1, instead of Stage 2. So, in this demonstration I'll be using the Asian, Stage 1. This particular knife sharpener is great for all types of knives. You can use kitchen knives. You can even use scissors that detach, pocket knives, sporting knives, hunting knives. It's a versatile sharpener that requires virtually no maintenance. OK, during Stage 1, the honing stage, we pull the knife through about 10 times for each pair. So, start with the left side, and then the right side. Pull it through 10 times, about 5 seconds long, depending on the length of the knife blade. As you do this, check from time to time for a burr on the edge of the knife. If you feel a burr, then it's time to move on to the stropping stage, that would be Stage 3. The guides make it very convenient to pull the knife through because you don't have to worry about the angle or how you're holding the knife, just simply pull it through slowly and the knife sharpener will do all the work for you. Stage 3, this is the stropping and polishing stage. Make 4 pairs of pulls for about 5 seconds each, just like you did in Stage 1. Then 4 pairs of pulls quickly, about 2 seconds each side. As you can see, this sharp knife cuts through this tangerine with ease, and I don't have to worry about it slipping off the skin and onto my finger. So now you can see how easy it is to keep your knives sharp in the comfort of your own home. A sharp knife is a pleasure to use and it reduces the risk of injury. Happy slicing.
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