NICE and SHARP
Every Blade Deserves a Nice and Sharp Edge
NICE and SHARPEvery Blade Deserves a Nice and Sharp Edge |
| Blades are available in ceramic, carbon steel, high carbon steel, stainless steel, high carbon stainless steel as well as specialty steel alloys. Each material has properties that affect strength, flexibility, rust resistance and sharpness. In general, the harder the material, the stronger the edge will be and the longer the edge will remain sharp. The down side of hard blades is that they are more difficult to sharpen.
Manufacturers decide what the blade thickness should be based on the intended use. The thickness of the blade has the biggest affect on slicing. The thinner the blade, the more flexible it will be and the thinner and more precise the cut. The edge of the knife, the ground edge that runs the length of the blade, is usually between ¼ to ½ inch wide. The thicker the edge, the stronger it will be but the less sharp it will feel. The thickness of the cutting edge has the greatest affect on initial sharpness and edge life. Thinner edges are sharper and more fragile.
SIDE OF THE KNIFE
THE CUTTING EDGE TYPE The edge can take on many forms and be sharpened to almost any angle and smoothness. There are 2 types of edges that are of importance, flat and serrated.
Custom serrated edges are variations of serrated knives and are offered by some manufacturers. When these knives need sharpening, they must be sent back to the manufacturer. Two examples of custom edge knives are Cutco’s Double-D edge and Henkel’s Eversharp Pro series. EDGE PROFILE The shape of the knife edge (profile) effects how much force is needed to cut as well as how long the edge will last. The correct profile will allow the maximum sharpness to be obtained while still maintaining strength and achieving good edge life.
EDGE ANGLE
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Some knife manufacturers hollow grind the bottom ½ to 1 inch of the knife to thin the bottom of the blade. This allows the edge to be thinner and sharper while still maintaining the thickness and strength of the blade.
Scalloped edge knives have a number of hollow ovals ground into one or both sides of the blade. Also called granton edge, they help to prevent food from sticking to the blade and help the knife to cut more efficiently. They are most commonly found on santoku knives and slicers.
Some manufacturers have created special purpose knives with sides specifically designed to make slicing easier. Most of the special sides are seen on cheese knives to help prevent the cheese from sticking to the side of the knife.
The flat edge, which is also called a fine or smooth edge, is the most common. Both sides of the knife are ground to meet at the bottom forming a flat or fine edge. This type of edge can be created with convex, hollow grind, V-edge, double edge and single edge profiles.
Serrated blades have a saw-like blade. Some knives have the same serrated pattern across the entire length while others have a mixture of small and large serrations. Serrated blades tend to stay sharper longer than flat edge knives.
V-Edge or Double Bevel: This profile can produce one of the sharpest edges, especially if the blade is thin and a very small angle is used. It is the most common edge that manufacturers put on blades.
Convex: This is a multi step process that can only be done with specialized sharpening tools. The convex edge starts at a slightly higher point on the knife to create a gentle curve. This is a very effective way to create a sharp edge on thick blades where the strength needs to be maintained.
The angle that is put on the edge has the greatest affect on initial sharpness and edge life. The smaller the angle, the sharper and more fragile the edge. The 15 and 25 degree angles that can be seen on the drawing create a fine edge, yet the 15 degree angle produces a sharper and more fragile edge compared to the 25 degree angle.
