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How to sharpen a serrated knife? A Step-By-Step Guide

Many people think that any knife has the same sharpening method. That is a misconception and causes your knives to break quickly. Sharpening serrated knives can be quite dangerous for inexperienced people. But thanks to this article, you will find it easier. Today, the Battersby will guide you on how to sharpen a serrated knife in the right way. 

How to sharpen a serrated knife?

  • Step 1: Prepare one sharpening rod and place them along the edge of each serration angle.
  • Step 2: Gently pull the sharpening rod through the serration
  • Step 3: Lift the grinding rod out of the serration 
  • Step 4: Do step 2 and step 3 about 4 to 5 times
  • Step 5: Burrs will appear after that process
  • Step 6: Move the sharpening bar again like sharpening a straight knife to remove all burrs

The first thing to notice is that sharpening a serrated knife is completely different from sharpening a straight blade. 

Therefore, conventional sharpening methods do not work with serrated knives. The special construction of the serrated knife makes it harder to sharpen than a normal knife. The trick here is to sharpen the serration one by one.

You need to prepare a sharpening rod and a blunt serrated knife. The sharpening rod is so familiar. You can buy it at any kitchenware supermarket. The sharpening rods are small and hard steel bars. 

You should choose a sharpening rod with a moderate length and a gradually tapered size. They will give you more options in size. This makes it easy to handle the small serrated parts of the knife.

  • How to hold the sharpener rod? Let’s hold the sharpening rod with your dominant hand, the serrated knife in the other. The side of the blade is facing your opposite side.
  • Place the serrated knife on the sharpening rod.
  • Place the sharpener rod according to the serration you want to sharpen (You can do this in turn until the end. Besides, you can also sharpen only the part you like as the middle part)
  • Slide the sharpener rod along the edge of the serration. Never sharpen the way you sharpen a straight knife. That may damage the knife immediately.
  • Do this about five times for each of the edges of each serration.
  • If you see a slight ripple of steel flake off, let’s stop. 
  • Follow this procedure until you see a thin strip of steel appearing on the blade. People often call them “burrs.”
  • Slide the sharpener again on the serrated knife to remove these burrs. This step is very easy. 

As a result, you’ve got a quality serrated knife as new.

how to sharpen a serrated knife battersby 2

Serrated knife sharpening 

What is a serrated knife?

Serrated knives are knives with serrated blades. It allows creation to be able to move back and forth easily. This blade is useful for cutting bread. Besides, it can also work very well on soft-skinned ingredients such as tomatoes.

View more: How to Remove Rust from Knives

What is a serrated knife used for?

Sharpen serrated knives have many types with different uses. You can use it as a cake cutter, bread knife, or serrated meat slicer. Here is some information about the most popular serrated knives today:

1. Cut the cake

Serrated knives are by far the most popular knives we have. It is the chef’s best friend.

2. Cut bread

Serrated knives have characteristics of a “sharp edge.” It’s just sharp enough to cut through bread and cakes without breaking them. When using a serrated bread knife, we can cut bread easily and without deformation.

3. Serrated knife for slicing meat

The serrated meat slicer is usually from 20cm to 36cm in size. It is very suitable for the role of slicing meat. Serrated meat slicers and sharp serrated knives come in a variety of lengths and degrees of versatility.

The serrated knife allows you to cut through tough bread, vegetables or fruits, and meats without breaking or deforming them.

How to prevent the serrated knife from wearing out?

how to sharpen a serrated knife battersby 1

Knife need sharpening 

Here’s what you should do if you want to keep your knife always sharp:

  • Do not let the knife soak in water or dirt for a long time. When you use a serrated knife to cut acidic foods (lemon, tomato, etc.), you should clean it immediately afterward. If left for a long time, they can gradually wear out the blade. It causes the knife to become dull.
  • Do not put knives in the dishwasher. This makes the knife handle loose, causing collisions and friction. This also makes the knife dull and chipped.
  • Avoid wiping the knife with hard paper. Ideally, you should use a soft, highly absorbent cloth to wipe knives and scissors. Then you should hang them up to dry.
  • Blades made of carbon steel are prone to rust. Instead, you should choose stainless steel or a compound of carbon and stainless steel. An effective trick is that after cleaning and drying, you apply a very thin layer of cooking oil to the knife. The oil layer will prevent oxidation, preventing the knife from surface rust.
  • You should sharpen your knife with a sharpener or a serrated knife sharpener. Never grind into bowls and plates, as is the habit of many housewives. The use of a specialized knife sharpener will bring high efficiency and make the product more durable.
  • How to store knives. You don’t share space with many different kitchen tools. You should keep knives and scissors separate. Ideally, hang or set them up in a dedicated carrying case.
  • Choosing the right cutting board. This is a pretty important note. Hard surfaces such as stone and metal can damage the knife. Wood and plastic cutting boards are perfect choices.

Should I use a serrated knife sharpener?

Maybe you have never used a household knife sharpener, and you are wondering about its use. Is the serrated knife sharpener any good? We will list a few of the criteria, advantages you can see right away, and the convenience of this product.

1. Save time

Previously you had to sharpen your knives with a sharpening stone or sharpening rod. This is a stage that requires a knife sharpener with good skills and care. On the other hand, it also takes a very long time (about 3-5 minutes).

With a knife sharpener, you don’t need knife sharpening skills. You don’t need to be too careful. You just need to back and forth the worn blade on the machine about three-four times with an interval of 5s. You’ve got a blade-like new.

2. Cost savings

The economy saved here is that you keep your favorite knife set for a long time and last longer. If you are a careful and orderly person, the life of a knife set can be up to 5 years.

On the contrary, it is much worse than that. Even one year, you can change several sets of knives if you cannot maintain them.

3. Versatile and reusable

This is an outstanding advantage of this type of grinding equipment. You can use it to sharpen knives and scissors. They are completely reusable many times. You can change blades, replace or upgrade easily with this machine.

how to sharpen a serrated knife

Knife electric sharpener 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How often should I sharpen my knife?

Just like regular maintenance of machines, you should also sharpen your knives periodically. At least every 5 to 6 months sharpening the knife is reasonable to keep it sharp as before.

2. How to sharpen a serrated knife without tools?

Knife after using one time will reduce sharpness. At this time, using a knife to cut food is extremely difficult. The most frustrating thing is when I am in a hurry to find a dull knife like this.

Related: How to dispose of knives

However, just use a discarded newspaper and do it this way. The knife will be as sharp as new.

What to prepare

  • Newspapers
  • Duct tape
  • Dishwasher Pads
  • Dishwashing liquid

How to sharpen a serrated knife

  • Stack 4 – 5 sheets of newspaper on top of each other. Roll them together with your hands. You carefully roll them so that the layers of newspapers are tightly together.
  • Cut a piece of clear tape, wrap the roll of newspaper in place.
  • Use dish soap and dish soap to clean the knife. Remember to rub and wipe the food on the knife surface. 
  • Dip the tip of the newspaper into cold water. You use this wet paper to rub the blade vigorously several times. 
  • Don’t forget to rub the side of the knife.
  • Once done, your blade will be as sharp as new.

3. What is the structure of the serrated knife sharpener?

The structure of a household knife sharpener consists of two main parts. These are the base (body) and the blade (grinding stone).

The base or body is usually made of high-standard ABS or PVC plastic. Tripods can have rubber or iron. It can also be a solid material to increase grip when in use to avoid slipping.

The sharpening blade is a high hardness alloy or whetstone. Depending on the type of machine, the machine has different blade parts.

Extra tray: Simple machines will have an auxiliary tray. It holds metal shavings that will fall out during grinding.

Conclusion 

After reading the above article about “how to sharpen serrated knives”, it is no longer difficult for you, right? Hopefully, with these useful tips, you can apply them to your life. Do not forget to regularly visit our website to update the most useful information.

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