If you're using your knife it’s inevitable that the blade edge will become dull. This doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with your knife, in fact, this is totally normal for all steel types. The experts call this “Wear and Tear”.
While some people know all about the art of knife sharpening, for others it’s uncharted territory. We’ve decided to make this guide easy for everyone to understand, as it is a skill that goes hand in hand with owning the knife itself.
Let’s begin!
We’ve tailored this sharpening guide around our very own sharpening tool, The WESN Pocket Sharpener.
There are two sides that we’ll be using. (See what we mean, simple and easy.) Sharpening on the course diamond side and Honing on the ceramic side.
The Sharpening Technique
First, we’ll start by paying close attention to the blade angle, also known as the Grind. (WESN knives come with a Flat Grind at a 25° angle.)
Part 1
Next, line up the angle of your knife with the circular rivet. The blade edge should be facing away from you towards the coarse diamond plate. Now, slide the cutting edge with light pressure from the one end of the plate to the other. Moving from the heel of the blade towards the tip in a smooth gliding motion. All the while be sure to keep the 25° angle.
You may repeat this motion up to 10 times. You might notice that a small burr will form on the opposite edge when this happens just flip the blade over and do the same motion several times until the burr disappears. Run both sides of the cutting edge up to 10 times on the diamond plate.
Part 2
To further refine and sharpen your edge, it’s important to use the ceramic plate on the opposite side of the Pocket Sharpener. We’ll be using the same technique previously used on the diamond plate. Align the angle of your knife circular rivet.
The blade edge should be facing away from you towards the smooth ceramic plate... Now, slide the cutting edge with light pressure from the one end of the ceramic to the other. Moving from the heel of the blade towards the tip in a smooth gliding motion. Remember to keep the 25° angle. You may repeat this motion up to 10 times.
Summary
Well guys, there you have it. Any knife, especially the one you use daily will need some sharpening at some point. Hopefully, we’ve simplified the quest of finding the perfect sharpener and how to get your edge back. You no longer need to complain about having a dull knife!
There are certainly other sharpening options out there, however, the WESN Pocket Sharpener is our favorite for obvious reasons.