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Affilatura dei coltelli
Sharpening knives
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Maintaining one’s knives makes them safer to work with, while saving chefs time and money. Sharp knives work more efficiently and do not have to be replaced as often as those that are allowed to dull completely. While there is an array of knife-sharpening devices available, many chefs prefer to use a sharpening stone, or whetstone, to maintain their tools.
A whetstone is used to restore an edge to a dull knife without grinding away too much of the blade. Sharpening stones (pietre per affilare) include natural stones, Carborundum stones, and diamond-studded blocks. When sharpening knives on a stone, two different grits should be used: one coarse and one fine. The grit abrades the blade to create a sharp cutting edge. There are many different grades or grits. On Western stones, 300 and lower is considered coarse; 400 to 500 is medium; 600 to 1200 is fine; and above 1200 is extra fine. Drizzle water or a food-grade mineral oil on the stone when sharpening knives to keep the grit free of particles while sharpening.