Put an edge on it (Knife Sharpening 101)

Join us at Manchester Makerspace for a hands-on Knife Sharpening 101 workshop where you’ll learn how to properly sharpen your kitchen knives using Japanese waterstones.

This is not a sit-back-and-watch kind of class. You’ll be working on your own knives with step-by-step guidance, learning the techniques that take your blades from dull to razor sharp.

Bring up to two non-serrated knives from home and leave with them actually sharp (what a concept). If one needs a little extra love beyond class time,professionally finished and returned to you—no extra charge.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to hold and stabilize your knife properly
- How to find and maintain the right sharpening angle
- How to raise and recognize a burr
- How to refine and finish your edge
- How to maintain your knives so they don’t betray you again

Info: Introduction
-Myself, qualification, get peoples names and hand out name tags
-Discuss and show the various parts of a knife
-Show and talk about the equipment in front of the students
-Do a quick cut test on a BESS Tester of one of the students knives

Burr Forming
-What is a burr?
-Why do we form it?
-How we remove it
-Show what an apex is

Sharpening
-Stance
-Hand position
-Knife Position
-Pressure used
-Demonstrate technique

Practice (80% of class)
-Show how to use the sharpie to indicate contact points
-Have students practice on one side of the knife and observe / give feedback while walking around and talking
-Continue on and off to demonstrate and help as needed
-Take break at half way point for quick Q/A
-Practice continues
-As students finish a knife we look at it and touch the burr/edge to determine results
-Test on paper and show what feedback it gives

Maintenance
-Do's/Don't to keep knives sharp
-Use of a flattening stone
-Use of Nagura