1

Introduction.........................................................| 3

Angle chart..........................................................| 4

Sharpening stones...............................................| 5
Waterstones.............................................. | 9
Diamond-coated bench stones..................... | 11
Oilstones................................................... | 11
Recommendations for basic
sharpening equipment................................ | 13
Sharpening sets......................................... | 14
Trueing of waterstones................................ | 16
Storage of waterstones................................ | 17

Knives.................................................................| 18
Sharpening with bench stones..................... | 18
Sharpening with knife sharpening systems.... | 22
Sharpening with the Tokico knife sharpener.. | 25
Damaged blades........................................ | 25
Maintenance and storage............................ | 26
Checking sharpening results........................ | 27

Tools...................................................................| 28
Chisels and plane blades............................ | 28
Sculpting tools.......................................... | 36
Scraper blades........................................... | 38
Axes......................................................... | 40
Drawknives................................................ | 41
Pruning and hedge shears........................... | 42
Straight razors........................................... | 43

Polishing of cutting surfaces................................| 45

Maintenance products and accessories................| 49

Workshop recommendations.................................| 50

General sharpening service..................................| 53

2
Introduction

Opinions on how to sharpen a dull cutting edge are widely divergent - even
among professionals. We favour the method used for hundreds of years on
the sharpest blade of all, the samurai sword:

Sharpening with waterstones.

This method is suitable for sharpening knives and tools alike. It will be
introduced in the following as well as a wealth of tips and tricks from our
sharpening experts.

What defines sharpness?

Technically speaking, this is where the two bevelled edges of a blade
intersect. The bevels define the cutting angle; the point of intersection
creates the cutting edge. So the goal of sharpening is to regrind the bev-
elled surfaces precisely in order to recreate a perfect intersection.

Abrasion Cutting
edge Bevel

Bevel angle
Bevel
Dull condition Sharp condition

To achieve extreme sharpness, the two surfaces that meet at the cutting
edge must be polished as finely as possible.

The attainable level of sharpness depends on four factors:

• The grit of the sharpening stone (the finer the grit, the sharper the result)
• The structure and hardness of the blade (the finer and harder the
structure, the sharper the blade can become)
• The geometry of the cutting edge (the smaller the cutting angle, the lower
the cutting resistance)
• Last but not least, the proficiency of the sharpener

3
Angle chart
The angles given in the following table can be used as a guideline. In special
cases, the cutting angles may be different from the specified values.

90° 85° 80°

75°
70°
65°

Scrapers up to 75° 60°

55°
50°

Scissors 55° – 60° 90° 85° 80°

75°
45°
40°

70° 35°

Chisels and plane blades 23° – 35° 65°

60°
55°
30°

25°

Splitting and felling axes 25° – 30°

50°
45° 20°

40° 15°

Forest axes 20° – 25° 35°

30°
10°

5°

Knives and carving tools 15° – 25° 25°

20°
0°

15°

10°

90° 85° 80° 5°

75°
0°

70°
90° 85° 80° 65°
75° 60°
70°
65° 55°
60° 50°
55° 45°
50°
40°
45°
35°
40°
30°
35°
25°
30°
20°
25°

20° 15°

10°
15°

10° 5°

5° 0°

0°
Cutting angle
4
Sharpening stones
Sharpening by hand on bench stones has the following advantages:

• The steel‘s hardness is not affected since no heat is generated

• The cutting edge can be shaped exactly (no rounding like with felt
and rubber wheels)
• The sharpening process is not dangerous (no flying sparks)
• Wide array of fine grits available
• The necessary equipment is affordable

Waterstones
Water serves as a rinsing medium which prevents the stone‘s pores from
clogging with abrasion debris and preserves its abrasion qualities. If the
stone is not enough rinsed with water, the abrasion debris makes a paste
that decreases the stone‘s abrasion qualities. Professional sharpeners make
use of this principle to achieve a finer abrasion in order to compensate
greater steps in grit. The stones must be soaked in water for 10-15 minutes
before use. Ceramic stones like Shapton stones hardly absorb water.
With them, 1 minute of soaking is enough.

Synthetic abrasives

Silicon carbide has especially sharp-edged crystals, but is

very brittle. It is mainly used for coarse grits, its structure
makes it highly effective.

Green silicon carbide is the toughest and purest form of silicon carbide.

Corundum (aluminium oxide) is the second hardest

mineral after diamond, its solid form makes it an
excellent abrasive. It provides a finer abrasive action
than silicon carbide.

White aluminium oxide is one of the purest abrasives and

is also known as »white corundum«.

5
Why does the grinding performance sometimes feel different
between stones of individual manufacturers, sharpening stone
series or even within the same sharpening stone series?

Shapton explains this complex interplay of five components in the form of a

diagram (see page 7).

1. Ease of use
Every sharpener knows the difference between a stone that removes material
well (or at least feels like it does) and a stone that feels like there is no
material removal or like it just scratches over the stone. Shapton has tried
to measure this »sensation« in in-house tests in combination with
microscope measurements.

2. Hardness of the bonding material

This could also be described as wear resistance. The value indicates how
long an abrasive grain is held before it is »released« from the bond. Hard
steels require a softer bond, softer steels a harder bond.

3. Sensitivity
This component indicates how »sensitive« a sharpening stone is.
A »sensitive« stone, for example, cannot be stored permanently in water or
it may break sooner than a robust stone.

4. Hardness of the abrasive material

The harder the grinding material, the deeper the marks on the tool to be
ground and the better the grinding force.

5. Purity of the grain

The more even (pure) the grain, the better the grinding result.
Differently sized grains always weaken the grinding behaviour.

The two diagrams show the difference between a 4000 grit stone with a
harder bond and a 4000 grit stone with a softer bond. For comparison, the
diagram of a 220 stone with a hard bond is also shown. All components
influence each other.

6
 Grit 4000 Grinding feel Grit 4000 Grinding feel
hard bond soft bond

Grain purity Hardness Grain purity Hardness

of the bonding of the bonding
agent agent

Hardness of the Susceptibility Hardness of the Susceptibility

abresive to damage abresive to damage

Grit 220 (For Grinding feel

comparison)

Grain purity Hardness

of the bonding
agent

Hardness of the Susceptibility

abresive to damage

According to which criteria should I choose an appropriate

sharpening stone?

Sharpening stones are always designed for certain types of steel and often
also for select applications (e.g. razors). This does not mean that a sharpe-
ning stone developed for low alloy steels, for example, cannot be used for
HSS. If you are looking for optimal performance, however, you cannot ignore
this recommendation. Particularly when there are considerable differences
between the steel type indicated and the one to sharpen, even amateurs will
notice the difference immediately (the blade clings to the stone, the stone
clogs immediately...)

Simply bring your tools with you to our shops or workshops and test our
different stone series before buying.

Is the manufacturer‘s indication only serving marketing purposes, or does it

have a real effect on both the ease of use and the sharpening result? Before
we add a new series of sharpening stones to our range, we check it by
microscope photographs.

7
MICROSCOPE IMAGES SHOW THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
SHARPENING STONE SERIES DEPENDING ON THE STEEL OF
THE TOOL TO BE SHARPENED

The microscope images show the grinding pattern and shape of the cutting
edge produced by the 6000 grit stone. The blades have all been prepared in
the same way (polished back, pre-ground with grit 220, 500, 1000, 3000,
4000). Cutting edges without major indentations are »sharper« because the
overall length of blade being used for cutting is greater.

Kunsuto #6000

White Paper Steel Chrome-vanadium steel

Tests have shown that Kunsuto sharpening stones produce equally good
results on high-alloy as well as low-alloy carbon steels.

Other sharpening stones #6000

(recommended for low-alloy carbon steel)

White Paper Steel Chrome-vanadium steel

The stones shown here for comparison, designed for use on low-alloy carbon
steels, do not achieve optimal results on chrome-vanadium steel.

8
Which sharpening stone for which steel?
We provide this information in the product texts (usually in bold print)
of all our sharpening stones. In the »Sharpening Devices« section of
our Tool Catalogue you will also find a 3-page overview table.

What steel is my tool made of?

Stone selection deals with groups of materials, not individual steels.
The rough distinction (which we also use in our stone descriptions) is:

Low-alloy carbon steels:

• Japanese chisels and plane blades
• Knives with core layers of non-rustproof steels,
e.g. White or Blue Paper Steel
• Axes and Hatchets
• DICTUM® carving tools

Waterstones for low-alloy carbon steels:

• KING®/SUN TIGER®
• KING® »HYPER«
• PROFESSIONAL STONE BY NANIWA®
• SUPER STONE BY NANIWA®
• SUEHIRO® STANDARD
• SHAPTON® GLASS STONES HC, SOFT BOND

9
High-alloy tool steels:
• Almost all Western chisels and plane blades
• Knives with core layers of non-rustproof steels,
e.g. VG-10 steel for Japanese knives, and most
Western kitchen knives
• Pfeil® carving tools

Waterstones for high-alloy tool steels:

• SHAPTON® GLASS STONES HR, HARD BOND
• NANO HONE®
• MISSARKA

PM steels / HSS:
• Woodturning tools
• Certain knife series, chisels and plane blades
(Dictum HSS Cryo / Veritas PM-V11)

The indication »PM« merely refers to the method of

production (powder metallurgically manufactured steels).
Generally, these are high-alloy steels with a high degree
of hardness.

Waterstones for HSS or PM steels:

• PRIDE ABRASIVE©
• NANIWA® DIAMOND STONE

Waterstones for low- and high-alloy steels

• KUNSUTO®
• CERAX® BY SUEHIRO®
• DEBADO S BY SUEHIRO®
• TRADITIONAL STONE BY NANIWA®

If you have any questions we will be happy to advise you on +49 (0)9931 4058-911

10
Diamond-coated bench stones
As an alternative to Japanese waterstones,
one could also use diamond-coated
sharpening devices.
1
The diamonds are applied to an extremely flat, warping resistant and
unbreakable base plate. In this way, diamond stones are extremely wear-
resistant and stay flat. No more hollows, no more trueing. The high quality
monocrystalline diamonds guarantee remarkable sharpening speed even
when working the hardest tool steels like HM-, HSS- and PM steels. We
recommend moistening diamond stones with water and grinding with little
pressure.

Made with high-quality monocrystalline diamonds, DMT stones (USA)

are especially wear-resistant and renowned for their perfectly flat surfaces.
The DMT Dia Sharp bench stone (No. 705358) is recommended as a
1
supplement to Japanese stones. It is also excellent for flattening the backs
of plane or chisel blades or trueing waterstones.

Oilstones
In combination with oil, some stones make a lubricious slurry which enhanc-
es their effectiveness. Porous stones e.g. the Norton India (No. 711053-
711053) are normally pre-saturated with oil and only need some drops of
honing oil (No. 705263) on their surface before sharpening. Stones with
closed pores absorb only small amounts of oil. A few drops of honing oil on
their surface are enough. Unlike water, oil does not rinse the stone, it there-
fore clogs more quickly. It can be cleaned by wiping it with petroleum.

NORTON® INDIA

Norton India, approx. 220 grit

No. 711051

Norton India, approx. 1000 grit

No. 711052

Norton India Combination Stone,

approx. 220/1000 grit,
No. 711053

11
KUNSUTO® OILSTONES

Kunsuto, approx. 2000 grit

No. 711195

Kunsuto, approx. 4000 grit

No. 711196

Kunsuto Combination Stone,

approx. 2000/4000 grit
No. 711197

ARKANSAS (NATURAL STONES)

Soft, approx 400-600 grit

No. 711570

Hard, approx. 800-1000 grit

No. 711571

Hard, approx. 2000-3000 grit

No. 711572

Surgical, approx. 4000-6000 grit

No. 711573

Translucent, approx. 8000-

10 000 grit, No. 711574

Microscope image of the cutting

edge after grinding with the Norton
India, 1000 grit (No. 711052),
a Kunsuto oilstone, 2000 and
4000 grit (No. 711195 and
711196) and finally an Arkansas
oilstone (No. 711574).

12
Basic equipment
As a basic equipment, a combination stone with 1000 and 6000 grit
is sufficient (No. 711006) . For more demanding tasks, stones with
1
220 grit (No. 711010) , 2000 grit (No. 710991) and 4000 grit
2 3
(No. 711021) as well as a very fine 8000 grit polishing stone
4
(No. 711004) are recommended. A cleaning stone »Nagura«
5
(No. 711302) can be used to produce a polishing paste.
6

1 4

2 5

3 6

During use, waterstones must remain rigid and not-slip. To ensure stability,
use a sharpening stone holder with non-slip rubber jaws (No. 711101) , 7
a rubber underlay, or a non-skid mat (No. 705364) . 8

7 8

13
Sharpening sets
To provide you with the best basic equipment for the individual tools and
steels, we have put together various sharpening sets for you:

Basic sharpening set for all tools Sharpening set for straight razors
No. 711107 No. 711110

Sharpening set for knives of Sharpening set for knives of high-

low-alloy carbon steel (e.g. alloy steels (e.g. VG-10, PM steels,
Blue and White Paper Steel) 440 C, SKD 11)
No. 711111 No. 711240

Sharpening set for chisels and Sharpening set for chisels and
plane blades of high-alloy tool steel plane blades of low-alloy tool steel
(Western chisels and planes) (Japanese chisels and planes)
No. 711239 No. 711104

14
Sharpening set for axes and drawknives Sharpening set for axes and adzes
No. 711105 No. 711106

Sharpening set for sculptor’s gouges Sharpening set for scrapers

No. 711114 No. 711108

Sharpening set for pruning shears Combination stone with stone holder
and scissors, No. 711109 No. 711050

Magna-Tec® Delta-S sharpening Edge Pro sharpening system,

system DICTUM® Kit
No. 708560 No. 708558

15
Trueing of waterstones
When sharpening tools with straight
cutting edges, it is essential that the sharp-
ening stone is completely flat. Check that the
stone is plane by placing the edge of a ruler
(No. 707290) on top of it. If light shines
through at any point, the stone is uneven and
must be ground down using one of several
methods.

Diamond lapping plates have either a full-surface diamond coating

(No. 705429) or an interrupted diamond coating (No. 711220, No. 711221,
No. 711222 and No. 711223). With lapping plates with an interrupted
diamond coating, it is not the plate’s entire surface that is brought to bear,
but only the virtually indestructible and sharp edges of each of the raised
parts of the pattern distributed over the plate’s surface. This design has the
following advantages:
• Makes shaping a lot quicker thanks to the abrasive slurry being able to
quickly drain away
• Requires less force thanks to the smaller contact area
• Significantly longer lapping plate service life
• Extremely even surface and hence the ability to create even surfaces on
the stone being resurfaced

DIAMOND TRUEING BLOCK WITH FULL-SURFACE DIAMOND COATING

DMT® Dia-Flat Lapping Plate,

No. 705429 or No. 706419

DIAMOND TRUEING BLOCK WITH INTERRUPTED DIAMOND COATING

Nano Hone® Lapping Plate Ridge Nano Hone® Lapping Plate Ridge
Tech™ NL-4, No. 711220 Tech™ NL-5, No. 711221

16
In contrast to full-surface diamond coated trueing blocks or conventional
trueing blocks on which the stone is soaked and rubbed in circular movements
on the trueing block, the interrupted diamond coated Nano Hone trueing
blocks are moved over the watered stone. Due to its high weight and a flatness
tolerance of < 0.05 mm, the dressing block lies firmly on the stone, trueing
therefore requires very little force.

Bright areas indicate the flat parts of the stone, while the darker areas have
had no contact with the dressing block. Continue working until the surface is
continuously light. Rinse the paste continuously.

As an alternative, you can use a truing

set (No. 711115) 1 with 100 grit 1
water sandpaper placed on a flat granite
stone plate. A specialized truing grille
(No. 711297) 2 functions similarly.

Storage of waterstones 2
When storing synthetic stones, you must differentiate be-
tween those that need to be stored dry and those that can
be permanently stored in water, preferably in a sealable
plastic box. You will find information on the correct storage in
the enclosed instruction manual.

A dash of vinegar or disinfectant should be added to the water to

prevent algae growth. Household cleansers, however, should not be used
since they attack the stone‘s bonding. In order to prevent cracking, sharpen-
ing stones should never be exposed to frost! When using highly calcareous
water, do not let the stones dry out too often; otherwise, lime builds up and
reduces the stones‘ efficiency. Sharpening stones should be handled care-
fully. Keep them flat, clean and free of oil since oil prevents the stones from
absorbing water, limiting their abrasive effect.

17
Knives
Sharpening with bench stones
The appropriate method for sharpening a knife depends on the quality of the
steel. Many common kitchen knives made of stainless steel have relatively
soft blades (52-56 HRC). Routine use causes the cutting edge to bend,
making the blade dull. Sharpness can be restored by reforming the cutting
edge with a burnisher. However, the durability of the edge still will be weak.
For good edge retention, hard steel - like that used in Japanese kitchen
knives - must be used. And since abrasion is required to sharpen hard steel,
sharpening stones are the ideal sharpening method. For sharpening knives,
a waterstone with a grit size of about 1000 (e.g. No. 711008) should be
used first. Soak the stone in water for a few minutes before placing it on a
slip-proof surface (e.g. No. 705364).

HANDLING THE KNIFE

Position the knife blade diagonally on top of the stone at an angle as close
to the recommended angle as possible.

Bevel angle

While maintaining the desired angle,

use straight movements to grind the
blade lengthwise on the stone, and
be sure to use the stone‘s entire
surface. Use your right hand to hold
the knife‘s handle and rest your
right index finger on the blade. The
fingertips of your left hand should be
spread close to the cutting edge and
used to exert pressure.

When guiding the knife, keep your fingertips away from the stone‘s
surface to avoid scraping the skin and causing a painful injury.

18
 1

Vide For a video on sharpening with bench stones

see www.perfect-sharpening.com

Pressure should be exerted on the cutting edge when grinding in both

directions and extra care should be taken to keep the recommended angle as
constant as possible. Rocking and tilting movements will round the bevel,
creating uneven blade geometry. If you have problems with free-hand sharpen-
ing, simply put the Togeru knife sharpening device (No. 705377) onto
1
the back of your blade. The handling of the knife is shown in the photo.

DVD »Das Schärfen japanischer Messer«

A Japanese master blacksmith with a legendary
reputation in Japan shows you how to professionally
sharpen kitchen knives on water stones. He intro-
duces different types of water stone, shows the correct
sharpening motions for sharpening single- and double-
bevelled knives and provides information on knife care.
Knives sharpened in this way not only make your work
easier but are also a pleasure to use and
allow you to treat your food with respect.
DVD, 15 minutes. In German. No. 713806

19
HONING
The term honing refers to the process used to remove the burr created during
sharpening. Before beginning, rinse the blade to remove the particle remains
of the prior stone. For honing, use a stone with a minimum grit size of 4000.
Place the blade lengthwise onto the stone and grind it in the direction of the
cutting edge. At this stage, the blade can be held at a slightly steeper angle
(1°-2°) than that used for grinding to ensure the burr is removed completely.
As a rule, a few light strokes are required on each bevelled edge in alteration
before the burr can no longer be felt with the fingertips.

With increasing delicacy, reduce

the amount of pressure placed on the
blade - too much pressure will distort
the finely ground cutting edge. When
finished, rinse the knife thoroughly
in warm water. Carbon steel blades
should be treated with a little oil to
prevent rust.

CHECK
If you rinse with water regularly, the stone has its highest efficiency. If you
rinse less, some slurry will build up. This polishing paste may be welcome to
smooth out the grit steps between the different stones. To see how the blade
and the stone are interacting, look at the sharpening tracks on the wet sur-
face of the stone. A balanced and rhythmic sound is another good indicator
that the blade is being sharpened evenly.

Sharpening on coarse or medium-grit

stones creates a visible burr, which is
later removed during honing. You can
feel it with your fingertip if you run your
finger over the bevel away from the
cutting edge, applying slight pressure.

20
SINGLE-BEVEL KNIVES
Japanese knives with a bevel on only
one side of the blade are slightly hollow-
ground on the back side. For this reason,
only the cutting edge and the back of
the blade should touch the sharpening
stone when laid flat. Only the bevelled
side should be sharpened, but both the
bevelled and back sides should be honed.
During honing, the entire surface of the
blade can rest on the stone, whereas
the surface of the sharpening stone
must be absolutely flat.

DOUBLE-BEVEL KNIVES
Standard, double-bevel knives require
sharpening on both sides. After the
entire length of one side has been sharp-
ened, turn the knife over and sharpen
the opposite side - the handle is now
held in the left hand. For blades that
are simply dull from use, not damaged,
about 20-30 strokes per side should
suffice.

SHARPENING THE TIP

To sharpen the tip of a knife, raise the
handle until only the front of the blade
touches the stone. Using one or two
fingers, press the tip down and grind it
lengthwise on the stone using a straight
sharpening motion.

21
Sharpening with knife sharpening systems
Abrasive-guided knife sharpening systems make it incredibly easy to create
perfect knife edges.

BENEFITS OF THE ABRASIVE-GUIDED KNIFE SHARPENING SYSTEMS

Handling and use do not require any specific knowledge, even novices will
achieve very good results. The fixed support of the knife and the guided
grindstone enable a precise sharpening angle, which is crucial to producing
razor-sharp blades. This method is particularly suited to Damascus knives
and etched blades, as the abrasive guide and the local restriction of material
abrasion prevent from scratching the flat of the blade. The angled grind-
ing bench with smooth-running sharpening arm enables the user to work
ergonomically, the hand-guided mechanism ensures a low operating risk.
Synthetic waterstones ensure cold and gentle sharpening and therefore
avoid heat generation on the cutting edges, the adjustable sharpening angle
facilitates the reshaping of bevels. The system is transportable and does not
require a mains connection.

A continuously adjustable sharpening angle and an adjustable tool stopper

for different blade widths allow for precise, homogeneous sharpening angles.

1 2

The sharpening kits Edge Pro Sharpening System (No. 708550 1

or No. 708558) as well as the Magna-Tec Delta-S Sharpening System
(No. 708560) 2 include sharpening stones of different grits, tool stoppers
for different blade widths, a video guide (DVD), a cleaning set and a robust
carrying case.

22
Please find an overview of our knife sharpening systems in our
Tool Catalogue, Knife Catalogue or online in the category
»Abrasive-guided knife sharpening systems«

For catalogues and all knife sharpening systems see:

www.dictum.com
23
CONSISTENT BEVELS
Sharpening results are reproducible at any time by documenting stopper
position and grinding angle.

Example: Magna-Tec Delta-S Sharpening System (No. 708560) and

Victorinox Vegetable Knife

1.

Vide For a video on knife sharpening systems

see www.perfect-sharpening.com

1. Measure and document the blade length

2. Document the module in use
3. Insert the blade and transfer the scale centre (0) to the blade;
document the distance from the marking point to the tip of the blade
4. Use the scale to document the position of the tool stopper and the side
of the blade stopper currently in use (narrow or broad)
5. Document the sharpening angle identified on the digital display

2. 4. 5.
3.

Knife Blade Module Supporting Position of the tool Sharp-

length point / Blade stopper / Orientation ening
angle
Victorinox 100 mm 1 50 mm 5 mm / broad 22.2°
Vegetable Knife

24
Sharpening with the Tokico Knife Sharpener
The majority of commercial knife sharpeners are
not suitable for Japanese high-quality knives.
One exception is the Tokico® knife sharpener
(No. 705373) . With this tool, all single-
1
and double-bevel blades can
be sharpened easily and
quickly. Simply moisten
the blade and pull it 1
through the slits
3-10 times. The attainable degree of sharpness
is limited by the relatively coarse grit 400 of the stone.

Damaged blades
Damaged cutting edges and broken tips
are not reasons to discard much-loved
knives. Finely ground, very hard Japa-
nese knives in particular can suffer an
occasional nick when handled roughly.
Place the blade perpendicular to the
stone and grind the entire length of the
cutting edge down to the damaged spot.
The bevel can now be ground onto each
side of the blade in the desired angle
using coarse-grit followed by fine-grit
stones. Thereafter, follow the guidelines
provided above.

Protect yourself from injury, especially when working

with damaged knives or when using sharpening machines.
We recommend »ProHands« cut resistant gloves
(No. 707650) . 2 2
25
1 2

To achieve the required high level of abrasion, use a coarse stone (220 grit
or 400 grit), a coarse diamond block or a water-cooled grinder, e.g. Tormek
T-8 (No. 716034) 1 or Shinko (No. 716020) .2

Maintenance and storage

Store the knife separately in a cutlery tray or knife block. We advise against
magnetic holders, as these magnetise the blade and thus hamper sharpening
(abrasive particles remain stuck on the blade during sharpening).
Never clean high-quality knives in the dishwasher, even if they have
»rustproof« blades! The atmosphere of high temperatures and salty
water leads to intercrystalline corrosion and therefore destroys the
blade. Even today, (not rustproof) carbon steel is still the blade
material with the finest structure and highest possible sharpness.
Maintain these knives by oiling them regularly with odourless,
food-safe camellia oil (No. 705280) .3 3
A black oxidised coating on the surface or light
surface rust can be removed with the rust eraser
(No. 711161) . With a little water, it actually
4
erases the oxide coating. Chromium polish,
e.g. Gundel-Putz Polish and Whetting
Paste (No. 705262) 5
can also be used.
5 4
Rust (iron oxide) is simply an aesthetic flaw that does not harm living
organisms. As a trace element, iron is actually essential.
26
Checking sharpening results
The softer the material to be cut,
the sharper a blade must be to cut it.
That is why the sharpness of Miming
- the fabled sword of the Nibelungen
from the Germanic saga »Wieland
the Smith« - was tested on a felt hat
floating in a stream. When it sliced
the hat effortlessly, its sharpness was
proven. A similar test was performed
on a blade created by the legendary Japanese samurai-swordsmith Masa-
mune. According to legend, his sword was placed in a creek where a maple
leaf swam around it out of respect for the blade‘s sharpness. A ripe tomato
is perfect for testing a blade‘s sharpness. The ability to slice one without
exudation is one of the most veritable tests of a kitchen knife‘s sharpness.

Book Recommendations

»Messerschärfen wie die Profis«

Carsten Bothe: Knives need regular care and must
be sharpened correctly. This book introduces suitable
sharpening tools and explains the correct sharpening
technique for each tool. It also explains the correct way
to sharpen axes, scissors and tools. Numerous tips by the
author make sharpening a pleasure. 112 pages, paper-
back, about 60 colour photographs, 158 x 213 mm,
in German. No. 713167

Japanmesser schärfen
Everything you ever wanted to know about sharpening
Japanese knives: Step by step and with numerous
illustrations, expert Dr. Rudolf Dick explains an exact
and practical sharpening technique. This book also helps
you select the correct sharpening stones and details the
special characteristics of Japanese knives. Important
practical tips for care and correct application complete
this comprehensive work. 125 pages, hardcover, colour
photographs on every page, 165 x 235 mm, in German. No. 713920

27
Tools

For sharpening tools, the same types of stones used for knives are sufficient.

Vide For videos on sharpening the individual tools

see www.perfect-sharpening.com

Chisels and plane blades

For chisels and plane blades to work effectively, their backs have to be
absolutely flat. The back of new tools is often not 100 % even or still shows
traces of grinding from the manufacturing process. To obtain a sharp cutting
edge, the back must be smoothed. Depending on how deep the grinding
traces or how even the back is, it may have to be roughened first. Western
chisels and plane blades can be trued on a diamond block (e.g. No. 705358),
in which case it is sufficient to true the first two-thirds of the back. After
that, the back is ground further with finer grit stones and honed with the
finest sharpening stone.

• Lay the back onto the sharpening

stone at a 90° angle to the long side
of the stone
• Choose a fixed point on the neck
up to which you want to sharpen
• Move the blade back and forth on
the stone, applying light pressure
and guiding it with your fingers
• Shiny areas indicate the even parts
of the back, while the darker areas
have not yet had contact with the sharpening stone (pay particular
attention to the front section near the cutting edge, approx. 3 mm,
and the edges)
• Pre-sharpen on the 1000 grit stone and finish on the 6000 grit stone
until all scratches are removed

28
Japanese blades
can be trued on
diamond blocks
(No. 705382) or
using a steel lapping
plate (No. 713600)
and silicon carbide
powder (No. 713603
or No. 713604).

On the lapping plate the blade is worked with silicon carbide powder and
water under high pressure. For easy pressure distribution a piece of wood
will serve best. The powder grinds into a fine paste that has an additional
polishing effect. The back is normally only trued once on brand-new tools
using flat, trued hones. After that, the back is only honed on a fine
sharpening stone.

SHARPENING THE BEVEL

Subsequently, the blade‘s bevel is sharpened at an
angle between 23° and 40°, depending on the tool‘s
purpose. For checking the bevel angle, we recommend
using a bevel gauge for tool edges
(No. 707261) or1
a mini protractor 2 1
(No. 717141) . 2

The smaller the bevel angle, the lower the cutting resistance and the
more delicate the cutting edge. Determining the optimal bevel angle is a
process that depends on the type of wood, the cutting method, and the
quality of the tool‘s steel. Several trials may be required. The angle table
at the beginning of these instructions serves as a guideline.

Low cutting resistance High cutting resistance

29
 To a large degree, tools are sharpened
in the same manner as knives. First,
the bevel is ground using a 1000 grit
stone. The bevel is placed on the stone
diagonally and ground using straight
movements while the angle is kept
as constant as possible. Rocking and
tilting movements should be avoided.
In order to work efficiently and to wear
the sharpening stone evenly, the entire
surface of the stone should be used.

HONING
When finished, proceed to a 4000 or 8000
grit stone and hone both the bevel and the
back of the blade. To improve the honing
effect and give the blade a mirror polish,
a Nagura stone can be rubbed onto the
sharpening stone to create a fine-grain
polishing paste. A rocking motion while
sharpening will cause the blade to take
on an inaccurate rounded geometry. Similar
rounding of the bevel is caused by fast- »round bevel«
moving felt polishing wheels, which we
do not recommend.

To ensure that a plane functions well, it is Chip-breaker

not sufficient to sharpen the blade alone.
The chip-breaker also needs to be flat in Plane blade
order to guarantee a secure fit with no
Good fit between chip
play and to prevent clogging with wood
breaker and plane blade
shavings.

When sharpening thick (Japanese) blades that have a large contact surface
area, maintaining a constant angle is easier than with thin blades. One way
to check how evenly pressure is being applied is to look at the tracks on the
sharpening stone. A honing guide is very useful for helping maintain an
exact bevel angle (e.g. No. 707168).
30
PLANE BLADES – THE LIE-NIELSEN METHOD
As a manufacturer of premium metal planes, Lie-Nielsen Toolworks in close col-
laboration with David Charlesworth has created a sharpening system that allows
you to achieve the sharpest cutting edges on plane blades quickly and easily.

First, polish the back of the blade

with the so-called ruler trick. This
involves placing a thin steel ruler
(No. 707270) along the long edge of
a fine-grit honing stone, which allows Ruler
you to polish the very tip of the back of
the blade along the opposite long
edge of the stone.

Additionally, you hone a micro-bevel onto the blade. This means that
a smoothing plane with a 25° bevel, for example, gets a second bevel
(e.g. bevel angle 30°) that is a few degrees less acute.

Using the honing jig (No. 711400) 1

and a home made template (see page
33) to set the angles, you
first hone the primary
bevel on a rough
sharpening stone
or diamond block.

Once you have adjusted the sharpening angle

to the required final bevel angle (30°, 35°, 40°,
45°), you hone on a secondary bevel on a finer
stone (e.g. 1000 grit). This requires only a few
passes across the stone. The result is an ultra-thin
secondary bevel that needs to be polished on a
polishing stone e.g. 6000 grit.

31
Finally, polish the back with 10-20 passes
using the ruler trick. To resharpen, you hone the
secondary bevel and polish the back using the
ruler trick.

With time, the secondary bevel will become

wider and wider, i.e. the surface to polish
becomes larger. To speed this up, from time
to time you should regrind the primary bevel on
the coarsest stone you have to such an extent
that the resharpening goes quickly. Alternatively
you can use a honing guide and self-adhesive
abrasive paper (e.g. No. 718489-718492) 1
stuck on a granite stone plate (No. 711294) . 2

1 2

You can also sharpen chisels using the Lie-Nielsen

method - but not with the ruler trick. The back of a
chisel must remain absolutely flat, as it serves as a
guiding surface in precision work.

32
 TEMPLATE FOR SETTING BEVEL ANGLES

Stop block

Bench top stop Honing jig

(e.g. No. 711400)

By putting a wooden shim in between the stop

block and blade you can increase the bevel
angle, e.g. to hone the secondary bevel onto
the blade.

25°
30°
35°
40°
45°

54 mm 40 mm 29.5 mm 21 mm 15 mm

The specified distances apply to honing

jig No. 711400 and approx. 3 mm
thick plane blades. For thinner or
thicker blades or other honing jigs,
distances must be adjusted accord-
ingly.

33
CAMBERED PLANE BLADES
Most planing applications require precisely ground straight cutting edges.
There are, however, situations where the sharp outer corners of the plane
blade leave steps when planing wider surfaces. In order to avoid this you
can grind a slight curvature to the cutting edge or round the corners of
the plane blade bevel.

GRINDING A SLIGHT CURVATURE

As a rule of thumb, the corners must only be rounded slightly more than
the shaving is thick - i.e. for a smoothing plane approx. 0.05 mm. When
dealing with thicker shavings, e.g. with a scrub plane, the cutting edge is
rounded over its complete length.

Smoothing plane Scrub plane

Sharpening guides with barrel-shaped rollers (e.g. No. 703839) 1 allow

for honing slight curves into plane blade edges whilst still maintaining an
accurate and consistent bevel angle.

1
Straight roller for Barrel-shaped roller for
straight cutting edges cambered cutting edges

0.03 mm


Vide with Garrett Hack on
cambered plane blades
available online.
www.perfect-sharpening.com
34
SHARPENING AIDS
Sharpening aids normally have two jaws and allow for reproducible, precisely
straight sharpening of all blades with straight cutting edges. Also suited for
short, irregular, conical and Japanese plane blades as well as slightly camber-
ed or skewed blades.

There are two different kinds of sharpening aids:

1. Sharpening aids with side clamp

(e.g. No. 711400 1 , No. 701211, No. 703844) 1
Properties:
• Only suitable for machine-produced chisels/planes that therefore possess
100 % parallel or angled edges (Western chisels)
• Broad edges cannot be clamped
• Good handling without cumbersome horizontal clamp screws
• Long pressing surfaces to achieve firm attachment

2. Sharpening aids with horizontal clamp 2

(e.g. No. 703666 2 , No. 707149)

Properties:
• Ideal for chisels/planes that are crafted by hand and therefore do not
possess 100 % parallel or angled edges (Japanese chisels)
• Suitable for conical chisels
• Laborious to adjust, as they do not have an angle scale
• For angled bevels as well

35
Sculpting tools

CARVING GOUGES
The outside of a gouge is sharpened on
conventional bench stones using a kind
of rolling movement. This technique
requires some practice but provides
good results. Depending on the degree
of wear (nicks), you will either need to
pre-sharpen the gouge on a roughing
stone or just hone it on the sharpening
or honing stones.
• Place the gouge in the middle of
the bench stone with the bevel
side down
• Roll the gouge lengthwise over the bench stone; to reduce the risk of
cutting into the relatively soft stone, you sharpen at right angles to the
cutting edge with a slight turning motion, while maintaining the existing
bevel angle as precisely as possible

The insides of gouges are normally

polished by the manufacturer, so it
should be sufficient to hone them
on an 8000 grit multiform stone.
Hold the gouge with one hand and move
the stone with the other from the inside
outwards towards the cutting edge.
Let the stone rest on the inside
surface and make straight movements.
Gouges and turning tools are often
polished with leather on the inside
and outside, either by hand on a
so-called strop or on a machine, e.g.
the Tormek. The Tormek provides
(as an accessory) a profiled leather
honing wheel (No. 705227) that
makes polishing very quick and easy.

36
V-PARTING TOOLS
V-parting tools are laid down on the outside bevel and moved along the
sharpening stone, similar to paring chisels. It is important that pressure is
only applied to the bevel, so that the bevel angle does not change. You must
also make sure that you remove the same amount of material on both sides
to ensure consistent blade geometry. Use a multiform stone for honing the
inside as shown above. If the edges of this stone are not sharp enough, you
can work on the sharpening stone first.

During sharpening of the V-tool, a small projection (nose) often forms in the
middle of the cutting edge, because the blade is thicker in this angle than
on the side walls. To prevent the unwanted projection, you should therefore
round off the angle slightly before sharpening.

Nose

POLISHING
Finally, sculpting gouges are often polished on leather.
By sticking leather onto a shaped piece of wood, you can
create polishing blocks of any shape you want. Make sure
you do not damage the leather with the sharp cutting
edge when you polish it.

Our Sharpening Primer

for sharpening techniques
on tools and knives is
available free of charge
at www.dictum.com

37
Scraper blades

TRUEING
Scrapers are usually stamped, which means the edges must be worked with
a file to obtain an evenly square edge, using one of the following methods:
There are file holders with a 90° fence which allow even less-experienced
users to control the file securely. You can make similar holders of wood your-
self. But the simplest and cheapest method is clamping the scraper between
two pieces of wood.
• Find two pieces of wood (90° edge at the top) or bits of board with which
you can fix the scraper in a vice (alternatively, you can clamp the scraper
between these two supports on a large beam with a clamp)
• Let the scraper project by about 1 mm
• Work on the projecting scraper with the file until it is almost flush with
the supports
• Make longitudinal or slightly diagonal strokes until the file almost touches
the supports
• The wooden supports now provide a large support area that makes it easy
to guide the file or stone at a 90° angle

FINISHING THE BLADE

• Hold the combination stone in your
hand and guide it along the support
area you have just created (scraper-
support combination in the vice)
• A few strokes with the 1000 grit
side and then with the 6000 grit
side should be enough

RAISING THE BURR

• Slide the scraper further up between the supports
• How far the scraper should project depends on the required angle
(normally 10°-15°)
• To estimate the angle, place the burnisher not only onto the scraper edge
but also onto the edge of the support; viewed in profile, you can estimate
the angle
• Drawing the burnisher along the edge of the support creates a consistent angle
• Pull the burnisher over the entire edge in a single stroke, applying
sufficient pressure (a slightly diagonal stroke enables accurate applica-
tion, even at the end of the scraper)
38
CHECKING THE BURR
You can now feel the raised burr with
your fingertips. Depending on how hard
the scraper and the pressure applied,
you may need to burnish the edge again.
However, you should not burnish more

Vide
than three times, as each process may
ruin the even burr. The deeper the angle For a video see
used in burnishing, the larger and more www.perfect-sharpening.com
»aggressive« the burr. How large a burr
is required depends on the intended use: Removing varnishes and coats
requires a large burr. Surface finishing requires a small burr.

REBURNISHING A BURR
You can also right the burr with the burnisher and raise it anew, but this
process does not usually produce consistent results. We therefore recom-
mend completely removing the burr on worn scrapers with a file before
raising a new one.

Scissors
Scissors should be disassembled prior
to sharpening, and only the bevels of
both the upper and lower blades should
be sharpened. For this purpose, a
fine-grit diamond block is ideal. While
keeping an exact bevel angle and adding
a bit of water, a few strokes are usually
sufficient to restore sharpness. When
using a Tormek sharpening machine,
the special jig makes it easier to hold
the correct angle. The burr created on
the back of the blade should be removed
with a finishing stone, as with single-
bevel knives. Apply a little oil to the
joints and reassemble. Finally, make
sure the cutting action is smooth and
not too tight.
39
Axes
When sharpening axes, it is impor-
tant to keep the wedge angle suitable
for the type of axe and usage. Cutting
axes, used for example for felling
trees or limbing, have a slim, double-
bevel blade with a relatively acute
cutting angle of 20°-25°, while split-
ting axes have strong and heavy bla-
des with a relatively shallow cutting
angle of 25°-30°. The wedge shape
of the blade (curved or straight) is
also important. Heavy-duty axes (e.g.
felling axes, splitting axes) have a curved blade, while axes used for precision
work, such as carpenter‘s or sculptor‘s axes, have a straight blade.

• Hold the axe securely with one hand (or clamp it) and move the folding
sharpener over the blade from the front or from the back (less risk of injury)
• Make sure you keep the shape of the bevel (curved or straight)
• The radius of the blade is adjusted to the axe‘s purpose and should be kept
• Sharpen double-bevel axes from both sides
• Following this rough pre-sharpening, hone with a 1000/6000
combination stone (e.g. No. 711005) 1

For outdoor tools like axes, sheath knives or pruning shears, compact,
retractable, multipurpose diamond sharpeners are particularly practical
(e.g. the DMT® Diafold® fine/coarse, No. 705391 ). 2

40
Drawknives (straight blade)

HONING THE BACK

• Hold the drawknife securely in your hand or fix it with a clamp
• Pre-sharpen the back with the DMT folding sharpener
• Shiny areas indicate the even parts of the stone, while the darker areas
have not yet had contact with the sharpening stone or folding sharpener
(the front part of the blade, approx. 3 mm, is important here)
• Move the combination stone (e.g.
No. 711007) 1 over the entire
surface, first with the 1000 grit
side and then with the 6000 grit
side, until all scratches are
removed

If you often sharpen the

drawknife, you do not normally
need to hone the back, or only
with the 6000 grit stone.

SHARPENING THE BEVEL

• Hold the drawknife securely in your hand or fix it with a clamp
• Move the DMT folding sharpener over the bevel from the front or from
the back (less risk of injury)
• Moving the folding sharpener or stone slightly diagonally increases the
contact area (no tilting)
• Move the combination stone over the entire surface, first with the 1000
grit side and then with the 6000 grit side, until all scratches are removed
• Finally, you can hone off the burr that has formed on the back while you
were sharpening the bevel

41
Pruning and hedge shears
If possible, pruning and hedge shears should be disassembled before sharp-
ening. Only the bevels (facets) are worked on both blades (upper and lower).
Use the coarse (blue) DMT mini-hone for rough corrections or to remove
nicks from the blade. Use the fine (red) mini-hone for finishing.

DMT® Dia Sharp® Mini Hone®

Set (No. 706282) .1 1

ASSEMBLY / DISASSEMBLY
• Make sure you use appropriate wrench
sizes to avoid damaging the screws
• When assembling the tool, you also
adjust the blades; do not overtighten
the screw, and check that the tool
works smoothly and easily

SHARPENING PROCESS
• Hold the shears securely on a
stable surface with one hand
• Move the hone over the cutting
edge from the front, keeping
the bevel angle

REMOVING THE BURR

• To remove the burr, carefully guide the
fine hone along the back of the blade

MAINTENANCE
Pruning shears can get quite dirty because they tend to be
used outside and get contaminated with plant juices.
To ensure that the shears operate smoothly and to remove
the dirt, use Ballistol spray (No. 705445) 2 . Spray some
oil into the joint and onto the blade and polish the blade
with a dry cloth.
2
42
Straight razors

SHARPENING
Use 800-8000 grit sharpening stones for sharpening, with the 800 grit
stone for the actual sharpening process. In the following steps, you only
remove the scratches that were created during sharpening. To make sure you
do not damage the back of the razor, we recommend that you tape it up.

• Lay the blade down at a 90° angle

to the long side of the stone and
guide it carefully with two fingers
• Pull the razor over the stone, leading
with the back of the razor, and when
you get to the end of the stone turn
the razor over its back; your fingers
only guide the razor without applying

Vide For a video see
any pressure www.perfect-sharpening.com
• We recommend 15-20 strokes per side
• Repeat this process until you obtain an even edge without any nicks
• Repeat the sharpening process on all other stones, each time removing
the traces of the previous stone

STROPPING THE RAZOR

• Hang the strop on a fixed point
(hook, door knob) and tighten it
with one hand
• Open the razor wide and place the
blade absolutely flat onto the strop;
always guide the blade at a 90° angle
to the strop, with the fingers clasping
the tang (the thin section between
the blade and the handle)
• With each movement, keep the razor flat on the strop; lifting the back
even slightly would damage the leather; work with a flowing, precise
movement but not fast; above all, do not apply any pressure; draw the
razor in the direction of the back of the blade

43
Caution: If you guide the razor with the blade at the front, you will cut the strop!

right wrong

• Just before you reach the end of the strop, turn the razor over; do not lift
the razor off the strop but roll it over its back; this keeps the razor in
contact with the strop

right wrong

• Repeat the same movement, drawing the razor in the opposite direction
with the back of the blade facing towards you; when you reach the end
of the strop, turn the razor over its back as described before

USING THE THIERS ISSARD SHARPENING PASTE

This paste (No. 709019) is normally used for razors which are
1
already in regular use to delay the basic sharpening or to make 1
the blade even sharper for the daily shave. Before shaving, we
recommend polishing the razor on the cotton side of the hanging
strop with the aluminium oxide-based polishing paste, followed
by un-pasted stropping on the leather side. Rub a small amount
of paste evenly onto the cotton side of your hanging strop. Then work the
paste thoroughly into the cotton surface of the strop, using the heel of the
hand. The cotton should absorb the paste so that there is minimal coating
on the surface. Wipe any excess paste off the surface with a rag or paper
towel. As with all sharpening pastes, a strop surface coated with a particular
grit size or abrasive should be dedicated to that grit size or abrasive alone.
You can reuse this strop surface later for a larger-sized grit, but never for a
smaller-sized grit. The motion used on the pasted surface is identical to that
used on the unpasted leather side.

44
Polishing of cutting surfaces
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF POLISHING CUTTING EDGES

Prevention of rust:
In principle, the smoother a metal surface is, the less susceptible it is
to rust. Polishing considerably reduces scratches on cutting edges. It is
therefore quite useful, especially with blades made of classic, non-rustproof
carbon steel (i.e. many Japanese kitchen and outdoor knives).

Increasing the mechanical resilience:

The micro-relief structure on the cutting edge is reduced by polishing. The
cutting edge is more compact and less prone to breaking out. However, this
also depends on the tool type and the material to be cut. For kitchen knives
and woodworking tools, polishing increases the mechanical strength. For
sailing knives (e.g. for cutting ropes) an unpolished blade is more stable.
When cutting ropes or cables, a polished blade slips off more easily, and the
cutting process therefore requires more pressure.

Improving the sharpness:

If more points meet at the cutting edge, the blade is sharper. However, if the
polishing time is too long or the polishing agents are too soft, the cutting
edge will be rounded off.

1000x magnification of a knife blade

with a cutting layer of VG-10 steel:

1000/6000 grit and polished on

leather without paste.

1000/6000 grit and polished with

Jende Nanocloth Acrylic Strop Block and
Jende Poly Diamond Emulsion, 4 Micron.

1000/6000 grit and polished with

Jende Nanocloth Acrylic Strop Block
and Jende Poly Diamond Emulsion,
4 and 0.5 Micron.

45
REMOVING THE BURR AFTER SHARPENING

Another important application for polishing is removing the burr after

sharpening. This is not absolutely necessary for woodworking tools, as the
burr usually falls off by itself during work or can be removed by the user on
the wood. With knives, the burr formed by honing on hard waterstones can
be difficult to remove simply by using the blade. Such burrs can only be
removed with a softer material.
However, polishing for a long period of time on soft material (leather) or with
a lot of pressure would round off the cutting edge. Note: Less is more

Paddle strops and honing strop blocks

2
1
3
For polishing knives or tool edges, you need a paddle strop or a honing strop
block. Basically, these are wooden or warp-free plastic bases covered with
leather. You can easily make one yourself or purchase it ready to use. We
recommend e.g. the Strop for Small Cutting Tools (No. 708059), the Two-
sided Paddle Strop (No. 709162) 1 or the Jende Leather Honing Strop
Block, Cowhide (No. 729595) . If you work with knife sharpening systems,
2
we recommend the KME Leather Strop (No. 720434) 3 or the Magna-Tec
Delta-S Strop (No. 708586).

46
Smooth or rough side of the leather?
Opinions and experience differ in this matter. However, two important
properties of the leather need to be taken into account:

1. the hardness of the leather surface

2. the ability of the leather surface to absorb polishing paste

The smooth leather side is the harder

one. This side allows a more precise
polishing result without rounding off
the bevel. It cannot absorb much paste
and is therefore suitable for cutting
edge polishing with a very fine and
hard polishing paste, e.g. the Jende
Poly Diamond Emulsions (No. 729581-
729587) 1 or the Magna-Tec Delta-S
Polishing Paste, Zirconium Oxide
(No. 708583) . 2
Grit
0,025 Micron, orange
No. 729587
0,10 Micron, yellow
No. 729586
0,25 Micron, green
No. 729585
0,5 Micron, red
No. 729584
1 Micron, blue
No. 729583
2 Micron, lila
No. 729582
4 Micron, pink 1
No. 729581 2
The rough leather side is the softer one. It
removes the burr better than the smooth
leather side and can absorb a lot of paste.
Fine polishing pastes, however, get lost in the
3
fibres. Ideal for this leather side is e.g. the
Gundel-Putz Polish and Whetting Paste
(No. 705262) . 3
47
Since leather is a natural product and therefore does not have the same
hardness in all areas, which thus absorb different amounts of paste, there
are also special, synthetically produced backing layers.

This is the case, for example, with the Jende Nanocloth Acrylic Strop Blocks
(No. 729588-729594) . 1

A similar principle exists for wet sharpening machines. You can choose
between the Tormek Leather Wheel LA-145 (No. 705197 ; use with pol-
2
ishing paste No. 705262 or No. 705213) or the Tormek Composite Honing
Wheel CW-220 (No. 716194 ; also use with diamond polishing pastes
3
No. 729581-729587).

For a blog post »Five methods of sharpening

knives« see the DICTUM Tool knowledge Blog -
www.dictum.com/blog

48
Maintenance products and accessories
After sharpening, each blade needs some special care. To prevent corrosion,
apply an acid-free rust-prevention oil, like camellia oil (No. 705280) or
1
Ballistol (No. 705270) . For removing dirt or grime, we recommend the
2
polish and whetting paste Gundel-Putz (No. 705262) for cleaning resini-
3
fied tool blades we recommend Ballistol Resin Solvent (No. 708538) . 4

1 2 3 4
A thin application of oil does more than prevent rust. It also improves
the running action of many tools, like chisels, scissors or the soles of bench
planes.

To combat slight rusting you can use a rust eraser (No. 711160-711163) 5 ,
for tenacious rust take rust remover (No. 705487) . A waterproof and non-
6
slip rubber mat (No. 705198) 7 is ideal as a work pad for sharpening with
waterstones. The raised rim will retain any water spillage. The relatively soft
material also protects freshly sharpened tools placed on the mat.
A water-filled spray bottle (No. 800495) 8 serves to moisten the stones
and to rinse off abrasion debris.

5 6 7 8
49
 Workshop recommendations

op
Worksh r
We recommend that you attend
one of our sharpening courses.
le
For more information, visit Schedu
b le
availa
www.dictum.com/workshops

Under the guidance of experienced for free

master craftsmen, our courses provide
the most important basics for you to create
perfect blades. The same applies to sharpening
as to all crafts techniques: »Practice makes perfect!«

WORKSHOP -
Wetshaving with a Straight Razor
Content: Practice in handling the straight
razor, the perfect shave with the blade,
sharpening of the straight razor with Japanese
waterstones, stropping it on the leather,
caring for your straight razor, and background
information about wetshaving.

Participants must bring a straight

razor (can also be purchased before
the course begins).

WORKSHOP - Sharpening of Cutting Tools

For perfect results:
Content: Perfect and gentle sharpening of knives,
chisels, plane blades, carving blades
using and so on. You will practice the
sharpening by hand on waterstones
and with abrasive-guided knife
sharpening systems.

Please bring suitable tools!

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WORKSHOP - Sharpening High-Class Knives
We recommend sharpening high
quality cutting steels by hand with
waterstones, as this method has
several advantages: It results in
ultimate sharpness, it is gentle to
the steel, you can do it anywhere,
quickly, and at a low cost.

Content: You will learn how to perfectly sharpen your

knives on water stones while preserving the blade.
The course will also feature an introduction to specially developed knife
sharpening systems such as the Sorby ProEdge or the Magna-Tec Delta-S,
and you will be given the opportunity to test them yourself. You will acquire
background knowledge on steel and sharpness. Demanding exercises under
professional guidance will help you achieve perfect results.

Please bring your own knives along!

WORKSHOP - Sharpening Carving and Sculpting Tools

Sharp tools are essential for
successful carving. Carving and
sculpting gouges in particular
often have a complex blade
geometry, for which only a few
sharpening jigs are suitable. This
makes sharpening very tricky and
requires skill and know-how from
the sharpener.

Content:
In this course you will learn step
by step the different techniques
and all important aspects of
sharpening carving and sculpting
tools on both waterstones and
machines.

Please bring suitable tools!

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 ts
cipan
Parti eive a
rec COUNT
% DIS hases*
c
10 y pur on
on he durati p
a n
We reward loyal participants:
t
for worksho
of a
10 % discount
For the duration of a workshop,
participants will receive a 10 %
discount on any purchases* made
in our shops.

Bonus card for workshops

Loyalty pays! After
participating in five
workshops, you will
receive a €50
DICTUM shopping
voucher. For each further
participation, the value of your
voucher will increase by €10. You
will receive the bonus card auto-
matically at the start of the course.

Combination bonus
You will receive a €20 DICTUM
shopping voucher for booking a
combination of basic and advanced
courses or a series of courses.

Apprentices
Upon verification, apprentices will

WORK receive a 10 % discount on work-

shop fees.

SHOPS
* Books, DVDs, power tools from Festool,
Bosch Professional and Lamello, as well as
already reduced items and all products from
Mafell are excluded from
this offer. For further
information see
www.dictum.com/
non-discountable-items

Experience our crafts courses:

Unique, fascinating & exciting! Order our free Workshop Scheduler online at
52
www.dictum.com or via telephone +49 (0)9931 4058-981
General sharpening service
Our sharpening experts - who are trained in Japan - are happy to sharpen
your blades at discount prices.
Knives (full flat grind of hunting and carving knives only on request) €7.00 
Axes, plane blades, woodturning tools,
carving and sculpting tools, scissors €9.00
Chisels (only bevel and honing the back) €6.00
Chisels (bevel and back) €13.00
Inclusive additional trueing and polishing of the back*
Plane blades (bevel and »Ruler trick«** on the back of the blade) €6.00
Plane blades (bevel and back) €13.00
Inclusive additional trueing and polishing of the back*
Garden and hedge shears €12.00
Hair cutting scissors (only products from our range) and razors €19.00

For extremely time-consuming sharpening processes that require additional effort, we reserve
the right add a surcharge of € 7.00. In this case, our sharpening expert will get in touch with
you before starting the work.

If products are sharpened prior to dispatch on the customer‘s instructions (special order), these
are excluded from the right of return and exchange.

* When sharpening Japanese blades, the hollow grinding may be reduced depending on the
original flatness of the back. Plus shipping charges (prices include VAT).

** »Ruler trick« - The Lie-Nielsen Method

A thin steel ruler is placed along the long edge of a fine-grit honing stone and the
very tip of the back of the blade polished along the opposite long edge of the stone.
See expert knowledge »Sharpening Plane Blades« at www.dictum.com

Sharpening advice: +49 (0)9931 4058-971

If you wish to use our Sharpening Service, please send the blades to be sharpened along with
the properly completed Sharpening Order Form (available at www.dictum.com/schaerfauftrag) to
DICTUM GmbH • Sharpening Service • Gottlieb-Daimler-Str. 3 • 94447 Plattling • Germany. We
will return your sharpened cutting tool within a few days. You only have to pay the shipping costs.

53
 Everything abo ut SHARPENING
Techniques, tools and knowledge

Useful tips and tricks and step-by-step

instructions for sharpening knives and tools with the
appropriate sharpening devices.
• Practical guide to different sharpening
techniques as well as the appropriate
sharpening devices Videos
• Sharpening techniques on machines
• Videos and video tutorials
• Sharpening courses
• Sharpening professionals answer your questions
• Professional sharpening service Tutorials

www.perfect-sharpening.com

Tips
Startseite Schärfsteine Messer schärfen Schärfkurse Fragen an den Profi Schärfservice vom Profi

Vide
Startseite Schärfsteine Messer schärfen Schärfkurse Fragen an den Profi Schärfservice vom Profi

Scan now and

discover optimised
contents
for desktop, tablet or
smartphone!
54
 Discover our DICTUM Blog
TOOL KNOWLEDGE!
Interesting facts about woodworking and sharpening,
tool knowledge, tips & tricks, tutorials and videos, as well
as product presentations and news.

SHARPENING TOOLS:
Five ways to sharpen knives www.dictum.com/blog
There is no one-size-fits-all method for
sharpening knives. It is the result that
counts. The knife must be sharp after-
wards. Let us introduce you to five knife
sharpening methods. For the full post see
www.dictum.com/blog

DON’T MISS OUT - FOLLOW US:

55
DICTUM GmbH, Gottlieb-Daimler-Str. 3, 94447 Plattling, Germany
Phone +49 (0)9931 4058-902
Fax +49 (0)9931 4058-800
Email [email protected]
Webshop www.dictum.com

Sharpening advice  |  Sharpening service

Phone +49 (0)9931 4058-971

Request workshop advice

Phone +49 (0)9931 4058-981

Version 01 / 2022
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