15
6. To increase your proficiency with the Chef’sChoice
®
Model 15, learn how to detect a burr
along the edge (as described on page 6). While you might be able to sharpen well without
using this technique, it is the best and fastest way to determine when you have sharpened
sufficiently in the preliminary steps. This will help you avoid oversharpening and ensure
incredibly sharp edges every time. Cutting a tomato or a piece of paper is a convenient
method of checking for finished blade sharpness.
7. Use only light downward pressure when sharpening – just enough to establish secure
contact with the abrasive disk.
8. If your knife has a significant choil you may find it helpful to place your index finger within
or just behind the choil (see Figures 14 and 15) as you insert the blade in the sharpener.
Your finger can act as a “stop” and prevent you from inserting the blade so far that the
choil area will catch on the front stop-bar of the sharpener as you withdraw the blade. A
little practice will help you perfect this technique. As you insert the blade let your finger
slide down the front of the sharpener.
9. Used correctly, you will find you can sharpen the entire blade to within 1/8” of the bolster
or the sharpener handle. This is a major advantage of the Chef’sChoice
®
Model 15 com-
pared to other sharpening methods—especially important when sharpening chef’s knives
where you need to sharpen the entire blade length in order to maintain the curvature of the
edge line. If your chef’s knives have a heavy, thick bolster near the handle extending to the
edge, a commercial grinder can modify or remove the lower portion of the bolster so it will
not interfere with the sharpening action, allowing you to sharpen the entire blade length.
10. The stropping/polishing disks in the Stage 3 are designed to last for years of use,however
you can maximize their useful life by periodically modifying your sharpening pattern in
Stage 2. The burr developed in Stage 2 will mildly wear the stropping/polishing disk it first
contacts in Stage 3. Vary your last pull in Stage 2 by sometimes making the last pull on the
left disk and at other times finish on the right disk of Stage 2.
11. Do not attempt to use this sharpener to sharpen either ceramic knives or scissors.
