How do I use a sharpening steel?

The sharpening steel... does not sharpen!

Yes, you've been fooled all your life by its name! The sharpening rifle sharpens, but it doesn't sharpen. So what's the difference between sharpening and sharpening? Sharpening is the process of removing material from the blade to recreate an edge. Sharpening involves straightening the edge, but no material is removed. In conclusion, it is advisable to use the sharpening gun on a daily basis to maintain the edge of your knife (it will straighten the edge), but you will need to resort to another, more abrasive sharpening method (such as a whetstone) if the blade is dull, in other words if the edge is dead and the gun is no longer of any use.

How do I use a whetstone?

Step 1: Grasp the rifle with your left hand if you're right-handed, right if you're left-handed, and the knife with the other hand. The gun's wick should be at least as long as the knife's blade.

Step 2: Place the base of the blade (the part of the cutting edge closest to the bolster) on the rifle, as close as possible to the hilt. The angle should be about 20° to 30°.

Step 3: Slide the blade onto the rifle bit without forcing it. There's no point in slapping the gun hard. Simply slide the blade at a constant angle of about 20°, as if you were cutting a thin slice of rifle.

Step 4: Do the same to sharpen the other side of the cutting edge, this time passing the blade under the rifle bit.

Step 5: Repeat this gesture about 6 to 8 times, alternately: once on the bit, once under the gun bit, so as to sharpen the 2 sides of the blade symmetrically.

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