Sharpening Serrated Edges

[l r harner]

DMT makes a tapered rod that folds into butterfly type handles that i use on my pocket knives that have "teeth" but i dont know what grits they come in and im not sure how well they work on kitchen knives

 

[zitangy]

DMT makes a tapered rod that folds into butterfly type handles that i use on my pocket knives that have "teeth" but i dont know what grits they come in and im not sure how well they work on kitchen knives

+1. That rod is tapered and thus wld be useful for quite a few diff sizes of serrated edges.

http://www.dmtsharp.com/sharpeners/folding-models/diafold-serrated/

IF it is a sharp V serration, I think a jewelers file wld be handy

Hv fun

D

 

[stopbarking]

The soft wood trick really takes out the burr and leaves an edge? I understand the principle but this goes against everything I have ever learned...haha. Would a felt deburring block work just as well or should I do the wood a few passes first? Would a flat pass on a 500 stone remove it or would it just flip it back over? I use my Tojiro so much the rounded tips are folded over. It's time I do something about my knife but I'm a little scared.

 

[mkmk]

My system is even more low tech: a piece of 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper wrapped around a sharpie, followed by a flat pass over a strop to deburr. For finer serrations, a Bic stic or a round pencil might be better. Lots of small round sticks in my desk drawer.

;- )

 

[sharp knfing]

Edge leading or trailing?

Douglas

 

[zitangy]

Edge leading or trailing?

Douglas

Hmnn.. I prefer to let the Knife be stationary adn move the file/ rod. I wld either secure it on a vice or place it flat on a glass top.

I always prefer to cut the burr/ fold as opposed to unfolding it.

Rgds
d

 

[sharp knfing]

I'm with you on that.
Was wondering if it's better to draw the dowel/sandpaper into or away from the edge.

Douglas

 

[Dave Martell]

I'm with you on that.
Was wondering if it's better to draw the dowel/sandpaper into or away from the edge.

Douglas

I doubt that it matters from the perspective of edge quality but it's a lot easier to go away from the edge since you can use the serration gully as an angle guide. I actually go back and forth in both directions so...

 

[GConcept999]

Anyone use a Mac/Fiskars Rollsharp on serrated edge? Endorsed by Mac to be used on their brands of serrated edges, 15 degrees both sides, takes about 5 seconds to sharpen. Cost $9.95 on Amazon.

And anyone here use the method shown by Ken Schwartz on a stone: http://youtu.be/wNOSpViFl0?t=17m

Does anyone know if these methods work on pointy tipped serrated bread knives rather than the wavy scalloped ones? I don't have a bread knife, but am looking into getting one for the occasional bread cutting, thinking of a Forschner bread knife. May look into a Mac or Tojiro bread knife in the future if I can save enough and justify with a lot of bread cutting.

 

[Vangelis]

Instead of an emeny cloth, can we use wet/dry sand paper ???

 

[Dave Martell]

Instead of an emeny cloth, can we use wet/dry sand paper ???

Yes

 

[Tack]

Hello, I'm new so don't yell at me.
What about using one of those 3M foam sanding blocks? Seems it would conform to the shape of the serrations.

 

[Dave Martell]

Hello, I'm new so don't yell at me.
What about using one of those 3M foam sanding blocks? Seems it would conform to the shape of the serrations.

You never know until you try and I haven't so I wouldn't rule it out.

 

[zitangy]

Hello, I'm new so don't yell at me.
What about using one of those 3M foam sanding blocks? Seems it would conform to the shape of the serrations.

If i remember correctly, those blocks are right angled and will break off quite easily.You are right.. as long as it is will abrade and conform to the shape and size of the serrations that wld achieve the objective. Too big and it may round and reduce the height ridges and also round them off ( high points between the hollows). I believe that it should be pointy

good luck
D

 

[cookinstuff]

I have the 3m sanding block and I can't imagine it helping you sharpen your breadknife, it's funny I just got myself a gude and have been thinking about it myself, so I am about to order the dmt diafold serrated knife sharpeners, they look like exactly what you would need for a knife with a traditional serration instead of the scallop. The coarse is something around 350 or 330 grit, the fine is 600, the extra fine is 1200, could probably get away with just having the fine one.

 

[Tack]

If i remember correctly, those blocks are right angled and will break off quite easily.You are right.. as long as it is will abrade and conform to the shape and size of the serrations that wld achieve the objective. Too big and it may round and reduce the height ridges and also round them off ( high points between the hollows). I believe that it should be pointy

good luck
D

I'm not talking about using the edge, just drawing the knife across the flat.

 

[Dave Martell]

I'm not talking about using the edge, just drawing the knife across the flat.

I thought you were referring to something round to use on each serration. I'd say that a flat spongy block problem won;t do much if anything positive here.

 

[Dave Martell]

I have the 3m sanding block and I can't imagine it helping you sharpen your breadknife, it's funny I just got myself a gude and have been thinking about it myself, so I am about to order the dmt diafold serrated knife sharpeners, they look like exactly what you would need for a knife with a traditional serration instead of the scallop. The coarse is something around 350 or 330 grit, the fine is 600, the extra fine is 1200, could probably get away with just having the fine one.

The Diafold thingies are not wide enough in diameter for anything but the tiny serrations found on folders and even then they don't work well because they're tapered which means a constantly changing diameter being used. I have them and do use them for some really small serration patterns but no they won't work at all for standard bread knives.

 

[rodneyat]

How do you deal with reverse serration/scalloped knives like the Mac bread knife and such?

 

[Dave Martell]

How do you deal with reverse serration/scalloped knives like the Mac bread knife and such?

I use the (bottom) corner/edge of a coarse stone for the bevel grinding.

 

[xantiema]

Just what I was looking for. surprised no sharpening stones were involved

 

[Theodore]

Thank you Dave Martell,appreciate.

 

[PotterMcMuck]

Has anyone used a slip stone to sharpen serrated knives?

 

[ian]

Has anyone used a slip stone to sharpen serrated knives?

I’ve used EDM stones that I shaped to be convex. It’s pretty fast, but it takes a bit of finnicking to shape them appropriately. I’ve never gotten the finish to really look like the factory finish afterwards, though. But if the knife is sharp, that’s what matters, right? (I hope my customers agree....)

 

[PotterMcMuck]

I have an old Norton Hark Arkansas slip stone that I'll use on my bread knife. I think it may be too fine, but I think it's worth a try. I doubt it would damage the knife. If it's too fine to sharpen the knife effectively, I'll just spend $10 on dowels and emery cloth.

 

[PotterMcMuck]

For anyone who might be interested, the Hard Arkansas slip stone worked to sharpen my bread knife, but it wasn't ideal. As suspected, it was too fine. Using a sharpening rod worked much better. However, I think I will make a trip to the hardware store this week to pick up some dowels and emery cloth....

 

[DrEriksson]

I made a similar post on reddit, but I did the quick and dirty version. Really nice instructions from the OP.

 

[ian]

Thought I’d chime in here again, as I think I just reached a point where my sharpening of serrated blades is effective. Using the dowel and sandpaper method, I clamp the knife in a vise and put some books or something under it for support.

Then I fit the dowel flat onto the serration, finding the center of the serration and making sure I’m really hitting that perfect ground in angle, whatever it is. Then I do a long edge trailing stroke under high pressure, holding the dowel and paper with both hands. Repeat a few times per serration, as above. This is the only way I’ve been able to actually restore the points. I used to scrub back and forth, but the sandpaper would always get pierced on the edge leading stroke, and I’d always end up with rounded points. Long strokes, high pressure ensures that you are not wobbling as you go.

Anyway, this is just my opinion. I’ve learned a lot from everyone above too.

 

[dafox]

Thought I’d chime in here again, as I think I just reached a point where my sharpening of serrated blades is effective. Using the dowel and sandpaper method, I clamp the knife in a vise and put some books or something under it for support.

View attachment 109286
Then I fit the dowel flat onto the serration, finding the center of the serration and making sure I’m really hitting that perfect ground in angle, whatever it is. Then I do a long edge trailing stroke under high pressure, holding the dowel and paper with both hands. Repeat a few times per serration, as above. This is the only way I’ve been able to actually restore the points. I used to scrub back and forth, but the sandpaper would always get pierced on the edge leading stroke, and I’d always end up with rounded points. Long strokes, high pressure ensures that you are not wobbling as you go.

Anyway, this is just my opinion. I’ve learned a lot from everyone above too.

Do you do anything to the back of the knife to remove the burr?

 

[ian]

Do you do anything to the back of the knife to remove the burr?

Yea, flat on a stone or sandpaper. I usually drag it through a cork once or twice too, but I’m not sure that hits the bottom of the serrations. Maybe I should try back of a blue sponge.