How to Sharpen a Pocket Knife

Pocket knife, as the name suggests is a folding knife that fits into a pocket. The blade of this knife fits into its handle. A pocket knife is generally used to slice fruits, carve wood or to open an envelope or a card. A pocket knife is about 4-5 inches in length. The history of pocket knives dates back to the early iron age, therefore it can be said that pocket knives have been serving mankind since the earliest ages of civilization. Handles of pocket knives in the primitive days were made up of bones. Remains of such a pocket knife were found in a village called Hallstatt, located in Upper Austria. Then, pocket knives, unlike today, were carried in pockets that were tied to the clothes. Pocket knives are a legal tool in most of the countries. But the use of pocket knives is prohibited at some public places such as airports, rail terminals, schools, etc. Read on how to sharpen a pocket knife.

Procedure to Sharpen a Pocket Knife
To sharpen your pocket knife, you require a ceramic stone. Sharpening a pocket knife is a short and simple procedure.

• The first step in this procedure is to hold the sharpening ceramic stone firmly in your hand or keep it on the ground.
• Now place the blade of your pocket knife on a flat and smooth corner of the stone. Place your pocket knife approximately at an angle of about 10-12 degrees off the stone.
• Once again, pull the knife back and continue this process for about 3-4 times in order to properly sharpen the knife. Turn the knife to sharpen the other side. This will ensure that the knife is sharpened evenly from both the sides.
• You can sharpen the cutting edge of the knife with the help of a sharpening steel. For this, hold the blade of the knife away from your body and now gently rub the cutting edge of the pocket knife against the steel from bottom to the tip of the knife. Follow the same procedure for both the sides for about 5-6 times.
• The debris formed can be removed with the help of a soft cloth.

Knife Sharpening Tips
Sharpening a knife may seem to be a very simple procedure, but care should be taken while sharpening the knife. Here are some knife sharpening tips, meant for the durability of your knife and your safety.

• If you use the pocket knife frequently, it is necessary to sharpen the pocket knife on a weekly basis
• It is suggested to use pocket knives with a thick blade as a thin bladed knife might not last for a long time.
• For sharpening purposes, ceramic stones are considered to be the best option as they do not involve the use of lubricants. The other benefit is that they are specially designed for sharpening purpose.
• Scratches found on the blade should be repaired with the assistance of a professional.
• There are many knife sharpening techniques such as electrical sharpening, whetstone sharpening and steel sharpening, but it is better to use the knife sharpening method that you used for sharpening it, the first time. Keeping a consistent method every time would help to maintain the blade's sharpness and its angle.
• The pocket knife, if kept in a leather bag or a pouch when not in use, will not require frequent sharpening.

Knife Sharpening Machines
Other than steel and stone, there are different knife sharpening machines such as grinding machines which are meant for sharpening knives. There are even knife sharpening wheels that serve the purpose.

Pocket knives are good handy tools. So keep one close at hand, preferably a sharpened one!