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You may be a fishmonger, go fishing often, or a cook that often enjoys preparing fish dishes. Therefore, the one knife you would use often would be the fillet knife because, face it, it is an essential tool. The one problem you often face with your fillet knife is that it comes dull after using it so often. Therefore, you are in a position where you need to sharpen the blade so it works efficiently. You want to work with a safe and efficient knife, and the only way to ensure that remains the case is if you sharpen it. How do you sharpen a fillet knife? That depends on your situation and your location.
If you are a fisherman or someone who likes to go fishing, you would have to keep a sharpening steel tool to sharpen the blade if you are out at sea. However, if you are a cook that enjoys preparing fish dishes often, this article would be the most relevant to you. That is why I will tell you how to sharpen your fillet knife in various ways. The great thing is that you have options that involve either the electric sharpener, sharpening stone, Accusharp tool, and sharpening rod. Let’s go over the electric sharpener first.
How To Use The Electric Sharpener To Sharpen A Fillet Knife
The easiest method to sharpening a fillet knife is by using an electric sharpener. Electric sharpeners have two stages more often than not which one is for the actual sharpening, and the other is to hone the blade cautiously. It does not matter which model of the sharpener you purchase because they all work the same way.
The way it works is that you pull the edge of the knife through the sharpening area, which is the thin area on top of the electric sharpener. You will need to do this often to the point of it reaching the desired sharpness. Then you move to the honing stage to keep the edge on the knife before it is dull again. You will even want to begin using the honing set after using your fillet knife for a long time. Most home cooks and professional cooks use an electric sharpener. However, there are other ways to sharpen your fillet knife, and that is through using a sharpening stone.
How To Use The Sharpening Stone To Sharpen A Fillet Knife
You may prefer to use a sharpening stone over an electric sharpener because the stone allows you to have more control of the knife as you sharpen it. Sharpening your knife through a stone is the oldest way to do so. However, it works well – especially if you want to be the one to maintain the control you have while going through the motion.
The two stones you can use to sharpen your fillet knife are either the whetstone or the diamond stone. However, here is the truth: you must know how to sharpen a knife before utilizing this method. If you are new at sharpening knives, you are better off starting with the electric option. If you don’t want to use that, you can practice using a stone to sharpen inexpensive knives. There is a learning curve associated with using the stone, and that is why novices should use cheap knives for practicing. If you misuse the stone, you will end up ruining the blade.
In addition to that, fillet knives are extraordinarily sharp and thin, which means when you sharpen them with a stone, they will become razor-sharp. It would be best to use extra care not to injure yourself while sharpening the knife or breaking the blade.
Therefore, once you decide to use the stone to sharpen your fillet knife, you must position the blade to the best angle. Slide the edge of the knife over the stone the same way you would slice butter. The back of the knife would be above the stone slightly so you can slide the blade easily to create a razor-sharp edge. You will need to flip sides until you reach the desired sharpness.
If you are short on time and want to sharpen your knife quickly, there is a way to do it, and you will need to use the Accusharp tool.
How To Use The Accusharp Tool
If you are in a rush or are at the pond catching fish, then the stone or the electric device is not practical. That is where the Accusharp tool comes in. It is very straightforward to sharpen your knife by using this tool. All you need to do is slide the blade on a flat surface where the edge faces up. Put the V-shaped part of the tool on the knife and slide it on top of the edge. Rinse and repeat until you reach your desired sharpness of the blade.
You can also use a sharpening rod if you don’t want to use the Accusharp tool, which is the last method to sharpen a fillet knife.
How To Use The Sharpening Rod
You can use a steel rod to sharpen your fillet knife, and you will position it the same way as you would if you were to use the stone. Ensure that you keep the knife away from you as you sharpen it because you will injure yourself unless you have a lot of experience with using the rod. Therefore, put the blade over the rod and slide it away from you until you reach the desired sharpness.
A rod is an excellent tool if you want to touch up the edge after using the fillet knife a few times. That is a practical approach to making your sharpening time short and straightforward, even if it is more frequent this way.
Conclusion
You have a fillet knife or a few of them whether you go fishing often or a home cook or a professional cook. You know that you must sharpen every knife you have, and you must sharpen the fillet knife frequently, so it remains functional. There are four ways to sharpen the blade: the electric sharpener, the stone, the Accusharp tool, or the metal rod. What is the best method to use? That depends on your preference and lifestyle. If you have the time and are at a home kitchen or a professional kitchen, you will want the stone or the electric options. If you are in a hurry or are out at the pond fishing, then the rod or the Accusharp are the best choices. Either way, to prevent the fillet knife from becoming dull, you must sharpen them regularly.