What is a knife grinder?
In the old days, vagabonds would travel to people’s homes and offer to sharpen their knives and scissors, and in doing so, they could earn a little money.
They were first called a knife sharpener and later on a knife grinder.
They either had a cart with a hand-driven grindstone or, later on, a bicycle with a grindstone attached to its pedals. When they set the bicycle on its stand, they could sharpen their customers’ knives and scissors.
The craft, like many other old trades, has fallen into obscurity, and one might think it was because Danes had acquired better and sharper knives. Although knives can be bought cheaply and small sharpening machines are also inexpensive, you actually don’t see that Danes have sharper knives than before.
At the same time, a sharp knife is better to have in the kitchen as it behaves more predictably.
A dull knife is unpredictable, which increases the risk of accidents and cuts. A cut from a well-maintained and sharp knife heals more easily and is cleaner than those from dull ones.
How do you sharpen with a wet grinder?
We are by no means experts on the subject, but it’s good to be able to ally with experts.
We spoke with Skærsliberen.dk, who brought one of their best knife grinders to us and showed us how he works.
To sharpen a knife with a wet grinder, he uses the following equipment:
- A holder that ensures his knife has the correct angle.
- A wet grinder machine
- Leather strop
- Polishing cloths
Watch the entire video of how he works below: