Edgecraft Chef's Choice 320 - Manual (Page 4)

4
UNDERSTANDING ThE MODEl 320
DIAMOND hONE ® ShARPENER
The unique Chef’sChoice ® Diamond Hone ® Sharpener is designed to sharpen knives with either
straight or serrated edges. This two (2) stage sharpener has a precision conical sharpening / honing
stage with fine 100% diamond abrasives and a unique polishing/stropping stage using proprietary
flexible abrasive disks. This combination can be used to create either an astonishingly sharp, smooth
faceted edge for effortless cutting and presentations or one with a selected amount of residual “bite”
along the facets.
The sharpening and honing actions are controlled by using precisely angled guides for the blade and
precisely matched conically surfaced abrasive disks. The sharpening angle is slightly larger in Stage
2 than in Stage 1.
Fine diamond-coated conical disks in Stage 1 create microgrooves along the facets on each side of
the edge establishing the first angled bevel of the edge.
In Stage 2 ultrafine abrasive disks polish and strop the facets immediately adjacent to the edge
creating a microbevel and establish a microscopically thin straight and super polished edge of
astonishing sharpness. The stropping action simultaneously polishes and sharpens the boundaries
of those microgrooves created by the diamond abrasives in Stage 1 adjacent to the edge until they
become sharp micro flutes that will assist the cutting action with “difficult to cut” materials.
This unique two stage design gives you an edge of remarkable sharpness and because of the second
angle bevel it creates, you will note knives stay sharp longer than those sharpened by conventional
means.
The following sections describe the general procedures for optimal sharpening. One of the important
advantages of using the Model 320 is that you can strop and polish your knives to razor sharp edges
as often as needed and yet experience little knife wear compared to older sharpening methods.
Resharpening can commonly be done by using just the stropping action of Stage 2. (See Resharpen-
ing Section).
The Chef’sChoice
® Model 320 Sharpener is equipped with manually activated diamond dressing
pads that can be used if necessary to clean any accumulated food or sharpening debris off the
surface of the polishing/stropping disks. We strongly urge you to clean knives before sharpening
them. You will find you can go months or over a year before you need to dress these disks. Only if you
sense a distinct decrease in polishing efficiency will there by any need to use this convenient feature
described further in a subsequent section.
Each sharpening Stage is equipped with elastomeric guide springs positioned over the sharpening
disks to provide a spring action that holds the face of your knife securely against the precision guides
in the right and left slots of each stage during sharpening.
Figure 2. Typical kitchen knife.
Heel
Bolster
Handle
Edge
Tip
Figure 1. Model 320 Diamond Hone ® Sharpener.
Stage 1
Stage 2
Spring