How to Sharpen Gerber Knives

How to Sharpen Gerber Knives
Written By
Eva Talent
Eva Talent
Published: Nov 30, 2010
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read
    An old cotton rag is ideal for cleaning a Gerber knife blade prior to sharpening.
  1. Clean the Gerber knife blade with a damp cloth to remove any stuck-on residue, grease or dirt. Allow the blade to dry thoroughly before beginning to sharpen.

  2. Cooking oil can be used to help sharpen Gerber knives.
  3. Pour several drops of light oil on a knife sharpener. Oil enhances the ability of the sharpener to remove burrs from stainless steel.

  4. Hold the Gerber knife at a 20 degree angle to the knife sharpener. Ensure the tip of the knife is facing away from you and there is no one in front of the knife sharpener. Place the tip of the Gerber knife on the edge of the sharpener closest to you.

  5. Push the Gerber knife forward in one steady, smooth motion until the end of the blade has reached the end of the knife sharpener. Repeat this process 10 to 15 times. If your Gerber knife is extremely dull, you may need to repeat this process 20 times or more.

  6. Flip the knife to its other side and place it at a 20 degree angle from the knife sharpener. Push the Gerber knife forward in the same manner as outlined in Step 4. Continue the process until you have completed the same number of repetitions on each side.

  7. Wipe the Gerber knife blade with the cotton cloth to remove excess oil. Test the knife's sharpness by cutting through a piece of cardboard. If you are unsatisfied with the blade's sharpness, repeat Steps 3, 4 and 5 and test again.

Check out this related video from Homesteady on Youtube.

Tips

Always ensure the tip of the Gerber knife is pointed in a safe direction while sharpening. Make sure people and pets are a safe distance from the sharpener during use.

Warnings

If sharpening a Gerber knife with a stone, never hold the stone in your hand.

Photo Credits

Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images

rag image by Henryk Olszewski from Fotolia.com

bottle of oil image by Adrian Hillman from Fotolia.com

Eva Talent

A professional writer since 1994, Eva Talent was trained as a journalist by the U.S. Army. She received two Army Commendation Medals and an Army Achievement Medal for journalistic excellence. Her press releases are frequently featured on…

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