Muscat for sharpening knives: how to choose and use?

A good kitchen knife is the key to beautifully cut dishes and a happy cook. It is customary to consider that the device that performs its main function is cutting, not breaking, food. But after prolonged use, even professional models lose their sharpness. Then there is a need for musat.

Musat is a manual tool for straightening knives, which allows you to save a presentable appearance of the knife and extend its life. With its appearance, it resembles an ordinary semicircular file. Depending on the application, the waste is classified into the following types.

• Household - from 18 to 23 cm. Practice for sharpening ordinary kitchen knives.
• Universal - from 26 to 29 cm. Their cost is higher than the previous version. Must be present in a complete set for expensive cutters. Suitable for hard blades.
• Professional - from 26 to 36 cm. Used to straighten knives that cut meat.

Musates are distinguished by material. For ceramic special spraying is characteristic. On one side there are notches that allow you to process the metal layer of the knife. On the other hand, the surface is smooth - for polishing and dressing. Such a tool is necessary for sharpening old appliances or products with a not very strong surface.

Diamond with a tool, you can sharpen a knife in several movements, polish the surface and carry out dressing. For its manufacture in industry, special chrome steel is used, which is characterized by high strength.The outer part is covered with diamond particles. After processing, the knife remains sharp for a long time.

Metal appliance made of chrome vanadium steel. It is characterized by high hardness and various work surfaces.

Musat is also distinguished in form, which is necessary to choose, focusing on the main goal. If you need the most lightweight tool, then it is rational to opt for round model. To create maximum tight contact with the surface - on oval.

To select a quality tool, the following rules must be observed.

• Choose a model in which you can see your own reflection. Professional chefs are guided by this indicator.
• The magnet on the tip of the garbage increases the level of comfort of its operation. After all, this way you can effortlessly remove dust from a knife.
• To protect your fingers from possible damage, choose models where there is a guard between the handle and the shaft.
• Of materials, pay special attention to ceramics, since such a tool is characterized by durability and excellent grinding properties without harm to the knife steel.

• Observe storage rules for the instrument. If, for example, a diamond tool is stored together with knives and other hard objects, then it will quickly become dull.

Before choosing musat, carefully check the quality of the product and its rating in relation to other models. A coating does not spill out of a good diamond tool. Ceramic models have no visible mechanical damage. The density of the steel model is uniform, without roughness. And only with these indicators, is it possible to buy the best musat from the market.

Due to the active use, the blades quickly become dull, and the cook can work only with a very sharp knife. At home, there is also a need to increase the sharpness of the knife. At least the one that is most often used. Buying new models is unprofitable from an economic point of view, and it is unreasonable when there is musat. But for many, it lies idle, because at first glance it is not entirely clear how to use it. Practice several methods for editing knives.

In midair - sharpening technique, which involves the use of musat on weight. Thanks to this technique, the knife is sharpened easily and quickly.

First you need to put the knife at a slight angle, up to a maximum of twenty degrees, relative to the working surface. Then sharpen with fast movements, but without too much fuss. The turmoil will not accelerate the process, but it is quite possible to get hurt.

1. Take the knife in the hand that you are used to working with and put the blade on the bottom of the garbage. The cutting surface should be located “away from you”.
2. Slide the blade through the muscat without moving the tool from the set position.
3. Do not use too much force when working. Better to do a couple of easy approaches than one, but with a lot of effort.
4. After several such actions, turn the knife over and perform the same actions on the other side.

To sharpen the knife, it is enough to walk the tool about five times. But this is effective for knives sharpened regularly. If the accessory is already very dull, then the number of approaches needs to be doubled.

There is a more simplified option - Calmly. By this technique, even a beginner can sharpen a knife. The method involves sharpening using a support - boards or countertops.Thus, it is much easier to determine and hold the correct angle. The operation algorithm is similar to the previous method, but still has some differences.

1. The item should be placed on the table in an upright position, and then placed at an angle of 20 to 25 degrees.
2. Slide the knife across the muse perpendicularly.
3. Move the tool exclusively up and down. Take the tool off the surface to raise it up.

The above device can be useful not only for sharpening the kitchen appliance, but also in order to straighten the blade. To do this, use some recommendations.

1. Musat is installed, as in the case with sharpening, the surface should be non-slip, you can put a towel under the tool.
2. Then it is necessary to tilt the device to the same degree as in the previous case.
3. The tip of the kitchen appliance should be attached on the right - where the rod starts, and drawn from the end to the base. Such an action must be performed until the blade of the device acquires the necessary shape.

After you have sharpened, you need to check the sharpness of the knife with the following options.

• Paper test. Take a sheet of paper and try to cut a strip from the sheet. With a sharp knife, this action is easy to perform. A dull blade slips or simply tears the paper in uneven and sloppy pieces. For experiment, use absolutely any sheet. But it’s better to take a magazine, because it is thinner than the rest of the species. To cut it, you need a very high quality sharpening.
• Tomatoes. Every housewife knows that it is impossible to cut tomatoes nicely with a blunt knife, because instead of neat slices you get gruel. Try not to press on the vegetable, but simply cut a small slice from the end. If the blade easily makes beautiful slices, then it is sharp. With poor sharpening, the knife will simply slip off the surface of the vegetable. And you won’t be able to cut it without making an effort.
• Hair on hand. For the experiment, you need hair on your own hand. Swipe the blade against hair growth. Be careful not to get hurt. If the blade is really sharp, the hair is easily cut off. And if stupid, then the hair will just bend.
• Thumb. To use this verification method, you must have certain skills. Swipe gently across the thumb, without touching the edge itself, so as not to cut yourself. A sharp blade is characterized by a clear edge, and a dull blade is oval.

Experts recommend using musat only for preventative editing. If you carry out these actions regularly, then the knives will last a long time.

Do not forget about the proper storage of musat. After he has completed his functions, it must be stored in limbo. Just hang it on a hook or put it on a special stand. Wash the tool with any product using a washcloth or soft sponge. These actions are important to extend the life of the device.

In the next video, you will learn how to edit a knife on ceramic musat.