Blog / 27.05.2026
The First Sharpening Process
Three Tips for Giving Your Blades a Premium Sharpness with the HORL® Sharpeners
The most important step in achieving reproducible sharpness with your HORL Sharpener is the first sharpening process for your knife. The three tips that follow will help you understand why patience and the correct angle are your friends, how you can recognize and remove excess material, and the roles that the quality of the steel and the prior use and care of your knives play.
TIP 1: Be Patient and Choose the Correct Angle
While using your HORL Sharpeners for the first time, your knife will learn its angle. The first sharpening is important to achieve an exceptional edge and infinite reproducibility.
How long does it take to sharpen a knife for the first time?
The time needed for the first sharpening cannot be predicted precisely, as it depends on several factors, such as the quality of your knife’s steel and the previous use of your knives.
On average, this process lasts around five minutes, but according to the type and condition of the knife, it may take more or less time. After the first grinding session, only a few movements will be necessary to restore the sharpness of your favourite blades in the future.
Choosing the right angle: 15° vs. 20°
The 15° Angle: However, some knives will achieve an even finer edge at 15°, which depends on the condition of the blade and the quality of the steel.
If you sharpen stable knives with the 15° angle, the material removed and the time required can be very high. The illustration shows the material removed when a knife previously sharpened with 20° is resharpened to 15°.
How to check the progress: The marker pen method
The marker pen method presented in the video will help you determine whether a 15° angle is suitable for your knife. Additionally, you can visualise the progress of the sharpening process with this method.
TIP 2: How to Recognize and Eliminate Excess Material
Even after uniform grinding, an almost invisible burr can prevent you from achieving the desired sharpness (see illustration). You can tell if a burr has formed either visually or by a scratchy feeling when wiping the knife with a cloth or leather. You can remove the burr with a few gentle grinding passes. Make sure that the blade is thoroughly stropped to obtain an impressive sharpness.
How to strop a knife
Why is stropping necessary?
These microscope images show why the final sharpening step is necessary. After grinding, tiny metal residues (the burr) remain on the edge, making the knife feel scratchy and preventing sharpness. Only after the final stropping is the edge completely smooth, which is the requirement for a sharp knife.
Knife without any burr residues after a final stropping = sharp
TIP 3: Consider the Quality of Your Steel and the History of Your Knife
The quality of the steel, as well as the previous usage and care of your knife, can have an impact on its final sharpness. In general, the higher the quality of your steel, the more impressive your sharpening result will be.
How you use your favourite knife contributes to its longevity and can be a determinant for its sharpness. To always achieve professional sharpening results, give your knife the treatment it deserves by avoiding the following:
Mechanical sharpening systems
Mechanical or electrical sharpening systems quickly generate high temperatures on the blade. Very high temperatures can permanently damage the blade’s steel, so that the knife can no longer be sharpened
Dishwasher
The salt and heat of the dishwasher have negative effects on the steel structure of the knife. A damaged steel structure can not be repaired and has a negative effect during the sharpening process, resulting in a dull blade that can no longer be sharpened.
Do You Need Further Assistance?
If you still have questions, you can contact us via our contact form. To help us reply as quickly as possible, please fill in your details and describe your request in the message field. Our team is here to help you get the best out of your knives!
