Chef s Choice E1520 AngleSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener Instruction Manual

Chef s Choice E1520 AngleSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener Instruction Manual

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USE.

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

When using electrical appliances, basic safety precautions should always be followed including the following:

1. Read all instructions. Every user should read this manual.

2. To protect against electrical hazards, do not immerse the Model E1520 in water or other liquid.

3. Make sure that only clean knife blades are inserted in Model E1520.

4. Disconnect the appliance from its power source when not in use, before cleaning, during service and when replacing parts.

5. Avoid contacting moving parts.

6. Do not operate any appliance with a damaged cord or plug or after the appliance malfunctions, or is dropped or damaged in any manner. U.S. customers: You can return your sharpener to The Legacy Company’s factory for service where the cost of repair or electrical or mechanical adjustment can be estimated. When the electrical cord on this appliance is damaged, it must be replaced by the EdgeCraft® distributor or other qualified service to avoid the danger of electrical shock. Outside U.S.: Please return your sharpener to your local distributor where the cost of repair or electrical or mechanical adjustment can be estimated. If the supply cord of this appliance is damaged, it must be replaced by a repair facility appointed by the manufacturer because special tools are required. Please consult your EdgeCraft® distributor.

7. CAUTION! This appliance may be fitted with a polarized power plug (one blade is wider than the other). To reduce the risk of electric shock, this plug will fit in a polarized outlet only one way.
   If the plug does not fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician. Do not modify the plug in anyway.

8. The use of attachments not recommended or sold by The Legacy Companies may cause fire, electric shock or injury.

9. The EdgeCraft® Model E1520 is designed to sharpen American,  European, and Asian style knives. Do not attempt to sharpenscissors, ax blades or any blade that does not fit freely in the slots

10. Do not let the cord hang over edge of table or counter or touch hot surfaces.

11. When in the “ON” position (Red flash on switch is exposed when “ON”), the EdgeCraft® sharpener should always be on a stable countertop or table.

12. WARNING: KNIVES PROPERLY SHARPENED ON YOUR Model E1520 WILL BE SHARPER THAN YOU EXPECT. TO AVOID INJURY, USE AND HANDLE THEM WITH EXTREME CARE. DO NOT CUT TOWARD ANY PART OF YOUR FINGERS, HAND OR BODY. DO NOT RUN FINGER ALONG EDGE. STORE IN A SAFE MANNER.

13. Do not use outdoors.

14. Appliance is not intended to be used or cleaned by children or persons with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities or lack of experience and knowledge of the hazards involved.

15. Do not use honing oils, water or any other lubricant with the Model E1520.

16. For household use only

17. This appliance is intended to be used in household and similar applications such as: – staff kitchen areas in shops, offices, and other working environments; – farm houses; – by clients in hotels, motels, and other residential type environments; – bed and breakfast type environments..

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE MODEL E1520 SHARPENER

The Model E1520 (Figure 1) is a unique three stage sharpener with Stage 1 designed exclusively to sharpen Asian style (15º faceted) knives. Stage 2 is designed primarily to sharpen conventional American and European knives. Stage 3 contains the proprietary EdgeCraft® ultrafine abrasive stropping disks designed for both Asian and Euro/American blades to create a microscopic bevel along the edge and to polish it to astonishing sharpness.

Asian knives (15 degrees) are sharpened first with fine diamond abrasives in Stage 1, and then stropped and polished in Stage 3. Optionally for a stronger edge on Asian style blades two pair of pulls can be added in Stage 2 to form a small second bevel, before proceeding to Stage 3 which creates the third microscopic bevel and polishes the resulting edge with micron size abrasive.

American and European knives (20 degrees) are sharpened first with fine diamond abrasives in Stage 2, followed by stropping and polishing with micro abrasives in Stage 3. Knives of the 20º design are not sharpened in Stage 1 unless as described later you wish to convert this 20º edge facet to the smaller Asian angle of 15º.

Special procedures for sharpening serrated blades are included beginning.

All traditional-single sided Asian knives such as sashimi knives require special care and must be sharpened primarily on one side of the edge as explained in later sections.

The Model E1520 is equipped with a manually actuated diamond cleaning system that can be used, when necessary, to clean any accumulated food or sharpening debris from the surface of the ultrafine abrasive Stage 3 polishing/stropping disks. We strongly urge that you always thoroughly clean your knives before sharpening them.  Unless you are a heavy user of the sharpener, you will be able to sharpen for months or even a year or more before you need to clean the stropping/polishing disks. Only if you sense a distinct decrease in polishing efficiency in Stage 3 is there any need to use this convenient feature described.

Figure 1. EdgeCraft® Sharpener Model E1520 designed to sharpen both Asian and the Euro-American style knives.

Because of their thickness and heavy duty blade design we do not recommend the Model E1520 for the much older thick European cleavers. These can be readily sharpened in Models 120, 2000 and 2100. However, the Model E1520 is ideal for sharpening Asian cleavers.

Never operate the sharpener from the back side. Use just enough downward pressure when sharpening to ensure uniform and consistent contact of the blade edge with the abrasive disks on each stroke. (See Suggestions, page 14.) Additional pressure is unnecessary and will not speed the sharpening process. Avoid excessive cutting into the plastic enclosure. Accidental cutting into the enclosure however will not functionally impact operations of the sharpener or damage the edge.

Try a practice pull through the sharpener with the power “OFF”. Slip the knife blade smoothly into the left slot between the left angle guide of Stage 1 or Stage 2 and the plastic knife holding spring. Do not twist the knife. Move the blade down in the slot until you feel it contact the diamond disk. Pull it towards you lifting the handle slightly as you approach the tip. This practice pull will give you a feel for the spring tension. Remove the knife and read the following instructions specific to the type of knife you will be sharpening.

DESCRIPTION OF EURO/AMERICAN AND ASIAN BLADES

Over the years, the European and American blades have been designed to prepare foods common to their own culture and heritage – namely for heavier foods including a wide variety of meats and more fibrous vegetables. As a result these knives are generally heavier, thicker, and sharpened with sturdy 20 degree facets (40 degree total angle) (See Figure 3b). By contrast the Asian foods have been lighter, designed primarily for seafood, and less fibrous vegetables. Consequently many of the Asian knives are thinner and sharpened with the more delicate 15 degree facets (See Figure 3a). Some Asian blades are very specialized such as the traditional Japanese blades which are formed as single sided blades with a single 15 degree facet. Sharpened correctly they are exceedingly sharp.

In recent years, as cultures and foods of the eastern and the western countries have become more ubiquitous and available on a global scale, the knives commonly associated with those foods also have  become widely available. Many European and American brands are selling Santoku blades and certain traditional European styles are now sold under Asian brands.

Figure 2. A typical kitchen knife.

Figure 3. Typical edge, illustrating the primary facet.

The Model E1520 is designed to sharpen virtually any of this growing variety of blades and to maintain the angles and edge designs of their tradition.

If one can identify the manufacturer of a knife or establish its country of origin it is relatively easy to classify the edge as Asian (15 degrees) or as American/European (20 degrees) and to sharpen accordingly. For example the Santoku knife is characteristically sharpened as an Asian blade (15 degrees) regardless of where the knife is manufactured. Otherwise if you are using a given knife for heavier cutting or chopping it probably is best sharpened as an American/European blade at 20 degrees. If you use a small or medium size knife only for light work such as paring, peeling, or light slicing you may prefer to sharpen it as an Asian knife at 15 degrees in order to take advantage of its increased sharpness.

The following descriptions may be helpful in identifying your knives or in explaining their edge structures.

EUROPEAN/AMERICAN BLADES (20 DEGREE FACETS)

European/American fine edge blades are universally double beveled and are sharpened on both sides of the blade. Most of the Euro/American knives, shown on the right, Figure 4 have a thick cross-section designed for heavier work. However, the associated conventional paring, fillet and utility blades, are smaller and have a relatively thin crosssection well suited to their intended application.

Figure 4. European/American blades are generally thicker.

CONTEMPORARY ASIAN KNIVES (15 DEGREE FACETS)

The most popular Asian blades; the thin, light weight Santoku and Nakiri for example are generally double faceted (sharpened on both faces of the blade) as shown in Figure 5. Occasionally Santoku knives are sold with single facets but these are not readily available in the United States.

There are other but somewhat heavier doublefaceted Asian knives, the Deba and Gyutou, popular in Asia, which are used for chopping hard vegetables, for tailing and filleting fish and for meats. These are basically Asian chefs knives designed for heavier duty work. While these heavier knives are commonly sold with 15 degree facets, you may wish to sharpen them with 20º angles. The Chinese cleaver is included in this class.

Figure 5. Double faceted contemporary Asian blades are usually thinner.

TRADITIONAL JAPANESE KNIVES (15 DEGREE FACETS)

The traditional Japanese knife is single beveled and has a large factory bevel A along the lower section of the front face of the blade. These are sold as either right handed or left handed versions as shown in Figure 6. The large wide factory bevel A is ground, commonly at about 10 degrees. The most popular example of this type blade is the sashimi knife also known as Yanagi and Takohiki, designed as shown in Figure 6. This lengthy, thin slicing blade is ideal for preparing very thin slices of raw tuna or salmon. The back side of this blade is commonly slightly hollow ground. A small single cutting edge facet of about 15º is created below the large factory bevel along the front side of this type blade as shown in Figures 6 and 7 in order to establish the geometry of the cutting edge. An even smaller cutting microfacet (barely visible to the unaided eye) is customarily created at the edge on the back side of the blade to enhance the sharpness of the finished edge. Figure 7 shows a greatly enlarged cross-section view of a typical traditional single- bevel Japanese knife edge as sharpened at the factory. The large factory bevel A serves to deflect the food slice away from the blade as it is cut. When sharpening the traditional Japanese blades, you should always follow these instructions carefully. Always sharpen this style knife at 15º (Asian style) unless it is a thicker specialized blade designed for heavy duty work. Always remember these knives will be extremely sharp.

Figure 6. Single beveled traditional Asian blades are thinner and sharpened primarily on one side.

Figure 7. Cross-section of a typical factory traditional Asian knife edge, magnified 50x (right-handed).

SHARPENING THE CONTEMPORARY ASIAN KNIFE OR OTHER DOUBLE-FACETED EDGE AT

15 DEGREES (30º TOTAL)

Virtually all Asian blades are factory sharpened at 15 degrees. The popular Santoku blade shown above is a typical contemporary Asian style, double faceted and each of its facets is sharpened on each side at 15 degrees to create a total edge angle of 30º.

HONING THE EDGE IN STAGE 1

Turn ON the power and pull the blade thru the left slot (Figure 8) of Stage 1, then thru the adjacent right slot. Repeat pairs of pulls in Stage 1 using the left and right slots on alternate pulls. Take about 4-5 seconds for each pull of a 5” long blade. Take longer for longer blades and slightly less if shorter. The first time you sharpen this type of knife it may take up to 10 pair of pulls (alternating left and right slots) to fully re angle the edge of a thin blade. Thicker blades will require more pulls. After 3 pairs of pulls check for a burr as described below and as necessary continue to make more pairs of pulls until you create a small burr along the entire length of the blade.

If you are sharpening a contemporary Asian blade (which probably has been sharpened previously at 15 degrees) you will find that only a few (2-4) pairs of alternating pulls (alternating left and right slots) will be needed to develop a burr. Do not over sharpen. When you have developed a burr along the full blade length proceed to Stage 3.

Figure 8. Sharpen contemporary Asian knives first in Stage 1.

DETECTING THE BURR

To confirm the presence of a burr (see Figure 9) move your forefinger carefully across the edge in the direction shown. Do not move your finger along the edge – to avoid cutting your finger. If the last pull was in the right slot, the burr will appear only on the right side of the blade as you normally hold it and vice versa. The burr, when present, feels like a rough and bent extension of the edge; the opposite side of the edge feels very smooth by comparison. If there is no burr continue sharpening in Stage 1, alternating left and right slots until a full burr develops. When a burr is present along the entire blade length proceed as below to Stage 3.

STROPPING/POLISHING THE CONTEMPORARY ASIAN EDGE IN STAGE 3

Pull the blade through the left slot (see Figure 10) and then through the right slot of Stage 3. Make 4 pairs of pulls, (each pull 4-5 seconds) alternating each pull in the left and right slots of Stage 3. You should then make about 4 to 5 pairs of alternating faster pulls in this Stage, about 1-2 seconds per pull for a 5 inch (12 cm) blade to put a final polish on the edge.

Check the blade for sharpness. For a sharper edge make a few more pairs of fast pulls and check for sharpness. Repeat this procedure as needed to create an exceedingly sharp edge.

RE-SHARPENING THE CONTEMPORARY ASIAN BLADES

Re-sharpen following the Stropping/Polishing procedure in Stage 3 as described above. Depending on its use, you should be able to re-sharpen to a razor sharp edge 3 or more times using only Stage 3 before finding it necessary to again hone in Stage 1. Hone in Stage 1 only when you find it is taking too long or too many pulls in Stage 3 to bring the edge to razor sharpness. In that event, follow the entire honing and stropping/polishing sequence in Stages 1 and 3 as described above.

Note: To recreate the special stronger Trizor® edge (discussed in the following section) on the Asian style blades as you re-sharpen make two pair of pulls (3 second pulls) in Stage 2 after the burr has been developed in Stage 1. Finish re-sharpening in Stage 3 as described in this section.

DEVELOPING THE TRIZOR® TRIPLE BEVEL EDGE FOR CONTEMPORARY ASIAN AND 15 DEGREE KNIVES

The thin 15 degree edge (30 degree total) noted for its sharpness is generally considered slightly less durable than the 20 degree (40 degree total) faceted edge. The unique EdgeCraft Model E1520 is designed, at your option to create in Stage 2 a small intermediate bevel along the edge of the 15 degree facet before the final microbevel is created in Stage 3 where the edge is polished to astonishingly sharpness.

Figure 9. When you create a distinct burr along the blade edge, it can be detected by sliding finger across and away from the edge. Caution! See text.

Figure 10. Stropping/Polishing a contemporary Asian knife in Stage 3.

To create the Trizor® edge, sharpen the 15 degree edge first in Stage 1 as described above until a burr is fully developed. Then move to Stage 2: Make two pairs of pulls of about 2 seconds for a 5” blade. A small burr will exist along the edge. Do not make more pulls in Stage 2. The small bevel developed by the two pair of pulls will make a micro-arch at the very tip of the primary edge facet and leave you with a stronger edge without a noticable change in sharpness of the knife.

Proceed to Stage 3 and follow the instructions in the proceeding section for Stropping/ Polishing in Stage 3.

SHARPENING THE TRADITIONAL (SINGLE SIDED) JAPANESE BLADE

Traditional Japanese knives such as the sashimi blade shown above are single sided and have a large factory bevel (Bevel A, Figure 6) on the front side of the blade. There are a large number of manufacturers of knives of this type used widely to prepare sashimi. The factory bevel (Bevel A) is commonly ground at about 10 degrees, but there are exceptions as that angle is not standardized at the Asian factories. Designs of the traditional Japanese knives and the detailed structure of the cutting edges likewise varies widely from one manufacturer to the next, however there are some similarities. The cutting edge consists of a small primary facet on the front face of the blade below the large factory bevel and includes a much smaller secondary microfacet along the back face. Commonly the back side microfacet (Figure 7) can be easily seen only with a hand magnifier. The back face is ground flat at the factory or more commonly it is slightly hollow ground to ensure that an effective microfacet can be formed there as part of the cutting edge. Because of the lack of standardization, the manual approach is commonly used to sharpen these knives in Asia. Consequently sharpening these knives continues to be difficult, laborious and time consuming. The EdgeCraft® Model E1520 Sharpener is designed to sharpen virtually all traditional Asian blades and to create a factory-quality edge.

Before you start to sharpen a traditional Japanese blade, examine it carefully in order to confirm that you have the traditional single bevel blade and to determine whether you have a right or left handed type as described on page 6, Figure 6. It is essential that you follow carefully the sharpening procedure and sequence as described below in order to achieve the optimum edge on your traditional blade.

Confirm which side of the blade has the large factory Bevel A. Hold the blade in your hand (as when you are cutting) and if the large factory bevel is on the right side of the blade, the blade is right handed. For the right handed blades sharpen only in the left slot of Stage 1 so that only the beveled side (right side) of the edge will contact the honing wheel. Proceed as described below.

STEP 1
HONING TRADITIONAL JAPANESE KNIVES IN STAGE 1 (RIGHT HANDED BLADES)

In this example which assumes your traditional blade is right handed, you must hone only in the left slot of Stage 1 (see Figure 11). The number of pulls that you will need to make depends on the factory angle of Bevel A (Figure 6 and 7) and how dull your blade may be.

Make five (5) to ten (10) pulls (3-4 seconds) in only the left slot of Stage 1 and then check for a burr along the entire back side of the blade edge. (The burr created in Stage 1 will be small but can be felt as shown in Figure 9. Make certain the burr is present along the entire length of the edge. If there is no burr or only a partial burr, continue to make additional pulls all in the left slot about five (5) at a time and check for a burr after each group of five (5) pulls. In general 20-30 total pulls in the left slot will be adequate to raise a burr; it is unlikely to take more than 50 left slot pulls to create the burr. When a burr is confirmed, proceed to Step 2.

STEP 2
STROPPING/POLISHING THE FINAL EDGE ON TRADITIONAL JAPANESE BLADE IN STAGE 3 (RIGHT HANDED BLADES)

a. Make five to eight (5-8) slow pulls, 3-4 seconds each, only in the left slot of Stage 3 (Figure 12) and then proceed to remove the burr in step b below.
b. Make one (1) regular pull in right slot of Stage 3 along the back side of the edge. (Pull about 3-4 seconds.)
c. Make 2-3 pair of fast pulls (1-2 seconds each) alternating in left and right slots of Stage 3. Test blade for sharpness using a thin sheet of paper. It should be razor sharp but if not repeat steps a, b and c above.

RESHARPENING THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE BLADE (RIGHT HANDED)

In general you will be able to re-sharpen quickly by following the sequence of Step 2 above. Repeat this if necessary to obtain a razor sharp edge. When re- sharpening only in Stage 3 fails to develop a sharp edge or if the edge has been substantially dulled you will need to re-hone the edge in Stage 1. Use only the left slot of Stage 1. Generally you will find that about five (5) re- honing pulls will be sufficient in Stage 1. In any event develop a burr before moving again to Stage 3. Finish the edge in Stage 3 following Steps 2a, b and c.

Figure 11. Hone traditional Japanese knife only in left slot of Stage 1 (right handed).

Figure 12. Strop and Polish edge of traditional Japanese knife in Stage 3. Follow instructions carefully.

SHARPENING LEFT HANDED TRADITIONAL JAPANESE BLADES

The procedure you must use with left handed blades is similar to that procedure for right handed blades as detailed above – Except in all cases the slots you must use are reversed. Where the sharpening procedure for right handed blades calls for use of just the left slot, you must use only the right slot when sharpening a left-handed blade. Likewise use the left slot where ever the right handed instructions call for using the right slot.

SHARPENING EUROPEAN/AMERICAN KNIVES

All knives from European or American manufacturers are double sided, and consequently must be sharpened on both sides of the blade. The edge is customarily sharpened at 20 degrees forming two facets at that angle to create a total edge angle of 40 degrees. Where these knives are generally used for heavier tasks the stronger 20 degree faceted edge is usually most appropriate.

Sharpening the European/American knife is a two step sharpening process, honing first in Stage 2 and followed by stropping/polishing in Stage 3. (You do not use Stage 1 for these knives unless you wish to convert them to the Asian angle of 15 degrees as described later.)

STEP 1: HONING, STAGE 2

Do not use Stage 1.

Stage 2 will create the primary facet of 20 degrees on the European/American knife. Turn on the power switch. Start by slipping the blade between the left angle guide of Stage 2 (Figure 13) and the knife holding spring while pulling the blade toward you and simultaneously moving the blade downward in the slot until it engages the diamond coated disk. You will hear it contact the disk. Insert the blade as close as possible to the bolster or handle. If the blade is curved lift the handle slightly as you sharpen near the tip of the knife. Sharpen the entire blade length. Then repeat with one full length pull in the right slot of Stage 2. Always make pairs of pulls, alternating pulls in the left and right slots of that Stage. Each pull should be about 4-5 seconds for 5” long blade and slightly slower for longer blades. Make about five (5) pairs of pulls, then check for a burr along the entire edge length. (See page 8 and Figure 9). Continue with more alternating pairs of pulls until the presence of a burr is confirmed. More pulls will be needed if the knife is very dull.

Figure 13. Honing in Stage 2 (left slot). European and American style blade.

STEP 2: STROPPING/POLISHING, STAGE 3

In Stage 3 make three (3) to four (4) pairs of slow pulls each about 4 seconds, alternating in the left and right slots.

Follow this, still in Stage 3, with three (3) pairs of faster pulls each about 1 2 seconds, alternating in the left and right slots. There should not be a noticeable burr along the edge. Test blade for sharpness. It should be incredibly sharp. If not sharp repeat this Step 2.

RESHARPENING EUROPEAN/AMERICAN KNIVES

Re-sharpen the European/American knives whenever practical using just Stage 3 following the instructions (Step 2) above. When that fails to quickly re sharpen, return to Stage 2 and make two or three pairs of alternating pulls. Check for a burr along the edge and when a burr exists proceed again to Stage 3 following the instructions in the preceding section.

CONVERTING EUROPEAN/AMERICAN KNIFE EDGE TO 15 DEGREE ASIAN STYLE EDGE

With the Model E1520 you can convert any European or American style knives that are used primarily for light duty work to the 15 degree Asian edge. For example you might consider converting light duty paring knives and thin utility blades to 15 degrees. To make this conversion follow the Instructions for Sharpening Asian Blades, pages 7 to 9. Initial sharpening in Stage 1 will take longer than you might expect but subsequent resharpening time will be normal.

PROCEDURE FOR SHARPENING SERRATED BLADES

Serrated blades are similar to saw blades with scalloped depressions and a series of pointed teeth. In normal use the pointed teeth do most of the cutting.

Serrated blades of all types can be sharpened in the EdgeCraft® Model E1520. However, use only Stage 3 (Figure 14) which will sharpen the teeth of the serrations and develop microblades along the edge of these teeth. Generally five (5) to ten (10) pairs of alternating pulls in left and right slots of Stage 3 will be adequate. If the knife is very dull more pulls will be needed. If the knife edge has been severely damaged thru use make one fast pull (2-3 seconds for an 8” blade) in each of the right and left slots of Stage 2, then make a series of pulls in Stage 3, alternating right and left slots. Excessive use of Stage 2 will remove more metal along the edge than is necessary in order to sharpen the teeth.

Because serrated blades are saw-like structures, the edges will never appear to be as “sharp” as the edge on a straight edge knife. However, their tooth- like structure can be helpful – for example to break the skin on hard crusty foods or to cut tough paper based materials.

Figure 14. Use only Stage 3 for sharpening serrated knives.

DRESSING OF STROPPING/POLISHING DISKS – STAGE 3

The Model E1520 is equipped with a built-in system to manually clean/dress the stropping/polishing disks in Stage 3. In the event these disks become glazed with grease, food or sharpening debris, they can be cleaned and reshaped by actuating the manual lever on the rear of the sharpener. This lever is located within a recess as shown in Figure 15 on the lower left corner as you face the rear of the sharpener. To actuate the cleaning/dressing tool, make sure the power is “ON” and simply press the small lever in the recess to the right, hold about 3-4 seconds and then press to the left holding for 3-4 seconds. When the lever is moved in one direction, the dressing tool cleans and reshapes the active surface of one stropping/polishing disk. By moving the lever in the opposite direction you clean the other disk.

Use this clean/dress mechanism only if the Stage 3 white disks are seriously darkened and when Stage 3 no longer appears to be stropping/polishing well. Using this tool removes material from the surface of the Stage 3 disks and hence, if used excessively, it will unnecessarily remove too much of the abrasive surface – wearing the disks prematurely. If that should occur, factory replacement of the disks will become necessary. If you clean your knives regularly before sharpening you will likely need to clean or dress the Stage 3 disks less than once a year.

Figure 15. Use dressing tools sparingly.

SUGGESTIONS

1. Always clean all food, fat and foreign materials from the blade surfaces before sharpening or resharpening. If badly soiled, use detergent and water to clean.
2. Some contemporary Asian knives and Granton type blades are dimpled and some contemporary and traditional Asian blades are made of layered Damascus steel. All of these should be sharpened accordingly to these instructions depending solely on whether the knife style is contemporary (two facets) or a traditional single facet Asian blade.
3. Always pull the blades at the recommended speed and at a constant rate over length of blade. Never interrupt or stop the motion of the blade when in contact with abrasive disks.
4. Carefully follow the detailed procedures for each type blade for best results and to extend the useful life of your knives. The sharpening sequence is especially important with the single sided traditional Asian blades.
5. The edge of the knife blade, while sharpening, should remain in contact with the abrasive disks as the knife is withdrawn from the guiding slot. To sharpen the blade near the tip of a curved blade, lift the handle up slightly as you approach the tip of the blade but just enough so that the edge as it is being sharpened maintains audible contact with the honing or stropping disk.
6. To increase your proficiency with the EdgeCraft® Model E1520, learn how to detect a burr along the edge (as described on page 8). While you might be able to sharpen well without using this technique, it is the fastest way to determine when you have sharpened sufficiently in the preliminary steps. This will help you avoid oversharpening and ensure incredibly sharp edges every time. Cutting a tomato or a piece of paper is a convenient method of checking for finished blade sharpness.
7. Use only light downward pressure when sharpening – just enough to establish secure contact with the abrasive disk.
8. If your knife has a significant choil you may find it helpful to place your index finger within or just behind the choil (see Figures 16 and 17) as you insert the blade in the sharpener (Be careful! The tip of the choil may be sharp). Your finger can act as a “stop” and prevent you from inserting the blade so far that the choil area will catch on the front stop-bar of the sharpener as you withdraw the blade. A little practice will help you perfect this technique. As you insert the blade let your finger slide down the front of the sharpener.

Figure 16. If your blade has a significant choil it may be helpful to place a finger behind it as shown when sharpening.

Figure 17. Insert your index finger as shown behind the choil as the knife is inserted into the sharpening slot (see Suggestion 8.)

9. Used correctly, you will find you can sharpen the entire blade to within 1 /8” of the bolster or the sharpener handle. This is a major advantage of the EdgeCraft® Model E1520 compared to other sharpening methods—especially important when sharpening chef’s knives where you need to sharpen the entire blade length in order to maintain the curvature of the edge line. If your chef’s knives have a heavy, thick bolster near the handle extending to the edge, a commercial grinder can modify or remove the lower portion of the bolster so it will not interfere with the sharpening action, allowing you to sharpen the entire blade length.
10. The stropping/polishing disks in Stage 3 are designed to last for years of use, however you can maximize their useful life by periodically modifying your sharpening pattern in the preceeding Stage used. The burr developed in the preceeding Stage will mildly wear the stropping/polishing disk it first contacts in Stage 3. Vary your last pull in the preceeding Stage (Stage 1 or Stage 2) by sometimes making the last pull on the left disk and at other times finish on the right disk of that Stage.
11. Do not attempt to use this sharpener to sharpen either ceramic knives or scissors.

NORMAL MAINTENANCE

No lubrication is required for any moving parts, motor, bearings, or sharpening surfaces. There is no need for water on abrasives. The exterior of the sharpener may be cleaned by carefully wiping with a damp cloth. Do not use detergents or abrasives

Once a year or as needed you should remove metal dust that will accumulate inside the sharpener from repeated sharpenings. Remove the small rectangular clean out cover (Figure 18) that covers an opening on the underside of the sharpener. You will find metal particles adhered to a magnet attached to the inside of that cover. Simply rub off or brush off accumulated filings from the magnet with a paper towel or tooth brush and reinsert the cover in the opening. If larger amounts of metal or other dust have been created you can shake out any remaining dust through the bottom opening when the cover is removed. After cleaning, replace the cover securely with its magnet in place.

Figure 18. Removing cover under base to clean out metal dust (See Normal Maintenance section).

SERVICE

In the event post-warranty service is needed, return your sharpener to The Legacy Companies factory where the cost of repair can be estimated before the repair is undertaken. Outside the USA, contact your retailer or national distributor.

Please include your return address, daytime telephone number and a brief description of the problem or damage on a separate sheet inside the box. Retain a shipping receipt as evidence of shipment and as your protection against loss in shipment.

The Legacy Companies 149 Cleveland Drive, Paris KY 40361 U.S.A.

Made in the U.S.A. with U.S. and globally sourced materials. chefschoice.com
This product may be covered by one or more EdgeCraft patents and/or patents pending as marked on the product. Chef’sChoice®, EdgeCraft®, Diamond Hone®, EdgeSelect® and the overall design of this product are registered trademarks of the EdgeCraft Corporation.
Conforms to UL Std. 982
Certified to CAN/CSA Std. C22.2  No. 64
Certified to EN 60335-1, EN 60335-2, EN 55014-1+A1, EN 61000-3-2, EN 61000-3-3

References

• Chef's Choice by EdgeCraft

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