Chef s Choice 1520 DC EdgeCraft Knife Sharpener Instruction Manual

1520 DC EdgeCraft Knife Sharpener
Instruction Manual READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USE.
© 2022 The Legacy Companies

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

CAUTION! To prevent risk of injury, stay clear of the knife guide slots when the unit is turned on.
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 Chef’sChoice® AngleSelect DC 1520 sharpener or detachable power supply cord in water or other liquid.
3. Make sure that only clean knife blades are inserted in the sharpener.
4. Turn the appliance OFF, then unplug from the outlet when not in use, before assembling or disassembling parts and before cleaning. To unplug, grasp the plug and pull from the outlet. Never pull from the power cord.
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. Do not incinerate this appliance even if it is severely damaged. The batteries can explode in fire. U.S. customers: For warranty claims, please visit www.chefschoice.com and click “Customer Service” in the footer at the bottom of the page. Please fill out the webform and a Customer Relations Representative will respond with additional information unique to your claim. 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 Chef’sChoice® 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. Use only with the Listed/Certified ITE Power Supply provided with the appliance.
9. The use of attachments not recommended or sold by The Legacy Companies may cause fire, electric shock or injury.
10. The Chef’sChoice® AngleSelect DC 1520 is designed to sharpen American, European, and Asian style knives. Do not attempt to sharpen scissors, ax blades or any blade that does not fit freely in the slots.
11. Do not let the cord hang over edge of table or counter or touch hot surfaces.
12. When the power is in the “ON” position (Green flash on switch is exposed when “ON”), the Chef’sChoice® sharpener should always be on a stable countertop or table. See ON/OFF power switch positions on page 5.
13. WARNING: KNIVES PROPERLY SHARPENED ON YOUR Chef’sChoice® AngleSelect DC 1520 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.
14. Do not use outdoors.
15. 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.
16. Do not use honing oils, water or any other lubricant with the Chef’sChoice® AngleSelect DC 1520 sharpener. 17. For household use only. 18. 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.

Prop. 65 Warning for California Residents
WARNING: CANCER AND REPRODUCTIVE HARM www.P65Warnings.ca.gov

CHARGING THE CHEF’SCHOICE ANGLESELECT DC 1520 ELECTRIC KNIFE SHARPENER
Plug the adapter into the sharpener, then plug the cord into a wall outlet. For Optimum Performance and Battery Life, charge fully before use. The battery takes 45-60 minutes to recharge. One battery charge will last for up to 45 minutes of continuous sharpening. Use only with Listed/Certified ITE Power Supply. Do not use an extension cord. Plug charger directly into electrical outlet. Use only with the charger provided with the appliance. Do not attempt to use this charger with any other product. Likewise, do not attempt to charge this appliance with any other charger. Carefully route the power supply cord to avoid damage from the knife blades while sharpening.

WHEN PLUGGED IN AND TURNED OFF:

Blinking Green| charging
Solid Green| fully charged
WHEN PLUGGED IN AND TURNED ON:
Blinking Green| charging and running
Solid Green| fully charged and running
WHEN UNPLUGGED AND TURNED ON:
Solid Green| not charging and running
Blinking Red| low battery, turn off and charge at least 3-5 min
Solid Red| battery is dead, turn off and charge at least 3-5 min

GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE CHEF’SCHOICE ANGLESELECT DC 1520 SHARPENER

Figure 1. Chef’sChoice® AngleSelect® Sharpener DC 1520 designed to sharpen both Asian and the Euro-American style knives.

The DC 1520 (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  harpen conventional American and European knives. Stage 3 is 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 finished in Stage 3.
American and European knives (20 degrees) are sharpened first with fine diamond abrasives in Stage 2, followed by refining 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 on page 10.
We strongly urge that you always thoroughly clean your knives before sharpening them.
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  rotating abrasive disks on each stroke. (See Suggestions, page 11.) 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. 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.

ON/OFF POWER SWITCH
The power switch positions are indicated by the “I” and “O” symbols. See symbols below.

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.

Figure 2. A typical kitchen knife.

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.

Figure 3. Typical edge, illustrating the primary facet.

available. Many European and American brands are selling Santoku blades and certain traditional European styles are now sold under Asian brands. The DC 1520 is designed to sharpen most 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 onthe right, Figure 4 have a thick cross-section designedfor heavier work. However, the associated conventionalparing, fillet and utility blades, are smaller and have a relatively thin cross-section well suited to their intended application.

Figure 4. European/American blades are generally thicker.b

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 soldwith single facets but these are not readily available in the United States.
There are other but somewhat heavier double-faceted 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.

SHARPENING THE CONTEMPORARY ASIAN KNIFE OR OTHER DOUBLE-FACETED EDGE AT 15 DEGREES (30º TOTAL)

Most 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.

SHARPENING THE EDGE IN STAGE 1

Turn ON the power and pull the blade through the left slot (Figure 6) of Stage 1, then through the adjacent right slot. Repeat pairs of pulls in Stage 1 using the left and right slots on alternate pulls. Take pulls of about 1” per second (6” blade = 6 second pull). 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 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 6. Sharpen contemporary Asian knives first in Stage 1.

DETECTING THE BURR

To confirm the presence of a burr (see Figure 7) 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.

POLISHING THE CONTEMPORARY ASIAN EDGE IN STAGE 3
Pull the blade through the left slot (see Figure 8) and then through the right slot of Stage 3. Make 1-2 pairs of pulls, (1 second per 1” of blade) alternating each pull in the left  and right slots of Stage 3. You should then make about 1 pair 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. Repeat this procedure as needed to create an exceedingly sharp edge.

RE-SHARPENING THE CONTEMPORARY ASIAN BLADES
Re-sharpen following the Polishing procedure in Stage 3 as described above. Depending on its use, you should be able to re-sharpen to a razor sharp edge 1-2 times using  only Stage 3 before finding it necessary to again sharpen in Stage 1. In that event, follow the entire sequence in Stages 1 and 3 as described above.

Figure 7. 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 8. Stropping/Polishing a contemporary Asian knife in Stage 3.

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, sharpening first in Stage 2 and followed by 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: SHARPENING, 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 9) and the knife holding spring while pulling the blade toward you and simultaneously moving the blade downward in the slot until it engages the rotating 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 7). 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.

STEP 2: POLISHING, STAGE 3
In Stage 3 make one(1) to two(2) pairs of slow pulls each for about 1 second per inch of the blade, alternating in the left and right slots. Follow this, still in Stage 3, with one (1) pair 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.

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 DC 1520 you can convert most 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 5 to 7. 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 can be sharpened in Stage 3 (see Figure 10). If the serrated edge is on the left side of the knife, place in the left slot and vice versa. Generally, three to five  pulls in Stage 3 will be adequate. If the serrated knife is very dull, more pulls will be needed.
Because of their saw-like structures, the edges of serrated blades will never appear to be as “sharp” as the edge on a straight edge knife.

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  brasive 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 rotating 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 Chef’sChoice® AngleSelect DC 1520, 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.

Figure 9. Honing in Stage 2 (left slot). European and American style blade.| Figure 10. Use only Stage 3 for sharpening serrated knives.

Figure 11. If your blade has a significant choil it may be helpful to place a finger  behind it as shown when sharpening.| Figure 12. Insert your index finger as shown behind the choil as the knife is  inserted into the sharpening slot (see Suggestion 8.)

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 11 and 12) 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.
9. Do not attempt to use this sharpener to sharpen either ceramic knives or scissors.

SERVICE

In the event post-warranty service is needed, please visit www.chefschoice.com and click
“Customer Service” in the footer, at the bottom of the page. Please fill out the webform and a Customer Relations Representative will respond with additional information  unique to your claim.
For Product Registration, please visit https://chefschoice.com/pages/product- registration/.

LIMITED WARRANTY

Limited Warranty: Used with normal care, this DC MOTOR product, designed for hand use only, is guaranteed against defective material and workmanship for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase (“Warranty Period”). We will repair or replace, at our option, any product or part that is defective in material or workmanship without charge if the product is returned to us postage prepaid, with dated proof of purchase, within the Warranty Period. This Limited Warranty does not cover replacement or abrasive pads necessitated by use of the product or product damage resulting from misuse. ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED TO THE WARRANTY PERIOD. CHEF’S CHOICE CORPORATION SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. Some States do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts and some States do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. This Limited Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. This warranty applies only to normal household use of this sharpener and is void for industrial or commercial use.

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
© 2022 The Legacy Companies
E22 En/Fr/Sp D233400

Documents / Resources

| Chef s Choice 1520 DC EdgeCraft Knife Sharpener [pdf] Instruction Manual
1520 DC EdgeCraft Knife Sharpener, 1520 DC, EdgeCraft Knife Sharpener, 1520 DC EdgeCraft, EdgeCraft, Knife Sharpener, Sharpener
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References

• Chef's Choice by EdgeCraft
• Chef's Choice by EdgeCraft
• P65Warnings.ca.gov
• Product Registration - Chef's Choice by EdgeCraft

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