How to sharpen a knife in a meat grinder. Sharpening meat grinder knives at home. On sandpaper

The perfect work of the grinder is in our hands

Many people love meat dishes and cook them often. For every day or a festive table - in any case they are eaten with pleasure. But only when the meat grinder starts to be capricious, you have to make do with improvised means at the most inopportune moment.

Sharpening knives for meat grinders in Moscow

Nobody knows how much meat is eaten in Moscow in just one day. It is even difficult to imagine visually. Naturally, sharpening of knives for kitchen utensils is one of the most demanded services provided by our workshop.

There is no need to wait for the moment when the meat no longer passes through the holes. At the first sign of a problem, you should immediately contact a specialist and sharpen the knives for the kitchen appliance. For professional kitchens, large food processing shops and housewives, we offer high-quality sharpening of knives for a meat grinder in Moscow.

Grinding grinder grates

If sharpening a meat grinder knife, which is in motion, is moderately difficult, then sharpening the lattice knives of this kitchen appliance requires serious professional skills and an equally professional machine for sharpening the knives of this device. And there is no difference, we are talking about a large industrial unit, or sharpening parts of a manual meat grinder.

The high accuracy of the work carried out is due to the fact that only the ends need to be sharpened, despite the fact that the total area of the lattice is much larger. The angle of sharpening of a meat grinder knife, especially a fixed one, plays a huge role in its further correct functioning. That is why sharpening the grates of a kitchen fixture is so responsible and important. However, in our workshop they know how to do their job in the best possible way.

The cost of sharpening grills and knives for meat grinders

Of course, the final cost of the work directly depends on whether you need sharpening parts of an industrial meat grinder or an ordinary food processor, as well as in what condition the tool got to the master. Practice shows that the cost of the service is moderate for worn-out knives. The condition is much worse after trying to remove the wear and tear on your own.

Our masters know how to sharpen a meat grinder so that it becomes obedient and obedient. A professional workshop for sharpening meat grinder knives will always bring the tool to a state of perfect performance.

Grinder knife sharpening video

For many years sharpening a knife from a meat grinder was a problem for me. Rather, I was afraid to spoil it, so I preferred not to experiment at home, but to take it along with ordinary kitchen knives to a master who worked on a professional machine. However, then I got tired of it. And trips to the other side of the city ceased to fit into the work schedule. And the toad began to choke, because for the price of several sharpenings it was possible to buy a new knife. In general, I had to master a new craft.

Method 1: extraordinary file

First of all, I went to a household goods store and asked the seller to show all the tools for sharpening knives from a meat grinder that are in stock. He shrugged his shoulders, glanced at me with an indifferent look and said that they did not have this, did not and hardly ever will.

I continued to insist. If there are meat grinders and knives for them on sale, then there is an item that can restore the working capacity of these same knives. Let me have it at least from under the counter, at least from under the ground, but otherwise I still will not leave. The seller thought for a minute, then brightened up, walked over to a stand and a minute later returned with a file in his hand. He solemnly handed it to me, saying that this file is called musat and together we will be happy forever.

I heard somewhere that ordinary knives can be sharpened with a file. But I did not know that it is used for sharpening knives from a meat grinder. However, the thing was interesting, it was inexpensive, and I would definitely find a use for it, so I decided to buy it.

As a result, I made several attempts to put the knife in order using the same musat. No positive changes were observed, rather the opposite. But ordinary knives were sharpened well, which, however, did not solve the problem with the meat grinder.

Method 2: sandpaper

On a warm autumn day, in order to pass the time remaining before the dentist's appointment, I decided to take a walk around the market. It was very conveniently located (almost next to the clinic) and there was always something to see.

So this time, passing between the rows with all sorts of things, I involuntarily overheard a conversation between the seller and the buyer, who demanded to give him emery for sharpening knives. This interested me, therefore, after waiting for the man to leave and taking advantage of the absence of other clients, I interrogated the man who was standing on the other side of the counter. It should be noted that he had unlimited patience. It is for this reason that after half an hour, I went home with a set of 10 sheets of waterproof sandpaper for metal processing.

As the seller assured, sharpening knives with emery is as easy as shelling pears. Especially if these are knives from a meat grinder. The sharpening process itself, according to him, looked like this:

Place a piece of paper on a very flat, smooth surface. If it is bumpy, ribbed or something else, nothing good will come of it. Even one small grain that gets under a sheet of emery can ruin everything.
Raise the knife from above so that the cutting edges touch the abrasive surface.
Press down on the knife with your fingers and rotate it counterclockwise. It is very important to do this and not vice versa.
After a while, the edges will start to shine. When their entire surface becomes silvery-shiny, the sharpening process can be considered complete.

However, this is not all. In order for the grinder to work no worse than the jaws of the megalodon, it is required to put in order a metal mesh (a circle with holes) through which the minced meat passes. Manipulations with it are carried out the same as with a knife, but it is advisable to bring it to an even shine on both sides. By the way, you can rotate the grid in any direction, not strictly counterclockwise.

Since this method was suitable for both an electric meat grinder and a manual one, I decided to first try it on knives from a cheaper device. I did everything as the seller advised, assembled the meat grinder, pulled out the meat bought for the occasion from the refrigerator and was really surprised - the old woman was grinding beef as if it were apples. And this despite the fact that she had family knives - 1958.

It was no longer scary to conduct a second experiment, now with the participation of a knife from a modern and rather expensive meat grinder. And the result pleased me again! In the future, I used this method exclusively for 5 or 6 years, and even now it remains in my favorites.

Method 3: abrasive wheel

If not for another accident, I would hardly have learned about this method from someone. Firstly, because I was no longer interested in such information, and secondly, because, as it seems to me, very few people use it.

Late one evening I was doing nothing more than canning tomatoes. When the hands on the clock showed five minutes to eleven, it turned out that the house was out of salt. The last store had closed an hour ago, and there was only one way out - to go to the midnight neighbor for salt.

When I was invited to the kitchen, I noticed a strange set on the table - among the spare parts from the disassembled meat grinder, there was something the same shape as the mesh, but without holes through which the minced meat passes. I do not know how to restrain curiosity, so I immediately inquired about the name and purpose of this subject. It turned out to be a special abrasive wheel for sharpening a knife from a meat grinder. It's easy to use:

It is enough to assemble the meat grinder, folding the parts in the usual order, however, instead of the mesh, install this very circle and tighten the union nut (the one that holds the mesh, knife and auger together) so that the handle rotates with effort.
Turn the handle in the opposite direction (counterclockwise) until the cutting edges of the knife are smooth and shiny.

Getting such an abrasive wheel for sharpening knives from a meat grinder is not easy. We'll have to walk around flea markets or ask around the familiar grandparents, whether they have an extra one lying around. I was lucky to find it on the bulletin board and buy it for a mere pittance - 40 rubles. Now I use it most often, which is very convenient.

In my "piggy bank of experience" so far there are only two ways to sharpen a knife from a meat grinder. With a clear conscience, I can recommend them to anyone who needs such a recommendation. However, I think there are other, no less interesting and effective options. Tell us how you cope with this task - do you use the services of professionals or have you purchased a device that can be used at home?

The sharpening period directly depends on the operation of the device and the amount of twisted meat or other products. If you use the meat grinder several times every week, then the knife is enough for about 1.5-2 months. While the blades are new, they can last for 3 or 4 months. Then, no matter how reliable the knife is, it becomes blunt and requires sharpening.

As soon as it became difficult for the meat to pass through the grate, and under the load of the meat grinder, you can hear the screw spinning empty, the blades became unusable. The device is disassembled, washed and dried well. Only then can the blades be sharpened. The grill is always sharpened along with the knife.

Attention!

The cutting speed of the meat depends on how tight the knife is on the wire rack. The tighter they are pressed against each other, the faster the minced meat turns out.

Knife sharpening rules

If you follow a few simple rules, then at home sharpening will not take much time and will be of high quality:

sharpening is performed only on a surface with a fine abrasive. Large particles scratch the metal surface and form indentations and irregularities that are categorically unacceptable;
when sharpening the lattice, sharpen the side that is adjacent to the knife;
the surface area of the material on which the sharpening is carried out should be greater than the dimensions of the knife and disc.

Usually a couple of minutes are enough to return the objects to their previous sharpness and start using the meat grinder.

Sharpening methods

There are 3 ways to sharpen a product. They differ in the type of mechanical impact. You can sharpen a knife using:

sandpaper;
grinding stone;
grinding machine.

The method is chosen based on availability. In terms of efficiency, they are equivalent: after any method, the disc easily fits snugly to the blade.

Using sandpaper

The easiest way is to sharpen it with sandpaper. There is paper in every home, and sharpening on it is a pleasure, and besides, it is safe. Even an inexperienced hostess can handle it. The main point is to choose a good piece of sandpaper, on which the abrasive lies in a dense layer.

The procedure is as follows:

put sandpaper on a flat surface and fix its edges. The paper should be straightened, not have any creases;
take a knife and put it on the sandpaper. Fingers press from above and drive a knife counterclockwise along the abrasive. The travel speed must be fast. Sharpening is continued for 2-3 minutes;
put the disc with the working side and do the same manipulation as with the knife;
sharpened products are degreased and rinsed with water, then allowed to dry.

To determine how effective the sharpening was, connect the knife to the disc. Then they press on the blade and try to move the parts. If there is no shift, then the products are well sharpened.

On a grindstone

Another useful item in the house is a whetstone. It is suitable not only for sharpening blades, but also for sharpening kitchen knives. Before use, the stone must be washed from dust and dirt, and completely dried. It is advisable to wear protective gloves on your hands to avoid cuts and other injuries.

They put a knife on the stone and begin to make circular movements with it. Grind the knife quickly, in 2-3 minutes. After the knife, put the grate and rotate it with quick movements for 2-3 minutes. The part must be pressed from above, then the sharpening will be of high quality. The treated parts are washed well with soap and the moisture is blotted off with a dry, clean towel.

On a grinder

The last method, although it is the fastest, is also the most dangerous. It is not recommended to use the machine if you have no experience with it. Serious injury can result if safety precautions (goggles and gloves) are not followed.

If the principle of operation of the device is clear, but in life you have already encountered it, you can start the process:

The knife is slightly greased with any oil so that it glides better.
Turn on the machine at low speeds.
A knife is brought to the rotary element and pressed close.
They continue to hold the product for 20-30 seconds, then take it to the side. The metal heats up, so the knife needs time to cool down.
The same procedure is performed with the lattice.

When the sharpening is done, and the products have cooled down, they are washed with soap and dried on a towel. For well-sharpened elements, the edges become shiny, and if you look closely, a fine mesh is visible on the surface - grinding. You can test the blade and grate for sharpness immediately.

All housewives face the problem when instead of high-quality minced meat a "chewed" mash comes out of a meat grinder. You can, of course, contact the workshop, and by paying about 200 rubles for restoring the working capacity of the cutting tool, you can get it quite suitable for work. But is it worth wasting time and money if you can sharpen a meat grinder knife yourself at home? But "how and with the help of what", and is described in this article.

What you need to know about grinder knives

The sharpness of the cutting edge does not significantly affect the cut quality of the products. It depends on the ideal flatness of the work plane. This is exactly what needs to be done in the sharpening process.
The processing of a meat grinder knife is carried out only on an abrasive with fine fractions. This will ensure the closest possible fit of the working surface to it over its entire area.
High-quality sharpening can only be provided by hand, without the use of electric machines (tools). One of the reasons is that if the metal is overheated, then the knife can be thrown away without regret. He will cut, but not in the way the owner wants, and all subsequent edits to the edge are useless.
In the process of processing the working surface, it should face the abrasive with the side that adjoins the disk after assembling the meat grinder.
In the process of processing products, 2 tools are involved - the knife itself (cruciform) and the disc (with multiple holes).

Both are subject to sharpening. The fact is that over time, some depletion of metal forms in the disk, which is why the “cross” does not fit tightly to it. And this affects the quality of processing.
Before must be washed and dried well.

How to sharpen (options)

Bar.
Abrasive wheel.
Sandpaper. In this case, it covers (wraps) any solid object with a perfectly smooth surface.

Sharpening technique

Sharpening is done in a circular motion, with some effort to press the cutting tool against the abrasive. The specifics are the same as when dressing the razor - counterclockwise. That is, the knife must move away from its sharp edge.

After finishing work, the tool is washed under a stream of warm water and dried.

The quality of sharpening is checked. This is easy to do if you attach the work plane to an absolutely flat surface (for example, glass) and try to shift it slightly by pressing it. If this succeeds with difficulty, then it is possible with a high degree of probability to assume that the knife is sharpened. The ideally flat surface of the working part can also be judged by its shade.

With high-quality sharpening, the entire facet is light (since the oxide layer is removed, and only the metal itself is visible), and evenly, over the entire area. Even microscopic darker blotches are a sign that it is necessary to repeat the treatment of the working surface.

The final check of the knives' readiness is made by putting them on top of each other, after which the "cross" is turned.

The fit should be as tight as possible, and at any angle. And only then can the accessories be installed in the meat grinder.

A meat grinder is an indispensable thing in the kitchen. With its help, each housewife will be able to cook a huge number of minced meat and vegetables dishes. Despite the fact that other versatile appliances have already appeared in the modern kitchen, such as a blender or a food processor, the meat grinder still confidently competes with them. However, the blades of the device become dull after prolonged use, and the question of how to properly sharpen the knives of a meat grinder one day becomes relevant.

Why grinder knives need to be sharpened

Depending on the frequency of use of the meat grinder, its blades lose their sharpness. This can occur due to the formation of small chips and depressions in the place where the movable and stationary cutting elements come into contact.

Knives in a meat grinder must be sharpened at regular intervals.

The most common reason for the unsatisfactory operation of the meat grinder is the bluntness of the knives, if they were originally made from low-quality raw materials.

Basically, the device works with a relatively soft product - meat. But small bones or tendons, when grinding, fall on the cutting edge of the blade, which leads to a gradual loss of sharpness. At the initial stage, you can find that the meat grinder began to "chew" the meat, and soon after that it completely ceases to grind it.

Also, with improper care, the metal from which the knives are made begins to oxidize and rust. It also negatively affects their severity.

Today, manufacturers produce all the components for small household appliances in sufficient quantities. You can easily buy a new sharp knife for a meat grinder ,. But this will require additional costs, in addition, often the problem is revealed at the moment when the cooking process has already begun.

Cutting elements for electric and mechanical grinders have approximately the same shape and metal alloy composition. The only difference is that in a mechanical device, the knives are rotated manually, while in automated devices there is a built-in motor that performs a similar function. Therefore, you can sharpen the blades in the same ways.

Important! The frequency of sharpening knives should correspond to their dullness. As soon as you begin to notice that the grinder is not grinding food enough or is simply crushing them, it is worth updating the edges of the blades.

The nuances of correct sharpening

Grinding of products in a meat grinder is provided with 2 knives:

fixed knife-mesh;
four-blade cutter.

The second knife is a rotating part, thanks to which the main chopping takes place. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the sharpening of all its sides.

In the accompanying instructions for the device, depending on the manufacturer, the mesh knife may have a different name. It is often referred to as a stationary knife or simply a net.

Fundamental rules:

If you will be sharpening with a sharpening stone, take a metal ruler and make sure that its surface is perfectly horizontal.
If sandpaper is used as an abrasive, then it is better to fix it on the working surface. It will not be superfluous to put any flat removable surface under it, for example, glass, to protect the table from scratches during operation.
Pre-treat the knives with vegetable oil and let sit for 5 minutes. Do the same with the sharpening tool. This is necessary so that a gentle abrasive paste can form during sharpening. It will also help to minimize scratches and splinters on the knives.
To ensure even metal removal, try to press the center of the knife against the sharpening surface.
The mesh knife also dulls during operation, so it also needs to be sharpened.

3 ways to sharpen meat grinder knives at home

Regardless of which method you choose for sharpening, you need to prepare the necessary materials with which the work will be done. The correct organization of the process will allow you to sharpen knives quickly, efficiently and not damage them. You can return the blades to their previous sharpness yourself, having at home one of the sharpening tools and about 30 minutes of time.

There are several ways to sharpen meat grinder knives:

on a grinding machine;
using a grindstone;
sandpaper.

All these methods do not require special skills and expensive devices. You can buy everything you need at hardware stores.

On a grindstone

If you have absolutely no experience in sharpening meat grinder knives, buy a corundum whetstone from a specialized store. The best option would be if its diameter is about 180 mm, and the grain size is from 40 to 60 microns.

Sharpening stone - a simple and affordable tool for sharpening knives

The process itself has the following features:

Sharpening should be done under a weak stream of water. To do this, place a stone in a sink and moisten it liberally. The water will act as a lubricant and cool the metal.
Secure the whetstone to the work surface. To do this, you can put a rag under it.
Take the cutter and place it with the blade against the stone.
Perform circular movements clockwise with even pressure on the knife.
Continue sharpening until the surface of the element is completely shiny.
After the sharpening of the rotating knife is finished, do the same with the mesh knife. To do this, place it on the stone with the side adjacent to the first knife.
After sharpening both knives, check the fit. To do this, fold them together with their respective sides and look at the gap. No gaps should be visible.
Finally, rinse the knives under warm running water to rinse off the abrasive.
Assemble the meat grinder and try it out.

Important! The considered method is effective for blades that are not too dull. If the knives have had time to rust and are in disrepair, then it will most likely not give the desired result.

Video: how to sharpen meat grinder knives using a whetstone

On the machine

This is a very simple and quick way to sharpen your knives yourself. Sharpening is done using a rotating grinding disc. Before starting work, an abrasive goi paste is applied to its surface, which, when dried, creates a rough surface on the disc due to the content of small particles in its composition.

A little skill is required to work on a grinding machine.

Important! Use goyi paste # 4 with a grain size of 17–8 µm.

Sharpening of the mesh knife on the machine is carried out as follows:

Apply abrasive paste to the surface of the easel wheel and wait until it dries. Only then will the device be ready for use.
Switch on the machine. The disc will start spinning.
Gently press the mesh knife against the surface of the disc. Try to distribute the pressure evenly.

Sharpening the cutter with a machine can be difficult if you have no experience with the machine. It needs to be carried out in 2 stages:

First sharpen each of the 4 knife blades by leaning them against the rotating blade at an 80 ° angle.
It is very important to keep the tilt angle evenly relative to the machine.
The second step will be to grind off the resulting burrs. To do this, carry out actions similar to sharpening a mesh knife.

It is necessary to sharpen the cutter on the machine, observing small breaks between the stages. This is necessary in order to allow the metal of the knife to cool down.

Video: an example of processing blades on a machine

Sandpaper

One of the easiest and most affordable ways is to use sandpaper. She will certainly be found in your home. As a last resort, you can buy it at a hardware store or hardware store. The cost of this tool is several times less than the cost of a grindstone or machine.

Do not use paper with a coarse grain fraction to sharpen the knives of the meat grinder.

So, the sharpening process is carried out in the following sequence:

Place a sheet of sandpaper horizontally on the worktable. For convenience, it is desirable to provide him with additional fixation.
In a clockwise circular motion, rub the knife until you achieve the shine and sharpness of the blades.
Do the same with the mesh.

Important! Movements should be only circular and resemble wiping the surface.

Video: sandpaper sharpening workshop

The process of sharpening meat grinder knives at home is quite feasible even for people without special experience and skills. All you need is a sharpening tool and some free time. If you notice a deterioration in the sharpness of the blades in the device, do not hesitate to process them.