Importance of knife sharpeners

Merchandising knife sharpeners requires education - education that starts with the knife. The effectiveness of fine cutlery depends largely upon the cutting edge's sharpness. A knife becomes dull because the extremely thin edge folds over. One way to keep a knife sharp longer is to use a sharpener that creates a stronger, longer-lasting edge.

Two types of knife-edge maintenance devices exist - those that straighten an edge (steels), and precision angle-guided abrasive sharpeners (stones) that create a new edge. The traditional butcher's or sharpening steel can straighten a bent edge, but it requires skill and practice to use it effectively. For customers who don't have the skill to use a sharpening steel, advanced electric and manual sharpeners with diamond abrasives and precision guides can help them produce perfect results every time.

A close-up drawing or photo of a knife's edge is a great way to show customers the importance of knife sharpeners. The illustration should depict a small angle or a hollow-ground weak edge, and show how it fails when it folds over. A second illustration should reveal how a weak edge can break off or become too tightly folded to unfold. Be sure to include a diagram that illustrates a properly formed edge. Your vendors should be able to provide you with the necessary materials to create this educational diagram.

It's also important to discuss the abrasives used to sharpen knives. They range from Arkansas sharpening stones to diamonds, which are generally considered the most efficient sharpening abrasive. Diamonds not only sharpen quickly and efficiently, they also do not detemper the blade. Demonstrate the proper angle at which a knife should be sharpened and explain the importance of precision knife guides and avoiding abrasives that detemper or overheat the blade. The emission of sparks during sharpening is a good indication that the blade is being overheated.

Sharpening Tips

Customers who participate in your in-store demonstration may feel confident about sharpening their own cutlery, yet when they return home, may often forget important parts of the process. To eliminate that problem, create a 3- by 5-inch laminated Sharpening Tip Card that outlines sharpening tips. One side could highlight the sharpening steel, the other, manual and electric sharpeners. Present these to customers after each demonstration or cutlery sale. Your vendor can help create this take-home piece by providing small illustrations that depict the proper techniques for knife sharpening.

Sharpening: Make it a Regular Event

Holidays ranging from Thanksgiving to Father's Day to family celebrations and beyond all present perfect opportunities to promote knife sharpeners. To stress the importance of using sharp knives all year-round, send an e-mail or a postcard to customers on your mailing list, inviting them to bring their favorite knives in for a free Sharpening Demonstration. Target customers who recently purchased cutlery, but who did not buy a knife sharpener. Two months after their cutlery purchase, send them a note or an e-mail reminding them that in order to keep those knives working properly, they'll need to sharpen them.

Schedule a weekday and a weekend time to accommodate your customers, and have a knowledgeable staff member present who is dedicated to the job of sharpening their knives. During the sharpening process, show the customers how easy it is, and stress its importance. Before they leave, present them with a coupon or other incentive to purchase a knife sharpener that day - or within a week.
Sharpening sections within the store often account for more than 15 percent of total cutlery sales. By creating a focal point around the sharpening section, retailers will enjoy greater sales in both the cutlery and sharpener categories. Dedicating space to knife sharpeners in the cutlery section will not only add more interest to the cutlery category, but it will also encourage more sales of both sharpeners and cutlery.

Within your Sharpener Display, show a variety of different models - sharpeners that sharpen both straight and serrated edges, manual and electric models, stones, and steels. Also, you should always make literature and educational materials available, while providing access to knowledgeable staff is always a plus for making sales.

Knives-Sharpeners Information Posted By: Blueshoots.com

Orignal Source :http://www.gourmetretailer.com/

Best Merchandising Ideas: Knife Sharpeners

Many customers who purchase a set of top-quality cutlery expect their investment to serve their needs in the kitchen for many years. However, what many don't know is that a knife's factory edge will last less than one percent of the knife's life. Without realizing the hazards of using a dull knife, they continue to use knives with dull edges and become dissatisfied with the results.

Retailers can benefit by educating consumers, informing them that quality knife sharpeners create better-than-factory edges that are sharp and durable. In fact, a sharpener is in many ways more important than cutlery because knives need a good sharpener to keep a quality edge.

Knives-Sharpeners Information Posted By: Blueshoots.com

Orignal Source :http://www.gourmetretailer.com/

Small Home Appliances
Can you picture yourself in your den living a life without wires? Hair dryers to egg beaters, who say diamonds, are woman's best friends? Remember the primitive days when your community slogged and toiled to make everyone happy in the family? The less electricity and space consuming devices are indispensable to a modern woman's existence and especially to single parents (fathers are you listening?).

With the coffee makers brewing the strong, frothy, smooth coffee and vacuum cleaners eating up dog's hair without giving you sneezes the benefits of small appliances are obvious. With Mon Uncle winning best film in 1958 by Jacques Tati, the world knew that the old irksome tasks were soon to be a thing of the past. Electric sewing machines, can openers, hand blenders and knife sharpeners are things your grand mothers could only dream of. Brooms look good only in the witchcraft movies, they must be replaced by handy vacuum cleaners in the real life or we will have a hair pulling stories to tell to our kids.

Don't be surprised to know that the biggest slum in India Dharavi, where people die of hunger can't resist these small appliances, as they are easy to maintain and store and consume less electricity. Yes you know that the food is ready when the smoke alarm goes off, thanks to the technical innovation. Need warm water? Try electric kettles. Rice cookers to crispy grilled sandwich makers, mini refrigerators to electric irons, ice cream maker to popcorn-maker, they can be accommodated on any platform from countertops to tabletops. Isn't it food delicious?

Setting in the trend for convenience life, making each one of us independent and self-sufficient, small appliances have redefined gastronomical glee. You am sure would not want to shed tears because of those annoying onions.

Knives-Sharpeners Information Posted By: Blueshoots.com

Original Source : http://www.goarticles.com/

Taking Care Of Your Hunting Knife
Hunting knives come in various new and old designs and are somewhat different as far as maintenance and sharpening. Different style knives require different style sharpeners and handle care. A hunting knife with a guthook blade requires a shaft or rod style sharpener for the guthook. These sharpeners are made of various materials such as: steel, ceramic, diamond coated, and others. Serrated blades can be sharpened with a little bit of time and technique, and the use of a blade file and a round file.

Course stones and files will put a fast edge on knives. A knife grinder or rasp sharpener also does so. Medium stones and files will prep a blade to be honed and will last somewhat longer. Fine stones and hones will create an edge that will hold the longest. Course edges will cut well, but will not last. There are all types and styles of sharpeners made for today's modern knife, in a wide range of prices. Remember the better the edge the longer the knife will stay sharp under normal conditions. Knives take a certain amount of maintenance as they should be kept clean of any dirt and grime. Knives should be oiled when stored and kept dry. Stainless steel blades resist rust but will rust or corrode under extended moisture or chemical exposure. Blades should be wiped of finger prints and should never be stored in a leather sheath or case.

The chemicals used to turn leather can corrode metals over a period of time. Care of handles and sheaths for your knife is a must for the life of your knife. Leather handles can be treated with mink oil or water resistant used of leather materials. Make sure the treatment isn't metal corrosive. Mink oil will work well on leather sheaths also. Nylon sheaths are very durable and are not harmful to knives. Handles such as bone or stag that have crevices should be cleaned using soap and water. Dirt in cracks and crevices can draw moisture and damage your knife. Quality hunting knives are designed for a lifetime of use and and with proper maintenance will do so. Enjoy your knives and good luck with your experiences.

Knives-Sharpeners Information Posted By: Blueshoots.com

Original Source : http://www.goarticles.com/

How To Choose The Best Knife Set

Knives are the most important and most frequently used kitchen utensils. In choosing a new knife set, the main considerations are which knife set to purchase and which knife is used for what purpose. Buying a knife set is an important decision. The knives you choose should last a lifetime. After you purchase a good quality knife set, you should never have to replace them.

Knives are normally more affordable if you purchase them in a set. Knife sets should include all the basic tools and will normally include a stand or container in which to store the knives. You will be able to purchase additional, more specific, knives in the future if you wish. Most knife manufacturers sell knives individually, allowing you to add to your collection at any time you wish.

There are different types of knives. Fine edge knives are the classic style. Chefs and serious cooks normally choose fine edge knives due to the weight and feel. The blade is very sharp which allows for precision cutting. Fine edge knives will require some maintenance however, such as steeling. Knives that never need sharpening are a good choice for most people who cook for themselves and their families on a daily basis.

The type of steel used in knife blades is one of the most important factors in choosing a knife set. The majority of knives are manufactured with a blend of high carbon stainless steel that will resist rust and corrosion. The tang is the part of the knife in which the metal is attached to the handle. The best knives will have a tang in which the metal extends to the end of the handle. Knife blades are normally tapered at the edges to allow for easier sharpening. Quality knives are balanced and feel good in the cook's hand. The knife should be easy to handle and feel solid.

In purchasing a knife set, you will need to know the difference between stamped and forged. Forging is the process of taking a heated piece of metal and grinding it into the shape of a blade. Stamped blades are cut from a single sheet of metal and pressed into a blade. Forged knives are generally heavier than stamped knives, giving you better quality.

Knives-Sharpeners Information Posted By: Blueshoots.com

Original Source : http://ezinearticles.com

Knife and Sword Collecting

The knife has come to symbolize to the modern men the essence of survival and the ability to provide all that is needed for survival with one simple and lethal tool. A good knife is indeed better than most material things, it can provide protection and the ability to hunt and prepare food, it can also help in building a shelter and creating small objects that are vital for survival.

A few generations ago, maybe even less than a hundred years ago, men would not leave their house without a proper knife, it was only common sense to take a knife with you wherever you went, you never knew into what situations you will run into, if you will get lost and will need to survive for a couple of days in the wild or if you will be surprised by some enemy or thief and will need to protect yourself.

For those of us that know knives it is a simple fact that no one knife can have all the features in it, every knife has its advantages and anyone using a knife will have to make his own decision as to what kind of things are important for him to have on his knife. It is not only the extra features of the knife that matter, it is also the way the knife itself is crafted and what it is made off.

Today most people are looking for a knife to serve them when they are away in natural for a few days, or sometimes a few weeks, they need something that is very basic and that will provide them with the safety that it could potentially help them in case something goes wrong.

Not long ago I read in the paper that a diver had to use his knife to protect himself against a shark, he did not stab the shark as it was trying to attack him, but simply hit the shark on his nose with the blunt side of the knife, this did the job and the shark run away, even though he didn’t use his knife as it was planned to be used, this diver had the right instinct, and he went for his knife.
In any case, when you are out camping, hiking, fishing or diving you will probably consider buying yourself a knife, and you should think about what you need before you even set foot in the shop. Try and think of the environments you are going to be in, and your needs, sometimes someone does need to hunt with his knife, but does not need to prepared the food from the hunted animal, in some cases you will be walking through a jungle and you might want to use the knife to carve your way out of some thick bushes.

If you do your research and spend some time thinking of what you need you will have a better starting point, try and use the internet for information about different kinds of knives, I am sure you will be surprised from the wide verity of products out on the market. Happy hunting.

Knives-Sharpeners Information Posted By: Blueshoots.com

Orignal Source : http://www.ezinearticles.com/