Sharpening Processor Serrated Blades

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 15:47

Is there any way to sharpen the serrated blades on a food processor? I inherited mine from my mother. It does a great job of spinning things around but doesn't do much to tougher things like pork skin. (...kinda like my mother and us kids, as we grew older.) It only does a decent job on softer materials.

Same way with the small one that goes on a blender base. Spin it up with something tough in there and it's a better centrifuge than food processor.

Can anyone recommend routine blade maintenance to improve operation?

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 16:13

I can't think of any method that wouldn't be tedious with a small slip stone. Sometimes I finish the edge on a chisel with a cotton buffing wheel. Possibly with a soft wheel and a medium compound you could sharpen the edges. It would be dangerous and not a time to allow your mind to wander.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 05:09

Hey Duckster and Rongway,

I'm not sold on serrated edges anyway - they rip and tear. (Just try one on a good steak)

As far as sharpening a processor blade goes, I use a Nicholson (fine) flat file placing the processor's blade on the edge of a wooden bench. Do not file the bottom side of the blades. Hold the file at a 22-1/2° angle to the blade and simply remove the burr and sharpen the blade by filing one direction only - into the edge... not away from it. . If you do it correctly, it will shave hair from your arm. It will also eventually remove the serrations, but it's no big loss.
Oh,... how do you find a 22-1/2 degree angle? Fold a piece of paper in half and you have 180° right? Fold it over again and you have a right angle (90° angle). Fold it in half again and you'll have a 45° angle. One more fold will produce a perfect 22-1/2 degree angle - recommended by most cutlery manufacturers.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 22:16

Thanks, Chuck E. Waggin. I'll try it. Nuthin ta lose. After a while, you get tired of grindin' up carrots with th' dang thang.

Now, lessee- - you put the blade on the bench, you fold up twenty two and a half papers on top, you file into the pile until the hair shaves off'n yer arms...

I'd better keep a fire extinguisher and a case of band-aids handy.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 02:00

Hey Duck,
Did you know it's impossible to fold any paper in half seven times?
You can't even do it with a newspaper.