Q: Should I clean my JewelStik?
A: Yes. When you sharpen your knife with the JewelStik a small amount of metal remains from your knife. Be sure to wash your knife blade before cutting and rinse off your JewelStik now and then. One thing that works really well is cleaning it with a light-weight oil.
Q: How long will the diamond surface last on my JewelStik?
A: If the JewelStik is being used in a family kitchen, used once or twice a week, the JewelStik should outlive any knife. If the JewelStik is being used by a Chef or Butcher and sharpening use is several times a day, the JewelStik will last the better part of five years or so.
Q: Why do you offer so many different sizes?
A: There are different sizes for different needs. Your sharpener should be at least the length of your blade. Our 10″ or 12″ sharpeners are great for culinary uses. Our 5″ sharpeners are useful for your sporting goods needs. The FlipStik is great for hunting, fishing or boating. It’s great to cap off and close to a compact size.
Q: Why would I want a 1-2-3 Sharpener?
A: Hewlett Manufacturing designed the three-grit on one stick sharpener for better efficiency. This way you have a coarse grit for a dull or damaged blade, a medium grit for normal usage, and a fine grit for a razor sharp edge.
Q: How should I use the 1-2-3?
A: You are now able to have the convenience of coarse, medium and fine grits at your finger tips. You will want the coarse grit when you are working on a very dull knife that has been neglected. A few strokes on the coarse (270 mesh) grit will build you a new edge. Then move on to the second stage which is our medium (600 mesh) grit. The second stage will now sharpen that new edge you have created. Stage three, the fine (1800 mesh) grit, will hone your edge to a razor sharp finish. Begin with the base of your knife at the top of the sharpener. Pull in a downward stroke dragging the blade out to its tip. Then turn your knife over to repeat cutting upwards from base to tip. As you continue to use your knife, you may not always need to use the coarse grit. You will want to utilize this only when you are beginning with a dull surface; however, your knife maintenance will be on the medium and fine grits. Many people may tell you that the angle you hold the knife at is important. We express that although it is important to keep a low angle, we specifically designed the sharpener in an oval shape to deflect the need for a perfect angle.
Please email us at sharpen@jewelstik.com if you have a question.