How To Reshape A Knife Blade – A Complete Guide

A sharp and well-shaped blade is required for the knife to work properly. When the shape of the blade gets distorted, the knife can be proved useless. Well, instead of throwing the knife with a distorted blade, you may repair it. Yes, it is possible to reshape the blade of a knife with a few easy steps. 

Thereby, today we will show you the tutorial on how to reshape a knife blade. The key to reshaping the knife blade is to assess the damage, and work accordingly. Also, you need to create the outline to reshape the blade accurately. 

So, start by assessing the distortion on the knife blade to reshape it. Then, outline the reshaping you want. Then, you must sharpen the outer part of the outline to finish the reshaping task. During the sharpening process, the steel gets away from the edges. Consequently, you will get the right shape.

Can You Reshape A Knife Blade?

When you look at the edge of a knife, you will find many smaller blades in it. The metal blade cuts through the ingredients and items on which you apply the knife. However, due to overuse, the shape of the blade gets damaged. Also, the knife may accidentally fall off your hand on the tiles or hard metal that too ruins the shape of its edges. 

The question is if you can repair the shape into its original form. 

The answer is yes; you can reshape the blade of a knife following similar techniques to sharpening it. However, instead of using a whetstone, you can use a Dremel and belt grinder for proper reshaping. It helps you reach the edges accurately which a honing stone may not provide you. You may even bring back a broken tip of the knife to its original shape following this technique. 

How To Reshape A Knife Blade?

Reshaping the blade of the knife is easier than most people anticipate it to be. Once you observe and assess the damage on the blade and outline the reshaping, the rest of the work gets simpler. 

Step 1: Analyzing the blade for damages:

Closely look around the blade edge and identify where the damage has taken place. When you observe and analyze the blade, you will know exactly where the reshaping is necessary. So, bring the knife in suitable area like in your kitchen cabinet under ample light and look at it closely. 

Many times, the damage can be so tiny that you can’t see it. So, you might use a simple magnifying glass for better observation. Conversely, use the zoom lens of your smartphone to assess the damage minutely. 

The damage may happen at the tip of the knife too. So, don’t skip looking at the tip. 

Step 2: Outline the reshaping of the knife:

The reshaping of the knife is minute work. So, you should mark the location where you will repair the edges. For this, use a marker to outline. Ensure that you create the outline at the edges of the blade not inside it. 

It is useful because you will need to remove the metal from the edges to reshape it. You can use another knife to use a reference for the right outline. 

Step 3: Start reshaping the blade’s edge:

You can use a whetstone or Dremel to reshape the blade. For minute works, use a long but thin piece of the whetstone. It is similar to what woodworkers use to sharpen the blades of their manual saw. It will be useful to polish the blade after reshaping it. 

If you choose a whetstone, follow these tips. 

• You will need a whetstone with a grit rating of 4000/6000, 400/1000, and 120/300. One side will have the finer grits and the other side will have harsher grits. 

You can alternatively use the diamond stone. It cuts through the steel perfectly. However, it is slightly more expensive than the whetstone. 

Step 4: Remove the metal from the outer edge of the knife:

First, apply a few drops of lubricating oil to the whetstone. Now, position the knife at a 20° angle with the whetstone and start sharpening. For this, you must move the knife from backward to forward direction.  Be careful not to reverse the sharpening direction as it will damage the blade further. 

After removing the metal from the edge of the blade on one side, flip over it. Then, start moving the knife in a similar direction to remove the metal from it. You need to continue flipping over the knife and sharpening it multiple times. 

As you continue removing the metal to reshape the blade, look at it closely. Or you may remove too much steel from it to turn the knife useless. 

Step 5: Polish the reshaped knife:

Once you’ve removed the metal from the outer part of the outline of the knife, you need to finish off the job. It calls you to polish the reshaped blade to bring back its sharpness. You may use a polishing stone with a 1200-grit rating for this. 

Place the polishing stone and the knife edge at the right angle. Then, hone the edges of the knife by moving it on the polishing stone carefully. Alternatively, you may use a Dremel to polish the edges of the blade perfectly. The Dremel will allow you to connect grinding tools of different sizes to it. So, you may achieve a better polishing result with it. 

Finally, sharpen the blade as you would do with any knife using the whetstone. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Can knives be repaired?

You can repair a knife. It is possible to repair the broken tip and bend the edges of a knife. Unless you have a highly flexible knife such as a fillet, you can repair most knives following our suggestions. 

2. Is it OK to use a chipped knife?

You can still use a chipped knife unless the chip is causing you problems in cutting and slicing with the knife. You need to reset the angle of a chipped knife to help it become sharp enough for your cutting and slicing work. 

Conclusion:

When the edges of the knife are bent too much, you should repair it. Usually, the blade of a knife is bent because of a fall on a harder metal or surface. Although it is shocking to see a damaged blade, you can assess the damage and reshape it with a whetstone and Dremel. While working with the knife and Dremel, you must wear gloves to protect your hands from unwanted cuts.