Edgecraft Chef's Choice 320 - Manual (Page 5)

5
Unless you have special blades designed to be sharpened primarily on one side of the edge (such
as Asian Kataba blades) you will want to sharpen equally in the right and left slots of each stage you
use. This will ensure that the facets on each side of the edge are of equal size and that the edge will
cut straight at all times.
When sharpening in either stage, the knife should, on sequential strokes, be pulled alternately through
the left slot and the right slot of that Stage. Generally only one or two pairs of pulls (alternating in
the left and right slots) will be adequate in each stage (see subsequent sections for more detail).
Always operate the sharpener from the front side. Hold the blade horizontal and level and slide it down
between the plastic spring and the guide plane while pulling it toward you at a uniform rate as it
contacts the sharpening or stropping disk. You will be able to feel and hear the contact with the disk
as it is made. Always keep the blade moving uniformly through each stage; do not stop the pull in mid
stroke. Consistently pull at a speed of about 5 seconds per stroke for an eight (8) inch blade. The time
can be less for shorter blades and more for longer blades.
Never operate the sharpener from the back side.
Use just enough downward pressure when sharpening to ensure uniform and consistent contact of
the blade with the abrasive disks on each stroke. Additional pressure is unnecessary and will not
speed the sharpening process. Avoid cutting into the plastic enclosure. Accidental cutting into the
enclosure will not functionally impact operations of the sharpener or damage the edge.
Figure 1 below identifies each of the two stages as described further in the following sections.
INSTRUCTIONS
READ ThIS BEFORE YOU START TO ShARPEN
The Chef’sChoice ® Model 320 is designed to sharpen either Straight edge or Serrated
edge blades.
1. Sharpen Serrated Blades Only in Stage 2. Do not sharpen serrated blades in Stage 1
until you read section titled Procedure for Sharpening Serrated Blades.
2. Straight Edge Blades are sharpened in Stages 1 and 2. Start in Stage 1 if the knife is
being sharpened for the first time or if the knife is very dull. See following Section for
more details.
PROCEDURE FOR ShARPENING STRAIGhT EDGE BlADES
STRAIGhT EDGE BlADES: ShARPENING FIRST TIME
Before you turn on the power, slip a knife blade smoothly into the slot between the left angle guide of
Stage 1 and the elastomeric spring. Do not twist the knife. (See Figure 3.)
Move the blade down in the slot until you feel it contact the diamond disk. Pull it towards you lifting
the handle slightly as you approach the tip. This will give you a feel for the spring tension. Remove the
knife and press the Power Switch. A red “indica-
tor” on the switch appears when this switch is
turned “ON.”
Stage 1: If you are sharpening a straight-edge
knife for the first time, start in Stage 1. Pull the
knife once through the left slot of Stage 1 (Figure
3) by slipping the blade between the left angle
guide and the polymeric spring while pulling the
blade toward you and simultaneously moving
the blade downward in the slot until it engages
the diamond coated disk. You will hear it make
contact with the disk. Insert the blade as close
Figure 3. Stage 1. Inserting blade in slot between guide
and elastomeric spring. Alternate individual pulls in left
and right slots.