Is your pizza cutter starting to drag toppings with it as you slice? If its blade isn’t already covered with toppings from previous slicing sessions, that’s probably an indication that it needs sharpening. In other words, it’s gone dull.
Today, we’ll discuss if pizza cutters get dull (hint: they do) and how to get them sharp again using two methods. This way, you won’t have to deal with products that have lost their edge.
Some might be fine with their mozzarella all over the place, but many of us certainly aren’t. You can check out The Kitchen Warriors for pizza cutter options that won’t give you this problem.
Why Do Pizza Cutters Lose Their Edge?
First of all, it’s not all that unusual for pizza cutters to get dull after a few dozen uses. They just aren’t made to be razor-sharp, to begin with. However, it’s a good thing there are several tools that can sharpen them, two of which we’ll discuss in the sections below.
Pizza cutters are tougher to sharpen than regular knives on account of their circular shape, which makes them difficult to grip. Nonetheless, things used to sharpen ordinary blades can also work with pizza cutters.
Two Methods for Sharpening Pizza Cutters
Whetstones and diamond sharpeners are typically used on knives. However, they can sharpen your pizza cutters just as good. Find out how you can get your pizza cutter blades to slice like new using these two methods.
Whetstone
The simplest way to sharpen a knife is to use a whetstone. You can also use it to help a pizza cutter regain its edge.
Step 1: Prepare your items.
Obviously, you need a whetstone. However, to make sure everything’s safe and you have a shiny finish, you also want to prepare some polishing compound and a pair of protective gloves.
Step 2: Prepare the blade.
Using a gloved hand, hold the blade and the central wheel tightly so that they don’t budge while you’re sharpening. Wet the blade before you sharpen it, and wet it often to ensure better sharpening of the edges.
Step 3: Use the whetstone.
The blade should be held at a 45-degree angle as you sharpen. At this angle, it’s easier for you to apply pressure on the blade. You should also sharpen from the inside out.
Grind the edge against the whetstone and make sure to balance the pressure on it as you rotate. This should prevent the blade from being sharpened unevenly.
Step 4: Get it to shine.
After sharpening, use a cotton cloth to apply a polishing compound on the wheel. This should remove any unnecessary scratches that may have resulted from grinding on the stone.
You can also perform this step with a detached pizza wheel. However, this is only possible with a detachable pizza cutter.
Step 5: Do some tests.
In case you took apart your pizza cutter to sharpen it better, apply lubricant to the wheel once it’s attached. The cutter should glide along easily when you do this.
Before testing your cutter out, wash it thoroughly. This should reveal if the blade wasn’t sharpened evenly.
Diamond Sharpening Stone
While it’s one of the pricier options out there, the diamond sharpening stone can sharpen your cutter to great effect.
Step 1: Prepare your items.
For this method, you are going to need a diamond sharpening stone and a polishing compound. That’s it!
Step 2: Take apart the pizza cutter.
Pizza cutters with handles usually have detachable blades. Diamond sharpeners are best used with cutters that have removable blades. That way, you can easily grip the blade at an angle while sharpening.
Step 3: Grind the blade.
What makes the diamond sharpener better than the whetstone is that it allows for an easier gripping of the blade to create an even outcome.
Just like the whetstone, the diamond sharpening stone requires the application to be done inside out in a counter-clockwise motion. However, you eventually move clockwise close to the end of the process.
Step 4: Polish the blade.
After sharpening, clean the blade thoroughly before reassembling the parts. Once dried, apply a polishing compound using a cotton cloth to get rid of any scratches that may have been inflicted by the diamond sharpener.
Then, lubricate the wheel so that it slices more smoothly and doesn’t rust easily.
Restore Your Pizza Cutter to Its Former Glory
Although sharpening your pizza cutter using a whetstone can be tedious, it is necessary if your item is dull and rusting. Unless you have a diamond sharpener lying around the kitchen, then the stone will have to do.
Don’t worry; once you get the hang of it, you might even start to enjoy it. Or, if you really don’t want to be bothered with challenges in the first place, get a diamond sharpener. It can make this pizza cutting business a whole lot easier.
Leave a Reply