Homestead

Corona AC8300 Sharpening Tool

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More than just a gardening tool sharpener

I have been using the small 5″ Corona AC8300 Sharpening Tool ($9) for a good ten years. I originally bought it with some Corona gardening tools, which are the best tools for the money, so I could keep them sharp. It works on straight and curved blades and takes only a few strokes to restore a keen edge. It worked great on these tools but it wasn’t long before I found myself using the sharpener on other cutting edges. With it I have been able to sharpen curved-blade fingernail nippers, scissors of any size, knives of any size or type (provided the blade is not hard stainless steel) machetes, even utility knife blades, single-edge razor blades, and scalpel blades –– I have never found anything that can do that.

I have one of those V-notch sharpeners but it doesn’t do as good a job on knives and can’t do any of these other blades at all.

The advantage of using the Corona sharpener is that you are in complete control over the entire process because it hones only one side of the blade at a time. You simply gently run the tool’s carbide edge against one side of the blade edge a few times, keeping it angled slightly more than the blade edge. You can do this in increments if the blade is long. When the edge looks clean and you can feel a burr along the opposite edge, with a fingernail, run the tool very gently along the opposite edge, just enough to remove the burr, and you have a renewed edge. You may have to repeat this several times if the blade is really dull. You may also have to first file the edge, with a mill bastard file, if it is all chipped or dented, or extremely dull, but regular honing should prevent that. That’s it.

The sharpener removes very little metal if you use it correctly. A file or a V-notch sharpener removes much more metal. And, oh yes, the sharp carbide edge makes a great ferro-rod striker.

Here is a video which demonstrates how it is used:

-- LarryA 07/11/19

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