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The rosiness of life comes in different forms and stages known to be fascinating and challenging, we can’t help but be grateful for the privileges to be in control of our world, in the manufacturing of products, to rid us of the stress that accompanies the kitchen world.
A long time ago, the versatility of cooking wasn’t fully exploited due to a lack of kitchen tools to invigorate new cooking skills and ideas for the betterment of improving our delicacies. Among these inventions, is the meat grinder which often than not, has saved thousands from cooking bad meals or tasteless meals.
No doubt having a meat grinder machine has more advantages than disadvantages. You’re in charge of the quantity, texture, and looks you desire your meat to have. In a way, they’ve aided our humanity. However, there are bound to be some breakdown along the way. The most common is having blunt meat grinder blades and plates.
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Can You Sharpen A Meat Grinder Blade You May Ask?
Well, the answer is a Yes, you can sharpen a meat grinder blade. Before now, most persons never had the idea that meat grinder plates can be sharpened. Once their grinder blades are blunt, they toss them in the trash or repackaged them, just like how they were bought without anyone using them ever again.
They tend to seek after new meat grinder because there was no one who could devise an absolute idea on how to sharpen meat grinder blades back in the days. Well, that’s simply in the past now. There are now three different ways to sharpen a meat grinder blade. They will be discussed amicably.
Expert Steps On How You Can Sharpen Meat Grinder Blades And Plates
Procedure 1
First, there’s a need to get ready the environment for sharpening a meat grinder blade. The thing is, you don’t just wake up to fix the blunted meat grinder blades and plates if you ain’t properly prepared for it. It is expedient of you to choose a location in which you want to carry it out. Because you have to put into consideration your health which is most important.
It won’t be funny if, along the lines, you inflict injuries upon yourself. At such, the environment or the site to which you are to carry out the sharpening of the meat grinder blades and plates should be open to allow for permissiveness. Once you’ve got the place for this, you can move on to the next step.
Secondly, you’ll be needing some required or necessary tools to carry them out. Also, we will briefly dwell on them before forging ahead.
Read Also: How Long Do Meat Grinders Blades Last?
They include;
1. Gloves
Before you proceed to get the work done, get gloves that are to be worn on the hands to carry out the sharpening procedure properly. You can get disposable gloves so you can dispose after usage or you get the other so you can wash after usage. Whichever is okay with you.
2. Screwdriver
A screwdriver is needed to unscrew the blades or plates that are being attached to the meat grinder. Without the aid of a screwdriver, you possibly can’t get it done. So purchase one (Heres a cool Magnetic Screwdriver Set 14 PCS for you) or if you have one already, then you’re good to go.
3. A Clean Piece Of Cloth
You’ll be needing this to clean the meat grinder blades after you’ve loosened it from the machine. The purpose of the cloth is to ensure that the blades are free from dirt or grease which must have come in contact with the meat grinder blades.
4. Sandpaper
This is what you need to get started. It is the sandpaper that one will use to sharpen the blades and plates, to give it that sharpness that you want. Invariably, without good quality sandpaper such as this 12 Grits Assorted Wet Dry Sandpaper for Wood Metal Sanding, there isn’t any possible way to sharpen the meat grinder machine.
5. A Sheet Of Glass Or A Mirror
This fifth step will act as a support to the sandpaper. If you can’t lay your hands on a sheet of glass, try getting a piece of mirror to use for it. It is on the sheet of glass or the mirror that you placed the sandpaper on to enable the process of the blade sharpening to go on smoothly.
6. Water
In the long run, one needs water to wash or clean the blades before and after sharpening. The reason why you should use water is that you’re to clean off the blades from any dirt, food particles, or excesses that must have clung to the body of the blades if the use of cloth doesn’t work.
Please Note
- Ensure the tool you’re to use is one that is compatible with the meat grinder machine. If you can’t lay your hands on a screwdriver earlier mentioned, get a fastener that can swiftly take off the blades with less stress.
- Taking the blades or plates of the meat grinder out is pretty easy but coupling them back can be stressful, most especially if you didn’t assemble them back the same manner in which they were removed. So what are we saying in essence? Kindly watch the pattern in which you removed the blades so you can use that same pattern to them back in their right other.
- Some of the meat grinder blades or plates can be reassembled with ease. This is because they are numbered in such a way that when removed, they can easily be coupled back without having to figure out a way to get the blades back where they ought to be. Well, there are some blades and plates that do not come with numbers. So what should you do? Simply get a little piece of paper, mark them with a number or an alphabet which would make it easier to assemble at any point in time.
- For this last aspect you should clean the blades before sharpening them. We talked about cleaning or washing the blades after use but before you begin to do that, clean the blades first before sharpening. You clean before and after as mentioned above.
The Sharpening Process
Step 1
In this first step, you’re required to get your sheet of glass or a mirror and then, place it on the surface where the sharpening procedure would be carried out. The surface should be completely flat as stated above. When the surface isn’t entirely flat, there’s a tendency that the mirror used may get broken. Also, if the surface isn’t flat, you would become uneasy when working.
Step 2
At this stage, you’ll be needing the sandpaper to start sharpening. Before all that, place the sandpaper on the mirror. Now, there’s something we call balancing. The sandpaper and the sheet of glass or mirror must have the same fitting. If you’ve placed the sandpaper on the sheet or mirror and there isn’t any fitting, cut off the remaining length. It would be strenuous if they don’t fit thereby, affecting your work.
Step 3
It is at this stage you test to see if the blades or plates are a bit sharp before sharpening the meat grinder blades and plates properly. But before you commence, look out for the blades to see how sharp they are. For this is the only way you can actually get to know if you are to exert much effort into sharpening it or not. You can use your hand to do that or get a scrap paper. If you are to use your hands, please do that with maximum care.
Step 4
Now, you can begin the sharpening process properly. Get the blade or plates and position it in a direction while firmly holding it. Gently rub the blades or plates against the sandpaper in a way that enables it to touch the sandpaper in the right manner. Keep rubbing and while at it, you can rotate it around so all the sides get sharpened. Do this one at a time. The moment you’re done, fix it back to the meat grinder machine.
Procedure 2
The second procedure we’ll be looking at is the use of sharpening stone. A sharpening stone is another way to revive blunted blades and plates back to life. There’s this particular sharpening stone ( Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone Knife Sharpening Stone 2 Side Grit 1000/6000 Waterstone ) you can use that would be stress-free and effective in sharpening your blades and plates.
One advantage of using this sharpening stone to sharpen your blade or plates is that they are resistant to water and oil. If you’re to use it in sharpening your blades, they won’t get blunt till after a long time.
So what are the methods you can use to achieve this? Here are the steps:
Step 1
Get a sharpening stone first. Please note that you have to pick a stone that is smooth and isn’t rough such that it becomes a lot easier when you start sharpening the blades or plates of the meat grinder machine. Also, you can’t pick any stone you desire. It is the degree of the bluntness of the blade or plates that will determine if you’re to go for a higher grit or not.
Step 2
It is time to get to work. Ensure you’ve worn your gloves and you have prepared the environment for it as earlier stated in the very first procedure discussed above. So simply placed the stone on the place you’ve prepared down and get the blades or plates.
Gently sharpen any of them by moving them in a circular pattern or you can sharpen them by taking it back and forth. Continue this way till you’ve got the degree of sharpness you want.
You can check it out to ensure it is properly sharpened or go through the process again. If it is well sharpened, fix it back to the meat grinder machine.
Procedure 3
For the last procedure, we’ll be looking at the use of a belt sharpener.
Step 1
In the first step, the first thing that is expedient of you to do is to choose a grit. There are two types of grit. We have the fine grit and coarse grit. For such a process, it is advisable to go for grit that isn’t coarse but a fine grit which is efficient and less hard in sharpening the blade or plates of a meat grinder machine.
However, you can’t use a fine grit for a blade that has become excessively blunt overtime. It is advisable to use a coarse grit for such a situation.
Step 2
This isn’t the time to begin the sharpening of blades or plates. You’ll have to take some look at the different sides of the belt sharpener for it’ll determine how sharp you want your blades to be. Carefully study the different sides for the right side to simply use.
Step 3
Now it’s time to get to work properly. Once you’ve discovered which of the side you want to use for the sharpening process, then you start. Get a hold of the blade or plates on one hand, and get a hold of the belt sharpener on another side and rub against the surface of the belt sharpener. Continue doing this by going back and forth until there aren’t any scratches. If it isn’t sharp enough, you can go over it till you get the degree of sharpness you want.
Maintenance Culture To Take Note Of During Sharpening
- When sharpening of blades and plates, be extra careful so you don’t inflict pains, damages, or injuries on yourself.
- Do not sharpen one side of the blades or plates. You’re to sharpen both sides so they can function correctly.
- Clean the environment in which you’re to use in sharpening the blades or plates the instant you’re done.
- If peradventure you notice the blades or plates are getting rusty a bit, get a clean piece of clothing with grease to take off the rust.
- These sharpening procedures are mainly for meat grinders that are used at home. If yours is a commercial meat grinder machine, take it to a professional meat grinder blade or plate sharpener to get it done perfectly.
- Keep out of reach of children.
How To Sharpen Meat Grinder Blades And Plates – Conclusion
The sharpening of meat grinder blades or plates isn’t much of a difficult task. Although, little effort must be enacted through each of the procedures you’re willing to give a shot. So have you been wondering and pondering on how to sharpen those meat grinder blades or plates in your kitchen? Worry no more. Just follow through any of the aforementioned procedures and bid goodbye to blunt blades and plates for good.
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