Chef’sChoice 15XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener Manual

Chef’sChoice 15XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

When using electrical appliances, basic safety precautions should always be followed including the following:

1. Read all instructions. Every user should read this manual.
2. To protect against electrical hazards, do not immerse the Chef’sChoice® Model 15 in water or other liquid.
3. Make sure that only clean knife blades are inserted in Chef’sChoice® Model 15.
4. Unplug from the outlet when not in use, before putting on or taking off parts, and before cleaning.
5. Avoid contacting moving parts.
6. Do not operate any appliance with a damaged cord or plug or after the appliance malfunctions, or is dropped or damaged in any manner. U.S. customers: You can return your sharpener to EdgeCraft’s factory for service where the cost of repair or electrical or mechanical adjustment can be estimated. When the electrical cord on this appliance is damaged, it must be replaced by the Chef’sChoice® distributor or other qualified service to avoid the danger of electrical shock. Outside the U.S.: Please return your sharpener to your local distributor where the cost of repair or electrical or mechanical adjustment can be estimated. If the supply cord is damaged, it must be replaced by the manufacturer, its service agent, or similarly qualified persons to avoid a hazard.
7. The use of attachments not recommended or sold by EdgeCraft Corporation may cause fire, electric shock, or injury.
8. The Chef’sChoice® Model 15 is designed to sharpen knives. Do not attempt to sharpen scissors, ax blades, or any blade that does not fit freely in the slots.
9. Do not let the cord hang over the edge of the table or counter or touch hot surfaces.
10. When in the “ON” position (The red flash switch is exposed when “ON”), the Chef’sChoice® sharpener should always be on a stable countertop or table.
11. WARNING: KNIVES PROPERLY SHARPENED ON YOUR Trizor XV® Model 15 WILL BE SHARPER THAN YOU EXPECT. TO AVOID INJURY, USE AND HANDLE THEM WITH EXTREME  CARE. DO NOT CUT TOWARD ANY PART OF YOUR FINGERS, HAND OR BODY. DO NOT RUN FINGER ALONG EDGE. STORE  IN A SAFE MANNER.
12. Do not use outdoors.
13. Close supervision is necessary when any appliance is used by or near children. Children should be supervised to ensure that they do not play with the appliance.
14. Do not use honing oils, water, or any other lubricant with the Chef’sChoice® Model 15.
15. For household use only.
16. This appliance is not intended for use by persons (including children) with reduced physical, sensory, or mental capabilities,  or lack of experience and knowledge unless they have been given supervision or instruction concerning the use of the appliance by a person responsible for their safety.

YOU MADE A GOOD CHOICE

The Chef’sChoice® Model 15 from Chef’sChoice® is the world’s first sharpener designed specially to create the exceedingly sharp and effective Trizor® edge on all household cutlery. The Trizor® edge gives you the superior edge durability of the Chef’sChoice® triple bevel edge while forming each of the major edge facets at 14 degrees (28° total) for sharpness that artisans devoted lifetimes to develop the skills required to hand sharpen edges of this quality.

UNDERSTANDING THE RAZOR EDGE
The Trizor® design uses multiple diamond abrasives of successively finer grits to shape the facets into a modified gothic arch to create an edge that has added strength, durability, and sharpness. The Trizor® edge is made by a three-step sharpening, honing, and stropping process but the major edge angle is set at 14° (See Figure 1) for added sharpness and effortless use. You will appreciate the reduced effort in cutting and the enhanced sharpness.  Remember the edge will be sharper than you expect. GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE CHEF’SCHOICE® MODEL 15 The Chef’sChoice® Model 15 (see Figure 1) is a three-stage sharpener with 100% diamond abrasives in the first two stages to sharpen and hone the edge, followed in Stage 3 with the Chef’sChoice® proprietary stropping/polishing disks to create an astonishingly sharp edge.

You will find it easy to convert any of your household knives can be restored to factory-new condition in just minutes. All traditional-single beveled knives such as sashimi knives require special care and must be sharpened primarily on one side of the edge. You will find you can also sharpen your serrated blades with the Chef’sChoice® Model 15 by following the special instructions included on page 10. The Chef’sChoice® Model 15 retains the popular EdgeSelect® feature, introduced by Chef’sChoice®, which allows you to sharpen each knife according to your intended use, such as gourmet food preparation, butchering, dressing of game or fish.

The three stages can be used in different sequences, for example, to give you either an astonishingly sharp, smooth faceted edge for effortless cutting or one with a selected amount of residual “bite” – ideal for cutting fibrous food, meats, stalky vegetables, or dressing of game. This feature is described in detail in the following section. Chef’sChoice® Model 15 is equipped with a manually actuated diamond dressing system that can be used, when necessary, to clean any accumulated food or sharpening debris from the surface of the ultrafine abrasive Stage 3 polishing/stropping disks.

We strongly urge that you always thoroughly clean your knives before sharpening them. Unless you are a heavy user of the sharpener, you will be able to sharpen for months or even a year or more before you need to dress the stropping/polishing disks. Only if you sense a distinct decrease in polishing efficiency in Stage 3 is there any need to use this convenient feature described on page 10.

Never operate the sharpener from the back side.
Use just enough downward pressure when sharpening to ensure uniform and consistent contact of the blade edge with the abrasive disks on each stroke. (See Suggestion 5, page 11). Additional pressure is unnecessary and will not speed up the sharpening process. Avoid excessive cutting into the plastic enclosure. Accidental cutting into the enclosure however will not functionally impact the operations of the sharpener or damage the edge.

Try a practice pull through the sharpener before you turn on the power. Slip the knife blade smoothly into the left slot between the left angle guide of Stage 1 and the plastic knife holding spring. Do not twist the knife. 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 practice pull will give you a feel for the spring tension. Remove the knife and read the following instructions specific to the type of knife you will be sharpening.

HOW TO CREATE THE TRIZOR EDGE ON EURO/AMERICAN AND CONTEMPORARY ASIAN BLADES

START IN SHARPENING STAGE 1
Turn ON the power and pull the length of the blade through the left slot (Figure 4) and then through the right slot of Stage 1, using the left and right slots on alternate pulls. (Take about 3-4 seconds for each pull of a 5” long blade). The first time you sharpen a European or American knife it may take up to 20 pair of pulls to fully re-angle the edge of a thin blade. Thicker blades will require more pulls. Check for a burr as described below and continue to make more pulls if necessary to create a small burr along the entire length of the blade. If you are sharpening a contemporary Asian blade (which probably has been sharpened previously at 15 degrees) you will find that only a few (1-2) pairs of alternating pulls (alternating left and right slots) will be needed to develop a burr. Do not over-sharpen. When you have developed a burr along the full blade length proceed to Stage 2.

DETECTING THE BURR
To confirm the presence of a burr (see Figure 4) move your forefinger carefully across the edge in the direction shown. Do not move your finger along the edge – to avoid cutting your finger. If the last pull was in the right slot, the burr will appear only on the right side of the blade as you normally hold it and vice versa. The burr, when present, feels like a rough and bent extension of the edge; the opposite side of the edge feels very smooth by comparison. If there is no burr continue sharpening in Stage 1, alternating left and right slots until a full burr develops. When a burr is present along the entire blade length proceed as below to Stage 2.

HONING IN STAGE 2
Make about 1 or 2 pairs of pulls through Stage 2 (Figure 5) alternating each pull in the left and right slots. Take about 3 seconds for each pull on a 5-inch (12 cm) long blade. Check for a burr before proceeding to Stage 3. If necessary make additional pairs of pulls to develop a burr along the entire length of the blade before proceeding to Stage 3.

STROPPING/POLISHING THE EDGE IN STAGE 3
Pull the blade through the left slot of Stage 3 (see Figure 6) and then through the right slot of Stage 3. Make 3 pairs of pulls, alternating each pull in the left and right slots. You should take about 3 to 4 seconds for each pull for a 5-inch (12 cm) long blade. Then make 2 pairs of alternating faster pulls in this Stage, about 1 second per pull for a 5-inch (12 cm) blade to put a final polish on the edge. Check the blade for sharpness. For a sharper edge make a few more pairs of fast pulls and check for sharpness.

SHARPENING THE TRADITIONAL (SINGLE-BEVEL) JAPANESE BLADE

Traditional Japanese knives such as the sashimi blade shown here are single-sided and have a large factory bevel on the front side of the blade. There are a large number of manufacturers of knives of this type used widely to prepare sashimi. The factory bevel (Bevel A) is commonly ground at about 10 degrees, but there are exceptions and that angle is not standardized at the factories. Designs of the traditional Japanese knives and the detailed structure of the cutting edges likewise vary widely from one manufacturer to the next, however, there are some similarities. The cutting edge consists of a small primary facet on the front face of the blade below the large bevel and a much smaller secondary microfacet along the back face. Commonly the back side microfacet can be easily seen only with a hand magnifier.

The back face is ground flat at the factory or more commonly it is slightly hollow ground to ensure that an effective microfacet can be formed there as part of the cutting edge. Because of the lack of standardization, the manual approach used to sharpen these knives in Asia has proven difficult, laborious, and time-consuming. The Chef’sChoice® Model 15 is designed to sharpen all traditional Asian blades and to create a factory-quality edge. Before you start to sharpen a traditional blade, examine it carefully to confirm that you have the traditional single-bevel blade and to determine whether you have a right or left-handed type.

You must follow carefully the sharpening procedure and sequence as described below to achieve the optimum edge on your traditional blade. Again confirm which side of the blade has the large factory Bevel A. Hold the blade in your hand (as when you are cutting) and if the large factory bevel is on the right side of the blade, the blade is right-handed. For the right-handed blades start sharpening in the left slot of Stage 2 so that only the beveled side (right side) of the edge will contact the honing wheel.

RESHARPENING THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE BLADE (RIGHT-HANDED)
In general, you will be able to resharpen quickly by following the sequence a through d of Step 2 in the preceding section. Repeat this if necessary to obtain a razor-sharp edge. When resharpening only in Stage 3 fails to develop a sharp edge or if the edge has been substantially dulled you will need to re-hone the edge in Stage 2. Use only the left slot of Stage 2. Generally, you will find that about five (5) re-honing pulls will be sufficient in Stage 2. In any event, develop a burr before moving back to Stage 3. Finish the edge in Stage 3 following Steps 3a, b, c, d.

SHARPENING LEFT-HANDED TRADITIONAL BLADES
The procedure you must use with left-handed blades is similar to that procedure for right-handed blades as detailed above – Except, in all cases, the slots you must use are reversed. Where the sharpening procedure for right-handed blades calls for the use of just the left slot, you must use only the right slot when sharpening a left-handed blade. Likewise, use the left slot where the right-handed instructions call for using the right slot.

THE EDGESELECT® FEATURE

OPTIMIZING THE KNIFE EDGE FOR EACH USE
The gourmet chef will appreciate the unique ability of The Model 15 knife sharpener to tailor the knife edge to optimize performance for each cutting task. These procedures are not suggested for your traditional Asian knives.

FOR MEATS, FIELD DRESSING, AND HIGHLY FIBROUS MATERIALS
For butchering, field dressing, or cutting fibrous materials you may find it advantageous to sharpen in Stage 1 – followed directly by Stage 3. This will leave sharpened micro flutes along the facets near each side of the edge (Figure 9b) that will assist in the cutting of such materials. To prepare this type of edge on either your Euro/American knives or contemporary Asian knives, sharpen in Stage 1 (see page 6) until a burr is developed along the edge.

Then move directly to Stage 3 and make two or three pairs of pulls there. To preserve this type of edge, when the knife needs resharpening, use Stage 3 for only one or two resharpenings. Then go back to Stage 1 for one pull in each of the left and right slots and then return directly to Stage 3. Do not oversharpen in Stage 1.

FOR GAME AND FISH
The optimum edge for cooked poultry generally can be obtained by using Stage 2 followed by Stage 3. (Figure 9c). For raw poultry, Stage 1 followed by Stage 3 as described above may be preferable.

PROCEDURE FOR SHARPENING SERRATED BLADES

Serrated blades are similar to saw blades with scalloped depressions and a series of pointed teeth. In normal use, the pointed teeth do most of the cutting. Serrated blades of all types can be sharpened in The Chef’sChoice® Model 15. However, use only Stage 3 (Figure 10) which will sharpen the teeth of the serrations and develop microblades along the edge of these teeth.

Generally five (5) to ten (10) pairs of alternating pulls in Stage 3 will be adequate. If the knife is very dull more pulls will be needed. If the knife edge has been severely damaged through use make one fast pull (2-3 seconds for an 8” blade) in each of the right and left slots of Stage 2, then make a series of pulls in Stage 3, alternating right and left slots. Excessive use of Stage 2 will remove more metal along the edge than is necessary to sharpen the teeth.

Because serrated blades are saw-like structures, the edges will never appear to be as “sharp” as the edge on a straight edge knife. However, their tooth-like structure can be helpful—for example, to break the skin on hard crusty foods and penetrate other materials such as cardboard.

DRESSING OF STROPPING/POLISHING DISKS – STAGE 3
The Chef’sChoice® Model 15 is equipped with a built-in system to manually clean/dress the stropping/polishing disks in Stage 3. In the event these disks become glazed with grease, food, or sharpening debris, they can be cleaned and reshaped by actuating the manual lever on the rear of the sharpener. This lever is located within a recess as shown in Figure 111 in the lower left corner as you face the rear of the Sharpener. To actuate the cleaning/ dressing tool, make sure the power is “ON” and simply press the small lever in the recess to the right, hold for about 3-4 seconds, and then press to the left and repeat for 3-4 seconds.

When the lever is moved in one direction, the dressing tool cleans and reshapes the active surface of one stropping/polishing disk. By moving the lever in the opposite direction you clean the other disk. Use this clean/dress mechanism only if the Stage 3 white disks are seriously darkened and when Stage 3 no longer appears to be stropping/polishing well. Using this tool removes material from the surface of the Stage 3 disks and hence if used excessively, it will unnecessarily remove too much of the abrasive surface – wearing the disks out prematurely. If that should occur, factory replacement of the disks will become necessary. If you clean your knives regularly before sharpening you may need to clean or dress the Stage 3 disks less than once a year.

SUGGESTIONS

1. Always clean all food, fat, and foreign materials from the blade surfaces before sharpening or resharpening. If badly soiled, use detergent and water to clean.
2. Some contemporary Asian knives and Granton-type blades are dimpled and some contemporary and traditional Asian blades are made of layered Damascus steel. All of these should be sharpened according to these instructions depending solely on whether the knife style is contemporary (two facets) or a traditional single-faceted Asian blade.
3. Always pull the blades at the recommended speed and a constant rate over the length of the blade. Never interrupt or stop the motion of the blade when in contact with abrasive disks.
4. Carefully follow the detailed procedures for each type of blade for best results and to extend the useful life of your knives. The sharpening sequence is especially important with the single-sided traditional Asian blades.
5. The edge of the knife blade, while sharpening, should remain in contact with the abrasive disks as the knife is withdrawn from the guiding slot. To sharpen the blade near the tip of a curved blade, lift the handle slightly as you approach the tip ofthe blade but just enough so that the edge as it is being sharpened maintains audible contact with the honing or stropping disk.
6. To increase your proficiency with The Chef’sChoice® Model 15, learn how to detect a burr along the edge (as described on page 6). While you might be able to sharpen well without using this technique, it is the best and fastest way to determine when you have sharpened sufficiently in the preliminary steps. This will help you avoid oversharpening and ensure incredibly sharp edges every time. Cutting a tomato or a piece of paper is a convenient method of checking for finished blade sharpness.
7. Use only light downward pressure when sharpening – just enough to establish secure contact with the abrasive disk.
8. If your knife has a significant choil you may find it helpful to place your index finger within or just behind the choil (see Figures 12 and 13) as you insert the blade in the sharpener. Your finger can act as a “stop” and prevent you from inserting the blade so far that the choil area will catch on the front stop bar of the sharpener as you withdraw the blade. A little practice will help you perfect this technique. As you insert the blade let your finger slide down the front of the sharpener.
9. Used correctly, you will find you can sharpen the entire blade to within ⅛” of the bolster or the sharpener handle. This is a major advantage of The Chef’sChoice® Model
   15 compared to other sharpening methods—especially important when sharpening chef’s knives where you need to sharpen the entire blade length to maintain the curvature of the edge line. If your chef’s knives have a heavy, thick bolster near the handle extending to the edge, a commercial grinder can modify or remove the lower portion of the bolster so it will not interfere with the sharpening action, allowing you to sharpen the entire blade length.
10. The stropping/polishing disks in Stage 3 are designed to last for years of use, however, you can maximize their useful life by periodically modifying your sharpening pattern in Stage 2. The burr developed in Stage 2 will mildly wear thestropping/polishing disk it first contacts in Stage 3. Vary your last pull in Stage 2 by sometimes making the last pull on the left disk and at other times finish on the right disk of Stage 2.
11. Do not attempt to use this sharpener to sharpen either ceramic knives or scissors.

NORMAL MAINTENANCE

NO lubrication is required for any moving parts, motor, bearings, or sharpening surfaces. There is no need for water on abrasives. The exterior of the sharpener may be cleaned by carefully wiping it with a soft damp cloth. Do not use detergents or abrasives. Once a year or so as needed you should remove metal dust that will accumulate inside the sharpener from repeated sharpenings. Remove the small rectangular clean-out cover (Figure 14) that covers an opening on the underside of the sharpener. You will find metal particles adhered to a magnet attached to the inside of that cover.

Simply rub off or brush off accumulated filings from the magnet with a paper towel or toothbrush and reinsert the cover in the opening. If larger amounts of metal or other dust have been created you can shake out any remaining dust through the bottom opening when the cover is removed. After cleaning, replace the cover securely with its magnet in place.

SERVICE

In the event post-warranty service is needed, return your sharpener to the EdgeCraft factory where the cost of repair can be estimated before the repair is undertaken. Outside the USA, contact your retailer or national distributor. Please include your return address, daytime telephone number, and a brief description of the problem or damage on a separate sheet inside the box. Retain a shipping receipt as evidence of shipment and as your protection against loss in shipment.

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Faqs About Chef’sChoice 15XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener