Not that often, you should learn to maintain your own tools.

Use a professional:
When you are unable to restore the cutting action of a tool at home.
V-tools should be re-ground at least once a year by someone who really knows what they are doing.

Knives can benifit from regrinding when they become rounded from stropping and hand-sharpening.

If a tool isn't enjoyable to carve with, a professional tuneup is recommended.

[Ric]

Okay....a real dumb question. How do you sharpen a knife with a serrated edge on it. Now mind you this is not my carving knife, but the one I carry for cutting stuff around the house. To date I have been sticking it in the power can opener/sharpener, but the results are less than pretty. When I first got it I cut myself all the time with it, and now I am lucky if I can get a cheap thrill out of it. :-/

Rick, try this site for a fair explaination.

http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecent...n/instser.html

Would you recommend using a belt sander to speed up the sharpening process?

I seemed to take a long time to sharpen and strop my tools and was looking for a faster method.

Thanks,
Jim

[Ric]

I use an oil stone and a strop. I have one of those Sears sharpeners, but never got the hang of it, so back to the manual way. I strop often and don't spend a lot of time on the stone as a result. I do however know that some of my gouges probably need the factory angle modified for better cutting, but never tried it for fear of runing them.

[Ric]

Thanks for the link Rick. That shed some light on the matter. Bottom line for me is that I will just keep my old schrade in my pocket and throw the serrated knife in my tool box. I can't see taking the time to hone each groove. I can get a better blade on the schrade without all the time. That also opens up a whole set of questions on the set of serrated kitchen knives we got as a present last year. The wife is always complaining about how dull they have gotten. Maybe time for some good old fashion knives.

Jim,
For me, power sharpening is the only way to go.
I have never use a belt sander for that purpose, but I don't see why you couldn't.

[Bandaid]

Rick...a round ceramic rod does a pretty good job on a serrate edge.