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COMM101 TECHNICAL WRITING

ADVANCED KNIFE SHARPENING TECHNIQUES

INTRODUCTION

As the amounts of disposable income for the average family have fallen with the decline of the economy, people have become much more selective about where they spend their money. The restaurant that takes advantage of recent innovations in kitchen gadget technology to save themselves money could pass the savings to their customers and build their business in hard times. Growth being the goal of every business, it is essential that we research and implement any innovations which could give us such an advantage.

CURRENT KNIFE SHARPENING METHODS

Currently, our kitchen uses two different approaches when sharpening our knives which are: periodic sharpening by a local knife sharpening company and hand-held sharpening stones used to hone the edge when necessary. Both of these methods have advantages and disadvantages.

ADVANTAGES OF PROFESSIONAL SHARPENING

All of our knives are sharpened at the same time: when the knives are returned, all of them are sharp and ready for immediate kitchen use
The blades are honed to a razor edge: all of our knives are as sharp as the day they were purchased
Edge lasts for a long time: if not abused, the edge stays sharp for three weeks on average

DISADVANTAGES OF PROFESSIONAL SHARPENING

No periodic touch-ups: the sharpening company will only sharpen our knives on our scheduled date
Two day turnaround time: we deliver our knives on Saturday morning and they are not returned until Monday morning
Expensive: with a cost of $5.00 per knife, it costs $250.00 every month to sharpen all fifty kitchen knives

ADVANTAGES OF HAND-HELD STONES

Knives do not need to be sent out for sharpening: our knives stay in our kitchen where they can be used by our staff
Touch-ups as needed: regardless of the day of the month, our blades can be sharpened by kitchen staff

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DISADVANTAGES OF HAND-HELD STONES

Blade dulls quickly: it is extremely difficult to get a long lasting edge

If not sharpened properly, edge is destroyed: there is no gauge with a stone to ensure a proper sharpening angle is maintained
Risk of injury to kitchen staff: if a cook is rushed or not paying attention, there is a high probability of injury
Impossible to sharpen a serrated edge: the only way possible to sharpen our serrated edges is with a sharpening rod

INNOVATION IN KNIFE SHARPENING EQUIPMENT

As we gain more repeat customers and have less down time in our kitchen, it has become necessary that we be able to sharpen our knives to a long lasting, razor edge without the cost or turnaround of the way we currently conduct our sharpening. The most recent advancement in sharpening technology is the AnySharp knife sharpening system developed by Medea International.

I have been able to determine there are many advantages we could get for ourselves by purchasing one or more of these revolutionary products.

ADVANTAGES OF THE ANYSHARP KNIFE SHARPENER

Low cost: According to the website www.anysharp.com, the price for one unit is $14.74 which is less than the cost of sharpening three knives by a professional knife sharpening company. This is a savings of $2985.26 our first year of ownership.
Razor sharp edge: According to an article in Woman Magazine, “The AnySharp is a foolproof little device which enables you to make all your knife blades as keen as they were when you bought them.” (Unknown, 2009) Having our knives as sharp as when we bought them is very important to our business. Dull knives leave us with uneven cuts in our meat and produce and detract from the visual appeal of our finished product.
Easy to maintain proper sharpening angle: In his product review, Imran Hussein says, “ Anysharp's integrated precision sharpening steels guarantee the optimum cutting angle time after time, and protect your investment in these professional kitchen knives.” (Hussein, 2008)
Blades stay sharp for extended periods of time: During an interview conducted with Mrs. Lori Turnbeaugh, head chef of Fat Sammy's Pub and Grill, Mrs. Turnbeaugh was excited to tell me that her kitchen had been using the AnySharp for quite some time. She explained that the angled steel construction of the cutting surface ensures the angle is perfect for obtaining a long lasting edge on all her knives. (Turnbeaugh, 2010)
Sharpens serrated blades: an Amazon reviewer says, “ I chose this sharpener as others seemed not suitable for doing straight blades and serrated – this one does and it does them extremely well...” ( LynndeLou, 2009)

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DISADVANTAGES OF THE ANYSHARP KNIFE SHARPENER

It has been very difficult to find any negative reviews of the AnySharp knife sharpener. Most of the reviews lead me to believe that this is a great product. I have, however, been able to find a possible disadvantage.

Tears metal away from the blade. R.J. Wilson says in his review, “ As a qualified engineer, I found this product excellent at ruining blades. The blade angles are too severe, the device blunts edges of chips, and produces an uneven rough surface finish.” (Wilson, 2009)

CONCLUSION

Tearing metal from the blades of our high quality kitchen knives is a potentially devastating consequence of using this item. I do, however, believe that the positive reviews far outweigh the negative. We, as a company interested in taking any business advantage we can, should be willing to try products which could help us. I think it would be in our best interest to try the product on one of our less expensive and more expendable knives. Should we find the edge is destroyed by using this product, we should cease use and return the product immediately. If, however, we find that it gives our knives the sharp, long lasting edge it promises, we should begin immediate and full time use in our kitchen.

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ENDNOTES

Hussein, Imran. Amazine product review, http://www.amazines.com/Cooking/article_detail.cfm/716547?articleid=716547
(Accessed on 21 June 2010)

Lynndelou. Amazon product review, http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B001DXVL6K/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&filterBy=addOneStar
(Accessed on 21 June 2010)

Turnbeaugh, Lori. Interview conducted by author with Mrs. Turnbeaugh on 22 June 2010.

Unknown Author, “Ben's Kitchen,” Woman's Magazine, 24 August 2009

Wilson, R.J. Amazon product review, http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B001DXVL6K/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&filterBy=addOneStar
(Accessed on 21 June 2010)