Chef's Choice Angle Select 1520 User manual

MODEL 1520 InstructIOns
Angle Select®Knife Sharpener
Read these instructions before use.
It is essential that you follow these
instructions to achieve optimum results.
© 2010 EdgeCraft Corp.

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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 AngleSelect®Model 1520 in
water or other liquid.
3. Make sure that only clean knife blades are inserted in Model 1520.
4. Unplug from 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 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
of this appliance is damaged, it must be replaced by a repair facility appointed by
the manufacturer because special tools are required. Please consult your Chef’sChoice®
distributor.
7. CAUTION! This appliance may be fitted with a polarized power plug (one blade is wider
than the other). To reduce the risk of electric shock, this plug will fit in a polarized outlet
only one way. If the plug does not fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not
fit, contact a qualified electrician. Do not modify the plug in anyway.
8. The use of attachments not recommended or sold by EdgeCraft Corporation may cause
fire, electric shock or injury.
9. The Chef’sChoice®AngleSelect®Model 1520 is designed to sharpen American, Euro-
pean, and Asian style knives. Do not attempt to sharpen scissors, ax blades or any blade
that does not fit freely in the slots.
10.Do not let the cord hang over edge of table or counter or touch hot surfaces.
11.When in the “ON” position (Red flash on switch is exposed when “ON”), the
Chef’sChoice®sharpener should always be on a stable countertop or table.
12.WARNING: KNIVES PROPERLY SHARPENED ON YOUR AngleSelect®Model 1520 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.
13.Do not use outdoors.
14.Close supervision is necessary when any appliance is used by or near children.
15. Do not use honing oils, water or any other lubricant with the AngleSelect®Model 1520.
16.For household use only.
17.SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

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YOU MADE
A GOOD
CHOICE
Congratulations! As an owner of the highly versatile Chef’sChoice®
AngleSelect®Sharpener Model 1520 you will appreciate how easy it
is to maintain all of your American, European and Asian style knives
in factory sharp condition. A highly precise guide system is provided
to position each style knife automatically at the optimum sharpen-
ing angle as customized diamond abrasive disks quickly restore and
hone a fresh edge. The edge is then stropped with the Chef’sChoice®
patented stropping disk to astonishingly sharpness. You will appreciate
the joy of effortless cutting and the unmatched presentation of each
flawless slice.
The Model 1520 is designed to sharpen your Asian style knives with
primary edge facets of 15 degrees (30 degrees total) matching the
sharpness and edge shape of the highest quality Asian knives. Your
American or European knives on the other hand will be sharpened with
primary edge facets of 20 degrees (40 degrees total), the conventional
angle of the Western countries.
Because the typical Asian edge is formed with its primary edge facet
at an angle of 15º (30º total) it is inherently a “sharper” edge than
the conventional Western edge formed at the larger 20º (40º total).
Because the Asian edge is thinner it is usually considered to be a
weaker edge because of that lower angle. Uniquely the Model 1520 is
designed to create a precise 15º primary angle on the Asian blade but
you can at your choice create a second small microbevel along that
edge facet that adds significant strength and durability to that already
very sharp edge.
Thus you will realize the extra advantages in sharpness and durability
that has made the Chef’sChoice®Trizor®multibevel edge the edge of
choice for the professional chef.
We strongly encourage you to read the following sections that detail
optimum sharpening procedures for each style blade. Enjoy!

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GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE MODEL 1520 SHARPENER
The Model 1520 (Figure 1) is a unique three stage sharpener with Stage 1 designed
exclusively to sharpen Asian style (15º faceted) knives. Stage 2 is designed primarily to sharpen
conventional American and European knives. Stage 3 contains the proprietary Chef’sChoice®
ultrafine abrasive stropping disks designed for both Asian and Euro/American blades to create a
microscopic bevel along the edge and to polish it to astonishing sharpness.
Asian knives (15 degrees) are sharpened first with fine diamond abrasives in Stage 1, and then
stropped and polished in Stage 3. Optionally for a stronger edge on Asian style blades two pair of
pulls can be added in Stage 2 to form a small second bevel, before proceeding to Stage 3 which
creates the third microscopic bevel and polishes the resulting edge with micron size abrasive.
American and European knives (20 degrees) are sharpened first with fine diamond abrasives in
Stage 2, followed by stropping and polishing with micro abrasives in Stage 3. Knives of the 20º
design are not sharpened in Stage 1 unless as described later you wish to convert this 20º edge
facet to the smaller Asian angle of 15º.
Special procedures for sharpening serrated blades are included beginning on page 12.
All traditional-single sided Asian knives such as sashimi knives require special care and must be
sharpened primarily on one side of the edge as explained in later sections.
The Model 1520 is equipped with a manually actuated diamond cleaning 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 sharp-
ener, you will be able to sharpen for months or even a year or more before you need to clean 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 13.
Figure 1. Chef’sChoice®AngleSelect®Sharpener Model 1520 designed to sharpen both Asian and
the Euro-American style knives.
On/Off
Switch
LeftLeft Left
Stage 2 Stage 3Stage 1
Right Right Right
Sharpen
Euro/American Stropping/Polishing
Sharpen
Asian

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Because of their thickness and heavy duty blade design we do not recommend the Model 1520
for the much older thick European cleavers. These can be readily sharpened in Models 120,
2000 and 2100. However, the Model 1520 is ideal for sharpening Asian cleavers.
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 Suggestions, page 14.) Additional pressure is unnecessary and will not
speed the sharpening process. Avoid excessive cutting into the plastic enclosure. Accidental
cutting into the enclosure however will not functionally impact operations of the sharpener or
damage the edge.
Try a practice pull through the sharpener with the power “OFF”. Slip the knife blade smooth-
ly into the left slot between the left angle guide of Stage 1 or Stage 2 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.
DESCRIPTION OF EURO/AMERICAN AND ASIAN BLADES
Over the years, the European and American blades have been designed to prepare foods
common to their own culture and heritage – namely for heavier foods including a wide
variety of meats and more fibrous vegetables. As a result these knives are generally heavier,
thicker, and sharpened with sturdy 20 degree facets (40 degree total angle) (See Figure 3b). By
contrast the Asian foods have been lighter, de-
signed primarily for seafood, and less fibrous
vegetables. Consequently many of the Asian
knives are thinner and sharpened with the
more delicate 15 degree facets (See Figure 3a).
Some Asian blades are very specialized, for
example the traditional Japanese blades which
are formed as single sided blades with a single
15 degree facet. Sharpened correctly they are
exceedingly sharp.
Figure 3. Typical
edge, illustrating the
primary facet.
Figure 2. A typical kitchen knife.
Heel
Bolster
Handle
Edge
Tip
Model 15 edge
30°
15°
Primary
Facet
factory edge
40°
20°
Primary
Facet
a. Typical Asian Edge, 15° b. Typical Euro/American Edge, 20°

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In recent years, as cultures and foods of the eastern and the western countries have become
more ubiquitous and available on a global scale, the knives commonly associated with those
foods also have become widely available. Many European and American brands are selling
Santoku blades and certain traditional European styles are now sold under Asian brands.
The Model 1520 is designed to sharpen virtually any of this growing variety of blades and to
maintain the angles and edge designs of their tradition.
If one can identify the manufacturer of a knife or establish the country of origin of the
knife’s particular design it is relatively easy to classify the edge as Asian (15 degrees) or as
American/European (20 degrees) and to sharpen
accordingly. For example the Santoku knife is charac-
teristically sharpened as an Asian blade (15 degrees)
regardless of where the knife is manufactured. Other-
wise if you are using a given knife for heavier cutting
or chopping it probably is best sharpened as an Ameri-
can/European blade at 20 degrees. If you use a small
or medium size knife only for light work such as paring,
peeling, or light slicing you may prefer to sharpen it as
an Asian knife at 15 degrees in order to take advantage
of its increased sharpness.
The following descriptions may be helpful in identifying
your knives or in explaining their edge structures.
EUROPEAN/AMERICAN BLADES
(20 DEGREE FACETS)
European/American fine edge blades are universally double
beveled and are sharpened on both sides of the blade. Most of
the Euro/American knives, shown on the right, Figure 4 have
a thick cross-section designed for heavier work. However, the
associated conventional paring, fillet and utility blades, are
smaller and have a relatively thin cross-section well suited to
their intended application.
CONTEMPORARY ASIAN KNIVES
(15 DEGREE FACETS)
The most popular Asian blades; the thin, light weight
Santoku and Nakiri for example are generally double faceted
(sharpened on both faces of the blade) as shown in Figure 5.
Occasionally Santoku knives are sold with single facets but
these are not readily available in the United States.
There are other but somewhat heavier double-faceted Asian
knives, the Deba and Gyutou, popular in Asia, which are
used for chopping hard vegetables, for tailing and filleting
fish and for meats. These are basically Asian chefs knives
designed for heavier duty work. While these heavier knives
are commonly sold with 15 degree facets, you may wish
to sharpen them with 20º angles. The Chinese cleaver is
included in this class.
Figure 4. European/American blades are
generally thicker.
Figure 5. Double faceted contemporary Asian
blades are usually thinner.
Figure 6. Single beveled traditional Asian
blades are thinner and sharpened primarily
on one side.

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TRADITIONAL JAPANESE KNIVES
(15 DEGREE FACETS)
The traditional Japanese knife is single beveled and has
a large factory bevel A along the lower section of the front
face of the blade. These are sold as either right handed or
left handed versions as shown in Figure 6. The large wide
factory bevel A is ground, commonly at about 10 degrees.
The most popular example of this type blade is the sashimi
knife also known as Yanagi and Takohiki, designed as shown
in Figure 6. This lengthy, thin slicing blade is ideal for prepar-
ing very thin slices of raw tuna or salmon. The back side of
this blade is commonly slightly hollow ground. A small single
cutting edge facet of about 15º is created below the large
factory bevel along the front side of this type blade as shown
in Figures 6 and 7 in order to establish the geometry of the cutting edge. An even smaller cutting micro-
facet (barely visible to the unaided eye) is customarily created at the edge on the back side of the blade
to enhance the sharpness of the finished edge. Figure 7 shows a greatly enlarged cross-section view of a
typical traditional single-bevel Japanese knife edge as sharpened at the factory. The large factory bevel A
serves to deflect the food slice away from the blade as it is cut. When sharpening the traditional Japanese
blades, you should always follow these instructions carefully. Always sharpen this style knife at 15º (Asian
style) unless it is a thicker specialized blade designed for heavy duty work. Always remember these knives
will be extremely sharp.
SHARPENING THE CONTEMPORARY ASIAN KNIFE
OR OTHER DOUBLE-FACETED EDGE AT
15 DEGREES (30º TOTAL)
Virtually all Asian blades are factory sharpened at 15 degrees. The popular Santoku blade shown
above is a typical contemporary Asian style, double faceted and each of its facet is sharpened on
each side at 15 degrees to create a total edge angle of 30º.
HONING THE EDGE IN STAGE 1
Turn ON the power and pull the blade thru the
left slot (Figure 8) of Stage 1, then thru the
adjacent right slot. Repeat pairs of pulls in
Stage 1 using the left and right slots on
alternate pulls. Take about 4-5 seconds for
each pull of a 5” long blade. Take longer for
longer blades and slightly less if shorter. The
first time you sharpen this type of knife it may
take up to 10 pair of pulls (alternating left and
right slots) to fully re-angle the edge of a thin
Figure 7. Cross-section of a typical factory
traditional Asian knife edge, magnified 50x
(right-handed).
Figure 8. Sharpen contemporary Asian knives first in
Stage 1.

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blade. Thicker blades will require more pulls. After 3 pairs of pulls check for a burr as described
below and as necessary continue to make more pairs of pulls until you create a small burr along
the entire length of the blade.
If you are sharpening a contemporary Asian blade (which probably has been sharpened previ-
ously at 15 degrees) you will find that only a few (2-4) 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 3.
DETECTING THE BURR
To confirm the presence of a burr (see Figure 9) 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 3.
STROPPING/POLISHING THE CONTEMPORARY ASIAN EDGE IN STAGE 3
Pull the blade through the left slot (see Figure 10) and then through the right slot of Stage 3.
Make 4 pairs of pulls, (each pull 4-5 seconds) alternating each pull in the left and right slots of
Stage 3. You should then make about 4 to 5 pairs of alternating faster pulls in this Stage, about
1-2 seconds 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. Repeat this procedure as needed to create an exceedingly sharp edge.
RE-SHARPENING THE CONTEMPORARY ASIAN BLADES
Re-sharpen following the Stropping/Polishing procedure in Stage 3 as described above.
Depending on its use, you should be able to re-sharpen to a razor sharp edge 3 or more times
using only Stage 3 before finding it necessary to again hone in Stage 1. Hone in Stage 1 only
when you find it is taking too long or too many pulls in Stage 3 to bring the edge to razor sharp-
ness. In that event, follow the entire honing and stropping/polishing sequence in Stages 1 and
3 as described above.
Note: To recreate the special stronger Trizor®edge (discussed in the following section) on the
Asian style blades as you re-sharpen make two pair of pulls (3 second pulls) in Stage 2 after the
burr has been developed in Stage 1. Finish re-sharpening in Stage 3 as described in this section.
Figure 9. When you create a distinct burr along the
blade edge, it can be detected by sliding finger across
and away from the edge. Caution! See text.
Figure 10. Stropping/Polishing a contemporary Asian
knife in Stage 3.

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DEVELOPING THE TRIZOR®TRIPLE BEVEL EDGE
FOR CONTEMPORARY ASIAN AND 15 DEGREE KNIVES
The thin 15 degree edge (30 degree total) noted for its sharpness is generally considered slightly
less durable than the 20 degree (40 degree total) faceted edge. The unique Chef’sChoice Model
1520 is designed, at your option to create in Stage 2 a small intermediate bevel along the edge
of the 15 degree facet before the final microbevel is created in Stage 3 where the edge is
polished to astonishingly sharpness.
To create the Trizor®edge, sharpen the 15 degree edge first in Stage 1 as described above until
a burr is fully developed. Then move to Stage 2: Make two pairs of pulls of about 2 seconds for
a 5” blade. A small burr will exist along the edge. Do not make more pulls in Stage 2. The small
bevel developed by the two pair of pulls will make a micro-arch at the very tip of the primary
edge facet and leave you with a stronger edge without a noticable change in sharpness of
the knife.
Proceed to Stage 3 and follow the instructions in the proceeding section for Stropping/Polishing
in Stage 3.
SHARPENING THE TRADITIONAL (SINGLE SIDED)
JAPANESE BLADE
Traditional Japanese knives such as the sashimi blade shown above are single sided and have a
large factory bevel (Bevel A, Figure 6) 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 as that angle is not standard-
ized at the Asian factories. Designs of the traditional Japanese knives and the detailed structure
of the cutting edges likewise varies 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 factory bevel and includes a much smaller secondary microfacet along
the back face. Commonly the back side microfacet (Figure 7) 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 is commonly used to sharpen
these knives in Asia. Consequently sharpening these knives continues to be difficult, laborious
and time consuming. The Chef’sChoice®Model 1520 Sharpener is designed to sharpen virtually
all traditional Asian blades and to create a factory-quality edge.
Before you start to sharpen a traditional Japanese blade, examine it carefully in order to confirm
that you have the traditional single bevel blade and to determine whether you have a right or
left handed type as described on page 6, Figure 6. It is essential that you follow carefully the
sharpening procedure and sequence as described below in order to achieve the optimum edge
on your traditional blade.

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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 sharpen only in the left slot of Stage 1 so that
only the beveled side (right side) of the edge will contact the honing wheel. Proceed as
described below.
STEP 1
HONING TRADITIONAL JAPANESE KNIVES IN STAGE 1
(RIGHT HANDED BLADES)
In this example which assumes your traditional blade is right handed, you must hone only in the
left slot of Stage 1 (see Figure 11). The number of pulls that you will need to make depends on
the factory angle of Bevel A (Figure 6 and 7) and how dull your blade may be.
Make five (5) to ten (10) pulls (3-4 seconds) in only the left slot of Stage 1 and then check for a
burr along the entire back side of the blade edge. (The burr created in Stage 1 will be small but
can be felt as shown in Figure 9. Make certain the burr is present along the entire length of the
edge. If there is no burr or only a partial burr, continue to make
additional pulls all in the left slot about five (5) at a time and check for a burr after each group
of five (5) pulls. In general 20-30 total pulls in the left slot will be adequate to raise a burr; it is
unlikely to take more than 50 left slot pulls to create the burr. When a burr is confirmed, proceed
to Step 2.
STEP 2
STROPPING/POLISHING THE FINAL EDGE ON TRADITIONAL JAPANESE BLADE IN STAGE 3
(RIGHT HANDED BLADES)
a. Make five to eight (5-8) slow pulls, 3-4 seconds each, only in the left slot of Stage 3 (Figure
12) and then proceed to remove the burr in step b below.
b. Make one (1) regular pull in right slot of Stage 3 along the back side of the edge. (Pull about
3-4 seconds.)
c. Make 2-3 pair of fast pulls (1-2 seconds each) alternating in left and right slots of Stage 3.
Test blade for sharpness using a thin sheet of paper. It should be razor sharp but if not repeat
steps a, b and c above.
Figure 11. Hone traditional Japanese knife only in left
slot of Stage 1 (right handed).
Figure 12. Strop and Polish edge of traditional Japanese
knife in Stage 3. Follow instructions carefully.

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RESHARPENING THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE BLADE (RIGHT HANDED)
In general you will be able to re-sharpen quickly by following the sequence of Step 2 above.
Repeat this if necessary to obtain a razor sharp edge. When re-sharpening 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 1. Use only the left slot of Stage 1. Generally you will find that about five (5)
re-honing pulls will be sufficient in Stage 1. In any event develop a burr before moving again to
Stage 3. Finish the edge in Stage 3 following Steps 2a, b and c.
SHARPENING LEFT HANDED TRADITIONAL JAPANESE 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 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 ever the
right handed instructions call for using the right slot.
SHARPENING EUROPEAN/AMERICAN KNIVES
All knives from European or American manufacturers are double sided, and consequently must be
sharpened on both sides of the blade. The edge is customarily sharpened at 20 degrees forming
two facets at that angle to create a total edge angle of 40 degrees. Where these knives are gener-
ally used for heavier tasks the stronger 20 degree faceted edge is usually most appropriate.
Sharpening the European/American knife is a two step sharpening process, honing first in Stage
2 and followed by stropping/polishing in Stage 3. (You do not use Stage 1 for these knives unless
you wish to convert them to the Asian angle of 15 degrees as described later.)
STEP 1: HONING, STAGE 2
Do not use Stage 1.
Stage 2 will create the primary facet of 20 degrees on the European/American knife. Turn on
the power switch. Start by slipping the blade between the left angle guide of Stage 2 (Figure 13)
and the knife holding spring while pulling the blade toward you and simultaneously moving the
blade downward in the slot until it engages the diamond coated disk. You will hear it contact the
disk. Insert the blade as close as possible to the bolster or handle. If the blade is curved lift the
handle slightly as you sharpen near the tip of the knife. Sharpen the entire blade length. Then
repeat with one full length pull in the right slot of Stage 2. Always make pairs of pulls, alternating
pulls in the left and right slots of that Stage. Each pull should be about 4-5 seconds for 5” long
blade and slightly slower for longer blades. Make about five (5) pairs of pulls, then check for a
burr along the entire edge length. (See page 8 and Figure 9). Continue with more alternating
pairs of pulls until the presence of a burr is confirmed. More pulls will be needed if the knife is
very dull.

12
STEP 2: STROPPING/POLISHING, STAGE 3
In Stage 3 make three (3) to four (4) pairs of slow pulls each about 4 seconds, alternating in the
left and right slots.
Follow this, still in Stage 3, with three (3) pairs of faster pulls each about 1-2 seconds, alternat-
ing in the left and right slots. There should not be a noticeable burr along the edge. Test blade for
sharpness. It should be incredibly sharp. If not sharp repeat this Step 2.
RESHARPENING EUROPEAN/AMERICAN KNIVES
Re-sharpen the European/American knives whenever practical using just Stage 3 following the
instructions (Step 2) above. When that fails to quickly re-sharpen, return to Stage 2 and make
two or three pairs of alternating pulls. Check for a burr along the edge and when a burr exists
proceed again to Stage 3 following the instructions in the preceding section.
CONVERTING EUROPEAN/AMERICAN KNIFE EDGE
TO 15 DEGREE ASIAN STYLE EDGE
With the Model 1520 you can convert any European or American style knives that are used
primarily for light duty work to the 15 degree Asian edge. For example you might consider
converting light duty paring knives and thin utility blades to 15 degrees. To make this conversion
follow the Instructions for Sharpening Asian Blades, pages 7 to 9. Initial sharpening in Stage 1
will take longer than you might expect but subsequent resharpening time will be normal.
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 1520. However, use
only Stage 3 (Figure 14) which will sharpen the teeth of the serrations and develop microblades
Figure 13. Honing in Stage 2 (left slot). European and
American style blade.
Figure 14. Use only Stage 3 for sharpening
serrated knives.

13
along the edge of these teeth. Generally five (5) to ten (10) pairs of alternating pulls in left and
right slots of Stage 3 will be adequate. If the knife is very dull more pulls will be needed. If
the knife edge has been severely damaged thru 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 in order 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 or to cut tough paper based materials.
DRESSING OF STROPPING/POLISHING DISKS – STAGE 3
The Model 1520 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 sharpen-
ing 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 15 on 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 about 3-4 seconds and
then press to the left holding 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 prematurely. If
that should occur, factory replacement of the disks will become necessary. If you clean your
knives regularly before sharpening you will likely need to clean or dress the Stage 3 disks less
than once a year.
Figure 15. Use dressing tools sparingly.

14
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 contem-
porary and traditional Asian blades are made of layered Damascus steel. All of these should
be sharpened accordingly to these instructions depending solely on whether the knife style
is contemporary (two facets) or a traditional single facet Asian blade.
3. Always pull the blades at the recommended speed and at a constant rate over length of
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 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 up slightly as you approach the tip of the 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 1520, learn how to detect a burr
along the edge (as described on page 8). While you might be able to sharpen well without
using this technique, it is the 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 16 and 17) as you insert the blade in the sharpener
(Be careful! The tip of the choil may be sharp). Your finger can act as a “stop” and prevent
Figure 16. If your blade has a significant choil it
may be helpful to place a finger behind it as shown
when sharpening.
Figure 17. Insert your index finger as shown behind the
choil as the knife is inserted into the sharpening slot
(see Suggestion 8.)
Choil

15
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 1/8” of the bolster or
the sharpener handle.This is a major advantage of the Chef’sChoice®Model 1520 compared
to other sharpening methods—especially important when sharpening chef’s knives where
you need to sharpen the entire blade length in order 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 the
preceeding Stage used. The burr developed in the preceeding Stage will mildly wear the
stropping/polishing disk it first contacts in Stage 3. Vary your last pull in the preceeding
Stage (Stage 1 or Stage 2) by sometimes making the last pull on the left disk and at other
times finish on the right disk of that Stage.
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 with a 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
18) 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 tooth brush 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.
Figure 18. Removing cover under base to clean out
metal dust (See Normal Maintenance section).

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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.
Assembled in the U.S.A. www.edgecraft.com
This product may be covered by one or more EdgeCraft patents and/or patents pending as marked on the product.
Chef’sChoice®, EdgeCraft®and the overall design of this product are registered trademarks of
EdgeCraft Corporation, Avondale, PA.
Conforms to UL Std. 982 Certified to CAN/CSA Std. C22.2 No. 64
Certified to EN 60335-1, EN 60335-2, EN 55014-1+A1, EN 61000-3-2, EN 61000-3-3
© EdgeCraft Corporation 2010 Printed in China.
L09 2011-26 C528200
®
EdgeCraft Corporation
825 Southwood Road, Avondale, PA 19311 U.S.A.
Customer Service [phone] or 610-268-0500
Send your sharpener (insured and postage prepaid) to: