How To Sharpen a Machete With Household Items?
The machete gets dull with consistent and harsh usage, so you must sharpen the machete blade for the best cutting results. In fact, it is recommended to clean and sharpen the machete after every two weeks or so, especially if you are living in humid conditions.
The question is, how to sharpen a machete with household items? Sometimes, you don’t have a machete sharpener or knife sharpening stones to sharpen the machete blade. That’s where you need some common household items to sharpen your machete at home.
Table of Contents
How To Sharpen a Machete With Household Items?
Sharpening machete with Concrete
Have you ever thought of using Concrete to sharpen a machete blade? Concrete is everywhere, but you must use it carefully as it can damage the blade. Find a smooth piece of Concrete and run the blade the same way as the sharpening stone. Stropping afterward helps to make the process a little smoother.
Sharpening machete with Ceramic plate or bowl
You are done with finishing your lunch, and now it’s time to sharpen the machete blade with a ceramic plate or bowl. Non-coated ceramic is an excellent household item to sharpen machete or knife blades. It’s nice and rough so that it sharpens the machete, but also, it’s not too gritty where it damages the blade edges.
Take the machete and hold the blade at about 20-degree angle at the bottom of the ceramic plate. Slowly and lightly, run the machete blade along the bottom of the plate, just like the sharpening stone. If the blade is super dull, a ceramic plate or mug is one of the best household items to sharpen the machete.
Sharpening machete with Coffee Mug
Another great household item to sharpen the machete blade is your coffee mug. Coffee mugs are everywhere, and you can use them to get desired sharpening results. Ceramic mugs are best for this process and ensure it doesn’t have any gloss coating at the bottom. Remember, you only need the bottom of the mug, and if the sides are glazed or glossy, it doesn’t matter.
Take the machete and hold its blade at about 20 degree angle at the bottom of the ceramic coffee mug. Run the blade gently along the bottom of the coffee mug. Keep sharpening the blade for five minutes, and then turn it on towards the next side.
Sharpening machete with sandpaper
Sandpaper is another common and useful household item that can be used to sharpen a machete blade. You can select different grades of sandpaper to get the machete to its absolute sharpest. For dull blades, you can use the rough sandpaper to get it going and then move to the finer sandpaper to achieve desired results.
It is better to tape or clamp the sandpaper down on the counter to an even surface so you can easily sharpen the machete without it trying to slip away from you. Now it’s time to sharpen the machete blade.
Hold the machete at a 20-25 degree angle and gently run it over the sandpaper. Remember, this is a slow but very effective blade-sharpening technique.
Sharpening machete with Nail file
Image a nail file that can be used for blade sharpening. Isn’t it amazing? The process is just like the sandpaper technique. All you need is to make your nail file put on a surface and run a machete blade over it at about a 20-25 degree angle. It works well for full blades.
Final words
If you don’t have a whetstone or knife sharpener, household items can be your best friends for sharpening dull machetes and knife blades. These household items are easily available in your home, but we don’t recommend this for long-term results. You need the best machete sharpener for ideal and long-lasting sharpening results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Can you Sharpen a Machete with a Rock?
Yes, it is possible to sharpen the machete blade with a rock. Find the smooth rock, put some drops of water on it and carefully run the blade over it.
- Do Machetes Need to be Sharp?
Machete should be sharpened regularly for best cutting results. You don’t need too thin of a blade edge but still sharp enough to cut small trees and branches and clear brushes with it.
- Do You Need Oil in the Machete?
The carbon steel blade gets easily corroded, and therefore, you should cover the machete blade with a light layer of oil to prevent rusting issues. Oil helps to prevent moisture from corrosion. Make sure to dry your machete thoroughly after it has contacted with liquid or moisture before applying oil to it.
