Dressing the tip of a 7 cm shucking blade
An oyster knife wedges and twists rather than slices, so maintenance means keeping the point able to bite into the hinge.
- Feel the tip: if it slides off the hinge instead of catching, it has rounded over.
- Lay the blade flat on a medium diamond plate and rub each face near the point in small circles, following the original taper of the 7 cm blade.
- Give the very tip two or three light strokes to restore a point that is narrow but not needle-sharp.
- Smooth any nicks on the sides with a fine stone so the blade glides between the shells without snagging.
- Wash off the grit and dry the inox bolster and dark wood before putting the knife away.
