How do I keep my mandoline in tune after slicing cucumbers?
Steve, USA
I’m no expert on tuning mandolins, or being able to play one, for that matter, but when it comes to the kitchen instrument, I do have a few tips. First off, there seems to be a sweet spot with a mandoline. Used brand new and fresh out of the box, it will almost certainly result in a nicked finger or knuckle. But a dull mandoline can be just as bad, if not worse, for causing injury, not least because of the extra force you have to employ when pushing an ingredient against a blade that is no longer up to its job.
So you need to keep it sharp. There are usually two screws on each side of the blade which, when loosened, allow you to slide out the blade (I really wouldn’t recommend trying to sharpen the blade while it’s still attached to its housing, because that will almost certainly end in disaster). Most mandoline blades are single bevel, meaning only one side has an edge, but most pull-through knife sharpeners are designed for double bevel blades, so check if yours has a setting for a single bevel. If you’re in luck, simply pull the blade through it, making sure the edge runs along the sharpener. If your sharpener is not suitable, use a whetstone to sharpen the blade. There are lots of videos online of single-bevel sharpening using whetstones, so just apply the same technique to the mandoline blade.
All that said, however, I’d be more inclined to consider two other options. The first would be to take the blade to a local shop that offers a knife-sharpening service, and the second would be to order a replacement blade while you um and ah about how to sharpen the dull one.