A:AnswerThank you for your question. The piece that sharpens is a stationary piece (similar to a whetstone) it is not plastic, so you simply draw the knife through the slot to sharpen it.
A:AnswerThe cutting lever is metal and does a good job. It also has a magnetic piece that holds the lid tightly as you cut it off. Hamilton Beach makes good products and that is why I bought this one.
