The best sharpening method depends on the type of knives, steel composition, sharpening experience, and personal preferences.
There are many ways to sharpen knives, including sharpening stones, sharpening rods, sharpening systems, and electric sharpening machines. But as they say, the devil is in the details.
How to Sharpen a Knife?
Sharpening steels are often mistakenly referred to as sharpening tools. While a knife may feel sharper after using one, it is important to remember that it is being honed, not sharpened.
Honing realigns the edge of a knife that was previously sharpened. As a knife is used, its edge will gradually wear down, necessitating sharpening. However, regular honing can extend the life of the edge threefold. Mastering the art of honing requires practice, but with patience, it can be easily learned.
To hone a knife, the steel should be held firmly and vertically against a sturdy surface, such as a heavy wooden board. If the surface is slippery, a cloth can be used to stabilize the steel.
The heel of the knife should be placed against the steel at an angle of 15 to 20 degrees, starting from the top of the steel. Thicker European knives typically require a 20-degree angle, while finer Japanese knives prefer a 15-degree angle.
The knife should then be drawn along the length of the steel, applying gentle pressure as if removing bark from a stick. This process should be repeated on the other side of the blade. Generally, 3-5 strokes per side with adequate pressure are sufficient. After honing, the blade should be wiped clean and is ready for use.
Is the knife dull?
If a knife does not glide effortlessly through food during chopping or begins to slip, it is a sign that the edge is becoming dull. A sharp, non-serrated knife should cleanly slice through a sheet of paper without difficulty. If the knife struggles to cut through tough tomato or pepper skins, honing the knife on a steel may be necessary. If the knife remains unsatisfactory, sharpening will be required.
Knife Sharpening
Sharpening a knife removes significantly more steel than honing. A completely dull knife should be professionally sharpened or sharpened using an electric sharpener to restore its full potential. For minor dullness and edge grinding, various inexpensive home knife sharpeners or whetstones (sharpening stones) can be used.
Mastering the art of whetstone sharpening requires practice, but it offers a cost-effective and accessible method for achieving a razor-sharp knife edge. Whetstones are available in various grades, similar to sandpaper, with higher numbers indicating finer grit or surface texture. Most whetstones are double-sided, featuring different grit levels on each side. For general use, a 1000/6000 grit stone is suitable.
It is recommended to purchase a whetstone with a base for stability and an angle guide for precision.
To prepare the whetstone, it should be soaked in water for approximately 10 minutes until no more bubbles emerge. If the stone lacks a base, it can be secured by folding a tea towel and placing the stone upright with the coarse grit side facing upwards. A tea towel is advisable even with a base to absorb excess water.
A small amount of water should be drizzled over the stone, and the tip of the knife blade should be placed against the stone at a 20-degree angle. The knife should then be drawn along the stone, applying gentle pressure as if shaving a thin layer of metal.
The knife should be turned over and drawn back towards the user. A fine, gritty sludge will form, which is a normal part of the process. This process should be repeated four or more times until the knife is sharp. The stone should then be flipped to the finer side, and the process repeated once or twice. After cleaning the knife and stone, the knife is ready for use.
Achieving the Correct Angle
Success in honing and sharpening depends on maintaining the correct angle between the knife and the tool. While a few degrees of deviation may not significantly impact the outcome, understanding how to determine the angle is crucial.
If the knife blade is held vertically against the stone or horizontally against the steel, it forms a 90-degree angle. Halving this angle results in a 45-degree angle. Further halving yields approximately 22 degrees, which is the desired range for sharpening. Minor adjustments can be made to achieve an angle between 20 and 15 degrees.
Can a Bread Knife Be Sharpened?
A bread knife’s effectiveness relies on the sawing motion of its serrated teeth as much as the sharpness of its blade. Sharpening a bread knife using traditional methods, such as those described earlier, can blunt the teeth.
While knife sharpening gadgets claim to sharpen bread knives, it is not recommended.
To maintain the sharpness of the teeth, it is best to avoid sharpening and simply replace the knife. However, investing in a high-quality bread knife and using it exclusively for its intended purpose can ensure a long lifespan.
How Often Should a Knife Be Sharpened?
To maintain optimal knife performance, a few strokes on a steel to hone the edge before each use can prolong sharpness. Sharpening is necessary only when the knife becomes dull. In professional kitchens, knives are typically sharpened every couple of months due to heavy usage.
| Tool | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Whetstones | Achieves exceptionally sharp results, versatile for different sharpening stages, extends knife life, suitable for regrinding and maintenance, useful for thinning | Requires skill and practice, time-consuming for beginners |
| Sharpening Steel | Quick maintenance, extends knife life, provides excellent results | Ineffective for dull blades, not suitable for thinning |
| Electric Sharpeners | Fast, easy to use, good results | Removes more material, not suitable for thinning |
| Pull-Through Sharpeners | Easy to use | Uneven edge, short-lived sharpness, not suitable for thinning |
| Sharpening Systems | Consistent angle, good results | Requires practice, suitable for small knives, clamping mechanism may scratch knives |
| Honing Steels | Not suitable for sharpening | Effective only on soft blades, realigns edge, not actual sharpening |
Whetstones
Sharpening stones, available in various grits, are ideal for both sharpening dull knives and maintaining sharp ones. The grit size of the stone influences the finish of the sharpened blade. Finer grits produce a more polished blade edge, resulting in a sharper knife.
The grit size of sharpening stones is indicated by numbers, with higher numbers representing finer grits suitable for polishing the blade.
One significant advantage of sharpening knives on a sharpening stone is the ability to thin the blade. This process involves grinding away excess material from the sides of the blade, reducing its thickness. Thinning is particularly beneficial for frequently sharpened knives, as repeated sharpening can cause the cutting edge to thicken. Thinning helps preserve the knife’s optimal cutting properties.
While sharpening knives on a sharpening stone requires practice, the reward of razor-sharp blades is substantial. Our video provides a step-by-step guide to sharpening knives using a sharpening stone.
Sharpening Steels
Sharpening steels are steel-shaped sharpening tools designed to quickly sharpen a knife. Various types of sharpening steels exist.
Ceramic Sharpening Steel
The most common type, ceramic sharpening steels are ideal for maintaining knife sharpness. This method is fast and simple. However, regular use is crucial to prevent the knife from becoming dull.
Diamond Sharpening Steel
In addition to ceramic steels, diamond-coated grinding steels are available. The hard diamond grains enable rapid regrinding of knives. While effective, the results may be slightly less refined compared to ceramic steels. A disadvantage of diamond steels is the potential for diamond grains to break or crumble over time, diminishing the steel’s sharpening ability.
Sharpening steels are best suited for minor knife maintenance. For sharpening dull blades, sharpening stones or machines are recommended. It’s important to distinguish between sharpening steels and honing steels.
Pull-Through Sharpeners
For those who prefer a simpler approach to knife sharpening, pull-through sharpeners may be a suitable option. These devices consist of one or more small grinding wheels with fine or coarse grits. To sharpen a knife, it is pulled through the grinding wheels multiple times without applying significant pressure.
The results obtained from this method are generally inferior to those achieved with sharpening rods and stones. The resulting edge tends to be somewhat jagged, and the sharpness is short-lived. To obtain truly sharp knives, it is advisable to use one or more sharpening stones. The rapid and somewhat rough treatment of pull-through sharpeners may not be ideal, especially for harder steel blades. High-quality knives often deserve more sophisticated sharpening methods, such as stone sharpening.
Electric Sharpening
For those new to knife sharpening, an electric sharpener can be a convenient tool. These machines feature one or more slots with different types of sharpening wheels. The slots are pre-set at fixed angles, providing consistent edge sharpening. While this can be advantageous, it may not be ideal for knives requiring specific angles, such as European and Japanese knives.
By pulling the knife through the slots sequentially, the blade is thoroughly sharpened. Electric sharpeners are relatively easy to use and produce satisfactory results. However, compared to stone sharpening, this method removes significantly more material from the blade. Consequently, frequent use of an electric sharpener may shorten the lifespan of the knife. It is not recommended to use electric sharpeners on pocket knives due to the significant material removal and the typically thin blades of these knives.
Guided Sharpening Systems
Guided sharpening systems utilize a holder to secure the knife and one or more sharpening sticks or conductors. This holder facilitates the selection of the correct sharpening angle.
There are two primary methods for sharpening knives with a guided system:
- Sharpening Stick Method
Sharpening sticks are placed in the holder, and the knife is pulled along the different sticks to achieve a sharp edge. - Conductor Method
The knife is secured in the holder, and sharpening sticks are pulled along the blade to sharpen it.
Various systems are available that employ a sharpening stone to grind the knife at an adjustable angle. This method offers the advantage of creating a straight cutting edge. However, it is more time-consuming than traditional stone sharpening and lacks flexibility. If a different sharpening angle is desired, manual sharpening is necessary.
Guided sharpening systems are particularly well-suited for expensive pocket knives, as they can produce a very fine cutting edge. To prevent scratches from the clamping system, applying adhesive tape to the blade is recommended. For kitchen knives, sharpening stones or electric grinders are generally more suitable.