There are different proper ways of sharpening a
A dull blade can do more harm than a sharp one ever will.
This is something master chefs and
The blunting of a
We will take a look at the right way to sharpen those kitchen workhorses you’ve got and touch a bit on how to maintain that incisive edge.
How Often Should I Sharpen My Knife ?
Before we get started, it’s important to know the difference between honing and sharpening.
Honing a
Honing doesn’t exactly sharpen the edge, instead, it straightens and aligns it because using the blade regularly misaligns the edge, and the steel corrects that.
Now when it comes to sharpening, that’s a completely different story.
This needs to be done whenever you feel the blade has gotten dull, you can test this by slicing through a piece of paper, which is usually called the paper test.
If it fails to neatly slice through paper, try using the honing steel, and if it still doesn’t slice through after that, you need to sharpen it.
If a blade is used regularly, this will have to be done one to two times a year, and there a couple of ways to do it, which we’ll check out in the next section.
What Is The Proper Way To Sharpen A Knife ?
Using A Whetstone
This is one of the best ways that you can sharpen your
On top of that, it will take a lot of time, but it will be very worth it.
To do this, you will need to securely place the whetstone coarse side up on top of a rubber shelf liner or wet paper towels.
From there, face the
Place your hand in the middle of the flat side of the blade then draw the blade down the stone in a wide and circular manner.
You will have to do this a couple of times, depending on how dull your
Once you have the appropriate edge on the first side (you can test this by running your thumb perpendicular to the blade and if you feel the burr throughout the entire blade, it’s sharp enough), you’ll have to repeat the process on the other side until the
While this may sound simple, if you do it wrong, you might risk damaging the blade, which is why this isn’t recommended if you aren’t properly trained.
Using An Electric Sharpener
Next up is probably the easiest way for you.
While these electric sharpeners may cost some money, they are very much worth it.
To use them, simply put your dull knives into the machine and it will do all the work for you.
All you have to do is slowly pull your blade through the sharpener while it’s on, and repeat it on both sides of the
Different manufacturers will also have different instructions, so you might want to read the manual first before trying the machine out.
That being said, keep in mind these tools can’t be used on knives with a full bolster as the full blade won’t run through the sharpener, which results in an uneven blade.
Using A Manual Sharpener
This is the second-best option in the kitchen, and it can also be used to sharpen serrated knives.
These tools contain a chamber with abrasives that are either non-motorized wheels or an abrasive fashioned into a V-shape to accommodate the blade.
To use this tool, simply run your blades through the sharpener with even pressure a couple of times until the desired edge is reached.
Most of these tools will come with instructions, and every model will have its own unique way of being used, so make sure to read the manual before using the sharpener.
We give these knives a quick twirl and review, and then we pass them on to a few lucky home chefs!
Conclusion
These are the quickest and easiest ways to sharpen a dull
This will need to be done regularly, so it’s best to choose the method that fits in the best in your kitchen, so you won’t be hassled every time your tools need sharpening.
Regardless of the method you choose, however,
But once you get the hang of things, it will be very easy, and all your knives and kitchen tools will surely be sharp enough to perform, every single time!
Ryan Leavitt
Hi my name is Ryan Leavitt a Marine Corps Veteran and currently an over the road trucker (Long Haul). I am no expert chef but am enjoying preparing my own meals on the road and testing all the different knives.We give these knives a quick twirl and review, and then we pass them on to a few lucky home chefs!