How to Sharpen Cutlery Knives

High-quality, sharp knives are an important kitchen tool, especially to the serious cook. However, even the best knives lose their edge eventually. Professionals use fast-spinning whetstones to achieve perfect results, but that setup is not always practical for home use. Sending your cutlery to a professional sharpener is a good solution, but you can get near-professional sharpening results at home, too. You just need the right tools and a little know-how.

Things You'll Need

• Honing steel
• Diamond sharpening steel
• Electric knife sharpener

Instructions

1. Use a honing steel. Often, a knife that seems dull really isn't dull at all; its sharp edge has simply gotten pushed to one side. If that is the case, a honing steel is all you need to restore the edge. Honing steels are long, thin metal cylinders, usually attached to a handle. Some honing steels are smooth. Others have ridges running down the length of the steel. Run the knife's edge over the steel several times, alternating sides, to push the edge back into place. Take the steel and hold it vertically in your non-dominant hand with the tip down against a countertop or other firm surface (place a towel under it for traction). Hold the knife horizontally in your other hand with the edge touching the steel. Tilt the spine of the knife away from the steel at a 15- to 20-degree angle.

2. Drag the edge of the knife from tip to heel against the steel, pulling your hand back toward you in a smooth motion. Do not put additional pressure on the knife—the knife's weight is enough. Switch the knife to the opposite side and repeat, again with a 15- to 20-degree angle. Repeat three or four times on each side. Test the knife for sharpness. If it's sharp, you're done! If not, go to the next step.

3. Use a diamond-coated sharpening steel, handheld knife sharpening tool or electric knife sharpener. If you choose to use a diamond-coated sharpening steel, follow the instructions for honing above but drag each side of the knife against the steel eight to 10 times. The diamond coating on the steel will remove microscopic fragments from the knife edge, sharpening and honing it in one step. A diamond steel will give you a reasonably sharp edge, though not as sharp as most machines or professional whetstones.

4. Follow instructions carefully if you prefer to use a handheld tool or machine. Each one works differently and you will not get good results unless you use the device as intended. Most devices instruct you to run your knife through a series of different slots, depending on how dull it is and how sharp you want it to become. These slots contain different abrasives and are set at different angles to grind your knife edge to the desired sharpness.

5. Keep your knives sharp once they've been sharpened to your satisfaction. Passing your knife over a honing steel a few times before each use will ensure that the edge of your knife stays aligned. Also, fine cutlery should never go in the dishwasher and should be dried immediately after washing, so that microscopic rust particles can't degrade the edge. Finally, store your knives on a magnetic strip or in a block, so that the edges are not dulled by bumping into other utensils.