How to Use a Sharpening Steel

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By Pamela Rappaport
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sharpening steel

A sharpening steel is used to smooth the edges of a knife between sharpenings. It does not sharpen a knife's edge but it does straighten the edge. The edge of a knife curls or bends with use, even on expensive kitchen knives. You can't see it, but it is there. This makes the knife feel dull when in actuality it is not. Using a sharpening steel with straighten the knife edge out and make it feel sharp again.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

sharpening steel
knife

Step 1

The safest way for a beginner to use a sharpening steel is to place the tip of the sharpening steel on a firm surface like a kitchen cutting board. If the surface is slick you may place a towel down first. Hold the steel straight up and down with your left hand on the handle at the top. Think of it like a nail. You don't have to apply tons of pressure, just enough to keep it secure.
Step 2

The angle of the knife in relation to the sharpening steel is important. You want to hold the blade of the knife at approximately a 20 to 25 degree angle to the sharpening steel. Don't panic, it's not that hard to figure out. You know what ninety degrees is. Visually cut that in half and then in half again and you've got it.
Step 3

Holding the knife in your right hand, place the blade against the sharpening steel at the correct angle and draw it back towards you. You start with the end of the blade that is closest to the handle and work towards the tip as you draw it back. Move the blade down the steel and you draw it back. You will pull back and down.
Step 4

Repeat this ten times on one side and then ten on the other.
Step 5

Now that your knife is sharp, care for your sharpening steel by wiping it clean.

Comments

tomain said

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on 2/15/2009 Okay tip, getting the 20 to 25 degree angle consistently is difficult for me. I guess there is no way to teach someone how to do this consistently in written instructions.