How to Sharpen a Butcher Knife

Knives require regular sharpening to maintain the cutting edge.

Sharp knives are essential for any butcher, allowing the precision work necessary for removing thin bits of connective tissue from meat. Dull knives are more dangerous to use than sharp knives because they require more pressure to cut through meat, leading to less control over the knife. Occasional sharpening with flat sharpening stones will maintain a sharp cutting edge on your butcher knives. Does this Spark an idea?

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Flat medium grit sharpening stone
Flat fine grit sharpening stone

Instructions

- 1
  
  Grasp the handle of a medium grit, flat sharpening stone with your non-dominant hand and hold the stone flat against a work surface. Grasp the handle of the knife in your dominant hand and hold the knife so the flat side of the blade rests flat against the sharpening stone, at a 45-degree angle across the stone, tip facing away from you. The end of the blade where it meets the hilt should be in contact with the stone.
- 2
  
  Raise the top (non-cutting) edge of the blade upward 20 degrees, so one side of the cutting edge remains in contact with the stone. Pull the handle of the knife toward you to run the entire length of the blade across the stone, applying a small amount of downward pressure as you go and maintaining both the 45-degree and the 20-degree angle.
- 3
  
  Flip the knife over in your hand and reposition at a 45-degree angle across the stone, with the blade tilted up 20 degrees from the surface of the stone. The tip end of the knife should be in contact with the stone. Push the blade away from you while applying a small amount of downward pressure, running the edge of the blade across the stone from tip to hilt.
- 4
  
  Repeat the sharpening on either side of the blade several times. Make two to three passes per side for a knife that is regularly sharpened, or up to eight passes per side for a very dull knife.
- 5
  
  Grasp a fine grit, flat sharpening stone by the handle and position it flat across the surface of the work area. Reposition the knife at a 45-degree angle across the stone for sharpening; increasing the angle the blade is tilted up from the stone to 30 degrees. Repeat the sharpening motion on both sides of the blade five times, starting with medium downward pressure on the first pass on each side and lightening the pressure with each pass.

Ask the Meatman: How to Sharpen Your Butcher Knives

Photo Credit knife image by dethchimo from Fotolia.com

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