Knife-Sharpening Tutorial

Ironically, a sharp knife is a safer knife.

Any experienced cook will tell you that a sharp knife is actually much safer to work with than a dull knife. The inevitable kitchen-knife cut is more likely to be much more shallow and clean when delivered by a sharp knife. Dull knives require the cutter to push harder through the meat or vegetable, resulting in a deeper cut to the hand. Keeping your kitchen knives sharp makes food preparation simpler and also saves time. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Things You'll Need

• Sharpening Stones
• Leather Strop (optional)
• DullKnives
• Safety Gloves
• Compass
• Honing Oil (optional)
• Water

Instructions

1. Assemble a collection of sharpening stones. Knife-sharpening stones, such as sandpaper, come in different grit gauges. If you are going to make a habit of sharpening your own knives, you will need a minimum 200-grit stone, a 600-grit stone and a 1200-grit stone or a leather strop.

2. Examine your knife carefully. Check the cutting edge of your knife for nicks or other damage that may have occurred through use. You will need to smooth out those problem areas as part of the sharpening process.

3. Start with a lower grit stone. Use a 200-grit stone to begin sharpening a very dull knife or one with nicks and other signs of cutting-edge wear. If your knife came with care instructions, those instructions should tell you at what angle to hold the knife blade against the sharpening stone. If not, remember that a paring knife has a sharper angle than a cleaver or other chopping knife. Use a compass to determine the correct angle. Put on the safety gloves and wet the knife with honing oil or water. Draw the knife against the stone until the imperfections are smoothed out and the knife looks slightly sharper.

4. Switch to a higher grit stone. Pick up your 600-grit stone and continue sharpening until the edge is smooth and sharp. You may have added tiny, even scratches to the blade with your 200-grit stone. The 600-grit stone should remove those scratches.

5. Add the final sharpness. If you truly need an extra sharp knife, give it a final sharpen with a 1200-grit stone or a leather strop, like the ones that are used to sharpen single-edge razor blades. Continue at the same angle you established at the beginning.

References

• Knife Sharpening Tips: How to Sharpen a Knife

Resources

• Knife Sharpening Tips: The Spyderco Sharpmaker