Keeping Your Knives Sharp
A sharp knife is safer and faster than a dull one. You only need a medium-grit whetstone and a steady hand to maintain a keen edge, sharpening your blade by sliding it across the stone at a consistent twenty-degree angle to rebuild the metal's bite.
Consistency beats pressure
Your goal is to maintain the same angle throughout the entire stroke. If the angle wanders, the edge will roll rather than sharpen.
- dual-grit whetstone
- small towel
- water
Locking the twenty-degree tilt
Imagine a stack of two quarters under the spine of the knife while the edge rests on the stone. That gap is your target angle.
The method.
Prepare the stone
Submerge your whetstone in water for ten minutes or until the bubbles stop rising. Place it on a damp towel on your counter so it does not slide.
Position the blade
Start with the coarse grit side. Place the heel of the knife against the stone, maintaining the twenty-degree angle. Use your non-dominant hand to apply light pressure to the edge area.
Execute the stroke
Push the blade away from you in a sweeping motion, moving from the heel to the tip. Keep the edge in contact with the stone for the full length of the blade. Repeat ten times on one side.
Check for a burr
Run your thumb gently across the backside of the edge away from the blade. You are looking for a slight fold of metal called a burr. If you feel it, the side is ready.
Switch sides
Flip the knife and repeat the process on the other side, matching your angle exactly. Once the burr is formed, move to the fine grit side and repeat the motion with lighter pressure to polish the edge.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always pull the blade across the stone as if you are trying to slice a thin layer off the top of the whetstone.
If your knife edge feels jagged, you are using too much pressure; let the grit do the work.
Test the sharpness by slicing through a single sheet of newspaper; the blade should move through it without tearing.
The ones that keep coming up.
How often should I sharpen my knives?
It depends on how much you cook. Once every two to three months is usually enough for a home kitchen if you use a honing steel regularly.
What is the difference between sharpening and honing?
Sharpening removes metal to create a new edge. Honing uses a steel rod to realign the existing edge, keeping it straight between deeper sharpenings.
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