The best way to sharpen kitchen knives depends on your skill level, the type of knife you have, and how much time you want to spend. Generally, the process involves removing a small amount of metal from the blade’s edge to create a new, fine point. This guide will walk you through several DIY knife sharpening methods, from simple touch-ups to full edge restoration.
Why Sharpening Your Knives Matters
A sharp knife is safer and works better than a dull one. Dull knives require more force to cut. This extra force makes slips more likely, leading to accidents. Keeping your knives sharp makes food prep faster and more enjoyable. Restoring a dull kitchen knife is a skill every home cook should learn.
Deciphering Sharpening vs. Honing: What’s the Difference?
Many people confuse sharpening with honing. These are two different actions that keep your knife in top shape.
Honing Steel vs Sharpening Stone
A honing rod, often called a honing steel vs sharpening stone, does not actually remove metal or sharpen the edge. Instead, honing realigns the very fine, microscopic edge of the blade that gets bent over during normal use. Think of it like straightening a piece of thin wire. You should hone frequently, perhaps before every few uses.
Sharpening, on the other hand, removes metal to create a brand new edge. You only need to sharpen when the edge is too far gone to be fixed by honing.
Essential Sharpening Angles for Kitchen Knives
Getting the right sharpening angle for kitchen knives is key to success. The angle dictates how steep or shallow the final edge will be. A shallower angle means a sharper edge but less durability. A steeper angle means a more durable edge but slightly less keenness.
Most Western-style kitchen knives (like Wüsthof or Victorinox) use an angle between 18 and 20 degrees per side. Japanese knives often use sharper angles, usually between 12 and 15 degrees per side.
| Knife Type | Recommended Angle (Per Side) | Total Included Angle |
|---|---|---|
| Western Chef Knife | 18–20 degrees | 36–40 degrees |
| Japanese Santoku/Gyuto | 12–15 degrees | 24–30 degrees |
| Utility/Paring Knife | 18 degrees | 36 degrees |
If you use a guide, it sets the angle for you. If you sharpen freehand, practice is needed to keep the angle steady.
DIY Knife Sharpening Methods Explored
There are several effective DIY knife sharpening methods you can use at home. We will look at the most popular and effective tools.
Whetstone Sharpening Guide: Mastering the Stone
The whetstone sharpening guide is often considered the gold standard for achieving the best edge. Whetstones, also called water stones or Japanese water stones, use water to create a slurry that aids in cutting metal.
Wet vs Dry Sharpening Considerations
When using whetstones, you must decide on wet vs dry sharpening. Most modern whetstones are designed for wet use. You soak them in water until they stop bubbling, or splash water on the surface as you work. This water keeps the stone cool and washes away metal particles (swarf). While some stones (like Arkansas stones) can be used dry or with oil, water stones perform best when kept wet.
Grit Progression for Whetstones
Whetstones come in various grits. Grit measures how coarse the stone is. Lower numbers mean coarser stones (more aggressive metal removal). Higher numbers mean finer stones (polishing the edge).
A typical sharpening progression involves three steps:
- Coarse Grit (200–1000): Used for repairing chips or truly restoring a dull kitchen knife that is very damaged.
- Medium Grit (1000–3000): This is the main sharpening grit where you establish the new edge bevel.
- Fine Grit (4000+): Used for refining and polishing the edge for extreme sharpness.
The Sharpening Motion on a Whetstone
- Soak the Stone: Soak your stone (if required) for 5 to 15 minutes. Keep a small cup of water nearby to re-wet the surface during use.
- Establish the Angle: Place the knife blade flat on the stone. Lift the spine (back) of the knife until you achieve your target angle (e.g., 20 degrees). Use a marker on the edge to check if you are hitting the entire bevel correctly.
- Push Stroke: Push the knife away from you, moving the edge across the stone from heel to tip. Use medium, even pressure. This is the sharpening stroke.
- Pull Stroke: Pull the knife toward you, again moving from heel to tip. Use lighter pressure on the pull stroke.
- Alternating Sides: Continue alternating strokes on each side until you feel a burr. A burr is a tiny wire edge that curls over to the opposite side of the blade. This means you have ground enough metal away to meet the two sides at the apex.
- Switching Grits: Once you remove the burr on the coarse stone, move to the medium stone, repeating the process. Finish on the fine stone for the final polish.
Electric Knife Sharpener Review: Speed and Convenience
For many home cooks, an electric knife sharpener review points toward speed and consistency. These devices use motorized abrasive wheels set at specific angles.
Pros of Electric Sharpeners:
* Very fast sharpening process.
* Fixed angles ensure consistency, reducing user error.
* Good for quick touch-ups.
Cons of Electric Sharpeners:
* Can remove a lot of metal quickly, shortening the life of your knife if overused.
* Often cannot handle extreme repairs or very deep edge reshaping.
* Less control over the final polish compared to a stone.
When selecting an electric sharpener, look for models that offer multiple stages (coarse, fine, and honing). Ensure the angle matches your preferred sharpening angle for kitchen knives.
Manual Pull-Through Sharpeners
These are the simplest tools. They use two V-shaped carbide or ceramic rods. You simply pull the knife through the slots. They are quick and inexpensive but often do more damage than good over time. They tend to remove a large amount of metal inconsistently and create a rough edge, making them unsuitable for high-end knives.
Guided Rod Systems (Angle Guides)
These systems clip onto your knife and use rods or stones of fixed grit levels. They help beginners maintain a perfect angle without the steep learning curve of freehand whetstone sharpening. They bridge the gap between fully manual whetstone sharpening guide work and fully automatic electric sharpeners.
Advanced Sharpening Concepts
To truly master knife sharpening techniques, you must consider the finer points of the process.
Creating and Removing the Burr
The burr is crucial. You cannot achieve a sharp edge until you have fully created and then removed the burr.
- Creating the Burr: Continue sharpening on one side of the stone until the thin metal edge folds over entirely.
- Removing the Burr (Deburring): This requires very light, alternating strokes on the finishing stone. Use lighter and lighter pressure until the burr breaks off completely. If you skip this step, the edge will feel sharp initially but will fold over immediately upon use.
Stropping for Mirror Finish
Stropping is the final step after using the finest grit stone. Stropping refines the edge without removing significant material. It smooths out any microscopic scratches left by the stone.
You can strop using:
1. Leather Strops: These are leather belts, often loaded with a very fine abrasive compound (like chromium oxide).
2. Newspaper or Denim: For light finishing, simply stropping the blade away from the edge on a piece of newspaper or rough denim cloth works well.
Stropping must always be done by pulling the spine of the blade toward you (never push the sharp edge into the strop material).
When to Call the Professionals
Even with the best DIY knife sharpening methods, sometimes professional help is needed. When should you consider professional knife sharpening services?
- Severely Damaged Blades: If your knife has deep nicks, broken tips, or significant edge warping that requires grinding a large amount of metal away, a professional often has better tools (like belt grinders) to fix the shape quickly and correctly.
- Time Constraints: If you have many knives or lack the time/desire to learn the stones, professional service is a fast solution.
- Expensive or Specialized Knives: For very expensive Japanese cutlery or knives with unique bevels, sending them to a specialist ensures the geometry is preserved exactly as intended.
Professionals use high-speed equipment that can do in minutes what might take hours for a beginner using stones. However, for everyday maintenance, DIY is usually more cost-effective.
Maintenance: Keeping Your Edge Between Sharpening Sessions
Regular maintenance is the secret to delaying the need for heavy sharpening. This brings us back to honing.
Use your honing steel vs sharpening stone choice wisely.
- Honing Rod: Use this often (daily or weekly) to keep the edge straight.
- Sharpening Stone: Use this only when honing no longer restores the cutting ability. For an average home cook, this might be only two to four times per year.
Proper Knife Storage and Usage
A knife’s edge degrades fastest through misuse:
- Never cut on glass, ceramic plates, or granite counters. Always use wood or plastic cutting boards.
- Do not use your knife to open cans or scrape surfaces.
- Wash by hand immediately after use and dry right away. Do not put good knives in the dishwasher.
Table: Comparing Sharpening Tools
This table summarizes the pros and cons of the main knife sharpening techniques covered.
| Tool | Best For | Skill Required | Speed | Edge Quality Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whetstones | Full restoration, fine tuning | High | Slow to Medium | Excellent |
| Electric Sharpener | Quick touch-ups, convenience | Low | Fast | Good |
| Guided Rod System | Beginner freehand practice | Medium-Low | Medium | Good |
| Honing Steel | Edge maintenance (not sharpening) | Low | Very Fast | N/A (Realignment) |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How often should I sharpen my kitchen knives?
This varies by use. If you cook every day, you might need to sharpen (using a stone) every 1–3 months. You should hone (using a steel) every few uses. If you only cook occasionally, you might only need to sharpen twice a year.
Can I sharpen a serrated knife at home?
Yes, but it is much harder. Serrated knives need specialized equipment or a very fine rod sharpener used only on the gullets (the dips between the teeth). For the best results on quality serrated knives, professional knife sharpening services are often recommended.
What grit should I start with if my knife is dull but not damaged?
If the knife is dull but has no chips, skip the very coarse grits (below 800). Start directly on a medium grit stone, around 1000 grit, to establish the new edge. Then progress to 3000 or 4000 grit.
What is the risk if I use the wrong sharpening angle?
If the angle is too steep (too high), the edge will be thick and might not feel sharp. If the angle is too shallow (too low), the edge will be fragile and will fold or chip very easily during first use. Consistency is more important than hitting the exact degree mark when first learning.
Is it better to use wet or dry stones?
For water stones, using water (wet vs dry sharpening) is essential to keep the stone working efficiently and prevent overheating the blade. Oil stones require oil, and diamond plates can generally be used dry. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific abrasive.