How to Sharpen Knives at Home
Last Updated on July 12, 2020
How to Sharpen Knives at Home: With the use is normal and inevitable that our knives begin to lose the edge. For some people, this is frustrating since they realize that they start to work uncomfortably. But we have available a series of tools that correct the edge and solve the problem easily. From practical and manual solutions to a bit longer processes of sharpening such as the use of water stones.
Why Are Knives Dull?
The daily use in the kitchen is wearing the blade of our knives, and this is absolutely normal. The duration of the sharpening of a knife will depend on the quality of the steel of the knife, the type of steel and the use to which it is subjected.
The Main Reasons Why a Knife Can Be Damaged or Lose Edge Can Be:
- cut on hard surfaces
- exert excessive lateral pressure on the leaf
- acid corrosion such as lemon, tomato or other
- be subjected to high temperatures (for example in the dishwasher)
- dent colliding with the blade of another knife
Before sharpening your knives visually assess the blade: if you see nicks or deep indentations you will surely need the assistance of a professional sharpener to recover your knife. If you do not notice anything weird, you’re ready to find out how to sharpen your knives.
How to Sharpen Knives at Home
The method of sharpening is similar in all cases: it involves wearing the knife in the first stage of sharpening and, in the second phase of profiling, polish the small imperfections and leave a polished finish. Normally the stones of these manual sharpeners are usually diamond and ceramic, to wear or profile.
How to sharpen knives at home? The answer is simple: for good quality household knife several methods require more or less dexterity and that we outlined below:
- Manual and electric sharpeners
- Sharpening with stone
- Professional sharpening
- Seated on the edge with chair
- Sharpen knives with manual or electric sharpeners
To sharpen your knives with manual sharpeners, the system cannot be simpler: you have to pass the blade of the knife through the openings that have the sharpeners bringing the blade towards you.
First, you go through the thickest grain to wear the blade and recover the angle of the blade of the knife removing the possible imperfections and then, to finish it passes through the finest opening, made of ceramic, to profile the blade and leave a polished completion.
There is a wide variety of manual sharpeners, from the pocket versions that you can take with you to the more robust ones like those of Wusthof, all work on the same sharpening system that we have mentioned.
Once the sharpening process has been carried out, the manual sharpener should be cleaned with a soft cloth or brush to remove the remains that may remain, so that it does not affect future passes.
The electric sharpeners have the same principle of operation: first the blade wear to match and then a final polish, but usually, the sharpening mouth is always the same.
The movement of the blade on the sharpener must also be done to ensure that the sharpening is homogeneous over the entire surface.
How to Sharpen Knives With Water Stones
The method of sharpening with stone requires a skill superior to the sharpening method with a manual or electric sharpener, but with a little practice, you will be able to master it.
To be able to sharpen your knives to the stone, you must have at least two stones: the first to empty the knife blade, to wear it until the appropriate angle is recovered and another one to sharpen or fine-tune the blade. You could even ask yourself the third blade to polish and give a more aesthetic finish to the knife.
The Knives Are Sharpened With a Grindstone to the Water
The process of sharpening with stone requires concentration since you must maintain the same angle of support of the knife on the stone and make movements so that the entire blade can pass through the stone.
You will need to use both hands: with the first one you will fix the right angle using the thumb, with the other one supports three fingers on the surface of the leaf to have the knife well fastened below and above.
The method of sharpening the stone allows a more professional finish, more suited to your expectations but is a more advanced knife sharpening method.
Professional Sharpening of Knives
If you have high-end knives and you can not sharpen the stone, we recommend contacting professional sharpeners as they will know how to sharpen your knives perfectly.
If you live in Spain, we recommend that you contact Cut and Create who will help you find a professional sharpener near your home. In other countries, you can check with the local distributor.
The Use of the Sharpener, a Good Habit to Keep Sharpening
It is a good practice to take a step through the shafts of your knives before cutting as the shaver will remove the small imperfections that have remained on the blade of the previous cut.
Each cut leaves small indentations on the blade (imperceptible), and the shawl helps to match the edge and remove them. It is a good method of daily maintenance of sharpening knives. We have prepared a specific post.
Where to Buy Sharpeners or Sharpening Stones
In the online store, you have at your disposal a selection of the best manual sharpeners of Wusthof or Arcos, electric sharpeners of the brand’s Kai or Kyocera, and the best water sharpening stones of Wusthof or the Japanese brand KAI.
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