Introduction to Sharpening Knives

It’s been said that a good knife is a cook’s best friend. And a dull one is the cook’s worst enemy – not only are they frustrating to use, they’re also dangerous.

Happily, keeping your kitchen knives in good working order is a straightforward process. They can be sharpened quickly with the aid of a power sharpener, or at a more leisurely pace with the use of sharpening stones, honing steels and strops.

Personally, I like the hands-on approach of stoning and honing – it’s meditative and rewarding, and allows me to contribute to the knife’s personality. Others prefer the dash and slash style – they want a sharp blade as quickly as possible.

Also important is knowing that not all knives cannot be sharpened in the same manner, as the wrong tool can actually cause damage – like using a steel on a Japanese Santoku.

To start, here’s a few notes to get you familiar with the different sharpening techniques.

Continue to sharpening vs. honing

Sharpening vs. Honing

Maintaining a keen edge involves two distinct but related tasks:

1. Sharpening, which is the process of removing metal from the edge to make it thinner and sharper. And,
2. Honing, which re-aligns the edge giving it a sharper feel.

The Tools

To achieve either sharpening or honing, here are some of the more popular tools used.

Sharpening stones

These require a bit of practice to develop the proper technique for a good angle, but many professionals swear it’s the only sharpener that should touch a blade.

They come in a variety of natural and man-made materials and range in texture from fine to coarse – Arkansas stones, India stones, water stones and diamond stones are popular choices.

Honing Rods or Steels

Using a steel will straighten out an already sharp edge that has rolled or become rounded from hitting bone, a cutting board, or getting bashed about in a utensil drawer. Daily honing will also lengthen the time between sharpening.

• A diamond honing rod will sharpen all types of blades, but it’s actually sharpening the edge, not honing it. As such, they shouldn’t be used for daily maintenance.

• A ceramic honing rod is harder than steel but not as aggressive as a diamond rod, so they can be used on most blades without losing too much material. But, being ceramic, they can chip if dropped.

Stropping

Using a strop serves the purpose of honing and polishing the edge of a blade. Usually made of a strip of canvas or leather, a strop can also be loaded with diamond paste for a very fine edge or jewellers’ rouge to buff up a lustrous finish.

Electric Sharpening

Electric sharpeners are also popular for at home use. But care needs to be taken as they can remove a good amount of material resulting in a loss of width and an improperly balanced knife.

Also, a knife with a full bolster can be difficult to sharpen with an electric unit.

Which method is best for you? It’s a personal choice, so read up on our posts for each style to help with your decision.

Written by Lorna Kring

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