We’ll show you how to sharpen kitchen knives the way that you will start treating it as a pleasure, not a chore. It’s one of the easiest ways to instantly improve your cooking and shorten the prep time.<\/p>\n
What you’ll learn:<\/h2>\n\n- How to tell if your knife is sharp enough – the paper test (check this article for other tests: tomato and a nail test)<\/a><\/li>\n
- When to use a knife sharpener<\/li>\n
- All about electric knife sharpeners<\/li>\n
- All about manual knife sharpeners<\/li>\n
- A bit on whetstones<\/li>\n
- How to use a whetstone<\/li>\n
- How to sharpen serrated knives<\/li>\n
- Is it possible to over-sharpen your knives?<\/li>\n
- Knife sharpening kitchen hacks<\/li>\n
- How to store your knives to keep them sharp<\/a><\/li>\n
- Knife sharpening takeaways<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How to tell if your knife is sharp enough<\/h2>\n![](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/hksqkdlah\/image\/fetch\/dpr_2.0,f_auto,fl_progressive\/https:\/\/d3cizcpymoenau.cloudfront.net\/images\/29244\/landscape_hero_small_mobile_2x_ILO_Knife_20Sharpness_20Test.jpg\")
<\/a><\/h2>\nPut the blade into a paper test<\/strong><\/p>\nIf you try to cut it with a dull knife, the paper will crumble beneath the knife. A sharp knife will cut it cleanly when use a slicing motion to cut through the paper. A razor sharp knife can cut the paper cleanly by just pressing down on the edge of the paper without any slicing at all. If it fails, it needs sharpening.<\/p>\n
What a sharp and a dull knife’s edge look like up close<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/hksqkdlah\/image\/fetch\/dpr_2.0,f_auto,fl_progressive\/https:\/\/d3cizcpymoenau.cloudfront.net\/images\/29248\/landscape_hero_small_mobile_2x_STP_CCAsian.jpg\")
<\/picture>![](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/hksqkdlah\/image\/fetch\/dpr_2.0,f_auto,fl_progressive\/https:\/\/d3cizcpymoenau.cloudfront.net\/images\/29247\/landscape_hero_small_mobile_2x_STP_KuhnRikon.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/figure>\nThe closeup of a sharp (smooth and sharp) edge and a dull one (all chewed up) was made under a high-powered laboratory microscope at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology\u2019s Department of Materials Science and Engineering.<\/em><\/p>\nWhen to use a knife sharpener<\/h2>\n
If your knife is quite dull, you\u2019ll need to reshape its edge. This requires removing a fair amount of metal\u2014more than you could ever remove with a steel. To restore a very dull knife, you have three choices: You can send it out; you can use a whetstone (a little tricky at first but once you get it, it will take you 10-15min at max to sharpen your knife to the original state); or\u2014the most convenient but not the most optimal option\u2014you can use an electric or manual sharpener.<\/p>\n
![\"electric](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/06215756\/electric-knife-sharpener.jpg\")
<\/h2>\nAll about electric knife sharpeners<\/h2>\n
How to Use<\/strong>: These machines are very easy to use. With electric sharpeners, the abrasives are on motorised wheels that spin against the blade. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. In general you turn on the sharpener, hold your knife securely but lightly. There is no need to press down hard as the machine does the work for you, and pull the blade through the desired slots slowly and smoothly. Alternate sides for sharpening both sides of your blade. We are comfortable with recommending this method for a cheaper range knives but would not treat your precious Japanese knives with anything but a whetstone (more on that below) as the wrong move can remove too much edge of your precious knives.<\/p>\nPros:<\/h2>\n\n- Spring-loaded guides restrict the knife\u2019s movement so that the entire edge makes steady contact with the abrasive at a precise angle.<\/li>\n
- The aggressive first slot can quickly repair extensive damage and narrow a 20-degree Western knife to a sharper 15-degree edge.<\/li>\n
- This sharpener features multiple grinding slots, each with a different coarseness of blade to control the amount of sharpening.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cons:<\/h2>\n\n- Cannot be used for knives that sport a full bolster, as the entire blade cannot be run through the sharpener (creating an unevenly shaped blade).<\/li>\n
- Relatively expensive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
All about manual knife sharpeners<\/h2>\n<\/figure>\nHow to use: <\/strong>With manual sharpeners, the abrasives are either on non-motorised wheels or the abrasive material itself is fashioned into a V-shaped chamber through which the user pulls the knife. In general, pull the blade through the chamber with even pressure. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.<\/p>\n\n![\"manual](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/06215746\/manual-knife-sharpener.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n<\/figure>\nPros:<\/h2>\n\n- Inexpensive<\/li>\n
- Tall walls hold the knife steady so that the user can draw the blade through the chamber with even pressure<\/li>\n
- The slim body easily stows in a drawer, making it more convenient for routine upkeep<\/li>\n
- Very good and quick at sharpening most commercial mass made kitchen knives<\/li>\n
- Able to sharpen blades that feature a full bolster<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cons:<\/h2>\n\n- Even the best manual sharpener can\u2019t repair extensive damage to a blade (like removing notches)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
All about whetstones (also called waterstones)<\/h2>\nPros:<\/h2>\n\n- Relatively inexpensive<\/li>\n
- Last for years<\/li>\n
- Extremely adaptable; because the cook holds the knife at a specified angle to match the blade (Western, Japanese etc.), a whetstone can be used to sharpen any knife<\/li>\n
- Can sharpen knives with a full bolster<\/li>\n
- Most stones feature a coarse and fine side, which determines the amount of sharpening at each pass<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cons:<\/h2>\n\n- Takes a bit of practice to master; need to hold the knife at the correct angle to ensure a proper edge<\/li>\n
- Can take time to restore a very dull blade<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How to use a whetstone<\/h2>\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/06215750\/how-to-sharpen-your-knife-2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nStep 1: Secure stone on countertop<\/h2>\n
Place rubberised shelf liner or damp paper towels under whetstone to make sure it stays in place (whetstone should be coarse side up). Some quality whetstones such as King 1000\/6000<\/a> have a special stand included allowing for a secure and fixed placement.<\/p>\nStep 2: Sharpen first side<\/h2>\n\n![\"how](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/06215748\/how-to-sharpen-your-knife.jpg\")
<\/a>Face knife away from you and place handle end on whetstone at the angle of your blade (typically 15-degree angle for Asian-style knives and 20-degree angle for Western-style knives). Place other hand in the middle of the flat side of the blade, keeping your fingers flat and away from the sharp edge. Draw blade down the stone in a wide, circular manner, holding the blade at a constant angle until the tip of the knife runs off the other edge. Repeat several times, depending on dullness of blade.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\nStep 3: Check sharpness of first side<\/h2>\n
To check if the first side is sharpened, carefully run your thumb perpendicular to the edge of the blade\u2013when you can feel the burr from handle to tip, that side is sharp enough. (Safety tip: Do\u00a0not<\/em> run your finger parallel to the blade.)<\/p>\nStep 4: Sharpen second side<\/h2>\n
Switch knife over and repeat the sharpening process in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n
Step 5: Repeat technique on fine side<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/06215749\/how-to-sharpen-your-knife-3.jpg\")
<\/a><\/h3>\nTurn whetstone over to fine side and repeat process on both sides of knife until blade is sharp. For more information about whetstone grids check our other article: What whestone should you choose.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
How to tell if your knife is sharp enough<\/h2>\n<\/a><\/h2>\nPut the blade into a paper test<\/strong><\/p>\nIf you try to cut it with a dull knife, the paper will crumble beneath the knife. A sharp knife will cut it cleanly when use a slicing motion to cut through the paper. A razor sharp knife can cut the paper cleanly by just pressing down on the edge of the paper without any slicing at all. If it fails, it needs sharpening.<\/p>\n
What a sharp and a dull knife’s edge look like up close<\/strong><\/p>\nThe closeup of a sharp (smooth and sharp) edge and a dull one (all chewed up) was made under a high-powered laboratory microscope at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology\u2019s Department of Materials Science and Engineering.<\/em><\/p>\nWhen to use a knife sharpener<\/h2>\n
If your knife is quite dull, you\u2019ll need to reshape its edge. This requires removing a fair amount of metal\u2014more than you could ever remove with a steel. To restore a very dull knife, you have three choices: You can send it out; you can use a whetstone (a little tricky at first but once you get it, it will take you 10-15min at max to sharpen your knife to the original state); or\u2014the most convenient but not the most optimal option\u2014you can use an electric or manual sharpener.<\/p>\n
<\/h2>\nAll about electric knife sharpeners<\/h2>\n
How to Use<\/strong>: These machines are very easy to use. With electric sharpeners, the abrasives are on motorised wheels that spin against the blade. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. In general you turn on the sharpener, hold your knife securely but lightly. There is no need to press down hard as the machine does the work for you, and pull the blade through the desired slots slowly and smoothly. Alternate sides for sharpening both sides of your blade. We are comfortable with recommending this method for a cheaper range knives but would not treat your precious Japanese knives with anything but a whetstone (more on that below) as the wrong move can remove too much edge of your precious knives.<\/p>\nPros:<\/h2>\n\n- Spring-loaded guides restrict the knife\u2019s movement so that the entire edge makes steady contact with the abrasive at a precise angle.<\/li>\n
- The aggressive first slot can quickly repair extensive damage and narrow a 20-degree Western knife to a sharper 15-degree edge.<\/li>\n
- This sharpener features multiple grinding slots, each with a different coarseness of blade to control the amount of sharpening.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cons:<\/h2>\n\n- Cannot be used for knives that sport a full bolster, as the entire blade cannot be run through the sharpener (creating an unevenly shaped blade).<\/li>\n
- Relatively expensive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
All about manual knife sharpeners<\/h2>\n<\/figure>\nHow to use: <\/strong>With manual sharpeners, the abrasives are either on non-motorised wheels or the abrasive material itself is fashioned into a V-shaped chamber through which the user pulls the knife. In general, pull the blade through the chamber with even pressure. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.<\/p>\n\n<\/h3>\n<\/figure>\nPros:<\/h2>\n\n- Inexpensive<\/li>\n
- Tall walls hold the knife steady so that the user can draw the blade through the chamber with even pressure<\/li>\n
- The slim body easily stows in a drawer, making it more convenient for routine upkeep<\/li>\n
- Very good and quick at sharpening most commercial mass made kitchen knives<\/li>\n
- Able to sharpen blades that feature a full bolster<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cons:<\/h2>\n\n- Even the best manual sharpener can\u2019t repair extensive damage to a blade (like removing notches)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
All about whetstones (also called waterstones)<\/h2>\nPros:<\/h2>\n\n- Relatively inexpensive<\/li>\n
- Last for years<\/li>\n
- Extremely adaptable; because the cook holds the knife at a specified angle to match the blade (Western, Japanese etc.), a whetstone can be used to sharpen any knife<\/li>\n
- Can sharpen knives with a full bolster<\/li>\n
- Most stones feature a coarse and fine side, which determines the amount of sharpening at each pass<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cons:<\/h2>\n\n- Takes a bit of practice to master; need to hold the knife at the correct angle to ensure a proper edge<\/li>\n
- Can take time to restore a very dull blade<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How to use a whetstone<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nStep 1: Secure stone on countertop<\/h2>\n
Place rubberised shelf liner or damp paper towels under whetstone to make sure it stays in place (whetstone should be coarse side up). Some quality whetstones such as King 1000\/6000<\/a> have a special stand included allowing for a secure and fixed placement.<\/p>\nStep 2: Sharpen first side<\/h2>\n\n<\/a>Face knife away from you and place handle end on whetstone at the angle of your blade (typically 15-degree angle for Asian-style knives and 20-degree angle for Western-style knives). Place other hand in the middle of the flat side of the blade, keeping your fingers flat and away from the sharp edge. Draw blade down the stone in a wide, circular manner, holding the blade at a constant angle until the tip of the knife runs off the other edge. Repeat several times, depending on dullness of blade.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\nStep 3: Check sharpness of first side<\/h2>\n
To check if the first side is sharpened, carefully run your thumb perpendicular to the edge of the blade\u2013when you can feel the burr from handle to tip, that side is sharp enough. (Safety tip: Do\u00a0not<\/em> run your finger parallel to the blade.)<\/p>\nStep 4: Sharpen second side<\/h2>\n
Switch knife over and repeat the sharpening process in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n
Step 5: Repeat technique on fine side<\/h2>\n\n<\/a><\/h3>\nTurn whetstone over to fine side and repeat process on both sides of knife until blade is sharp. For more information about whetstone grids check our other article: What whestone should you choose.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/a><\/h2>\nPut the blade into a paper test<\/strong><\/p>\n If you try to cut it with a dull knife, the paper will crumble beneath the knife. A sharp knife will cut it cleanly when use a slicing motion to cut through the paper. A razor sharp knife can cut the paper cleanly by just pressing down on the edge of the paper without any slicing at all. If it fails, it needs sharpening.<\/p>\n What a sharp and a dull knife’s edge look like up close<\/strong><\/p>\n The closeup of a sharp (smooth and sharp) edge and a dull one (all chewed up) was made under a high-powered laboratory microscope at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology\u2019s Department of Materials Science and Engineering.<\/em><\/p>\n If your knife is quite dull, you\u2019ll need to reshape its edge. This requires removing a fair amount of metal\u2014more than you could ever remove with a steel. To restore a very dull knife, you have three choices: You can send it out; you can use a whetstone (a little tricky at first but once you get it, it will take you 10-15min at max to sharpen your knife to the original state); or\u2014the most convenient but not the most optimal option\u2014you can use an electric or manual sharpener.<\/p>\n How to Use<\/strong>: These machines are very easy to use. With electric sharpeners, the abrasives are on motorised wheels that spin against the blade. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. In general you turn on the sharpener, hold your knife securely but lightly. There is no need to press down hard as the machine does the work for you, and pull the blade through the desired slots slowly and smoothly. Alternate sides for sharpening both sides of your blade. We are comfortable with recommending this method for a cheaper range knives but would not treat your precious Japanese knives with anything but a whetstone (more on that below) as the wrong move can remove too much edge of your precious knives.<\/p>\n How to use: <\/strong>With manual sharpeners, the abrasives are either on non-motorised wheels or the abrasive material itself is fashioned into a V-shaped chamber through which the user pulls the knife. In general, pull the blade through the chamber with even pressure. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.<\/p>\n Place rubberised shelf liner or damp paper towels under whetstone to make sure it stays in place (whetstone should be coarse side up). Some quality whetstones such as King 1000\/6000<\/a> have a special stand included allowing for a secure and fixed placement.<\/p>\n To check if the first side is sharpened, carefully run your thumb perpendicular to the edge of the blade\u2013when you can feel the burr from handle to tip, that side is sharp enough. (Safety tip: Do\u00a0not<\/em> run your finger parallel to the blade.)<\/p>\n Switch knife over and repeat the sharpening process in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n Turn whetstone over to fine side and repeat process on both sides of knife until blade is sharp. For more information about whetstone grids check our other article: What whestone should you choose.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n![](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/hksqkdlah\/image\/fetch\/dpr_1.0,f_auto,fl_progressive\/https:\/\/d3cizcpymoenau.cloudfront.net\/images\/29248\/landscape_hero_small_desktop_2x_STP_CCAsian.jpg)
<\/picture>![](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/hksqkdlah\/image\/fetch\/dpr_1.0,f_auto,fl_progressive\/https:\/\/d3cizcpymoenau.cloudfront.net\/images\/29247\/landscape_hero_small_desktop_2x_STP_KuhnRikon.jpg)
<\/picture><\/figure>\nWhen to use a knife sharpener<\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\nAll about electric knife sharpeners<\/h2>\n
Pros:<\/h2>\n
\n
Cons:<\/h2>\n
\n
All about manual knife sharpeners<\/h2>\n
<\/h3>\n<\/figure>\nPros:<\/h2>\n
\n
Cons:<\/h2>\n
\n
All about whetstones (also called waterstones)<\/h2>\n
Pros:<\/h2>\n
\n
Cons:<\/h2>\n
\n
How to use a whetstone<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nStep 1: Secure stone on countertop<\/h2>\n
Step 2: Sharpen first side<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Face knife away from you and place handle end on whetstone at the angle of your blade (typically 15-degree angle for Asian-style knives and 20-degree angle for Western-style knives). Place other hand in the middle of the flat side of the blade, keeping your fingers flat and away from the sharp edge. Draw blade down the stone in a wide, circular manner, holding the blade at a constant angle until the tip of the knife runs off the other edge. Repeat several times, depending on dullness of blade.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\nStep 3: Check sharpness of first side<\/h2>\n
Step 4: Sharpen second side<\/h2>\n
Step 5: Repeat technique on fine side<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"King](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/06213453\/King-Gold-G-1-Inc.-Nagura-8000-Japanese-Sharpening-Stone-300x300.jpg\")
![\"japanese](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/06221346\/PB070432-300x300.jpg\")
\t\t\t\n\t<\/div><\/div><\/a>![\"King](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/06213453\/king-6000-1000-300x300.jpg\")
![\"king](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/06222115\/king-sharpening-1000-6000-300x300.jpg\")
\t\t\t\n\t<\/div><\/div><\/a>![\"serrated](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/06215752\/serrated-knife-cooking.jpg\")
<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/hksqkdlah\/image\/fetch\/dpr_2.0,f_auto,fl_progressive\/https:\/\/d3cizcpymoenau.cloudfront.net\/images\/29418\/landscape_hero_small_mobile_2x_knife-degreesofsharpness.jpg\")
<\/picture>\n![\"stand](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/06215747\/stand-universal-knife.jpg\")
Keeping your knives in any knife block is a big step up from a kitchen drawer, but we\u2019ve often found that our collected knives don\u2019t always fit into the preformed slots. A universal knife block will hold any combination of knives in a very small space. This seems to be the most common form of storage for commercial knife sets, since many knife sets come with their own knife block storage, and many people buy an empty knife block to store knives purchased separately. But if you can, you should consider other options like…<\/p>\n![\"magnetic](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/06215754\/magnetic-knife-stand-wooden-oak-walnut.jpg\")
<\/a><\/h2>\n![\"magnetic](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/06215751\/magnetic-knife-strip-rack.jpg\")
<\/a>Hang a magnetic knife strip on the wall and you\u2019ve freed up both counter and drawer space. The long strip will hold any length of knife, and keep them handily in sight. Good\u00a0![\"saya](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/06215755\/saya-japanea.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n![magnetic blocks<\/a>\u00a0are the best solution.\u00a0Some people believe that\u00a0](\"https:\/\/cdn.oishya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/06221428\/magnetic-knife-stand-block.jpg\"){kind=link}