Kitchen knives should always be sharp. You may get more uniform results in the kitchen and save time and effort by using them to cut, slice, and dice. Nevertheless, if you aren’t familiar with the appropriate techniques, maintaining razor-sharp blades can be a real hassle. Here, you’ll learn about the methods that have been shown to be the most effective for sharpening and maintaining kitchen knives.
Why Do Kitchen Knives Need Sharpening?
Knives need to be sharpened for a number of reasons, the most essential of which we will discuss before getting into the nitty-gritty of how to do it. Several things might cause the edge of a knife to dull over time.
- Regular use: The blade of your knife will become dull and less effective the more you use it.
- Cutting on hard surfaces: When using a knife to cut on a hard surface, such as a ceramic plate or glass cutting board, the edge might wear down more rapidly.
- Poor storage: A common cause of dull blades is careless storage. If you keep them in a drawer with other cutlery, for instance, they could get bent or broken from banging around against each other.
A dull knife can make it more challenging to make clean cuts through food. If you have to use greater power to cut through tough ingredients, you run the danger of injuring yourself or getting frustrated, both of which may be avoided in the kitchen.
How to Sharpen Your Kitchen Knives
Let’s go into the exact methods for sharpening your kitchen knives now that we’ve addressed the reasons why they dull.
1. Choose the Right Sharpener
Kitchen knives may be maintained in tip-top shape with the use of a number of different sharpening instruments, such as sharpening stones, electric sharpeners, and manual sharpeners. Picking the best sharpener for your purposes is essential due to the fact that each model has its own set of pros and cons.
- Sharpening stones: While they are not for the faint of heart, sharpening stones may give your blades a razor’s edge if used correctly.
- Electric sharpeners: Sharpening with an electric sharpener is quick and convenient, but it may cost more and take more material from the blade than hand sharpening.
- Manual sharpeners: Although manual sharpeners are inexpensive and simple to operate, their results may not be as sharp as those of electric or ceramic sharpeners.
2. Determine the Angle of Your Knife’s Edge
When sharpening knives, it’s crucial to pay attention to the edge angle. The angle is the degree to which the blade is inclined, and it varies with the type of knife and its function.
The standard bevel angle for kitchen knives is 20 degrees. Yet, some blades, like those made in the Japanese tradition, may have a sharper edge.
With a sharpening guide or angle finder, you may identify the exact angle at which your knife’s edge is sharpened. With these aids, you may hone your knife’s edge to perfection and maximize its effectiveness.
3. Sharpen Your Knife
Selecting the proper sharpener and establishing the correct edge angle are the first steps in sharpening a knife. An in-depth breakdown of the procedure is as follows:
- Secure your sharpener: Make sure the sharpening stone you’re using is anchored to something solid. Follow the directions provided by the maker of the sharpener, whether it be electric or manual.
- Start with the coarsest grit: Start with the coarsest grit of your sharpening stone. This will aid in fixing the blade by removing any nicks or scratches.
- Hold the knife at the correct angle: Make sure you’re holding the knife at the right angle by using your sharpening guide or angle finder.
- Apply pressure: When moving the blade back and forth across the sharpening surface, apply moderate pressure. Take control to sharpen at the right angle at all times.
- Move to finer grits: Starting with the coarsest grit, sharpen your knife to the necessary degree by moving to the finer grits.
- Strop the blade: A leather strop is used to further polish the edge of a knife after sharpening.
4. Hone Your Knife
To maintain a sharp edge between sharpening, you can “hone” your knife by realigning its edge. To achieve this, most people use an honing steel, which is a long, thin rod of steel or ceramic.
To hone your knife, follow these steps:
- Hold the honing steel vertically: Keep the honing steel vertical, with the tip resting on a steady surface, in your non-dominant hand.
- Hold the knife at the correct angle: Go out your angle finder or sharpening guide and check to see if you’re holding the knife at the right angle.
- Swipe the blade across the honing steel: Use minimal pressure while swiping the knife at a slight slant across the honing steel, beginning at the base of the blade. Go to the other side of the knife and do it again.
- Repeat several times: Do the action multiple times on both sides of the blade, switching sides after each stroke.
Keeping Your Knives Sharp
You should take measures to maintain the sharpness of your kitchen knives in between sharpening, now that you know how to do so. If you want to keep your blades in tip-top shape, consider the following:
- Use a cutting board: Always use a plastic or wooden chopping board to avoid damaging the knife. Don’t use glass or ceramic plates as cutting surfaces.
- Store your knives properly: Keep your blades from clanging together by keeping them in a knife block or on a magnetic strip.
- Wash your knives carefully: Knives should be washed by hand in warm, soapy water after each use. To avoid rust, dry them right away after washing.
- Avoid dishwashers: Do not use the dishwasher, since the combination of harsh detergents and excessive heat will ruin your knives.
It is imperative for any home cook to maintain razor-sharp cutting tools. If you sharpen and hone your knives properly, they will retain their edge and work optimally for as long as possible. Always keep in mind the following when sharpening knives: the type of sharpener you’ll need, the angle at which you’ll be sharpening your blades, and the care you’ll need to provide them in between uses. If you put in the time and effort to maintain their sharpness, your knives will serve you well for many years of efficient, safe, and enjoyable meals.
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