How to Sharpen Kitchen Knives
There is nothing more annoying, or more dangerous, than a blunt knife in the kitchen. While many might consider sharp knives more lethal, they tend to get the job done right, while blunt knives are almost certainly bound to lead to struggle, and possible injuries.
A sharp knife is perhaps the most effective tool in the kitchen, so if you are looking to slice and dice with ease, there are three main tools and methods you can use to keep your kitchen knives in tip-top shape.
Things Required:
– Commercial knife sharpeners
– Sharpening steels
– Sharpening stones
Instructions
-
1
Sharpening steel is a common tool for sharpening knives and among the most preferred methods for professionals chefs, who frequently need to sharpen their knives on the go. This is a steel rod, over which you can run a knife to sharpen the blade. Simply hold the rod in one hand, and in the other hand, grasp the knife by the handle – hold both objects firmly, so they do not slide about dangerously during the sharpening process. Then, hold the knife just under the steel rod at a 10- to 25-degree angle, and slide it downward. Repeat this swiftly a couple of times, until both sides of the blade have been sharpened sufficiently.
Image courtesy: nortonstones.com
-
2
Another method for sharpening kitchen knives is a commercial sharpener. This will normally come with an instruction booklet so read through it carefully to determine how it is used. However, most commercial sharpeners will usually consist of a mechanism, through which you will be required to draw your knife slowly in your direction, and repeat the process until the knife is sufficiently sharpened. However, this is only for sharpening heavy-duty knives – do not run fine knives through a commercial sharpener, as this could damage or even break them.
Image courtesy: saveur.com
-
3
A sharpening stone is yet another method for sharpening knives, and while this technique is far more primitive as compared to sharpening steels or commercial knife sharpeners, it is just as effective. In order to use the sharpening stone, place it on a flat, stable surface like a counter top (the stone can be either wet or dry), and grasping the knife firmly by the handle, put the blade to the stone at a 10 to 25-degree angle. Then start drawing the knife towards yourself, all across the stone. Repeat this process a couple of times for each side of the blade, and your knife should be sharpened to perfection.
Image courtesy: thekitchn.com
