Did you know that a dull blade is way more dangerous than a sharp one? Having to press down hard on whatever you’re cutting places your fingers at risk! There’s always that small change of slipping and cutting more than just a fresh tomato. This week we’re going to take a look at some of the best practices for sharpening your knives, whether at home, on the job or even as an enthusiast (yes that’s a thing)!
At home Sharpening:
Many at home tools and methods are available for the home chef. Whether using a basic sharpener or sharpening rod, taking the time to do so to your blade makes a major difference in how your slicing adventures happen.
Simple, yet effective. Having an everyday stand sharpener can make the difference between flaunting your knife skills or a quick retirement from your culinary journey. Using one of these is quite simple. Just place the sharpener on any firm service and run the blade of your knife gently (yet firmly) through each section. Be sure to start at the thickest grit and work your way down to the smoothest in even, straight strokes. You also don’t need to over-sharpen your blade! Running through each section 4-5 times is more than required.
If you’re an avid movie watcher, you have most likely come across the cool chef scene where the actor takes his knife and starts scraping it against that weird rod thingy. This is that thingy. The knife hone does exactly what it says, it hones the blade of the knife. It’s not the most complex of sharpeners but definitely one of the most fun to use. Simply press the blade of the knife at steep angle on the hone and slide the edge across. Simple but effective, just make sure to slide the entirety of the blade across the hone to get the whole edge sharpened!
We’re getting into the scope of professional care now! A whetstone is rough or smooth, square shaped stone that sharpens a knife through precise gliding actions on across the stone. All it takes is a steady hand and focus to get the edge of your dreams! Some whetstones do get wet and require a few hours of soaking before use, but that’s not the case with all of them. If you want to level-up your knife care routine and show off in front of friends, the whetstone is one of our suggested utensils to get both jobs done.
Guided sharpening system:
The penultimate solution to knife sharpening!
- The guided system is the most accurate solution to get the perfect edge on almost any blade.
- These systems involve locking the knife into place on a guided jig that allows a constant angle when sharpening a blade. A bit on the pricey side but definitely worth it!
- The replaceable stones on which the knife can be sharpened also makes sure that the edge is refined to perfection!
To see one of these in action, check out this YouTube link.
Now that you’ve seen what is out there, make sure you take care of your knives!
A lumberjack who spends more time sharpening his axe than hacking away at the tree will have a much easier time cutting it down.
