8 Solutions for Keeping your Kitchen Knives Sharp

Kitchen knives are the most important chef’s tool.  But, they can be useless, and even dangerous, if they aren’t sharp.  We’ve compiled this list to help you keep your knives at peak sharpness, so they can be as useful and safe as possible.  Learning to keep knives in their top condition is a time consuming but rewarding process.  Because knives are so important for different parts of the meal process, they are used all the time.  If you notice that you are having a hard time slicing through food, or that your blade seems to be slipping, or tearing food, your knives need to be sharpened.  Here are 8 ways for you to keep your knives sharp.

1.  Whetstone

The best way to get a razor sharp edge for your blade is to use a whetstone set.  While this process takes the most time and requires careful attention, it will help you perfect the knife’s edge, and can also be extremely satisfying.  All of our stones are designed to be soaked in water, and used while wet.  Start with the lowest grits to create a sharp edge, then work your way through the higher grits to finesse and perfect the edge.  This process will take some time, but it is definitely worthwhile.  Sharpening knives this way has been done for centuries, and has even been called an art.  Over time, whetstones can wear out and form a groove based on your sharpening pattern.  This is why a flattening stone, also known as a lapping stone, is extremely important.  Every so often you should grind the stone with the flattening stone to ensure that it is flat and even on top.  Be sure to let the stones dry after use for at least a day, or up to a week, depending on the stone, so that there is no water left in them when they are stored.  If they are stored while wet, you risk growing mold on the stones.  So, be sure to let them dry completely to limit your risk.

2.  Hand Wash your Knives

Most people will just toss their kitchen knives in the dishwasher like any other utensil, but in fact, you should never do this.  The hot, strong flow of water, and the rough detergent, will dull your knives surprisingly quickly.  Hand washing knives takes slightly more time, but will help your knives keep a sharp edge much longer.

3.  Proper Storage

Kitchen knives need to be stored in their own place, preferably a knife block.  Luckily, many knife sets come with a block that you can use to store your knives without dulling or harming them.  Throwing your knives in a drawer with silverware or other kitchen tools can create dings in the blade and make it more difficult to get a clean cut.

4.  Proper Sharpening Form

Sharpening knives is a skill that takes practice.  Don’t expect to get a perfect edge on your first try!  But, even if your edge isn’t perfect, your knife will still be better off than where you started.  Following our sharpening guide to learn to use our whetstones will give you a good starting point, and over time with more practice, you will get better and better.

5.  Use a Cutting Board

Cutting on the right surfaces can make all the difference for your blades.  Cutting on surfaces that are too hard, like metals or your countertops, will dull your blades.  Cutting boards are designed specially to not dull your blades.

6.  Honing Rod

Many kitchen knife sets include one of these rods, but very few people will actually use it.  The technique is very similar to whetstones, just grind the blade edge along the rod to sharpen.  Make sure that you sharpen from handle to tip for the best results.  This tool is often overlooked, but can be extremely useful when used right.  It will not perfect the edge of the blade like a whetstone, but it is still a good solution for a quick tune up.

7.  Ceramic Mug

Most people don’t realize, but the bottom of ceramic mugs is gritty similar to a whetstone.  If you have no other tools dedicated to sharpening, this can be a good solution for a quick fix.  It will definitely be harder to perfect your blade’s edge this unconventional way, but it will work in a pinch.

8.  Constant Maintenance

Maintaining knives is a constant process, and it cannot be ignored.  Following this guide and using our solutions will help you keep your knives razor sharp.  Maintaining knives can be a time consuming learning process, but it is extremely valuable to help you get the most out of the most important tool in your kitchen.  It is very important to sharpen your knives every so often to keep them as safe and useful as possible.  Dull knives can slip, causing serious injury  To purchase high our high quality whetstone set, visit our shop!