Knife Sharpening Tips

A sharp knife is not only easier to use - it's safer too. More effort is required to cut with a dull blade, and this can cause the knife or your hand to slip, resulting in physical harm to you or structural damage to the knife. A knife is a delicate tool, but following these knife sharpening tips will keep your knife sharp, safe, and effective for years to come.

The Art of Knife Sharpening
Knife sharpening is very much an art. Experienced knife sharpeners are highly knowledgeable about which materials are best for use as sharpening stones. When sharpening more valuable knives, you may want to educate yourself about the advantages of various whetstones (sharpening stones lubricated with oil) or waterstones (sharpening stones lubricated with water).

Another thing you'll need to learn is when it's time to sharpen your knife. A sharp knife should be able to cut through paper like it's whispering in your ear. If your knife seems to be tearing the paper rather than cutting it, you'll notice an audible difference that signifies a dull blade.

Knife Sharpening Tools
The danger of improper sharpening is that it will weaken the blade of your knife. The term used for a knife blade's strength and hardness is temper. Using sharpening tools that grind the blade can remove or "burn" the temper, weakening the knife and possibly leading to cracking or chipping of the blade.

Commercial knife sharpeners are available that you can use on your knife, but the best results will usually be obtained with a sharpening stone. Because knife sharpening is an art, a sharpening stone is a tool that requires time and patience to use properly. A coarse grit sharpening stone is best for very dull blades, while fine grit stones are ideal for delicate touchups. Serrated knife blades require a different type of sharpening stone than straight or non-serrated knives. For the former, a tapered knife sharpener is necessary. A flat sharpening stone is used with regular knives.

If you've purchased a knife with a ceramic blade, the good news is they retain an edge for an extremely long time. The bad news is that if sharpening is needed, a diamond sharpening-wheel is the tool for the job. And since you don't have one of those sitting around in your garage, you'll have to get the manufacturer or a local knife or hunting store to sharpen your ceramic blade for you.