A sharp knife is an indispensable tool. Maintaining a razor-sharp edge on a chef’s knife is crucial for efficiency and safety. Yet, many knife owners fall prey to common knife sharpening mistakes they should avoid. These mistakes can turn their beloved knife into a dull, ineffective cutting tool.
In this guide, I will show the pitfalls you should avoid when sharpening your knives. I will show the advantages of using professional sharpening services. We will also answer common questions about knife maintenance.
Key takeaways
- Prepare stones: Soak whetstones before use.
- Maintain angle: Keep a consistent sharpening angle.
- Be patient: Use moderate pressure and take your time.
- Form and remove burr: Essential for a truly sharp edge.
- Consider professionals: Expert services offer precision and convenience. Especially for valuable knives or novice sharpeners.
Common Mistakes People Make When Sharpening Knives
Knife sharpening is an art and a skill that requires patience, precision, and practice. Let’s look into the most common mistakes people make and how to avoid them on your sharpening journey.
Not Soaking Your Stones
One of the most overlooked steps in knife sharpening is preparing your whetstones. Many eager sharpeners jump straight into the sharpening process. They do this without soaking their stones. Ignoring this leads to disappointing results and potential damage to their trusty knife.
Why it’s important: Soaking your whetstones, particularly water stones. It’s important for several reasons:
- It helps remove any debris or old metal particles from previous sharpening sessions.
- Soaking allows the stone to release abrasive particles more effectively during sharpening.
- It prevents the stone from drying out too quickly during use. A dry stone will not remove enough material to ensure consistent performance.
How to do it right: This is the method I follow to get the best results. Soak your water stones for 10-15 minutes before use. Some harder stones may only need a quick splash of water. While softer stones must have up to 45 minutes of soaking. Always check the manufacturer’s recommendations for your specific stone. This will help you to achieve the best results in your sharpening game.
Using Oil Instead of Water
Another common error is using oil on water stones. I have found this personally annoying after borrowing my stone to amatures. Oil clogs the pores and renders the stone ineffective. This mistake can seriously impede your sharpening process. It can also cause damage to your favorite knife.
The right approach:
- Use water for water stones
- Reserve oil for oil stones only
- Never mix the two types of lubricants on a single stone
Sharpening at the Wrong Angle
Maintaining the correct angle is one of the most critical aspects of knife sharpening. Using the wrong angle can result in a dull knife. Another issue is it causes deep scratches and imperfections in the blade.
Typical angles for different knife types:
| Knife Type | Recommended Angle (per side) |
|---|---|
| Western Chef’s Knife | 20-22 degrees |
| Japanese Gyuto | 15-17 degrees |
| Pocket Knife | 25-30 degrees |
| Filleting Knife | 12-15 degrees |
| German Knife | 20-22 degrees |
Pro tip: Like most people you might be unsure about the correct angle. Start with a 20-degree sharpening angle for most Western-style knives. Avoid uneven sharpening by using a sharpening guide or angle guide.
Sharpening at an Inconsistent Angle
You might start with the correct angle. But maintaining it throughout the sharpening process can be challenging for beginners. Inconsistent angles can lead to an uneven edge. This in turn reduces the effectiveness of your sharpening efforts.
How to maintain consistency:
- Use a sharpening guide or angle guide
- Practice with a marker trick: color the edge with a marker and observe where the stone removes the ink
- Develop muscle memory through repetition and practice
Pushing Too Hard
Applying excessive pressure during sharpening is a common mistake. This mistake can lead to uneven edges and potential damage to both the knife and the stone. This error can turn your sharp knife into a dull knife faster than you might think.
The right technique: Let the stone do the work. Use light to moderate pressure, focusing on maintaining the angle. Combine it with smooth, consistent motion across the entire blade.
Going Too Fast
Rushing through the sharpening process often results in an inferior edge. As I mentioned it increases the risk of accidents. Many knife owners make this mistake in their eagerness to achieve a razor-sharp edge.
Best practice: Take your time and focus on maintaining a steady, rhythmic motion. Quality sharpening is about patience and precision, not speed. Remember, effective sharpening is an art that requires attention to detail.
Not Using the Whole Stone
Many people tend to use only the center of the whetstone. This practice leads to uneven wear and reduced effectiveness over time. This common error will shorten the life of your sharpening tools.
How to use your stone effectively:
- Use the entire surface of the stone in a sweeping motion
- Rotate the stone periodically to ensure even wear
- Consider using a stone fixer or flattening plate to maintain a level surface
Not Truing Your Stones
Over time, whetstones can become uneven or develop grooves. This is damage that can affect their performance and the quality of your sharpening. Failing to true your stones is a mistake. It leads to inconsistent results and frustrated sharpeners.
Importance of truing:
- Ensures a flat surface for consistent sharpening
- Exposes fresh abrasive particles for optimal performance
- Extends the life of your sharpening stones
How to true your stones: Use a diamond plate or dedicated stone fixer to flatten your whetstones. Especially after heavy use or when sharpening larger knives like chef’s knives.
Not Getting a Burr
Failing to create a burr (a tiny wire edge that forms on the opposite side of the edge being sharpened). This is a sign that you haven’t fully sharpened the edge. This is an important step that many novice sharpeners overlook.
Why the burr matters: The burr is an indicator. It lets you know you’ve sharpened the edge all the way to its apex, ensuring a properly sharp knife edge.
How to check for a burr: Gently run your finger perpendicular to the edge on the opposite side of the one you’re sharpening. You should feel a slight catch or roughness when the burr is formed.
Not Removing Your Burr
Once you’ve created a burr, it’s crucial to remove it properly to achieve a clean, sharp edge. Failing to remove the burr is a common mistake. This can leave you with a knife that feels sharp but doesn’t perform well during cutting tasks.
Burr removal techniques:
- Alternate strokes on both sides of the blade with lighter pressure
- Use a leather strop or newspaper to refine the edge
- Make very light passes on your finest grit stone
Why Professional Knife Sharpening Is More Effective
Many people enjoy sharpening their own knives. Professional knife sharpening services offer several advantages:
Consistency in Technique
Professional sharpeners have honed their skills through years of practice. This training ensures consistent results across various knife types and styles. Their expertise helps avoid common mistakes that can damage your beloved knives.
Expertise in Choosing the Right Angle
Professionals can quickly identify the optimal sharpening angle for each knife. They take into account its intended use and original edge geometry. This expertise is valuable for specialty knives like filleting knives or custom knives.
Proper Tool Use (Stones, Oils, Angles)
Professional sharpeners have access to a wide range of high-quality sharpening tools. They also know exactly which ones to use for each knife and the desired result. They understand the nuances of different sharpeners, from whetstones to more advanced systems.
Avoiding Damage to Knife Edge
Professionals can sharpen knives without risking knife damage or altering their original profile. This is especially important for high-end or sentimental knives. These knives hold special meaning so you want to keep them in pristine condition.
Prolonging the Life of Your Knife
Regular professional sharpening can extend the lifespan of your knives. Professionals maintain your knife’s edge and prevent the need for more aggressive reshaping. This is beneficial for expensive chef’s knives or German knives you want to keep in top condition.
Time and Effort Saved
For busy individuals or those who lack confidence in their sharpening skills. Professional services offer a convenient and time-saving solution. They can sharpen multiple knives, from pocket knives to kitchen sets, saving you hours.
Benefits of Professional Knife Sharpening Services
Opting for professional knife sharpening comes with several key benefits:
Precision and Quality of the Edge
Professionals can achieve a level of sharpness and edge quality. These results are difficult for most home sharpeners to replicate. They have the skills to create razor-sharp edges that last longer and perform better.
Access to Professional Equipment
Commercial sharpening services use high-end equipment. Such equipment may be impractical or too expensive for individual users to own. This includes specialized tools for different types of knives and cutting tools.
Convenience
Many professional services offer pickup and delivery options. This makes it easy to maintain your knives without leaving your home or restaurant. This is especially useful for busy chefs or woodworkers who rely on sharp tools for their craft.
Long-lasting Results
A professionally sharpened knife stays sharp longer due to the precision of the edge. Another factor adding to this is the expertise applied during the sharpening process. This means less frequent sharpening and more efficient cutting in your daily tasks.
No Risk of Damaging the Knife
Entrusting your knives to professionals eliminates the risk of accidental damage. The kind that can occur during DIY sharpening attempts. This is important for valuable or sentimental knives that you want to preserve.
Common Questions About Knife Sharpening
How Often Should I Sharpen My Knife?
The frequency of sharpening depends on several factors:
- Usage frequency
- Type of cutting tasks (e.g., heavy cutting vs. light chopping)
- Knife material and hardness
- Storage conditions (e.g., in a drawer vs. on a magnetic strip)
As a general rule:
- Home cooks: Every 2-3 months
- Professional chefs: Weekly or bi-weekly
- Regular honing between sharpenings can extend the time between full sharpening sessions
What’s the Difference Between Sharpening and Honing?
Sharpening involves removing material from the blade to create a new edge. It’s done less and requires whetstones or other abrasive tools to reshape the blade.
Honing realigns the edge of an already sharp knife. Honing maintains its cutting ability between sharpenings. It’s done more frequently, often before each use, using honing steel or strop.
Is It Worth Paying for Professional Sharpening?
For many people, professional sharpening is worth the investment:
- Saves time and effort in learning sharpening techniques
- Ensures optimal edge quality and desired sharpness
- Reduces the risk of knife damage from improper sharpening
- Can be more cost-effective in the long run by extending knife life
What Are the Signs My Knife Needs Sharpening?
Look out for these indicators:
- Difficulty cutting through soft foods like tomatoes
- Slipping or skidding when starting a cut on a cutting board
- Visible nicks or chips in the blade
- Needing to apply more pressure than usual when cutting
- Torn or crushed food instead of clean cuts
- The razor-sharp edge vanishes quickly after honing
Conclusion
Avoiding these common knife sharpening mistakes. Understand the benefits of professional sharpening. Ensure your knives remain in top condition so your projects are fun and efficient. You can choose to sharpen your knives or opt for professional services. But maintaining sharp knives is an essential aspect of kitchen life.
Remember, knife sharpening requires patience and practice. If you’re new to sharpening or unsure, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. A well-maintained knife performs better and is also safer to use. It reduces the risk of accidents in the kitchen.