Keeping knives sharp

Summary

This pattern is for anyone who cooks with their own knives. It describes a simple routine of honing, occasional sharpening and careful storage that keeps an edge working for years.

Recommendation	Why?
Hone the blade on a steel every few uses, or before each big cutting job.	Honing pushes the rolled-over edge back into line. It doesn’t remove much metal, so you can do it often.
Sharpen on a whetstone or a good sharpener when honing no longer brings the edge back.	Sharpening grinds a new edge. For most home cooks that’s every few months, not every week.
Keep a steady angle that matches the knife, usually about 15–20° per side.	A consistent angle gives a clean, even edge. Many Western knives sit near 20° and many Japanese knives near 15°, so check the maker’s guidance.
Test the edge by slicing a sheet of paper or a ripe tomato.	A sharp knife cuts cleanly with little pressure. Tearing or skidding tells you it’s time to hone or sharpen.
Cut on wood or plastic boards, never glass, stone or ceramic plates.	Hard surfaces roll and chip the edge in a few strokes.
Hand-wash and dry knives straight after use.	Dishwashers dull edges and damage handles, and a loose knife in the sink is a hazard.
Store knives in a block, on a magnetic strip or in edge guards.	Knives loose in a drawer knock against other metal and blunt each other, and they’re dangerous to reach for.

Context

This pattern suits ordinary steel kitchen knives: chef’s knives, paring knives and utility knives with a straight edge.

It does not suit serrated bread knives (they need a special tapered sharpener or a professional), ceramic knives (which chip and usually need a diamond sharpener or the maker’s service), or very expensive or damaged blades, which are worth taking to a professional sharpener.

There’s a trade-off between a whetstone and a pull-through sharpener. A whetstone gives the best edge and removes the least metal, but it takes practice. A pull-through sharpener is quick and easy but removes more metal and gives a coarser edge. This pattern suggests a steel for routine care and either tool for sharpening, so choose the one you’ll actually use.

Usage

Honing: hold the steel upright with its tip on a damp cloth on the bench. Draw the blade down and towards you, heel to tip, at your chosen angle, alternating sides for five or six light strokes each. Pressure should be gentle; speed doesn’t help.

Sharpening on a stone: soak or wet the stone as its instructions say, coarse side up. Hold the angle and push the edge across the stone, working along the whole blade, until you can feel a small burr along the opposite side. Then do the same on the other side, switch to the fine side, and finish with a few light alternating strokes to remove the burr. Rinse and dry the knife.

Testing and cleaning up: do the paper test, then wipe the blade carefully from spine to edge. Put the knife away straight after, not in the sink or dishwasher (see Loading and unloading the dishwasher for what belongs there).

Using the edge: a sharp knife only stays safe if it’s used well; see Stable board, claw grip for how to hold food and board steady.

References

Your knife maker’s care instructions give the right angle and sharpening method for that blade, and a professional knife sharpener can restore badly damaged edges.