by Jared Garrett

Created on: April 05, 2007   Last Updated: May 04, 2007

Did you know that a dull kitchen knife is more dangerous than a sharp one? This is because you have to use more force to get that dull piece of metal to cut! So protect your family and sharpen those kitchen knifes.

When you decide to sharpen your kitchen knives, you first need to consider what tools you will use. The absolute best tool is a series of whetstones of varying roughness. However, not many people are obsessed enough to get these fancy stones, so the next best tool is the kind where you have two rods that stick at angles into a wooden holder. But! This tool is quite hard to find, so what is the best and most convenient way to sharpen your knives without these tools?

Get a sharpener that has two stones placed inside a plastic housing. This works because all you have to do is hold the sharpener in place and run the knife through in a smooth, firm motion.

So what are some tips on making sure your knife gets truly sharp and you are not ruining it? First, be sure to keep that sharpener completely still. Next, hold the knife very firmly by its handle. Then slide the knife through the sharpener, starting at the point on the blade that is nearest the handle. This means you will be pulling the knife through the sharpener. Pulling is more reliable than pushing because it is steadier and more controlled.

As a final note, you may have seen those sharpeners that are basically a long stone or metal shaft with a handle. Unless you absolutely know what you are doing, do not use these. If used improperly, these tools will take years of life off of your knife and will cause barbs and snags to appear on the cutting edge.

Good luck and careful sharpening!

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