How to Sharpen a Knife

Ready to carve that gorgeous steak, but wondering if you need to sharpen your knife? A sharp knife is the key to properly carving a steak, roast or any cut of meat. It's also critical to your safety. A knife with a dull edge slips against any surface more easily, inviting unpleasant accidents and perhaps a trip to the emergency room.

Everyday use can dull a knife quickly, but it is easy to maintain a good sharp edge by "steeling" — also called "honing" — the blade with a sharpening steel.

The Best Way to Sharpen a Knife

Contrary to popular belief, the purpose of steeling your knife is not to sharpen it. Sharpening a knife actually removes metal from the blade to create an entirely new edge and is best done by a skilled professional.

Steeling a knife restores its edge by getting it to "stand up straight" again. Every time you use a knife the sharp edge of the blade gets bent a little bit to the left or right. After just a few uses the sharp edge of your knife is completely curled over and your knife will seem very dull. Steeling a knife is a fast, easy way to get that sharp edge back to work.

To steel a knife simply follow these tips and follow the illustrations below. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes when you cut into that beautiful steak.

How to Sharpen a Knife: Using a Sharpening Steel

Follow these steps to help maintain your knife’s cutting abilities:

Holding Your Knife and Steel

Hold the knife by the handle with your cutting hand and the sharpening steel in the other hand, both should be at arms' length in front of you and pointing away from your body.

Position Away From Your Body

Keeping the steel pointing away from your body, place the heel of the blade against the steel about 1 inch from the base of the steel (the edge of the blade should be facing away from you) at a 20° angle.

Apply Light To Medium Pressure

Applying light to medium pressure run the blade of the knife down the length of the steel, being sure to sharpen the entire knife from base to tip. Accuracy is more important than speed, so make sure to keep the blade at a consistent angle against the steel.

Repeat on Other Side of Blade

Repeat on the other side of the blade by using the bottom side of the steel and alternate sides for about 10-20 strokes. You can test its sharpness with a piece of paper and if it easily cuts it's good to go.

Wash and Dry Your Blade

Lastly, make sure to wash and dry your blade to make sure any small steel shavings are cleaned off.

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