Kitchen knives are a very important part of the kitchen. They ensure smooth cutting if they possess a sharp razor. The good news is that sharpening the knife is not as hard as it might sound. Sometimes getting yourself a good self-sharpening knife set is all you need. You can buy a set online or from your local market. Having a razor-sharp knife not only helps you cut everything effortlessly but also is much safer than if you’d use a dull knife. So, if you want to keep your knife sharp just follow the below-mentioned tips.
1. Use Ceramic Mugs
It might sound weird, but ceramic mugs really help sharpen your knife. All you have to do is to flip the ceramic mug upside down on a smooth surface. Locate the ring on the bottom surface of the ceramic mug. Then cautiously grind the knife on the ring, just like on a whetstone. Try not to use this method for fancy kitchen knives.
2. Get a Honing Rod
Honing rod, also called sharpening steel, helps align your kitchen knife by shaving its metal blade. It can be found in kitchen knives set, or purchased separately.
You can use this honing rod to sharpen your knife by holding the knife in your dominant hand and the rod in the other one. The rod must be a little bit elevated and the position of the blade must be 20° from the rod. Then rub the blade on this rod several times, and you got a sharp knife as good as new.
3. Whetstone
Another way to sharpen your kitchen knife is to use a whetstone. Usually, it has two sides, a rougher and a smoother one. You need to rub the razor halfway on the rough side to get a one-sided edge. For symmetrical grind, rub both sides of the blade ideally an equal number of times. Once done, turn the stone over and smooth out the burrs on the razor on its smooth side.
4. Cut on the Right Surfaces
Cutting on specific surfaces predicts the condition of the knife’s blade. Hence selection of the right surfaces for cutting is very important. It is advised to use wooden, polythene, or plastic surfaces for cutting purposes and avoid cutting on hard surfaces such as steel, aluminum, and granite.
5. Wash by Hands
Washing knives in a dishwasher is never a good option. Despite its proper cleaning benefit, washing knives in a dishwasher is disastrous as the heat, soap, and water cause dullness of the knife. Hence, it is always better to wash your knives with your hands.
6. Dedicated Storage
Storing knives in a specific, personal storage ensures their protection. You can dedicate a full drawer to your knives or just place them in a wooden knife holder.
7. Pull-Through Sharpeners
Pull-through sharpeners, as the name implies, are knife sharpeners that can be used by just pulling your knife through them. The sharpeners process could be done both manually and electrically. However, you will need to pull the knife through the sharpener several times by hand as compared to one time when using the electrical one.
So, here are the seven tips for you to keep your knife razor-sharp, follow them, keep it safe, and stay sharp!
