How do you make a homemade knife sharpener?

A dull knife can make food preparation difficult and even dangerous. Having sharp knives in the kitchen is important for safety and efficiency. While you can pay to have your knives professionally sharpened, it’s easy to sharpen them at home with just a few inexpensive materials.

Why Sharpen Your Knives?

Sharp knives make cooking easier and safer for several reasons:

• Sharp blades cut through foods cleanly instead of crushing them.
• Sharp edges allow you to cut with precision and accuracy.
• Dull edges require more force, which can lead to slips and cuts.
• Sharp knives are actually safer because you can better control the blade.

In addition to safety, sharp knives give you nicer chopped vegetables, thinner slices, and overall better performance in the kitchen. Investing a few minutes to sharpen your knives pays off every time you cook.

When to Sharpen Your Knives

How often you need to sharpen your knives depends on how frequently you use them and what types of food you cut. As a general rule, you should sharpen your kitchen knives:

• Every few months for home cooks
• Every few weeks if you cook often
• Before and after cutting hard materials like squash or bone
• When you notice knives aren’t performing well on soft foods
• When chopping, slicing, or carving becomes more difficult
• When knives don’t glide through foods cleanly

Pay attention to how your knives cut and sharpen them as soon as you notice any decline in performance. This will keep your blades sharp and ready for all kitchen tasks.

Knife Sharpening Tools

You don’t need fancy expensive sharpening equipment to sharpen knives at home. These basic sharpening tools do the trick:

• Whetstone or sharpening stone – These rectangular stones have a coarse grit on one side to grind metal off the blade and a finer grit on the other side for honing and polishing. They require some practice to use correctly.
• Ceramic honing rod – Ceramic rods align and polish the cutting edge. They don’t remove metal from the blade.
• Electric sharpener – Electric grinders with V-shaped openings sharpen the edge as you pull the knife through. They’re quick and easy to use.
• Handheld or manual sharpener – These small gadgets with V-shaped openings or crossed carbide blades sharpen the edge as you pull the knife through. They’re compact for storage in a drawer.

The whetstone is the most versatile option since you can use it to both sharpen and hone knives. However, electric and manual sharpeners are easier to use. Pick the option that best fits your needs and budget.

How to Sharpen Knives on a Whetstone

A whetstone (also called a sharpening stone) has coarse grit on one side to grind off metal and finer grit on the other side to refine the edge. Here are the basic steps to sharpen with a whetstone:

1. Lubricate the stone with a little water or honing oil.
2. Hold the knife at a 20 degree angle against the coarse grit side.
3. Apply light pressure and slide the blade from heel to tip across the stone in a sweeping motion.
4. Repeat 5-10 times until you raise a burr along the edge.
5. Flip the knife over and repeat on the other side until a burr forms.
6. Switch to the fine grit side and repeat the process to polish and refine the edge.
7. Flip the knife over and make sweeping strokes to remove the burr.
8. Rinse and wipe the blade clean. Test for sharpness.

It takes practice to hold the blade at the proper angle. Some whetstones come with angle guides. Go slowly and use the entire length of the stone. Apply even pressure and aim for consistency. It should take 10-20 strokes per side to resharpen a very dull blade.

Whetstone Grits

Whetstones come in different grit sizes:

• Coarse = 200-800 grit
• Medium = 800-1200 grit
• Fine = 1200-3000 grit

A stone with coarse and fine sides is ideal. The coarse grit removes metal to form the edge bevel while the fine grit refines and polishes it. An extra fine stone in the 6000-8000 grit range can provide a near razor-like edge.

How to Use a Honing Rod

Unlike sharpening stones that grind metal off the blade, honing rods just realign and polish the cutting edge. They don’t actually sharpen dull knives. Use a ceramic honing rod like this:

1. Hold the rod vertically on a cutting board.
2. Run the knife down the rod at a 20 degree angle from base to tip.
3. Repeat 5-10 times on each side of the blade.
4. Rinse and wipe the knife clean.

Aim for light pressure. Let the weight of the knife do the work. Honing rods help maintain sharpness between full sharpenings. Honing before each use can prolong the life of your edge.

How to Use a Handheld Sharpener

Compact handheld sharpeners provide a fast convenient way to sharpen knives. They typically have carbide blades or ceramic openings that grind and hone the edge. Simply pull the blade through the slots a few times at the proper angle. Here are some tips when using a handheld sharpener:

• Hold the sharpener stable and pull the knife through rather than pushing it.
• Use the coarse slot first if it has two stages.
• Pull the knife through at a 90 degree angle to the sharpener.
• Apply even pressure and do an equal number of pulls on each side.
• Rinse and wipe the blade when finished.

Handheld sharpeners sharpen quickly with just 4-6 pulls per side. They’re very easy to use. However, they remove a lot of metal so don’t overuse them.

How to Use an Electric Sharpener

Electric sharpeners do all the work for you with spinning sharpening wheels. Simply pull the knife through the slots. Follow these tips:

• Secure the sharpener safely to a board or the countertop.
• Pull the knife through at a slow steady pace, don’t rush.
• Pull through the coarse slot first if it has two stages.
• Repeat 4-6 times per side, checking for sharpness.
• Clean the knife when finished.

Electric sharpeners provide fast, easy sharpening for all skill levels. But as with handheld models, they remove a lot of metal so use them sparingly. Honing rods help maintain the edge between sharpenings.

DIY Knife Sharpening Ideas

You don’t need fancy sharpening stones or machines to sharpen your knives. In a pinch, these household items can be used:

• The underside of a ceramic mug or bowl
• A concrete curb or brick
• The rough backside of a porcelain tile
• A unused emery board
• The bottom of a clean wine bottle
• Sandpaper taped to a board

While not ideal, these improvised sharpeners will work. Look for an abrasive surface. Hold the knife at a 20 degree angle and make alternating strokes as you would with a stone. It takes patience but can sharpen a knife.

How to Test Knife Sharpness

Checking your knives after sharpening is important to ensure you’ve achieved a keen edge. Here are easy ways to test sharpness:

• Paper test – Carefully slice into a piece of paper. A sharp knife will slice easily without tearing.
• Thumb test – Run your thumb gently over the blade. It should feel sharp.
• Tomato test – Slice through the skin of a tomato. A sharp knife will pass through the skin without crushing the flesh.
• Onion test – Chop an onion. A sharp knife will cut cleanly through in thin uniform pieces.

If your knife passes these tests, it’s sharp. If not, repeat sharpening a few more strokes per side until satisfied. Proper technique and patience lead to better results.

Knife Sharpening Tips and Advice

Follow these tips and advice for better knife sharpening:

• Use the right sharpening angle – Usually 20 degrees per side.
• Let the tool do the work, don’t force it.
• Lubricate stones for smoother sharpening.
• Alternate sides to keep the bevel even.
• Rinse blades during the process to remove metal particles.
• Clean the stone after each use.
• Invest in quality sharpening tools for best results.
• Learn proper techniques and motions for your sharpener.
• Hone blades briefly before each use to maintain sharpness.
• Don’t delay – sharpen as soon as blades seem dull.

Sharpening is a skill that requires practice. Be patient, go slowly, and review these tips. In time, you’ll be able to quickly refresh a dull blade. Your knives and cooking will benefit from your efforts.

Conclusion

Sharp knives are a joy to use in the kitchen. With the right basic sharpening tools and techniques, you can easily sharpen knives at home. Invest in a quality whetstone, an electric or manual sharpener, and a honing rod. Learn proper sharpening techniques for your tools. Hone blades frequently to maintain the edge. Remember to sharpen as soon as blades seem dull. Keep your knives razor sharp and make cooking easier and safer.