A sharp knife is a pleasure. It glides through a tomato, slices an onion without a tear and goes exactly where you send it, which is why a sharp knife is safer than a blunt one. Keeping it that way takes a few minutes now and then, and it is one of the most satisfying jobs in the kitchen.
Honing and sharpening are different jobs
With use, the very edge of a blade rolls slightly to one side. Honing straightens it again; it takes seconds and you can do it every time you cook. Sharpening grinds a fresh edge; you need it a few times a year.
The steel: for honing
A few light strokes on each side before you start cooking keeps the edge lined up and the knife cutting cleanly for longer. Choose a ceramic honing steel for harder Japanese-style blades, and a steel honing rod for German-style knives.
The whetstone: for sharpening
A stone gives the finest, longest-lasting edge, and it works on any steel kitchen knife. Our whetstone has two sides: 1000 grit to raise a new edge, 6000 to polish it. The knife sharpening guide clips to the spine and holds the blade at about 15 degrees, which takes the guesswork out of the first few goes. Ten minutes the first time; two or three once you have the feel of it.
The pull-through: for speed
Draw the blade through a few times and the edge is back. A pull-through sharpener is quick and easy, and a good choice if you want a working edge with no learning. A stone gives a finer one.
How often?
Hone weekly, or whenever the knife starts to drag. Sharpen on the stone two or three times a year in a home kitchen. A finish on a leather strop takes off the last burr and leaves the edge gleaming.
Our sharpening tools
- Season Whetstone with Bamboo Base - £35
- Season Knife Sharpening Guide - £6
- Season Leather Knife Strop Board - £10
- Season Ceramic Honing Steel - £25
- Season S2 Honing Steel - £40
- Season Japanese Pull Through Knife Sharpener - £20
The Season S4 Chef's Knife (£100) is made for the stone.
Cook like it matters.