How to Sharpen Kitchen Knives

Kitchen knives that have been properly sharpened are safer and easier to use than dull ones! Here’s how to sharpen kitchen knives correctly, including step by step guide for each method, and instructions for ceramic and serrated knives. 

Why Bother Sharpening Your Kitchen Knives?

If you can’t remember the last time you sharpened your kitchen knives, that’s a good indicator that it’s time you did so.  

Kitchen knives that are routinely sharpened are easier to use, and safer! Dull kitchen knives tend to slide off of the foods you’re trying to cut. You’ll get much better results when chopping onions, supremeing oranges, or mincing fresh garlic when you’re working with a sharp knife.

Plus, did you know that working with a dull blade is actually a common way that home cooks cut themselves in the kitchen? It seems counterintuitive, but a dull knife is actually more dangerous than a sharp one. I myself have fallen victim to dull knives and wound up in the ER getting stitches.

Sharpening kitchen knives regularly actually preserves their lifespan. People often mistakenly believe that sharpening knives wears them down over time, but the sharpening process actually ensures that you’ll be able to use them for years to come.  

And, if your kitchen knives have been damaged or notched, don’t throw them out! You can actually repair the damaged blades by properly sharpening them. Then, you’ll have a nice, new sharp edge. 

Kitchen knives are an investment, so be sure to care for them!  

This post will explain how to sharpen kitchen knives safely, as well as answer FAQs about how often to sharpen kitchen knives, whether you can sharpen ceramic or serrated knives, and more.

How to Tell If a Knife Is Sharp

Before you sharpen your kitchen knives, you should test the blades to see if they actually need to be sharpened.

The best way to test whether a kitchen knife is properly sharpened is to perform the paper test:

1. Fold a smooth piece of paper in half (a newspaper or a piece of printer paper is great for this!). 
2. Carefully place the knife against the crease and slice downwards.
3. If the paper slices cleanly with no jagged edges, the knife is properly sharpened. If the knife edge look jagged, it’s time to sharpen the knife. 

How to Sharpen Kitchen Knives 4 Ways

You have a few options when it comes to sharpening your kitchen knives. Choose whichever method listed below you’re most comfortable with. I’ve listed the pros and cons of the 4 sharpening methods to make your decision easier!

1. Use a Knife Sharpening Steel

A knife sharpening steel looks like a long, straight metal rod with a handle. It can also called a honing rod or a sharpening rod. If you purchased a full knife set, chances are good that it came equipped with a steel rod for knife sharpening.  

The pros of using a knife sharpening steel is that honing steel is cheap to buy (if your knife set didn’t come with one) and requires minimal effort on your part.  

The drawback of using a knife sharpening steel is that it requires a little practice. Ideally, you should hold the knife at a 15-degree angle to sharpen it. If you’ve never used a knife sharpening steel before, this can be tricky.

How to sharpen kitchen knives with a knife sharpening steel:

1. Hold the steel vertically, placing the tip of the blade on the counter (or other work surface, such as a cutting board) and gripping it at the top by the handle.
2. Place the heel of the knife (i.e. the part right by the handle) against the steel at the correct angle (a 15-degree angle).
3. Slide the blade down the steel, maintaining a light pressure. As the blade slides down the steel, the entire edge of a knife should be sharpened. Start at the base (handle) and end at the tip.
4. Repeat this motion four to five times on the same side, then repeat on the other side of the blade.

2. Use a Knife Sharpener

You can purchase knife sharpeners online, in kitchen supply stores, and at most grocery stores. There are two kinds of knife sharpeners: manual and electric sharpeners.  

The pros of using a knife sharpener is that it’s incredibly easy (dare I say fool-proof?). Knife sharpeners actually shave off some of the metal of a knife blade, which results in perfectly sharpened knives every time.  

Knife sharpeners are especially great for dull blades, as they work quickly and efficiently with almost zero effort or skill on your part.  

The cons of using a knife sharpener is that they can’t be used to repair damaged or notched blades. Also, electric knife sharpeners are bulkier in size and can be quite expensive.

Using an electric knife sharpener might seem like a daunting task, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll love how easy it is to transform your dull knives into like new knives with sharp blades. Check out my tips for How to Use an Electric Knife Sharpener.

How to sharpen kitchen knives with a knife sharpener:

1. If using a manual knife sharpener: simply pull the blade of the kitchen knife through the desired chamber. Reference the manufacturer’s instructions for best practices.
2. If using an electric knife sharpener: Turn on the sharpener, then run the knife smoothly through the chamber. Be sure to change sides to sharpen each side of the knife.

3. Use a Whetstone

A whetstone is a fine grit stone that can be used to sharpen knives, scissors, razors, and more.  

The main benefits of using a whetstone are that a sharpening stone is cheap and works with any variety of knife.  

The drawback of using a whetstone is that using these fine stones requires practice.  

To sharpen a kitchen knife correctly, you need to hold the blade at a specific angle. The type of kitchen knife will determine the angle it should be sharpened at. For this reason, I recommend whetstones only to experienced home cooks or professionals, rather than a first time knife sharpener.

How to sharpen kitchen knives with a whetstone:

1. The first step is to secure the whetstone on the countertop. A damp kitchen towel works well for this!
2. Face the knife away from you, with the handle end touching the whetstone.
3. Place your other hand on top of the blade, in the center.
4. Move the blade down the stone in a circular manner, working the entire length of the blade.
5. Repeat the entire process until one edge of the knife is sharpened to your liking. Then, repeat on the other side.

4. Sharpening a Knife Without a Sharpener

No sharpener? No problem! Here’s a hack that lets you sharpen kitchen knives without a sharpener.

How to sharpen kitchen knives with a mug:

1. Flip a porcelain mug over. Secure it on the countertop using a damp kitchen towel.
2. Carefully draw the edge of the blade over the rough edge of the bottom of the mug.
3. Repeat this motion until one edge of the blade is sharp.
4. Flip the knife over to sharpen the other side.

Tip: This method works best on small kitchen knives.

What Angle Should You Sharpen Kitchen Knives?

The angle at which you should sharpen a kitchen knife will vary depending on the type and size of knife.  

However, a general rule of thumb to remember is that Japanese-style knives must be sharpened at a 15-degree angle and Western-style knives should be sharpened at a 20-degree angle.  

Tip: In general, it’s safe to sharpen smooth-bladed kitchen knives at an angle anywhere between 15 to 20 degrees.

How to Sharpen a Serrated Knife

Can you sharpen a serrated knife? Yes!  

However, you can only sharpen a serrated knife with a manual knife sharpener. A knife steel, whetstone, or electric sharpener won’t work.

How to Sharpen Ceramic Knives

Can you sharpen ceramic knives? Yes!  

Ceramic knives are made out of a very hard material, so you’ll have to purchase a diamond knife sharpener (either manual or electric).  

I recommend investing in an electric knife sharpener if you have high-quality ceramic knives. An electric sharpener will only require one to two swipes to properly sharpen ceramic knives, whereas manual sharpeners require more time and effort.

How Often Should You Sharpen Kitchen Knives?

As often as needed! If you use your kitchen knives regularly, plan on sharpening them every 3 months. If you use your knives less often, you can get away with sharpening them every 6 months.  

If it’s within your budget, I highly recommend having your kitchen knives professionally sharpened every two years. You can also take damaged or notched kitchen knives to a professional to have them repaired!

You’ll love the treat of having someone else take care of the sharpening process. Your once dull blades will come home feeling like brand new knives!

Tips on How to Keep Your Kitchen Knives Sharp

• Store your knives in a knife block — It’ll look pretty on your countertop while knife blocks protect the blades.
• Use knife guards, if storing in a drawer — This prevents the sharp blade from becoming dull and also prevents you from injuring yourself by accident when reaching your hand into the drawer.
• Never wash knives in the dishwasher — The water and high temperatures will dull knives much more quickly.
• Store knives on a magnetic knife strip — If you don’t want a knife block cluttering your countertop and don’t have knife guards, you can hang your sharp kitchen knives on the wall using a magnetic knife strip.

More Useful Kitchen Tutorials:

Chocolate curls are easy to make, and they add a touch of elegance to any cake, cupcake, trifle, or cheesecake! In this post, I’ve provided step-by-step instructions on How to Make Chocolate Curls, plus I’m sharing the best types of chocolate to use for chocolate curls, how to store the curls, and more!  

If you forgot to set your butter out to soften before making a recipe, don’t panic! In this post, I’m sharing How to Soften Butter Quickly eight different ways, plus answering FAQs about softening butter and its uses.  

Just realized you’re out of baking powder and you need it for a recipe? Don’t worry, you can make homemade baking powder in seconds! This post explains How to Make Baking Powder, plus it answers the most commonly asked questions about storing and using it.  

Cooking dried beans saves you money and ensures you have cooked beans on hand at all times! This post explains how to cook dried beans three ways and how to freeze them for later.  

Knowing how to freeze soup and which soups that freeze well makes meal prep a breeze! In this post, I share the best ways to freeze soup, plus how to defrost soup and which soups you can and can’t freeze.

Who doesn’t love a good kitchen tip? Looking for more kitchen tutorials? Check out the entire Kitchen Tips and Tricks archive for lots of great ideas!

Get More Recipes via Email

Did you love this recipe? Sign up to receive Good Life Eats Email Updates and never miss another recipe!