How to sharpen and hone your knife
How to sharpen and hone your knives at home
A blunt blade isn’t just frustrating, it’s more likely to slip and cause injury. That’s why regular sharpening and honing are essential for both precision and safety in the kitchen. Not sure where to start? Our experts are here to help with tips on when and how to sharpen and hone, and which tools are right for you.
Just remember that sharpening knives takes care and focus. Even experienced users should proceed with caution.
Does your knife need sharpening?
Two simple tests can tell you. Try slicing through a sheet of paper, if it tears or snags, your knife is dull. Or slice a tomato. A sharp knife should glide through with no resistance; if it struggles, it’s time to sharpen.
As a general rule, hone your knife every 30–40 uses. If you cook a lot, you might need to do it more often, some chefs even sharpen before each new dish.
The Difference Between Honing and Sharpening
Keeping your knife in top shape comes down to two key steps: honing and sharpening. Though often confused, they serve different purposes and both matter for maintaining a razor-sharp edge.
Honing
Honing is what you’ll do most often. It doesn’t remove metal (or only a little) but realigns the blade’s edge, which can bend slightly with use, making it feel dull. You can easily do this yourself at home with a honing steel and for best results, hone your knife every few uses.
Sharpening
Sharpening grinds away a small amount of metal to create a new edge. It’s needed less often, about once or twice a year, or after extensive use. The exact interval depends on what you cut, how often, and how well the knife is maintained. You can use a sharpening stone, a manual or an electric knife sharpener, or an abrasive steel sharpener made with materials like diamond or ceramic.
Remember to always hone after sharpening
Sharpening creates a fresh edge, but honing smooths and aligns it for optimal cutting and longer-lasting sharpness.
Use our in-store professional knife sharpening service
If you don’t have the skills or the time to sharpen your knives yourself, our stores offer a professional sharpening service and are always happy to help.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Knife Sharpening and Honing
Take your knife sharpener and go through the two-stage sharpening process, as shown in the video.
Next, use a honing steel to align the freshly sharpened edge. If you are not experienced at using a honing steel, it’s best to place the tip on a folded tea towel or damp dish cloth for extra stability. Experienced users will be accustomed to holding the steel in mid-air.
Hold the knife at a 20° angle to the honing steel.
Pull the blade down and toward you, from heel to tip.
Repeat this motion five times on each side.
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Choosing the right sharpening and honing tool
We offer a range of sharpening and honing tools, but which one’s right for you? It starts with knowing the difference: honing realigns your knife’s edge, while sharpening creates a new one.
Stamped knives are made of softer steel and are easy to hone with a standard honing steel. Forged knives have a higher hardness and need a diamond, tungsten carbide or ceramic honing steel for best results.
For quick touch-ups on smaller kitchen knives, our Sharpy tool is a great pick. Larger wavy blades like bread knives should be professionally sharpened. But if you're experienced, the Sharpy tool can handle small wavy edges too. For most people, we recommend a professional service for all wavy blades.
Already sharpened your knives? Click here for care tips to keep them sharp longer.
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