Hello my Foodie Friends! When I turned 12 years old my father invited me downstairs to educate me on all the tools in his workbench area.  My two brothers and I were never allowed in the workbench area, never! It was off limits to the young barbarians.  When I walked into his inner sanctum, I was nervous.  He spoke to me in an adult soft tone while describing to me how quality tools meant a lot to him. He showed me his sharpeners and how he kept his tools and my mom’s knives sharp.  I asked my Dad why he would want the knives to be sharp since he had always told us to “be careful, it’s sharp!” He went on to tell me that if you are careful a sharp knife does what it is supposed to do and a dull knife is a recipe for a very nasty cut.  Later in his life when he gave me one of his sharpeners I was honored.  I still use it today when I sharpen knives here in the store.  So in honor of our first annual Wusthof Day, which is today at our store on 33 Railroad Place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., I’m going to bring up some great hand sharpeners that will help keep your knives honed.  Megan Rich from Wusthof Trident will be here to sharpen one or two of your knives from 11 a.m. to 12 noon for free.  From 12 noon to 2 p.m. she will teach knife skills and answer any questions.  Here are some brands for you to check out when you stop in and share a cup of coffee with me during some cold winter’s day.  The best advice I can give is that a good knife is the one that best fits in your hand and is a sharp knife.  You could own the most expensive knife in the world, but if it’s dull it’s not as good as a sharp $10.00 knife. Even a good knife will lose some of its sharpness with time. However, sharpening a knife is easy if you have the right tool and know how to use it.  I remember what my father said about tools; “Great tools help yield great results.”

Here is how to use a sharpening tool for steel:

Generally there are three different materials used for sharpening steels: 

Chromium-plated stainless steel: Sharpening steels with a chromium-plated, grooved surface deliver a good re-sharpening result and are relatively immune to damages (my favorite.)

Ceramics: Sharpening steels with a ceramics blade sharpen gently and carefully. However, the ceramics blade is sensitive to shock. A fall can easily damage it.

Diamond: Sharpening steels with a diamond coating of the blade deliver a particularly fine re-sharpening result. The average life span is shorter, though, because the coating tends to wear off with time.

How to sharpen knives correctly:

Place the knife blade against the tip of the sharpening steel at an angle of approximately 20 degrees and 15 degrees for Asian style knives.

Pull the knife down and across the steel, describing a slight arc. 

Repeat this action on the back of the steel to sharpen the other side of the blade. 

Repeat steps 2 and 3 five to ten times, alternating the left and right side of the blade.

It is very important to maintain the angle of 20 or 15 degrees and to run the full length of the cutting edge along the steel from the hilt to the tip of the knife. The speed of the movement is not important.  Use finesse, not brute force! 

How to sharpen with a 2 or 4 Stage Hand Sharpener:

Place your sharpener on a flat surface. Hold the sharpener with one hand and the knife handle with the other. Insert knife blade fully into the slot.

Apply moderate downward pressure (remember, finesse) on the blade while pulling the knife toward you through the appropriate notch.

Repeat this action, always pulling from heel to tip (never back and forth) through the carbide or the ceramic notch.

The first stage carbide (coarse) sharpens dull edges.  The second stage ceramic (fine) provides a polished, razor-sharp edge.  A reasonably sharp knife may only require light honing.

A steel or hand sharpener may vary in cost from low to high but they can help make your knives last a lifetime.  If you like, stop in to 33 Railroad Place and I can give your knives a new factory edge for only $5.00 each and answer any questions you may have.

Remember, a great knife is in the hand of the beholder and a sharp knife is up to you!  Oh, and after my trip to the work bench I came up the stairs to my mom feeling very grown up and more understanding of my dad’s care of his tools. 

Remember, my Foodie Friends, that “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” Stop by Compliments to the Chef today, Friday December 8th  from 11 to 2 p.m. to learn more about how to use and care
for your knives. 

 Take Care, 

             John and Paula