Edge Care

What is the best tool to sharpen a knife?

The safest knife in your kitchen is a sharp knife. Sharp blades prevent pulling and slipping, which means your hands and fingers are protected from unnecessary nicks. The ideal kitchen knife sharpener for your high-quality blades is the one that works best for you. At WÜSTHOF, we recommend sharpening your blades at home with a hand-held knife sharpener, a whetstone, or a sharpening steel. A honing steel is great for daily maintenance, too. (Note: knife sharpening creates or re-creates the sharp edge of your blade, while knife honing maintains the sharp edge of your blade and prolongs your knife’s lifespan.)

What do professionals use to sharpen knives?

Most cooking professionals use a whetstone to sharpen their knives and a honing steel to maintain the sharp edges.

How do you use a honing steel?

Honing realigns the ultra-tiny “teeth” on the edge of your knife so your blade stays as fine as possible between each sharpening session. Regularly honing your knife after use is the best way to prevent a dull blade. To use a honing steel, grab the tool by the handle and point the steel downwards, so the tip of the steel rests on a flat, nonslip surface. Tilt your knife so there is about a fourteen-degree angle between the edge of the blade and the honing steel. (If you’re honing one of our Asian-style knives, use a ten-degree angle.) Holding the angle steady, gently yet firmly run the blade down the steel from the heel (the part of the blade closest to the handle) to the tip (the pointed tip on the opposite side). Place the other side of the blade on the other side of the steel and repeat the process six to eight times, alternating sides throughout.