How To Sharpen A Knife (Video)

A sharpening stone called a whetstone is used to put an edge on a dull knife. To use a whetstone, place the heel of the blade against the whetstone at a 20-degree angle. Keeping that angle press down on the blade while pushing it away from you in one long arc. The entire length of the blade should come in contact with the stone during each sweep. Repeat the procedure on both side of the blade until sufficiently sharp.

The whet stone can be moistened with either water or mineral oil, but not both at the same time.

A steel does not sharpen a knife. Rather it is used to hone or straighten the blade immediately after and between sharpening. To use a steel, place the blade against the steel at a 20-degree angle. Then draw the blade along the entire length of the steel. Repeat the technique several times on each side of the blade.

There are many knife sharpeners on the market, but a professional Whetstone Knife Sharpener
will give you the best results.

Here are some other examples:

Wüsthof 2-Stage Knife Sharpener

Presto Pro EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener

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