Keeping Your Chef's Knife Sharp

Keeping your chef's knife sharp will make your job in the kitchen easier — and safer, too. That's because when you're using a dull knife you have to apply more pressure than you would with a sharper blade, which makes the knife more likely to slip.

Maintaining your knife's edge involves two separate but related tasks:

1. Sharpen the knife using a whetstone
2. Hone the blade using a honing steel

Generally I'll break out the whetstone about once a month or so. But the honing steel is a different story. If I'm doing a lot of slicing, I might give my knife a couple of strokes on the steel every few minutes — especially if I'm working with items like ripe tomatoes or plums.

More About Chef's Knives

• The Anatomy of a Chef's Knife
• How to Use A Chef's Knife
• How To Chop an Onion

All About Knife Sharpening

• Sharpening On A Whetstone
• Using A Honing Steel
• Video: How to Use a Whetstone

Culinary Arts 101:

• What is Cooking?
• Getting Food Hot
• Basic Cooking Methods