I’ve sharpened a lot of people’s knives over the years. I taught one of my friends recently how to sharpen his knives because they were dull, and he is now very proud of his sharp knives. It appears that people don’t know how to sharpen knives. It is more of an art than a science. I have flown into high Alpine huts many times, and always sharpened all their knives because I hate cooking with dull knives, and they were always dull, and I was designated cook because of my hip replacement.
How sharp do you want them to be? I can remember an interview with a Japanese sword sharpener. He said it took him a week to sharpen a sword. He was afraid to go near the swords he sharpened because he couldn’t protect himself from them. Any mistake and he would lose a finger or possibly a hand.
But back to normal knife sharpening. The best way to sharpen a blade is to use a whetstone—a rectangular block of stone that works like sandpaper. Personally, I keep a whetstone next to my knife block, and sharpen a knife every time I take it out. I do a dozen quick sweeps on each side. I remember someone saying to me, “But that means you would have to sharpen a knife every time you use it.” I said, “That’s true. What’s your point?” It takes 10 seconds, max.
Most whetstones are designed to be soaked in water before every use, so check the manufacturer's instructions to be sure. I don’t do that but I’m not a purist.
To use it, hold the knife at a 20-degree angle (many Japanese knives are 17 degrees) against the whetstone, and gently drag each side of the knife against it a few times. Most whetstones have both a "coarse-grind side" and a "fine-grind side"—start with the coarse side if your knife is especially dull, then repeat the process on the fine-grind side.[1]
If you already sharpen your knives regularly like I do, you can go straight to the fine-grind side. Personally, I sharpen my knives every time I take them out, so I only use the fine grind side. I use the coarse side for other people’s knives.
Also, finding the right place for your knives is more than just a question of kitchen organization. The right knife storage can help your knives stay sharper longer. If you have the space, a magnetic knife strip mounted on the wall above your counter is a great way to store your knives. [2]
If you have little kids, they might want to play with the knives, so knife magnets probably aren’t good in some kitchens. That's why you might use in-drawer storage for knives. Out of sight, out of danger, right? However, I don’t do this because I might lose a finger taking them out of the drawer.
A counter-top knife block is the best option for knife storage. But unless you want cheap knives, don't bother with one that comes standard with a set of knives. I bought a set of knives from a specialist in Japanese knives, which are are thinner but made from much better steel than German knives. When you slide the knife in and out of a slot, press the back side of the knife against the wood instead of the sharp side. Don’t let the edge of the knife touch the block because that will dull it.
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