How often must you sharpen your knives?

Question to Knivesandtools:

I have just bought a new knife set. How long before I have to sharpen my knives?

Anwser of Knivesandtools:

The first time you use your knives they start to become less sharp.

It can take longer for a knife in hard steel than for a knife in softer steel, but the fact remains that knives often get blunt sooner than you'd wish.

Using your knives with care and not cutting on a hard surface are very important for a long 'durability' of your knife. Avoid backgrounds like glass, stone or metal and store your knives in such a way that they cannot get damaged.

In practice, with normal use, you need to sharpen your knives after one month at the most to obtain that feeling of a new knife again.

Our opinion: sharpening on a whetstone is best. Regular maintenance with a ceramic sharpening rod is easy and quick.

We carry an extensive collection of whetstones. For those with a tight budget we have a package for the sharpening of your knives that contains everything you need to keep your knives in top condition.

Is the hardness of your knives not that important?

The advantage of hard knives is mainly that they can be sharpened under a smaller angle (therefore thinner).

Thinner means sharper; also if the cutting edge is in lesser condition.