Knife sharpening
Sharpening a knife is easier than you may think. With the right tools, you can easily do it yourself. Having your knives professionally sharpened is not necessary! But how do you sharpen a knife? How often should you sharpen your knives? And which tools are best? The right sharpening method depends on the type of knife you want to sharpen, the steel grade of the knife, your experience and your own requirements.
We have listed all sharpening methods for you, each with advantages and disadvantages. That way, you can make the best choice.
Sharpening stone
A sharpening stone is an umbrella term for all stones you can use to sharpen bladed tools. From pocket knife to kitchen knife and from chisel to scissors. Perfect for sharpening blunt knives, but also for maintaining sharp knives. Each sharpening stone has a grit size. You start with a coarse grit and work towards a progressively finer grit. The finer the grit, the sharper your knife becomes. Each sharpening method has its advantages and disadvantages. What about sharpening stones?
Advantages
- Razor-sharp results
- Relatively inexpensive compared to other sharpening methods
- There is a suitable stone for each stage of the process
- Extend the lifespan of your knife
- Suitable for all sharp tools with a straight blade, so that includes scissors, chisels and pocket knives.
Disadvantages
- Sharpening on whetstones takes some practice
- It takes a bit more time
- You need several grit sizes
- Sharpening stones require some maintenance
It will take some getting used to at first. But with some experience and patience, you too can sharpen your knives on a whetstone. In our video tutorial, we show you step by step exactly how to do it. Want to learn even more about sharpening stones?
Discover all sharpening stones here.
Sharpening steel
A sharpening steel, as the name suggests, is a steel you can use to sharpen your knives. There are different types of sharpening steels: ceramic and diamond sharpening steels. Sharpening steels are particularly suitable for giving your knife some sharpness before you cut or right after. Each sharpening method has its advantages and disadvantages. What about sharpening steels?
Advantages
- Perfect for everyday use
- It delays the need for a more intense sharpening session
- It doesn't remove a lot of material
- Quick results
Disadvantages
- Not suitable for very blunt knives
- Sharpening steels are often confused with honing steels, but there is an important difference between them: a sharpening steel always has an abrasive material such as ceramic or diamond. Want to learn even more about sharpening steels?
Check out the video or discover all sharpening steels.
Honing steel
Honing steels are used for minor daily maintenance of your knives. They are very similar to sharpening steels but differ in 1 important point: you don't use a honing steel to sharpen your knife, but to repair small bumps in the edge. This is how you restore the sharpness of your knife, without taking away any material. Each sharpening method has its advantages and disadvantages. What about honing steels?
Advantages
- For daily maintenance of your knives
Disadvantages
- No abrasive material
- Not suitable for making a dull knife sharp again
Want to learn more about honing steels? Check out the video or discover all honing steels.
Knife sharpener
A knife sharpener is the solution if you dread sharpening your knife on a whetstone. It is a handy sharpening tool to efficiently sharpen all your knives. There are different types of knife sharpeners. A pull-through sharpener, for example. This type of knife sharpener consists of one or more small sharpening wheels with a finer or coarse grit size. To sharpen a knife, you pass the knife several times along the sharpening wheels without applying pressure. Most knife sharpeners are also called pull-through sharpeners.
Each sharpening method has its advantages and disadvantages. What about a pull-through-sharpener?
Advantages
- Easy to use
- Quick results
- Always sharpen at the right angle
- Affordable
Disadvantages
- Results are less impressive than a sharpening stone would achieve
- Not recommended for Japanese kitchen knives or kitchen knives with hard steels
Discover all knife sharpeners here.
Rolling knife sharpener
A rolling knife sharpener consists of a magnetic holder into which you fix a knife at a fixed sharpening angle, a cylindrical sharpener that rolls along the edge. A rolling knife sharpener often has a diamond disc for sharpening and a ceramic disc for polishing. Thanks to its fixed angle and rolling mechanism, a roller sharpener is incredibly easy to use and it produces an even sharpening result.
Each sharpening method has its advantages and disadvantages. What about a rolling knife sharpener?
Advantages
- A constant sharpening angle
- Easy to use
- Good results
- Highly wear-resistant and suitable for hard steels
Disadvantages
- Pricy
- Mainly suitable for 'standard' kitchen knives. Small, tall or pocket knives will already be difficult to handle
The idea for rolling knife sharpener comes from Otmar Horl. Together with his son Timo, he shaped, perfected and developed his idea for a rolling knife sharpener in the 1990s. The result? HORL. Want to learn more about this unique knife sharpener?
Watch the video or discover HORL's rolling knife sharpeners.
Electric knife sharpener
An electric knife sharpener is a good choice if you have no sharpening experience (yet). With an electric knife sharpener, you can very easily sharpen your knife yourself in several stages. They are easy to use and produce good results. However, sharpening your knife does take away more material than using a whetstone.
Each sharpening method has its advantages and disadvantages. What about electric knife sharpeners?
Advantages
- Easy to use
- Quick results
- Ideal if you're sharpening a lot of knives
Disadvantages
- Extra material removal and less impressive results than with a sharpening stone
- Not suitable for pocket knives
- Pricy
Want to learn more about electric knife sharpeners? Discover all electric sharpeners.
Sharpening systems
A sharpening system is an accurate sharpening method that allows you to sharpen knives in a safe, precise and professional manner with adjustable sharpening angles and mechanical guidance, for a result that is almost unmatchable with manual sharpening.
Each sharpening method has its advantages and disadvantages. What about sharpening systems?
Advantages
- A constant sharpening angle
- Easily repeatable results
- Professional results
- Many variants for different knives available
Disadvantages
- Achieving a perfect result takes time
- Pricy
- Multiple stones and accessories required
- The clamping system can cause scratches. To avoid scratches, it is recommended to cover your blade with tape.
Want to learn even more about sharpening systems? Check out all sharpening systems!
In conclusion
There are many ways to sharpen your knives. After all, you can just do that yourself! From sharpening stones and steels to electric sharpeners and precision sharpening systems. Each method has its pros and cons. For example, a sharpening steel is perfect for everyday use. Do you have really blunt knives? Then we recommend a sharpening stone or sharpening system. Which tool is best depends on your experience, the type of knife you want to sharpen and, of course, personal preference.
