How to Sharpen a Kitchen Knife without Sharpener?
Keeping a sharp knife in the kitchen is the best thing for all cooks, no matter whether you are a home chef or a professional. Putting some effort in sharpening your knife helps you in your cooking journey making it easier as with the right knife, you can slice ingredients less dangerously and more easily. You need Kitchen knives are the tools almost every time you cook. If a knife becomes dull, it loses its usage along with its edge.
We will cover various effective techniques including a sandpaper or honing rod to a coffee mug and whetstone.
1. Use of a Sandpaper for Sharpening the Knife
We mostly use sandpaper for smoothing surfaces, you can also use it as a sharpening tool for your knife. It gives a rough surface to remove material from the blade and gives it a sharper edge.
Follow these Steps to Sharpen Your Knife.
Selection of the Right Sandpaper:
You must select a sandpaper with grit to sharpen the knife.
It is good to have multiple grits suitable for various stages of sharpening.
Attachment of Sandpaper to a Flat Surface:
You can attach the sandpaper to a flat wooden block. Take a wrinkle-free sandpaper.
Position the Knife Rightly on the Sandpaper:
Maintain a consistent angle by holding the knife firmly by the handle. You can begin with the rough grit when you refine the edge.
Put the Consistent Pressure:
When you move it across the sandpaper, use moderate pressure on the blade.
You can move from the base of the blade and slip it smoothly toward the tip.
Change Sides and Grits:
For maintaining an even edge switch the side of the blade, after several strokes on one side.
Clean sandpaper and the blade between grit changes to avoid debris transfer.
Check the Sharpness:
Now test the sharpness of the blade using a piece of paper. Be careful during the testing to prevent accidental cuts. Continue if more sharpness is required.
2. Use A Coffee Mug to Sharpen Your Knife
A simple Coffee Mug can serve as a sharpening tool for a kitchen knife.
Instructions:
- Select a porcelain coffee or ceramic mug with a rough, unglazed base.
- Change the coffee mug upside down the flat part, is upwards.
- Hold the knife handle firmly throughout the sharpening process.
- Make the angle of the knife twenty degrees so that the blade will face away from you.
- The cutting edge will touch the rough bottom of the mug.
- Apply light pressure, and move the knife blade in a back-and-forth motion, sharpening each side of the knife.
- After every stroke, test the knife’s sharpness by smoothly running your fingertip along the edge.
3. Use of A Whetstone for Sharpening Your Kitchen Knife
A whetstone also called a water stone, is a conventional tool for sharpening knives.
Directions
- Prepare the Whetstone by putting it on a stable surface.
- Identify the knife’s edge angle. It will determine how to position the knife on the whetstone.
- Hold the knife’s handle firmly with one hand and at the desired angle put the blade against the whetstone.
- Begin at the base of the blade, and move from the base to the tip
- Change the Sides to have an even edge.
- Check for rough spots. You can remove them by lightly running the knife at a slightly steeper angle.
4. Use of A Honing Rod
Sharpening and honing are not the same thing. A honing rod is a sharpening steel that is long, and cylindrical. Honing helps in restoring the knife’s sharpness and enhances its cutting performance.
Directions for Honing:
- Catch the honing rod, pointing it downward.
- Keep an angle of fifteen to twenty degrees between the blade and the rod.
- Catch the handle of the knife firmly with one hand and the honing rod’s handle with the other.
- You can begin at the base of the blade, ensuring that the full length of the blade is in contact with the rod.
- Slide the Knife Along the Rod with light pressure and smooth motion and repeat.
- Check the edges after each stroke to ensure these are straight and aligned.