Watch to see Hannah explain why it’s bad that you haven’t been sharpening your kitchen knives and how to get them sharp (and safe) again with a few different methods. And comment below with your “Is It Bad?” questions!
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Is that stone the Mercer 400/1K? I think they're a dandy bargain stone. Their 1K/3K isn't bad either. True to grit IMHO, fairly slow wearing, just good value.
Keeping your knives sharp is a must! Honing sharpish knives is the basics. Sharpening is usually needed if honing isnt doing the job.
Good job miss! Sharp knives save fingers!
It explains why U.S. knife brands (mainly cutco and miracle blade) state that they stay sharp for a lifetime
I get my knives sharpened at a local restaurant supply store about once a year. Just honing, using a cheap sharpener, and not letting others use the knives means I can have a near razor-sharp blade every time I reach for a knife. Also, I never use my chef knife for something like Butternut Squash, I use a butcher knife.
Please please please, please DO NOT USE THE PULL SHARPENERS, they take off a lot of steel and change the geometry of the blade so its either cut different or weird, there is a 13 dollar diamond-block at harbor freight that does the job up to 600 grit and a three dollar double-sided block that has about 1000 and 400, both of which are much better than using the dang sharpeners.
The electric sharpener shown is nice but has the same issue plus it can get pricey, a better option is the workshop tool sharpener (the small electric one that has small belts) which sharpens cleaner, nicer and can sharpen at different angles with guides that make it so much easier, and is a whole heck of a lot cheaper
If you have the money buy a work sharp
Just spend $28 for a King KW65 1000/6000 grit whetstone and about 15 min on youtube to learn how to sharpen your blade. It's not that hard. Although, try it out on a cheap knife first rather than your Shun or Wustof. I had an 25 year old set of no name knives that I have never sharpened and were sitting in my draw not being used due to being so dull. I also had an 8 year old cheap walmart purchased Chicago Cutlery Santoku. I was able to get all my knives so sharp I can literally shave the hair off my arm with them. They have been resurrected! Get yourself the King KW65 whetstone. And follow that up with an inexpensive leather strop if you want to be indulgent.
If you own expensive knives ($50 on up – yes, I know $50 isn't very expensive if we are talking about a Shun, Yaxell, Wustof, etc) then you owe it to yourself to get a whetstone or pay someone reputable to sharpen your knives.
Don't go electric. From what I have seen and read, they take a lot of metal off the blade
loving this background music, what is it?
I was volunteering at a shelter kitchen, and all the knives that had been donated to them over the years were very dull. It was almost impossible to cut what I needed to prep. There was no sharpening steel and no other type of sharpener – but the stairs leading up to the kitchen were concrete. So I sat down with a couple of those knives and sharpened them on the concrete stairs. It wasn't perfect, but it was better.
Is it bad to sharpen serrated knives?
Boy Scout Lesson: A dull knife is a dangerous knife
Is it bad to season a stainless steel skillet to make it nonstick (like a carbon steel one) and so benefit from a non stick that has no risk of rusting (is it even possible to bond the polymerized oil to stainless steel as stainless seems smoother and so maybe more difficult to season)
I'm the person who brings the knife sharpener on holiday and ensures all the knives at the apartment hotel super sharp cuz I ain't wasting time w unsharpened knives 😂
I bought a mechanical "sharpener" in downtown (CBD) Seattle. The proprietor argued with me about whether I would be "sharpening" or "honing'" my knives.
What is the difference?
release your inner weeb and get a whetstone
Suggested topic: For baking, is it bad to not use a kitchen scale and measure by volume vs grams and ounces?
Lansky Sharpening System, the 4th and best choice..and inexpensive. Not only do you have 4 angles to choose from, and up to 6 stone grits, it can sharpen different types of knives (kitchen knives, pocket knives, multi-tools, fishing fillet knives, survival, etc.). My 3 stone basic set was $21, and now everything I own with a blade is sharp (even my crappy butter knives).
I just run my knife over the honing steel twice on each side every time I get ready to cut with it. I’ve never had a dull knife.
Might as well use a hammer without a handle.
Good information … nothing in the kitchen is more dangerous than dull tools. As for sharpening, the best edge is attained with stones however there is a steep learning curve. As a woodworker I developed a high degree of skill sharpening my hand plane steels and chisel edges. That said, like any other motor skill it takes time to develop the correct "touch". Also, to do the job properly requires an investment in the stones … and all stones are certainly not created equally. My collection spans 350 mesh up to 16,000 and are a combination of diamond loaded mesh surface and glass backed Japanese water stones. So, much as I hate to recommend manual or electric "sharpeners" they really are the right solution for the "casual sharpener". But if you want to learn a new skill, that once achieved is extremely satisfying, hand sharpening is the way to go. You don't need everything I have … in fact for kitchen knives you can probably get away with 2 grits (1000 and 4000) plus a flattening stone. There are lots of great videos on sharpening technique. Last, don't start on your heirloom quality Kramer Damascus steel chefs knife. Dig around in the junk drawer and pull out a knife that you don't really care that much about.
Oh wow, "CDC to investigate mass HIV outbreak" Good to know!
is it bad to use a garlic press rather than chop it by hand?
sharpening, honing, stropping; the whole subject of keeping knives sharp can be bewildering.
But I do know this: never use those pull-through sharpeners.
Instead, invest in a few whetstones; take the time to learn to sharpen by hand … or find a friend who knows how 😉
Also, stropping is the best way to maintain the sharpness of your knife. If you strop regularly, actually sharpening your knife will become a rare activity.
Annoying voice…
http://www.worksharpculinary.com
A sharpen knife will slice through your finger easier then a dull knife.
hey Chef Hanna <3 you on twitter or what girl?
Why can’t Americans say Herbs… they’re not “erbs”
It is not a wetstone it is a whetstone. They are pronounced differently.
I support having sharp knives, but unevenly cooked food elements can add interest to a dish. BTW, a sharpening steel is a file. The teeth are very fine, and they run the length of the blade, but it cuts filings off of the knife like any file would. It also shoves bent portions of the blade edge back into line, but it cuts away small amounts of those bent sections too. If a knife's edge is in good shape, use a leather strop with polishing compound to get it really sharp. On the other hand, a jagged edge will cut insanely well too, but requires repeated use of a course stone to constantly make new little "teeth." That constant grinding wears a chef's knife down to a pairing knife in just a couple years.
Is it bad it I don't re-season my cast iron skillet after EVERY use? Like, as long as I'm making sure to wipe away any remaining food and oil with a paper towel, can I get away with re-oiling it every couple of uses instead?
Ok. This is shameful. I am ashamed. Due to the existence of big box clearance stores like Ross and Marshalls, I've found that its actually pretty possible to buy starter sets (like, 8" chef, 5" santoku, utility and paring) of "decent" quality knives for like $10-15. They aren't good knives, they're super hard stainless, and they'd be a nightmare to resharpen, but they're real sharp right now. And I find myself throwing them away and buying a new set every 60 days or so. The shameful part is, I have very nice carbon steel knives that cost a bundle, and a very nice electric knife sharpener that works like a charm. I don't like the sound it makes…
It's even worse if you don't do anything about it
Send your knives back to the manufacturer for sharpening. Apparently this thread is full of retards that think they should sharpen a knife with a angle grinder or a belt sander. This will ruin the temper of the knife, which means it won't hold an edge well. Electric sharpeners are also garbage. Don't use them. Additionally, if you use a carbide sharpener you should just throw the knife in the trash and repent for your sins.
Whetstones do not require ambition. They only require patience and attention. The also produce a vastly superior edge. Lazy people don't get superior edges. Lazy people don't get a lot of nice things.
Greetings folks. Check out this T-shirt i made for lovers of sharpness in any context
https://teespring.com/sharperthanword#pid=369&cid=6529&sid=front
Cheers!
I follow the Chef’sChoice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener instructions and youtube video carefully but my knives seldom pass the paper test. Are there some common mistakes when using an electric knife sharpener?
That's because it's NOT a sharpening steel it's a HONING steel
Is it bad if I just use an electric whisk for everything?
First time I’ve heard herbs called urbs
I can't believe you guys demonstrated with an actual dull knife…
Sharpening steel? Pretty sure they are called honing steels, that is unless there is some shady marketing going on.
Is it bad that I don't wash my fruits and vegetables before use? What if they are organic?
Wait….. You don't say