How to sharpen a knife
To sharpen a knife, hold the blade at a steady 15 to 20 degrees on a sharpening stone and draw it across in even strokes until a tiny burr forms along the edge. Then repeat on the other side and finish on a finer grit. A honing rod between sharpenings keeps the edge straight for weeks.
About 25 minutes to learnTake care: injury or damage if careless
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How to do it
- Soak a water stone as its instructions say, or use an oil stone with a few drops of its oil, and set it on a damp towel so it cannot slide.
- Start on the coarse side; hold the handle in one hand and rest two fingertips of the other flat on the blade, well back from the edge.
- Tilt the blade to about 15 to 20 degrees, roughly the height of two stacked coins under the spine.
- Push the edge across the stone as if slicing a thin layer off it, sweeping from heel to tip.
- Repeat until you can feel a slight burr along the whole opposite side with a fingertip drawn off the edge, never along it.
- Switch sides and match the number of strokes.
- Turn to the fine side and repeat with lighter strokes, then rinse and dry the knife.
- Hone on a rod before use every few days to keep the edge aligned.
Stop and call a professional if
- The knife is badly chipped, bent or has a broken tip.
- It is a serrated or single-bevel blade that needs a special tool.
- You cut yourself deeply: press firmly on the wound and get medical help if it will not stop bleeding.
Common mistakes
- Changing the angle from stroke to stroke, which rounds the edge.
- Testing sharpness by running a thumb along the edge.
- Pulling strokes toward your own hand or body.
- Sharpening serrated knives on a flat stone.
Quick self-check
Three questions. Your last score is kept in this browser.
Teach this to someone
A one-page sheet for showing a friend, a roommate or a kid: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to sharpen a knife
What to say
To sharpen a knife, hold the blade at a steady 15 to 20 degrees on a sharpening stone and draw it across in even strokes until a tiny burr forms along the edge. Then repeat on the other side and finish on a finer grit. A honing rod between sharpenings keeps the edge straight for weeks.
What to show, in order
- Soak a water stone as its instructions say, or use an oil stone with a few drops of its oil, and set it on a damp towel so it cannot slide.
- Start on the coarse side; hold the handle in one hand and rest two fingertips of the other flat on the blade, well back from the edge.
- Tilt the blade to about 15 to 20 degrees, roughly the height of two stacked coins under the spine.
- Push the edge across the stone as if slicing a thin layer off it, sweeping from heel to tip.
- Repeat until you can feel a slight burr along the whole opposite side with a fingertip drawn off the edge, never along it.
- Switch sides and match the number of strokes.
- Turn to the fine side and repeat with lighter strokes, then rinse and dry the knife.
- Hone on a rod before use every few days to keep the edge aligned.
When to stop and call a professional
- The knife is badly chipped, bent or has a broken tip.
- It is a serrated or single-bevel blade that needs a special tool.
- You cut yourself deeply: press firmly on the wound and get medical help if it will not stop bleeding.
The check question
Ask: What angle suits most kitchen knives?
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Last reviewed . First published .