Dull knives are the bane of any cook's existence. They are a hassle at best, and downright dangerous at worst. If you love to cook at home and aren't sure about how best to go about sharpening your knives, take a look below to learn more about some of the most important things you should consider.

Whetstones

The most traditional sharpening tool is a whetstone, which, with the simple addition of water or oil, can get your blade as sharp as anything else. Whetstones appeal mostly to professional chefs who know exactly how they want to sharpen or shape their knife, and can adjust the pressure and angle in order to achieve this. Cooks who are just learning how to sharpen knives for the first time may find that using a whetstone — while still very effective — takes several more minutes per knife. Despite this, whetstones remain the tool of choice for many people who are passionate about their cooking knives.

Manual or Electric

If you decide to not opt for a whetstone, then the next thing you'll have to consider is whether a manual or electric sharpening system is the best fit for you. When comparing the two, make sure to look for options that match your specific knives. Many sharpening systems are not meant to sharpen serrated blades, for example. You'll also want to consider the space available in your kitchen and how much time you want to spend sharpening your knife — manual sharpeners tend to take up less space, but electric sharpeners usually get the job done more quickly. These trade-offs will be key to deciding which system is the right one.

Additional Features

Once you have settled on a type of sharpener, it's time to consider additional features. While some of these may seem minor, they can make all the difference in real-life use cases. Some knife sharpeners, for example, can double as kitchen shear sharpeners. Others offer more than one abrasive setting (such as diamond, sapphirite, and carbide), meaning you can use both rough and fine grits to sharpen your knives at different stages. Some sharpeners have a better non-slip base than others, which is a safety feature that should not be overlooked. 

While there is a lot to consider when it comes to purchasing a knife sharpening system, knowing the basics can take the confusion out of the process and allow you to select one that will last a lifetime.

Reach out to a company like Edge Pro INC to learn more.

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