A Simple Guide to Knife Sharpening

A good knife, to be well maintained, must be honed, and sharpened. The question is how frequently should you do it, with what, and how? What material should you choose and why? In this article we are about to share almost all the information one needs to know to become an expert of sharpening.

Honing and sharpening a knife are two different processes that are used to maintain the edge of a knife.

Honing refers to the process of realigning and straightening the edge of a knife. Over time, the edge of a knife can become bent or twisted, which can cause it to lose its sharpness. Honing is used to straighten the edge of a knife, so that it will cut more efficiently.

Sharpening, on the other hand, refers to the process of removing metal from the edge of a knife to create a new, sharp edge. Sharpening is typically done when a knife becomes dull and no longer cuts well. A sharpening stone (also known as whetstone or waterstone) is a common tool used for sharpening knives. Sharpening is comparatively a more time-consuming process than honing and it's recommended to be done once in 3-6 months depending on your usage.

Overall, it can be said that honing should be done regularly to maintain the straightness of the edge and sharpening can be done less frequently, as, and when needed, to restore a dull edge.

Sharpening a knife is an important task to keep your knife in good condition. Honing is an
often-overlooked step in the sharpening process, but it's a crucial one to keep your knife maintained. In this article, we'll go over the basics of honing a knife and how to do it properly.

Honing is a simple process that can be done at home with a honing steel. Here are the steps to honing your knife.

KOTAI’s Honing Steel Knife Sharpener - 30 cm rod has an integrated guide in the finger guard to help you find a 15° angle. The end of the rod has a point to stabilize the sharpening rod upright on your work surface for ease. KOTAI's honing steel will help you realign your knife’s edge to make cooking safer, faster and more enjoyable.

Even the best blades will lose their initial sharpness over time. Whetstones, also known as water
stones or sharpening stones, are used to grind and hone the knife’s edge. For sharpening, the
ideal method is with a whetstone.

The whetstone is often used to sharpen Japanese knives. KOTAI’s whetstone is made from corundum and has the property of being abrasive however, in contact with water, it softens and precisely avoids the abrasion of the blade. The two numbers in a whetstone's description refer to the grit of the stone, with the first number being the coarser grit and the second number being the finer grit.

Sharpening a knife with a whetstone can be a bit tricky, but with some practice and patience, it can be done easily. Here are three simple steps to sharpen a knife using a whetstone. Remember to take your time and be patient with the process. Proper sharpening technique can take some practice, but once mastered, you'll have a razor-sharp knife ready for use.

The stone you should buy depends on the condition of your blade, and the edge you want to obtain. There are a lot of different types of stones, ranging from 800 to 6000 grit. The higher the number, the finer the grain of your stone.

KOTAI offers two types of sharpening stone: Sharpening Set - 400/1000 Grit and Sharpening Set - 1000/6000 Grit.

Sharpening and honing are two steps that should not be neglected to keep your knife in its top
condition.

In conclusion, it can be said that honing and sharpening are two different processes used to maintain the sharpness of kitchen knives. Honing should be done regularly, after every few uses, to maintain the sharpness of the knife, while sharpening should only be done when the knife is dull and cannot be sharpened by honing.

It is important to use the right tools and techniques for honing and sharpening, as using the wrong methods can damage the blade and reduce its lifespan. A combination of honing with a honing rod and sharpening with a whetstone or sharpener can help to keep kitchen knives in optimal condition for a long time.