Simple trick makes blunt knives sharp again

There is a special kitchen knife for every purpose. In the private household, however, a huge range of knives is usually superfluous – they should only be sharp.

Experts agree: three sharp knives are sufficient for normal household use. Dull knives, on the other hand, are a nuisance and also dangerous. The edge of a plate or coffee cup helps as a simple immediate measure against blunt blades.

However, knife experts prefer the sharpening stone. The Belgian chunks in particular have had a very good reputation for sharpening blades for several centuries.

But you can also do it without a sharpening stone: To do this, pull each side of the knife alternately over the unglazed edge of a plate or cup base. Clay flower pots are also suitable.

If that doesn’t help, you can Wetzstahl or grab a sharpening stick. A good sharpening steel is available for around 25 euros. He sharpens the blade by straightening out the microscopic imperfections that have formed on the blade over time, smoothing the edge. This will sharpen the knife again without grinding the blade. To do this, both sides of the blade must be alternately passed over the staff several times with light, constant pressure at an angle of 20 degrees.

If the knife is so blunt that even the sharpening steel can no longer sharpen it, the only thing left for sharpening is the whetstone. Knife manufacturers recommend whetstones made of granite, the Harz Brocken or whetstones made of white aluminum oxide.

How to sharpen a knife:

A grinding stone with a 4,000 grit is suitable for the main grinding.

1. Before sharpening, place the sharpening stone in a water bath for 10 to 15 minutes to soak it up. The stone must also always be wet during grinding.
2. To sharpen, the blade is pushed back and forth with constant light pressure.
3. The sharpening angle depends on the type of knife, as each knife has a different inclination.
4. When sharpening the knife, a powdery sludge is created, which also has to be kept moist at all times and sharpens the knife.
5. After the main grind, you can regrind or polish the knife. For this you need a sharpening stone with a finer grit.

Hard steel knives are usually sharpened at a 15º angle. 18º to 20º is suitable for standard kitchen knives. Japanese knives should be sharpened at a 15º angle. As a rule, the grinding angle should be half the cutting angle.

The danger of sharpening with a whetstone: If you work clumsily or make mistakes when sharpening, you can ruin your knives permanently. In contrast to the sharpening steel, the steel of the blade is actually ground down here in order to sharpen the knife. So if you are unsure, it is better to have good knives sharpened by a specialist.

The basic equipment does not require more than three knives:

1. a chef’s knife with a blade at least 20 centimeters long,
2. a paring knife or a paring knife,
3. a paring knife with a four-inch blade.

The blade of the chef’s knife should be wide enough to cut meat, fish and vegetables.

The paring knife is also known as a hand cutting knife because the material to be cut, for example when peeling potatoes or apples, lies in the hand.

The counterpart to the paring knife is the paring knife, which is used to cut products lying on a cutting board.

But ambitious hobby chefs usually don’t just leave it at three knives, they want a whole knife block. Professionals tend not to need too much choice. According to experts, certain special knives are still helpful: a small one, for example paring knife with a blade about eight centimeters long. Thanks to its blade, the cut can be carried out more easily. And a knife with a serrated edge can at least be included in the extended range. In the small variant, tomatoes are cut with it, in the large loaf of bread. Experts recommend the boning knife for detaching bones.

The price is no longer an indication of good quality. However, the three knives should cost at least 35 euros. A budget of 150 to 250 euros should be planned for basic equipment.

When buying, you should take the knife in your hand. It should feel good and neither swing forwards nor backwards. In addition, you should check the processing of the handle, rivets and blade.