Knife Knowledge

Before we answer that question, let's start with why it's important to have a knife that's actually sharp.Obviously, a sharp knife is better at doing what it's designed to do -- cut. It's more efficie … read more

Relax -- sharpening isn't some mysterious black art.Oh, we know it can be frustrating at first. We've seen lots of people get discouraged and give up just when they're on the verge of mastering it. An … read more

The first step is determining whether your knife's edge is a V-bevel or convex. (See the illustration.)The edge on most knives is a V-bevel (we're including the chisel grind in this category, since it … read more

In a word... NO!Sure, it takes friction to sharpen steel, and an abrasive wheel spun by an electric motor will definitely produce friction -- but at a speed that also generates excessive heat and quic … read more

Generally speaking, there are two types of sharpening systems for V-bevel edges: freehand and guided. We'll take a look at each here, with some examples.Freehand sharpeningFreehand sharpening is … read more