Sharpen Knives with a Whetstone to Keep Your Blades in Top Condition

The best thing you can do for a good knife is to keep it sharp, and the best way to sharpen it is to use a whetstone or water stone. That's how professional knife sharpeners do it (usually,) and this video is a simple, quick walkthrough of how to do it at home.

We've shown you how to keep knives sharp before, and even discussed why water stones are best, but this crash course is quick, fast, and gets to the point. In most cases the most the average person at home can do is either hone their blade with a honing steel, which straightens and lines up the blade's edge, but it doesn't sharpen it. Alternatively you could run it through a handheld or electronic sharpener, but depending on the model you use it can do more harm than good.

A good whetstone and a little practice will keep all of your knives sharp and in perfect condition. The beauty is that it doesn't take much effort to learn, just a good bit of practice to get the angle right and keep a consistent angle while you're sharpening. Whetstones are available in department stores or online, and while they range in price based on the fineness of the grit, this thread at eGullet can help you pick a good grit to start with.

Mario Batali Presents: How to Sharpen a Knife | YouTube via Twitter

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/Fxvy3ayUktc/sharpen-knives-with-a-whetstone-to-keep-your-blades-in-top-condition

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