Whetstones, also called water stones, are how most chefs sharpen. A stone is graded by grit: the higher the number, the finer the stone.
Key idea
Grits: coarse (about 200 to 600) repairs chips and reshapes; medium (about 1,000) is the everyday sharpening stone; fine (about 3,000 to 8,000) polishes the edge. The method: soak or wet the stone as its maker says, hold the angle, sweep the edge across the stone from heel to tip until a tiny rough lip (the burr) forms along the whole edge on the other side; switch sides; move to a finer stone; finish with light alternating strokes to remove the burr.
- Wash knives by hand, dry them at once, and put them away. Dishwashers knock edges into other things and the heat and soap can harm handles.
- Store knives in a block, on a magnetic strip, or in edge guards: never loose in a drawer.
- Use wood or plastic boards. Glass, granite and metal dull an edge in a few strokes.
- Use the spine, not the edge, to scrape food across the board.
- Flatten a whetstone when it becomes dished, as its maker describes.
Why it works
The burr is how you know you have ground all the way to the edge. If you stop before a burr forms along the whole length, part of the old dull edge is still there.
Worked example: Which stone?
Your knife is dull but not chipped. Which stone do you start on?
- Coarse stones are for repair; a dull, undamaged edge starts on medium.
Answer: A medium stone, about 1,000 grit, then a fine stone.
Common mistake
Scraping chopped food off the board with the edge. It rolls the edge over in seconds. Flip the knife and use the spine.
Safety
- Wash a knife on its own, with the edge facing away from you, and never leave it in a sink full of water.
- Store knives so the edge is covered or off the counter.
Practice at home
- Mark the edge bevel with a marker, then make five strokes on your stone. Look where the ink was removed: if only at the very edge, your angle is high; if only at the shoulder, it is low.
- Hold the knife edge-up under a bright light and look straight down at it. A sharp edge shows almost no line; dull or rolled spots catch the light as bright specks.
In Meal Prep
- Knives: honing, sharpening and storing: the home guide
- Wooden boards and spoons: oiling and care