Get the Point?

Others disagree claiming that their grinding procedures will degrade the blade over time. They assert that the procedure of choice is to sharpen it yourself on a sharpening stone. Forget all the crazy sharpening gadgets on the market. Most of them are ineffective.

To use a stone you must lubricate it with either mineral oil or water. Whichever you choose you must stick with it. Switching between mediums will damage the stone. Lubricate the stone with oil or submerge it in water for a few minutes and then repeatedly run each side of the blade from the heel to the tip across the length of the stone.

The trick here is that the knife must be consistently held at a 22-degree angle. Varying the angle at which you hold the knife will thwart the sharpening process. Obviously this a skill that takes time and practice to master. The number of strokes necessary will depend on the knife's dullness.

Every time before preparing food, you should run the knife a few times across a sharpening steel on each side at the same 22 degree angle. Sharpening steels do not sharpen, they hone.

Remember playing with paper airplanes as a kid? You'd throw it across the room and bounce it off the wall. The nose of the plane, although still pointy, was then crooked. You had to straighten it with your fingers for the next flight.

This is what happens with your knife. Even one use can cause the edge to angle to one side or the other. A steel re-straightens the edge.

Finally, store your knife in a block, on a magnetic strip, or any contraption that protects the edge, and always wash it by hand. The heat of a dishwasher can damage the handle over time, not to mention the possibility of other items banging into the edge of the knife.

Professional chefs and more serious cooks will possess an array of knives for various tasks. At the very least you should have a standard chef's knife and a paring knife. A high quality 8-10 inch chef's knife, from a reputable manufacturer like Wusthof or Henckel will cost you anywhere from $70 to $100.

It is a worthwhile investment, even for the home cook. The paring knife will run you $20 to $30. Avoid knife sets. They may seem like a good deal but even the top brands make cheaper knives and that's usually what's in the set.

• page 2 of 2
• previous page