| Having a really good, sharp knife is one of the | | | | Global knife the blade curves toward the edge, |
| fundamental necessities of good cooking, and | | | | making this harder to judge. On most knives the |
| most of all enjoying your cooking. The feeling of | | | | edge is a bevel, with a distinct angle which makes |
| sawing away at vegetables and (particularly) meat | | | | it easier to pick out, but it's still hard to judge |
| with a dull blade makes prep work feel like a | | | | when you rest it against the stone. Fortunately |
| chore. Producing effortless, beautiful, even cuts | | | | there's an easy way out - most good kitchen |
| with a razor-sharp edge makes you feel capable | | | | shops should be able to sell you a little clipon guide |
| and in control, and enhances your cooking | | | | which keeps the knife at just the right angle. |
| experience no end. | | | | Once you've learned the correct angle you can |
| Sharpening is time-consuming but strangely | | | | stop using the guide. One warning based on my |
| satisfying, particularly with some good music on | | | | own experience: Gritty slurry from the stone will |
| and real concentration. Basically, if you're willing to | | | | tend to work its way under the guide while you're |
| pay out for a good quality non-serrated kitchen | | | | sharpening. Rinse it out thoroughly before you try |
| knife, you should also be willing to pay out for the | | | | and slide it off the blade, or the grit will score the |
| means to keep it sharp. Knives are not | | | | sides of your (I assume) beautiful knife. |
| self-maintaining, a good quality blade needs regular | | | | Once you've got the angle right, there's the action. |
| attention to keep that lovely razor-sharp edge on | | | | There is a heck of a lot of debate about this |
| it. | | | | issue, whether you should make vertical or |
| I spent £45 on my Global chef's knife (in a | | | | horizontal strokes, pull or push, away from or |
| New Year's sale), and have never regretted it. I | | | | toward the edge. I went with long strokes for a |
| spent £60 on my double-sided wetstone, | | | | good while, but recently I found a great article |
| and only regretted it briefly. The first time I put | | | | from Cook's Illustrated (it's no longer available, |
| my blade on it and turned it back to that | | | | unfortunately) where they'd done some real |
| cut-anything edge I knew it was worthwhile. This | | | | research on the different methods. They |
| was particularly true since I'd previously ruined a | | | | concluded that the easiest method is also the |
| good paring knife on one of those cheap "easy | | | | best - continuous circular motions. You keep the |
| sharpen" gadgets - it left sizeable grooves all the | | | | blade moving round and round in small circles on |
| way along the edge of the blade. With patient | | | | the stone, and slowly move up and down the |
| work on and off, after about 6 months that knife | | | | length of the edge. Just continue this for a minute |
| is finally coming back to being excellent again. The | | | | or so on one side, then flip to the other. Once |
| easy sharpen gadget went right in the bin. Not | | | | both sides are done, switch to the fine side of the |
| worth the savings in time or money. | | | | stone and repeat the action - it doesn't need as |
| The following applies to straight-bladed kitchen | | | | long on the fine side as you're just smoothing off |
| knives, penknives, camping knives and pretty | | | | the rough bits left by the first side. And that's it! |
| much anything with an edge. | | | | When you're done, test the blade to make sure |
| A good wetstone - and the Japanese ones are | | | | it's up to scratch. Hold a piece of paper up by one |
| pretty much the best - should actually be two | | | | end, and use the knife to cut a strip off it from |
| stones in a sandwich (or two separate stones). | | | | top to bottom, moving the knife back and forth in |
| On mine the rough side is 240 grade and the fine | | | | a slicing motion. It should slide cleanly through, |
| side is 1000. The stone must be soaked in water | | | | without catching or tearing. If it doesn't, back to |
| (or, occasionally, oil) for at least 10 minutes to | | | | the stone. |
| lubricate the action of metal on stone. Then you | | | | Many people advise stropping the knife after |
| rest the blade against the top surface of the | | | | sharpening on a steel or a leather strip - it's |
| stone, starting on the rough side, and move it | | | | supposed to make the edge more durable. I have |
| back and forth. | | | | to say I've never gotten round to obtaining either, |
| The angle is vitally important - it must rest on the | | | | and my knives hold up okay. But it might be |
| stone at the angle of the edge. In the case of a | | | | something to try. |