Easy hacks to sharpen kitchen knives at home

From drying knives immediately after use to keeping it covered in a utensil drawer, here are some easy hacks.

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A well-functioning kitchen is incomplete without a sharpened knife. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

One of the most common problems in a kitchen that we encounter is how to keep the knives sharp. From chopping vegetables to cutting herbs, knives are the most important part of a functioning kitchen. While a sharp knife is a handy tool, cutting with dull knives can be tiring and in some cases dangerous as you have to exert more force.

How to know if your knife needs sharpening

*To check your knife, look for a round food with a slick surface: a tomato, an onion with the peel attached, or an apple. You should be able to easily cut into the surface with very little pressure.

*The knife should not roll off the slick surface. If you have to use a sawing motion or use the tip of the knife to pierce the flesh, your knife is too dull.

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*If your knife is sharp, it should make clean cuts that allow the round food to keep its shape.

Here are some simple hacks to sharpen knife blades at home.

Ceramic mug

Stroke the blade against the exposed, unpolished ceramic bottom. It is one of the easiest ways to sharpen dull knives.

Newspaper

A page of the newspaper with black ink is all you need. Simply run your knife a few times over the newspaper while keeping it flat. Do this slowly and steadily. The black ink acts like a fine polish due to the presence of carbon and the grit in it has a sharpening effect on the knife. Wash the knife afterwards.

Tips to keep the knives sharper for longer

*Dry the knives immediately to protect them from rusting. Grab a dry towel and run it perpendicular to the blade.

*Choose cutting board surfaces such as wood or plastic rather than metal surfaces such as granite, aluminium and stainless steel.

*Knives should always be kept covered, ideally in a utensil drawer.

*Don’t scrape them along the cutting board.

*Knives should always be handwashed because dishwasher’s wash cycle could cause damage to the blade or the detergent might be abrasive.

First published on: 02-07-2019 at 17:34 IST