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@@greenmarine5 I don't know what inflation has to do with it, but my personal cooking and knife sharpening experiences have shown that Frank's tips are valid, and frankly, I'm doubtful of anyone who mixes up "through" and "threw."
Pro Tip. If you do drop a knife into your soapy water, use a clear glass tray or bowl and put it into the water (without filling it). It will push the soap suds out of the way and allow you to see the bottom of the sink like a see-through kayak.
I always put my sharp items in a certain spot in my dishpan so I know where they are. So far, no cuts from washing them (but I usually cut myself when chopping!).
I usually use a fork and stick into the sink to lift up my sink strainer. I just wedge it in and slightly lift it up. Then I wait for all the water to drain and I can spot the knife from there!
Another tip that's not in the video, but might be in the comments already, is to NOT scrape food off the cutting board with the blade of the knife. I like to use the back of the knife to push food into the pot, etc.
As a Boy Scout, we visited the Grohman Knives factory in Pictou, NS. They taught us to sharpen our knives EXACTLY like this. A few years later in a competition, I used this method and was blasted because it wasn’t “Scout book” method. After feeling the sharpness of the blade, and relaying the story of how I learned it, I received a perfect score! That was some 40 years ago, and technology hasn’t improved it! Great video!
Great example of the spirit of scouting. Knowledge of your seniors is really important, but if you have a way that's objectively better, it's not discouraged. Just depends on whether someone else might get in trouble when dealing with a technique they're not expected to know of. But in the spirit of a friendly context, it's great that you got the opportunity to explain your method, and got perfect score.
There was one extremely important detail that was omitted here... This demo was done with a medium hardness (German) knife. For German steel, I totally agree with all of the details Frank mentioned. However, if you have a harder Japanese knife (or any high-carbon steel knife), you can't hone it with a steel honing rod like he showed. With some hardness levels, you can get away with a ceramic honing rod... but for many Japanese knives, you just really can't hone it. When those need a touch up, you have to go to a stone. That being said, those harder Japanese knives also need fewer touchups because of how hard they are.
Personally I love the hard steel Japanese blades, yes they tend to be more expensive but they keep their edge longer; they cut like nothing else but they are brittle - you really don't want to drop one on a hard floor (I've done it once & I still have nightmares about it!). But honestly do you really think I'm going to be using any one of my Japanese knifes hacking at anything!! HELL NO!!! These are for delicate, precision work and they are prefect at it! Use the right knife for the right job! You wouldn't use a spanner to tighten a screw! I always use a wet stone, I've tried oil stones and I just found them too messy - not worth the extra time cleaning up afterwards. Talking of cleaning, the advice you gave was critical! Yes, a proper Chef's knife is going to cut through that sponge like it wasn't there. Never, ever leave these knives unattended for someone to pick up and seriously hurt themselves. I just say "Look, just don't touch my knives! I'm not being a jerk but please don't touch them unless I give you permission - you may get really hurt & your safety is my responsibility!"
I actually suggest that most people ditch the honing rod and use a leather strop instead, with or without honing compound. Leather contains silicates from the curing (tanning) process, so honing compound is not absolutely necessary, though it has some benefits. Stropping on leather has a similar effect to honing, and will work for _any_ hardness level of steel you will find in a knife. Leather stropping is also far more forgiving than honing on a rod, which can dull a knife if done incorrectly, especially since many rods are ridged or mildly abrasive (fine diamond hones and ceramic hones).
Hey Chef, great video! Note from a mech engineer here who worked only about a decade with metals quality: 8:00 Don't worry about the temper on the blade, the temperature you will get with these grinders are not going to be high enough to mess up with the temper. True, you can get burns from the hot knives after sharpening, so safety is indeed a concern. In my experience, people tend to resist up to approx. 120 degrees (50 C) on the palm of their hands (please, don't use this as a temperature check), and a grinding process may get WAY higher than that, but you'd need it to get to the 400-450 degrees range (200-230C) on a 1/16 -1/8 inch (1.5-3 mm) blade to start messing around with it. If it's stainless Steel, the temp can go even higher.
this is wrong, while the blade might be 200 F, the extremely thin edge where the most friction takes place will get much hotter than that and you can loose your temper.
I ordered the Sharp Pebble waterstone you recommended, and watched the technique section of the video a few times. Great tip on using a food scale to get the right finger pressure. I’ve never sharpened anything before, but WOW it worked great. The tomato test was a success. Thank you for putting this instructional together! Outstanding demo.
Good stone! Make sure you keep it flat, because, like all stones, they will hollow out after some use. When you notice it becomes less flat, you can draw a grid on the surface with a sharpy and then sand it down with fine wett-sanding paper stuck to a mirror, a diamond plate or something like that.
@@Maeve_Rose These stones are very soft, which makes it harder to sharpen the knife and the stone wears out a lot sooner. It also means that you'll probably need a flattening stone for it.
One trick that I find works really well to sharpen serrated knives is a string with a circular cross section (like a shoe lace) and some metal polish (i.e. in paste form). I tie one end of the string to a steady object, put some paste on the string, tension it by pulling on it with one hand, and with the other hand run the knife back and forth at an angle (of course) so that the string slides in each serration. I did this for a set of old table knives and they came out very well. :)
As a 60 yr. old culinary student this video is great to share with my classmates. I have not sharpened with a wet stone but can't wait to give it a go. The cleaning and storing I have always done as you have demonstrated, and my friends always said I was too picky, LOL! Thank you, Chef!!👨🍳
There's no such thing as being too picky when it comes to taking care of an investment like your knives. I still have the first French chef's knife which I purchased in 1985, and while it has some wear it is still in great shape and is quite functional (and sharp!).
I had a disagreement with one of my aunts regarding knife care. There are general knives in the family kitchen, then there are mine. She went to take a coarse steel to one of mine and we had a "discussion" on what was and wasn't acceptable. The verdict was that she would use the general stuff and leave mine alone. I can definitely appreciate the pickiness :) FYI - I'm a home cook, she's the trained one. I just treat my knives like my chisels - with respect and care.
He did it wrong. Do one side on the 1000 till you build a bur. Do the other side on 1000 till the bur flips. Do the first side on 6000 till the bur flips. Do the other side on 6000 till the bur flips. Do a light slicing stroke at a higher angle on the 6000 with each side to remove the bur.
Wow, you've been a student cook for 60 years and you're old, yes you are. Your dedication to the art is impressive. Don't worry, I hope, I'm sure you will get it before you leave this world...😁
@@bendadestroyer There isn't only one way to sharpen a knife. His way is valid but not as efficient. Some people also use a circular motion to sharpen very dull knives and that doesn't create a burr.
Everything you've said in this video is bang on and any good chef out there would agree.I remember cooking when I was 18 and was very fortunate to be working at a Michelin star restaurant, though I didn't appreciate it at the time.I remember a chef showing me how to sharpen knifes with a water stone. He then took my knifes(Henckels set of 3) while I was prepping for evening service and put the most ridiculously sharp edge on all 3 of them. He came back and said "give those a try"....I was blown away. I didn't think a knife could get that sharp and cut with such little effort and accuracy.
I wish he would not show the thumb dragging method to amateurs, the ER rooms are filled with people with severe cuts trying to copying "chefs" on TV removing avocado pit by whacking it with a knife. Seriously, it is so bad they now make a tool for it. There are safer methods and you do not need to hold it in your palm and smack it like it was made of steel. It twist easily with skill. No huge force required.
I actually grew up right by a small fishing hut. They had a (quite large) grinding stone.. (sharpening stone)? ..right by the side of the fishing hut. -I used to try it out (it was foot powered, of course) when I was a kid. 😁 -Just think, - I grew up when personal computers did not exist. -A video recorder was brought into my home (by my pilot stepdad) when I was 14 ! -And 2 video films. My parents asked ❗ me. to not watch the film "Rosemary's Baby". I did as they asked. (I saw it many-many years later...and didn't really find it that bad) 😁 -However, I watched another film they (mom+stepdad) bought. It was "THE OMEN". (It's about a ("satanic") young boy). -That film was absolutely terrifying ❗❗❗
Two years ago I switched from a manual sharpener to a water stone And I have to say what a difference it made. Before the switch, I watched so many Japanese chef demo videos in order to perfect my technique.
If you have a wooden knife block with vertical slots, try putting your knives in upside down so the blade isn't dragging on the bottom of the slot every time you slide it in or pull it out. This works for almost all knives except for small parers, where the handle is heavier than the blade and naturally tends to pull the blade away from the bottom of the slot.
My mother in law came to visit for a month one time. She likes to cook, but like Dale Doback in Step Brothers I told her “DON’T TOUCH MY WÜSTHOF KNIVES…DON’T TOUCH THEM!’ I showed her the Costco set of kitchen knives she was welcome to use. I went away on a business trip for 3 days, and when I returned I found some of my knives missing. I asked about them and she told me they were in the dishwasher. I immediately took them out and also discovered the tip on one was a little mangled. Upon further inquiry, I discovered she used the knife to pry difficult lids off of glass jars. I was close to going out into the garage to get my shovel and some lye! 🙃😉🤣🤣🤣 She wanted to go to Target to buy replacements. But I said “no” and took her to Sur La Table, where I originally purchased the knives, and a few hundred dollars later she learned to NEVER use my personal kitchen knives again!
Frank is the MAN! My son who was a cook in a top private club in the Midwest made the observation that 'Chefs obsess over their knives.' From Wusthoff Ikons to Global chef's knives the chefs insisted on owning and using the best. Frank's suggestions will keep a great knife sharp and in fine condition. Thank you, Frank!
Hi Clinton, how are you doing. I hope this year brings happiness prosperity love and peace all over the world. I'm Allyson from California nice to meet you.
Thanks chef! I did that plate honing- it works...felt sharper and I could also see the difference looking 👀at the blade...not bad for a 3 out of 5 score.
I just want to say thank you! I have had nice knifes for a while now and I thought I was doing a good job of sharpening them. I realized after I watched this video and tried the techniques out that I was wrong. In two minutes he was able to explain proper knife sharpening techniques better than any of the 25 minute videos I’ve watched before. So thank you!
Another tip to keep your knives sharp is when you’re swiping your knife along a chopping board to transfer the food you’ve just chopped into your pan, flip your knife over so you’re not using the side with the blade so it won’t dull the blade
Flip it so you're not using the blade? So you're holding the blade and pushing food with the handle? I think you mean so you're not using the EDGE of the blade, but are using the back/spine of the blade.
I'd honestly recommend getting a bench scraper instead for transferring from your chopping board. They're generally deeper so you can scoop more stuff in one trip with a thinner edge than the back of your knife, are easier to use for that job in my opinion, and safer because there isn't a sharp blade anywhere around. I used the knife to do the transfer for years but the first time I used a bench scraper for it changed my life and I moved the bench scraper to the drawer right next to where I do all my chopping so it's always immediately available.
I just bought a nice set of Zwillinge knives and this video was right on time for me! I particularly appreciate the detailed how to on correctly using a wet stone. Thank you!
If you want to see Frank's scale tip (or just something more detailed), Master knife maker Bob Kramer has a similar video on sharpening . For the Japanese style, Korin's in house sharpener Vincent has done a series on YT.
@@tiacho2893 Thanks for the tip, I did indeed check out Bob Kramer’s video. Very informative, but upon investigation also very pricey. For a real connoisseur who can afford it, he’s fantastic. For more ordinary folks on a real life budget, Frank is far more real world. I don’t mind paying a little more for reasonably good quality, and cooking lovely meals with decent tools is a great pleasure, but I don’t really need absolute top of the line for simple, every day family cooking.
@@bonitahyman yeah. I hope to be able to afford a Kramer someday but that is no time soon. He did a sharpening tutorial that can be applied to any knife. Same with Vincent from Korin. He sharpens for the shop and puts the same effort and skill when sharpening a hand forged knife or the relatively inexpensive Misono I use. A cheap knife will perform well if sharpened well and I use mine daily. Dull knives are a pet peeve for me.
@@tiacho2893 Yes, his tutorials are super helpful, especially for newbies like me. I hear you about dull knives too - I’ve become a bit spoiled by my nice new knives! How ya gonna get ‘em down on the farm once they’ve seen Paris? HA!!
I use Japanese high carbon cutlery. It is very important that you dry your knives as soon as possible, especially after cutting acidic vegetables or detergent cleaning. Not just because high carbon steel oxidizes very fast, but oxidation is a systemic attack on steel. Molecules oxidize equally on the blade surfaces, but at the very edge oxidation seems to take effect more quickly. It's that way with razor blades as well (just showed my age, still use them along with a 56-year-old Gillette double-edge razor and shaving soap and brush). I found your video enjoyable and learned a lot. Thank you.
My roommate and I were talking about how dull our knives were the day before yesterday 😳 this video couldn't have come at a better time. I also learned that pretty much everything I thought I knew was wrong 😅
I'm guessing you have an iPhone or iPad. I swear they have an open microphone and monitor your conversation so they can direct personalized ads. It happens to my partner, an apple user, all the time.
@@stevenvachon9745 I don't have an apple product, but I do believe this. There have been stuff I've only ever talked about but never searched and I'll get ads for it. it's terrifying, but not really something I can change 😅 I just try not to say important numbers and stuff out loud just in case
@@stevenvachon9745 I actually think it's more that they could predict you would have a conversation about the topic based on your search and browsing history, even if you don't search for it directly. A way to test would be to find some random topic in the dictionary using dice rolls to come up with the page and entry, have a conversation about it, and then see if it comes up.
I worked for years in a meatworks in New Zealand where your knives and steel were an extension of your hands. A sure way to risk cutting off your thumb is to hold the steel with the grip he is using - you should always curl your thumb forward over your index finger knuckle. This reduces the potential damage to losing a thumb/forefinger tip or getting a nasty cut into the meat of the heel of your hand. Fortunately, we wore chainmail gloves at work, but we learned the proper grip in case of preparing food at home and forgetting that you aren't wearing a glove.
I don't know much about knives in that sense, but one time I was using an art x-acto knife (designed similar to a pencil but with a bladed tip, for drawing cuts into paper), and I wasn't paying enough attention and held it like a pencil. Sliced into the back of one of my fingers. Definitely possible to forget an important detail while doing a familiar action.
Very well-made video! A lot of people think they sharpen their knives by using a honing steel...they are not. The honing steel is just to straighten that edge one has built up by sharpening the knife....nothing more. When done with the sharpening stone, I like to use a fine 10.000 grid stone to polish my edge. It really makes a difference and the edge is literally a mirror afterward. A serrated knife is a pita to sharpen but it can be done. I use a diamond-coated stick to do so. A couple of "grinds" in each serration and then flatten the back side with a fine 1500 grid stone/wet-sandpaper. If you just use it for bread and the like it keeps sharp for years. Most "knife sharpeners" are just garbage and expensive too. If I have a really dull knife, from someone that wants it sharp, I grind it at first. I have a wet stone on a bench grinder that does the job. Afterward, I polish it on a cloth wheel with some polishing wax on it. It gets razor sharp by that time. To maintain it I recommend the same method you show in the video. :)
Chef Frank, I enjoyed watching this video, and learned from it. I have a safety tip that you should have mentioned. Since I was a boy scout I was taught that the 1st rule in working with knives is to keep the cutting edge pointing away from body parts. In the future please make a point of driving home this safety policy. I know you are experienced so this may be less important for you to embrace but the majority watching this are not. In most of your video you were pretty good at demonstrating this rule until you came to washing. I suggest that the blade stay facing away, and the sponge be turned so it is above the blade, then below the blade. Also, that the knife stays still and the sponge be moved up and down the blade. I think you'll agree that there's much more control of the sponge than holding a 10" or longer knife by the handle and sliding it. Hope you and future readers of this comment take this safety message to heart.
Yeah, I have often grabbed a knife and rotated the edge away after someone set it down with the blade facing us. I have seen other chefs do the same. Most Chefs do it automatically. It is just one sign of you being a chef vs a cook.
Packed with Easy to follow Instructions, Systematically presented resulting in maintaining (perhaps) the most important kitchen tool safely and for a lifetime. Thanks a million Chef!
Thanks Chef Frank. I've been sharpening knives in pretty much the same way that you do for years, but it's good to get confirmation from a professional such as you.
Thanks for a brilliant video. I have tried so many knife sharpeners over the decades that I have lost count. Only last week I tried a whetstone that I used for sharpening my DIY tools on my kitchen knives. Your video confirms that I am on the right track. Much appreciated 👍
When sharpening on a stone and you don't have a guide, don't use dimes, etc. , use the edge of the knife to dictate the angle to use. Place the knife, almost flat, on the stone and, with a gentle pressure, edged facing away from you, slowly (faster than a snail move the knife forward. As you move forward, slightly increas the angle of the blade until you feel a slight drag... It isn't smooth anymore. This is the angle of grind on *your* knife, not someone else's. Do this several times, figuring out speed, pressure (just a few ounces, doesn't take much) and angle until you can do it easily for each kmife. Then, you're set for life because that's a permanent skill. I'm very surprised they didn't show that, here because it takes about five seconds to show and a lot longer to write. 😉 If you're afraid of cutting yourself while using a steel... Slow down! You don't have to go as fast as the pros and there is plenty of lengt on a *good* steel (mine's 12") to be safe. Also, you can buy a steel with a cross guard to protect your fingers and, if all else fails, hold the steel with a kitchen towel on your hand. If you slip, you'll have time to stop before you damage yourself. Also, this is important and should have been said, you'll (hopefully) only buy one steel in your life, if/so you buy a *good one.* If a steel is short (8"), feels "nice and light and easy to use..." *Don't buy/use it.* It's not made of good material, will wear out fast and never do a good job to begin with. Many inexpensive "sets" that come with a block and steel include a junk steel to make you think you're getting more for your $$. When buying an inexpensive knife set, the more you get with it, like a block, steel, sharpener, etc., the less knife quality you get. (Unless you're buying some very expensive, high end set). Buy a quality, heavy, (poss. German made) honing steel. If it's too heavy, learn the "point down on the table" method. It will cost around $25-$50 (dep. upon maker and where you buy, try eBay/Amazon) for a tool that A) Lasts you a loong time, if not a lifetime for an avg. home cook. B) will do a *good job* of keeping your knives sharp which means less actual sharpening which means your knives last longer and saves you many more times the cost of a good steel. And, you'll like the way it feels to have a truly sharp blade when you need it. 😀 He also should have mentioned that every so many hours OR any time you're cutting meat on the bone (a chicken, boning steaks, etc., etc.) you will make slight bends in the edge of the blade. This folds the "burr" of the edge over and makes it snag and drag while you cut. So, anytime you cut into anything but pure meat or vegetables or if you do a lot of chopping, etc. against a hard surface (cutting board), always run your knife over your steel frequently during and once after you're done cutting. That way, you always pick up a sharp knife. You'll be happy, trust me! 😀 For the avg. home cook, having a good quality set of knives is a necessity but they see it as a luxury. The best bang for the money is Vcitorinox (think Swiss army knife) which is what's found in many pro kitchens/butcher shops. They were Forschner/Victorinox and originally just Forschner. All variants are still available (eBay) and the older ones had much better steel, as is with all now. Victorinox comes with a lifetime guarantee, good steel, long lasting. Find 'em on eBay (new and used), Amazon and Walmart.com sells a seven piece (w/smaller steel) set for $139, comes with a canvas storage roll ("eh...") and has an 8" chef's knife (most common), straight boning knife, paring knife, an off-angle bread/sandwich knife (I really like mine, good for other things, too) and a straight slicer/tomato knife and a 9" steel. The steel is "ok" but, I'd ultimately upgrade. This set will do 95% of a home chef's tasks, for a very long time. There is also a "pro BBQ set" for $100 more that you don't need unless your an advanced meat cutter. If you just want the basics, an 8" or 6" Victorinox chef's knife ($27-40+/-) which is plenty for most and will be your go-to, everyday knife. A semi-stiff, 6" boning knife ($30+/-), a paring knife ($25+/-) and a 7" bread/slicing knife ($35+/-). That will get it done. As an option (for your turkey, chicken and rib roast needs), an 8" carving knife ($30-45+/-) would be a perfect addition to round things out. And a good, 10-12", heavy steel w/finger guards will keep things sharp. This set will absolutely take care of 98% of your standard, kitchen tasks and will last you a lifetime. Not only do they last, they make cutting and cooking *much* easier and even fun, when you're not struggling with dull, cheap knives. I know people who won't cook because they have crappy knives and it's just too much hassle. So, even though you'll pay more at first (try used on eBay, great deals there) everytime you pick up your knives, you'll smile.
1. Dish washers don't ruin the temper of steel edge because of temperature alone - it is not high enough. Instead, a chemical process occurs starting with water - in itself quite aggressive - and rather aggressive detergent. Hence the recommendation not to let finer knives soak (too long). 2. A honing steel rod has very fine longitudinal serrations, much like a file. Doesn't work for serrated knives the way it was shown. Use a ceramic honing rod instead. 3. Wooden cutting boards are best if made from endgrain. Endgrain will quietly part when knife edge is applied. Sidegrain will be cut, leading to wear. Also, endgrain accepts e.g. oil maintanence better.
Great video. Out of desperation while helping a family member cook I actually did sharpen a knife on the honing steel. It took about 45 minutes but it definitely went from dull to sharp enough to cook.
Some knife needs tested different honing rods, including ceramic, and they remove material. It appears they can cut away misaligned edges, so an extent, but under a microscope it was obvious that a stone would produce a much cleaner edge.
This is such a great educational piece. I've watched it several times myself, shared it with all of my siblings, and with friends. Thirteen minutes well spent.
A point of clarification: all sharpening, of anything, is "shaving the metal down to get it sharp." That's what the water stone does as well. The reason the swarf is perhaps more visible or noticeable with the pull-through sharpener is because the abrasives in it are much rougher, producing larger particles. But, understand that *all* sharpening operations are meant to remove metal and any tool that you sharpen and then plan to use to prepare food should be washed to remove the waste material.
i am currently working on my cert 2 and this is very helpful too someone that is new to cooking and has not had much experience this was explained very well and easy for anyone at any level to understand sharpening my knives is something that i have struggled with but after watching this i think i have a better understanding and can use the skill shown to improve my sharpening skills to have a well maintained knife.
This is a seriously good video. I sharpen chisels and wood planes until I could shave with them but have always found knives difficult. Great advice. 👍🏻
Huge part of sharpening with a stone is burr management. All youre doing is filing a piece of metal. Just like large scale filing, you get a tiny burr on your knife. You shape the blade on rough surface, dragging away from edge, and that creates a burr on the edge. You then go to fine grit and work harden the burr there until it falls off. Try it, you can feel the burr with youe thumb if you pay attention. Honing steel does the final work and aligns the edge. When knives go dull, half the time the edge is just folded over into a burr from some brute dragging the blade sideways across cutting boards and other surfaces. Honing steel folds it right up and so does any other metal surface, so dragging a knife across a knife works in a pinch. Just like rest of cooking:once you understand the inner workings of it, you can do it easily. I sharpen my knives twice a year and i cook for hours almost every fay
@@orphanoforbit7588 Burr is leftover metal that sticks to the piece that you're filing. Seriously go take a file to some metal, it all makes sense once you understand how metal works.
Superb tutorial! Bewildering range of sharpeners on the market and difficult to know the good from the bad. Your demonstrations and explanations very clear and easy to understand. Now I would not shy away from buying a stone. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Great job.
Thank you for this. You are the first person who explained in simple plain English how to sharpen a knife. Myself, like a lot of other people, thought the steel sharpened the knife, now I know better.
Frank, I’ve been watching a bunch of vids on sharpening kitchen knives. I appreciate your approach in saying a bunch in a short amount of time. All solid info - Thanks!
I sharpen my 10" chef's knife, every 2 years, you could set your calendar to it. it's the knife I use for everything including fileting fish. I use the hone as needed between sharpenings and my family still believes it's scary sharp before I even put it to the stone. good work frank, you explained things well
I use water stones for my kitchen knives and wood working tools. The only real drawback is that they tend to be more expensive than oil stones and they wear faster (a good thing when sharpening). But the wear will never be an issue for home use. One thing is that they are a bit delicate (like ceramics) and will break if accidentally dropped. Diamond "stones" like DMT's are even more expensive but won't break if dropped and also use water when sharpening.
If you're knives are really dull I wouldn't start at 1000 grit, 600 or so will get you to where you need to be before you hit the 1000. Otherwise you'll be sitting there rubbing your knife back and forth all day before it's back to sharp
Experience has taught me that when you use a magnetic strip it's best to put the knives with the handles above the magnet not below. That way any vibrations won't cause the knives to eventually fall. Also never mount the magnet on a surface that gets hot. Heat destroys magnetic properties.
Counterpoint: with big knives, getting lightly knocked can also sometimes jar them loose as they lever themselves off of the magnet - and it's far safer for both anything on the counter (like your hands) and also for your knife if it falls handle-first.
@@DiningTablePrintPlay For larger knives I use 2 magnets, one up by the heel and the other closer to the tip. I've always worked in kitchens where the most convenient spot for knives on a magnetic holder ended up being on the side of a refrigerator. Lots of vibrations.
Thank you for this interesting video. Being an engineer, I sharpen my knives on a sharpening stone using cooking oil and wash them thoroughly when finished. My family and friends have ripped the p*** out of me for doing so. I was so pleased to see this video. I will upgrade to a wet stone from now on. The other thing I am over the top about is leaving sharp knives and scissors in a bowl of water. I have pestered my family to no end to wash and dry the sharp knives and scissors and then put away. It is a never-ending battle for me. In my job, I have seen so many nasty cuts from bad practices that I must admit, I am over the top with it. When I was about 15 or 16 years, staying at my aunties house, my cousin Richard who was training to be a butcher showed me how to hone a knife on a honing rod. He was very fast and precise doing it. I tried and after a while of doing good and getting faster, I almost sliced my left thumb off which resulted in a visit to the hospital. I still have the scar some 54 years later and have never used on since. Thank you for sharing this video with us.
I am 52. Never sharpened a knife in my life. Watched this, ordered a whetstone and now I have to warn the kids "the knives in the kitchen are sharp now!" (we have a honing tool, and now I know that's not enough, nor should it be used "to sharpen") 1000x thank you
For checking to see if my knife is sharp, I point it towards a bright light source, sharp edge up. Then I look for any reflection. If there's little points of light, those are dull spots. If there is no reflection, it's sharp.
I'd like to say I have a bone to pick about the first method. I have the exact same whetstone, and a fairly nice set of both stainless steel and antique carbon steel kitchen knives, and I use both regularly. I use my own variation of Frank's first method on both. My first difference is that rather than dragging the cutting edge across the stone, I push it across. So the stone travels from edge towards the spine of the knife as it sharpens. Doing it the way Frank describes causes what I describe as a "foil" of metal to build up on the apex of the knife blade, which is the material that has been slightly abraded away from the edge of the blade, bringing the two sides closer together at a point (making it sharper), except there's this foil of metal that will fold over onto the side that you're not working at the moment. As soon as you flip it over, that foil folds over the apex onto the other side with the first stroke and it never breaks off! This will eventually end up in your food, and then in your guts! When you push the blade across the stone, that abraded material moves towards the spine of the knife, not the apex of the blade, leaving nothing at your leading edge except a perfect blade. Of course, it takes a little more practice and care not to gouge your stone or your knife or you'll be honing a nick out of your knife. And I really feel like those honing steels are worthless, although they are popular, so maybe I'm wrong about them, and if used often, maybe they work to keep a knife tuned up. But I feel like my next method after a good whetstone sharpening once or twice a year really puts the razor edge finishing touch on my knives (seriously, I can shave the fine hairs off my arms after I do this next step.) I got an old leather belt, and some red polishing rouge. I secured the belt on my table so it ran over the top of a couple books and used a little strap on the underside of the table to pull it tight and secure it, gave it a good dressing with the rouge, and THIS was where you have to pull your knives across that belt with the blade edge dragging. But you can really see how it dresses the edge of the blade and finishes the job. And the sharpness of the blade between these two steps is night and day, as well as helping the longevity. Your knives will be SCARY sharp with this method, and they will hold their edge for about six months, with no honing every time you use them. That blue and white whetstone is a great product though. Rubber footing on the holding block base so it won't slip on your table, and a rubber grommet around the base of the stone so the stone won't slip in the base.
Good info here. @5:01 The entire process of sharpening a blade is "honing"; and the guide @2:59 is called a "honing guide". Also, keep your water stone submerged in water using a plastic container - I've had the same stone submerged for >5 years (Norton water stones).
I found with the manual sharpener you need to be lighter than with a stone. If you push too hard it vibrates, like it is in the video, and creates kind of a wobbly edge.
the manual that came with mine specifically stated not to push too hard because it may make your knife duller rather than sharper for this reason. What the guy in the video did was definitely way to hard.
Pull-throughs are just a bad idea in general for knives. Takes off way too much material compared to freehand or other manual methods (sharpening system, belt, or otherwise). Same goes for electric and carbide sharpeners. Freehand on stones is always the best way even if it's harder to do.
@@andreigolovik3047 it really depends on how often you use and sharpen your knives. This is all based on super regular use, while I'll use my knife maybe 3-4 times a week for 10-20 minutes. No need to sharpen it daily in that case. So shaving off some material really isn't that big a deal when you don't sharpen it as often.
@@andreigolovik3047 learning to use a stone, yes, is the best. But a pull through is definitely good enough for most people's home knives. and if they're taking off a ton of material you're probably pushing too hard. From my experience, you almost don't want to push down at all on them.
I would not. Diamond plates have abrasive sticking up above the surface of the stone and tear up your edge. You then have to remove more edge material on later stones to remove all the damaged done by the diamond plate. Very few kitchen knives have steel that needs diamonds to sharpen. Any decent 80-200 grit stone can easily remove damage from kitchen knives.
Alright!!! Am I first in line for dibs on Frank coming to my house to sharpen my knives? Maybe will see if he has time to make my holiday turkey while he's here! Love ya Frank! ... hmmm I wonder what method Lorenzo uses for sharpening his knives, or I bet he invites Frank over too.
Wow! You have really taught me a lot about cleaning knives. Didn't know not to put them in the dishwasher. I never knew the correct way to use a rock. Until now. Thank you so much.
If you pay attention to the geometry of your knife edge, (for example my Shun Santuko) Taking a quality fine grit Arkansas stone to it can give you a razor edge. There shouldnt be much of a burr, or at all. Then slide it on your honing steel and rinse. This knife has been a razor blade for me. It retains the edge so good. I only use it for vegetables, and slicing meats (no bones) on plastic cutting surfaces. I've owned my Shun for 2 years now and use it for most of my cooking and I have not chipped, or damaged it what-so-ever. But a (fine) Arkansas stone does the job for me. It Finely cuts even the hardest steels no problem, and leaves the best finish.
One thing that I feel is overlooked in most sharpening and maintaining videos from culinary professionals is stropping. It's somewhat similar to that of a honing steel, where you can do it between uses, maybe once every couple of weeks. Any piece of leather will do on its own, where you can lightly run the knife edge along it in the same way you would with a whetstone. The leather can even be loaded with a buffing compound that could be found at any hardware store. This can take sharp edges to the next level of sharpness and can have far better sharpness results when maintaining between actual sharpening of the knives. I prefer this personally over a honing steel.
I maintain with a strop -- I have steels and ceramic rods, but I've never found them to be useful. However, a leather strop coated with the green Veritas compound maintains a mirror polish on my edge and lets me go for as long as a month without going back to the stones.
@@toriless stropping takes maybe 5-10 minutes and might need done once every week or 2. That's not much of a time sink in my opinion and it does a heck of a lot better job than a honing steel.
I'm definitely getting a stone. As for storage, I also like the magnetic strip, but I by far prefer the ones where the magnets are hidden behind the wood because I really don't like the idea of my precious super-sharp knives being placed against harshly angular metal strips. If the knife doesn't go on or off the strips evenly then the cutting edge could get dented or knicked, and there's the risk of the blade getting scratched.
Awesome video! I have been sharpening knives for years. I used to sharpen knives for hunters and fisherman. You nailed it. The only difference for me is I use a sharpening set that holds my knife at the perfect angle and I use oil. Great video!
Thank you Chef for explaining the best method for Sharpening a Knife. I have 2 Calphalon 7" Santoku Full Forged German Steel Knives that I use the most. Little did I know that Honing was the reason I wasn't getting a Sharp edge. Tomorrow I get the Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone delivered and can't wait to use it. I'm confident that with a little practice as you have demonstrated, this will do the Job. It's Very Hard to find these expensive knives, and since mine are still in Great Shape, I know this will be the solution. :)
At 5:38, that sinking feeling when you notice the editing team used % for angles instead of degrees. It's even more messed up when you think about the math behind it. But at least Chef Proto is on top of things! Would love a more extended discussion on water stones from him. Really intelligent and friendly presentation.
I used japanese wet stones for years until I purchased a quality diamond stone. (Also uses water) The diamond stone works faster, is more consistent, and you don't need to flatten the stone regularly.
All of Frank’s advice here rings true to me, and matches with my experience over 40+ years of at-home cooking. On knife storage, I too have no counter space to give up for a block, AND no convenient wall space for a magnetic strip. So, I mounted a magnetic strip INSIDE a shallow drawer under my cooktop. Cutting boards and knives are all in the same place, and the knives don’t bang into each other and get dull.
I use wet stones, too. In my experience, methodical resharpening every 1-2 months can be done with a very high grit stone and a good leather strop with honing compound. It takes a really short time and the results are outstanding and very predictable.
A dish washer will not ruin the temper of your steel. The abrasive soap will likely dull the knife much faster than hand washing but it will not ruin the temper of the knife. Even if you are considering the 200 C mark as sighted in the video most dish washers barley get to around 120 C for internal temperature.
Dishwashers are bad because the water sits on them and dulls the edge that way. Basically micro rusting. If you have a wooden handle it could cause it to crack as well.
He said that 200º will ruin the temper. I can start to affect it at 200º, but it's at 200º _C_ , not _F_ . That's *400ºF* ! Not a chance your dishwasher is heating to 200ºC/400ºF (not least because bacteria is killed at 155-175ºF or about 75ºC). I mean, shoot: the centigrade scale is BASED ON THE FACT that water boils at 100ºC (212ºF). What do you think would happen if you heated a dishwasher to DOUBLE its boiling point? Hint: you wouldn't hear a whole lot from your drain cycle.
The first thing I do when entering a professional kitchen, especially one that I'm not familiar with, is plunge my hands deep into the soapy, opaque sink and root around for a while. You can learn a lot this way 😂
When using a magnetic knife holder I always have the back of the knife make contact first to store them, thus avoiding the sharp edge from hitting against it. When removing I twist it slightly so the blade comes away first and then I pull, which protects the blade and makes it easier to remove them because the magnet isn't holding as much metal.
I love how I clicked on just to see how Frank does this and I do the same thing. My dad loves to use some kind of hand stone idk what it is but it works and I used it for most of my cooking life living with him but as I said I do the same as Frank because it makes me feel better while cooking with them. I also use scallions quite often because I LOVE them so whenever I can use them I do. I have a knife block so they are greatly stored and I have so much counter space it doesn't look so empty all the time. And who doesn't clean knives by hand? Like I'm not going to lie I have been taught to NEVER put them in a dishwasher mainly because of safety reasons but as I do this for years it's weird to even think about how someone just puts it in a dishwasher not thinking about it at all.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NUDE.YOUNGGIRLS.TODAY/sunnyleone 💜 MAKE ME YOUR S*X SLAVE RUclips: This is fine Someone: Says "help" RUclips: BE GONE History : deleted Phone : yeeted Body :heated Holy water : needed #Чо #эт #делает #на #2 #месте #в #тренде #однако #я #люблю #таких #рыбаков #垃圾 #ライブ配信の再編ありがとうです！#この日のライブ配信は、#かならりやばかったですね！１#万人を超える人が見ていたもんね（笑）#やっぱり人参最高！#まさかのカメラ切り忘れでやら1かしたのもドキドキでした！#今後は気を付けないとね5). . !💖🖤❤
the ceramic plate trick helped me immensely, cooking at friends' houses with low quality knives, unattended since the dawn of time, giving them life back out of nothing. using it as a wetstone by soaking the plate actually gave me good results, sub par with my actual wetstone but surely much much more than a honing, with extremely noticeable improvements.
I appreciated the part about knowing if your knife is sharp, as demonstrated with the green onions. I'd heard that crunching sound and thought it was because of my 'mighty' knife! 😆 Now I know better. It was interesting to find out about the plate method. Also the knife roll. I had one of those magnets and I hated it because the knives always fell off! I had to get a new set of knives because a couple ended up with damaged tips. Now I have a wooden tray with narrow grooves that the knives lie in inside a drawer, with the sharp sides facing down. Don't forget to wash the handles of the knives, too!
Most pros don't use Japanese knives unless they came up doing Asian food. Less applicable for younger cooks, but certainly for someone of franks generation, pros used German.
The main difference between German and Japanese knives is the hardness of the metal. German is 52Rc heat treat I believe while Japanese is 62Rc. Thats why Japanese holds an edge better, but it also makes it more brittle. If you drop a Japanese knife it may shatter, a German one will likely bend. Of course there are style differences too but these days you can get one steel with another style, my German chefs knife is a Japanese shape for example. A pro will choose the knife based on their specific need, not memes
Awesome video and great info except for 1 detail. The steel of a knife can handle MUCH higher temps that 200 degrees Fahrenheit in a dishwasher without changing the temper of the steel. It would take north 400 degree Fahrenheit or more to begin to affect the temper of the steel. Higher quality steel might require a bit higher temps to affect the temper.
@@joshportelli Hahaha.... That's a good point. However, there is a heating element in the bottom of the dishwasher. Not sure it that is capable of heating the water or not though.
This was extremely informative. It told me everything I have to know. I only have one chef knife and I do most of the things that it showed in your tutorial being that I live alone I store the knife on my counter, just laying on a towel. Thanks for all the useful information
This is the fricking best knife sharpening video ever. Sharp knives are a joy in the kitchen. I learned so much in this video. it is a keeper in my private stash. I had all the knife sharpening tools you talked about even the water stone. But I never learned the right way to use it. I never used the honer the right way either. This was just the best. I am so excited to learn how to do something right.Thank You Thank you Thank You. 👍❤️👍❤️👍❤️👍👍❤️👍❤️👍❤️👍
I'm super happy to learn that I was already doing things good. I have learned some improvement that I'll apply, but basically I was correct on all the steps (especially on how to use a water stone ^^). I just have to store my knives in a drawer (I have a small kitchen), but I was taking care that they can't move in the drawer, and especially that blades cannot hit things (with some compartments that I made from wood).
It's always great when a professional basically tells you what you were doing (because it felt like the "right way") is actually one of the right ways. Every knife maker sells blade covers (from cheap plastic to beautiful wood fitted to the specific blade shape) and it keeps your knifes sharper longer. The worst thing for a sharp edge made of hard steel is to hit another piece of hard steel on edge. Just imagine what cutting on a stainless steel countertop will do to a knife. Loose in a drawer is similar but much slower and your dividers are a good solution. I would say that a cheap plastic blade cover is still a good idea though. It keep the edge from hitting anything for a drawer that is opened and closed a lot.
@@collaldridge6506 It seems so, but in my kitchen the refrigerator is covered on the sides by wooden walls, so I can't use this kind of storage. It is an appartment I don't own, thus I cannot change the kitchen's furnitures. I would love to have that kind of gadget, though.
Frank being self aware of his memes makes him more adorable, but also give us less stuff to comment about :P like, if you come to my home to sharpen my knives, I will have to show hospitality and offer tea, home-made snacks, and a light meal ...... to get more tips from you about my cooking :P
As I've gotten more in to woodworking, i now have a set of water stones to 8000 grit and a ceramic stone to 12000 grit for chisels and planes. Usually I dont go above 3000 grit for my Henckel kitchen knives though. Curiously, Id ask if there is a preference or right vs wrong way of sharpening the blade for pushing the knife towards the edge vs pushing away from the edge for sharpening??
Hi Andrew, how are you doing. I hope this year brings happiness prosperity love and peace all over the world. I'm Allyson from California nice to meet you.
I've heard that you "pull" the blade to create the "feathers" then use the steel hone to "straighten" the feathers. also, hold the blade to a bare light bulb. If you can see the edge - it isn't sharp enough. a rounded edge reflects light. But what do I know - I'm here to learn.
I've been sharpening scythes, machetes, chainsaws and always knives but never knives with a wet stone as I'd use the honing thingy. I'll give it a try. Great video. I'll watch more.
Using the bottom of a plate or coffee cup for the abrasiveness of the ceramic, I can't tell you how many times I have rented a cabin in the mountains or the beach that had terribly dull kitchen knives. Using this method, I have always been able to put a blade on a house knife that would get the job done. So glad to get back home to my real knives!
For my western knives I use a belt sharpening system for a super sharp (17.5 degrees per side) Scandi grind. The Japanese knives, your dead on using water stones after all the Japanese have kind of proven the method. Too bad high schools don’t teach Home Economics anymore. Because this video would definitely be in the 101 class of do it right and safely.
Okay-Update from Yesterday-Received the Whetstone, and It Works like a Gem. Did Both Calphalon 7" Santoku Knives, it was quick, easy and they both came Razor Sharp. Can't Thank you enough .:)
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Do you have a link to the plate?
Whats the knifes you recomend for 100€ budget? I got myself a Wüsthoff Classic Chef Knight.
Hey before I buy anything related to this video, were these items sponsored to be in the video or are these the personal recommendations of the chef?
Garbage - all of it.
Thank you.
This is just the kind of information that I needed !
-Cheers from Iceland 🇮🇸
This was a lot of fun to shoot. Thanks to the Epicurious team for always making it a good time.
This was a lot of fun to watch. Thanks to the Epicurious team for always making it a good time.
It was enjoyable to watch, so thanks for that!
@@huang111 This was fun to comment. Thanks to the Epicurious team for always making it a good time.
Thanks Chef Frank. You are the brightest star on this channel.
wow subscribed to your channel just now!
Frank isn't just a skilled chef, he's a skilled teacher too. He explains everything so well.
Z u
I guess everyone has their own level of trust, without research and common sense. No wonder inflation is going threw the roof today
@@greenmarine5 I don't know what inflation has to do with it, but my personal cooking and knife sharpening experiences have shown that Frank's tips are valid, and frankly, I'm doubtful of anyone who mixes up "through" and "threw."
@@greenmarine5 through*
except the honing. when cooks use mechanical engineering terms and don't know what it means i get kinda pissed.
Pro Tip. If you do drop a knife into your soapy water, use a clear glass tray or bowl and put it into the water (without filling it). It will push the soap suds out of the way and allow you to see the bottom of the sink like a see-through kayak.
OMG, I could have used that advice two weeks ago lol. My finger is healed now, though :)
Or just put your hand in super slowly and feel around slowly. you’ll never cut yourself if you don’t rush.
I always put my sharp items in a certain spot in my dishpan so I know where they are. So far, no cuts from washing them (but I usually cut myself when chopping!).
I usually use a fork and stick into the sink to lift up my sink strainer. I just wedge it in and slightly lift it up. Then I wait for all the water to drain and I can spot the knife from there!
I use a clear glass, feels like I'm SCUBA diving
Another tip that's not in the video, but might be in the comments already, is to NOT scrape food off the cutting board with the blade of the knife. I like to use the back of the knife to push food into the pot, etc.
This!! Such a pet peeve of mine when people drag their knife just to push food around the cutting board
@@deeeno6867Thanks for this tip!
this is seems stupidly simple and obvious now i've read it, and yet... here I've been, using the blade like an idiot
😂@@ignacionarbona2837
This was such a "duh" moment for me the moment I paused to think about it for half a second. I've been doing this for years.
As a Boy Scout, we visited the Grohman Knives factory in Pictou, NS. They taught us to sharpen our knives EXACTLY like this. A few years later in a competition, I used this method and was blasted because it wasn’t “Scout book” method. After feeling the sharpness of the blade, and relaying the story of how I learned it, I received a perfect score! That was some 40 years ago, and technology hasn’t improved it!
Great video!
Great example of the spirit of scouting. Knowledge of your seniors is really important, but if you have a way that's objectively better, it's not discouraged. Just depends on whether someone else might get in trouble when dealing with a technique they're not expected to know of. But in the spirit of a friendly context, it's great that you got the opportunity to explain your method, and got perfect score.
What was the "scouting way"?
There was one extremely important detail that was omitted here... This demo was done with a medium hardness (German) knife. For German steel, I totally agree with all of the details Frank mentioned. However, if you have a harder Japanese knife (or any high-carbon steel knife), you can't hone it with a steel honing rod like he showed. With some hardness levels, you can get away with a ceramic honing rod... but for many Japanese knives, you just really can't hone it. When those need a touch up, you have to go to a stone. That being said, those harder Japanese knives also need fewer touchups because of how hard they are.
Personally I love the hard steel Japanese blades, yes they tend to be more expensive but they keep their edge longer; they cut like nothing else but they are brittle - you really don't want to drop one on a hard floor (I've done it once & I still have nightmares about it!). But honestly do you really think I'm going to be using any one of my Japanese knifes hacking at anything!! HELL NO!!! These are for delicate, precision work and they are prefect at it! Use the right knife for the right job! You wouldn't use a spanner to tighten a screw!
I always use a wet stone, I've tried oil stones and I just found them too messy - not worth the extra time cleaning up afterwards. Talking of cleaning, the advice you gave was critical! Yes, a proper Chef's knife is going to cut through that sponge like it wasn't there. Never, ever leave these knives unattended for someone to pick up and seriously hurt themselves. I just say "Look, just don't touch my knives! I'm not being a jerk but please don't touch them unless I give you permission - you may get really hurt & your safety is my responsibility!"
I actually suggest that most people ditch the honing rod and use a leather strop instead, with or without honing compound. Leather contains silicates from the curing (tanning) process, so honing compound is not absolutely necessary, though it has some benefits. Stropping on leather has a similar effect to honing, and will work for _any_ hardness level of steel you will find in a knife. Leather stropping is also far more forgiving than honing on a rod, which can dull a knife if done incorrectly, especially since many rods are ridged or mildly abrasive (fine diamond hones and ceramic hones).
@@bloodgain so glad I clicked the down arrow on the reply's. was about to say the same thing!
@@bloodgain You're just a shill for Big Leather... admit it! We all know it's true.
:P
@@bloodgain leather is used on razors for a good reason
I see Frank. I click.
Anyway, he’s a great teacher. I learned a lot in the first minute already!
Have you heard he has his own channel? I'm guessing 99% you have but just in case you missed it, it's ProtoCooks and the content is gold.
@@Eric1SanDiego1 Hehe! Yes I’m already subscribed to it! It’s sweet that you’re spreading it though!
Same
I haven't learned anything new, still watched the whole video and loved it. Because Frank. :)
@@Eric1SanDiego1 didn't know that thanks
Hey Chef, great video!
Note from a mech engineer here who worked only about a decade with metals quality: 8:00 Don't worry about the temper on the blade, the temperature you will get with these grinders are not going to be high enough to mess up with the temper.
True, you can get burns from the hot knives after sharpening, so safety is indeed a concern. In my experience, people tend to resist up to approx. 120 degrees (50 C) on the palm of their hands (please, don't use this as a temperature check), and a grinding process may get WAY higher than that, but you'd need it to get to the 400-450 degrees range (200-230C) on a 1/16 -1/8 inch (1.5-3 mm) blade to start messing around with it. If it's stainless Steel, the temp can go even higher.
So pouring boiling water over them isn't a problem after all either? I always heard you aren't supposed to do that
A quick question, can't you just spray water while you are sharpening a knife?
@@anima94 Shouldn't have much of an effect. Unless you're using a knife with cheap and weak metal
Thank you for your input!
this is wrong, while the blade might be 200 F, the extremely thin edge where the most friction takes place will get much hotter than that and you can loose your temper.
I ordered the Sharp Pebble waterstone you recommended, and watched the technique section of the video a few times. Great tip on using a food scale to get the right finger pressure. I’ve never sharpened anything before, but WOW it worked great. The tomato test was a success. Thank you for putting this instructional together! Outstanding demo.
Good stone! Make sure you keep it flat, because, like all stones, they will hollow out after some use. When you notice it becomes less flat, you can draw a grid on the surface with a sharpy and then sand it down with fine wett-sanding paper stuck to a mirror, a diamond plate or something like that.
Terrible stones
@@bobcrane812 peopel say that and then everyone else has them being great, so imma have to doubt that
its bad, watchOUTDOOR55@@Maeve_Rose
@@Maeve_Rose These stones are very soft, which makes it harder to sharpen the knife and the stone wears out a lot sooner.
It also means that you'll probably need a flattening stone for it.
One trick that I find works really well to sharpen serrated knives is a string with a circular cross section (like a shoe lace) and some metal polish (i.e. in paste form). I tie one end of the string to a steady object, put some paste on the string, tension it by pulling on it with one hand, and with the other hand run the knife back and forth at an angle (of course) so that the string slides in each serration. I did this for a set of old table knives and they came out very well. :)
As a 60 yr. old culinary student this video is great to share with my classmates. I have not sharpened with a wet stone but can't wait to give it a go. The cleaning and storing I have always done as you have demonstrated, and my friends always said I was too picky, LOL! Thank you, Chef!!👨🍳
There's no such thing as being too picky when it comes to taking care of an investment like your knives.
I still have the first French chef's knife which I purchased in 1985, and while it has some wear it is still in great shape and is quite functional (and sharp!).
I had a disagreement with one of my aunts regarding knife care. There are general knives in the family kitchen, then there are mine. She went to take a coarse steel to one of mine and we had a "discussion" on what was and wasn't acceptable. The verdict was that she would use the general stuff and leave mine alone. I can definitely appreciate the pickiness :)
FYI - I'm a home cook, she's the trained one. I just treat my knives like my chisels - with respect and care.
He did it wrong.
Do one side on the 1000 till you build a bur.
Do the other side on 1000 till the bur flips.
Do the first side on 6000 till the bur flips.
Do the other side on 6000 till the bur flips.
Do a light slicing stroke at a higher angle on the 6000 with each side to remove the bur.
Wow, you've been a student cook for 60 years and you're old, yes you are. Your dedication to the art is impressive. Don't worry, I hope, I'm sure you will get it before you leave this world...😁
@@bendadestroyer There isn't only one way to sharpen a knife. His way is valid but not as efficient. Some people also use a circular motion to sharpen very dull knives and that doesn't create a burr.
Everything you've said in this video is bang on and any good chef out there would agree.I remember cooking when I was 18 and was very fortunate to be working at a Michelin star restaurant, though I didn't appreciate it at the time.I remember a chef showing me how to sharpen knifes with a water stone. He then took my knifes(Henckels set of 3) while I was prepping for evening service and put the most ridiculously sharp edge on all 3 of them. He came back and said "give those a try"....I was blown away. I didn't think a knife could get that sharp and cut with such little effort and accuracy.
I wish he would not show the thumb dragging method to amateurs, the ER rooms are filled with people with severe cuts trying to copying "chefs" on TV removing avocado pit by whacking it with a knife. Seriously, it is so bad they now make a tool for it. There are safer methods and you do not need to hold it in your palm and smack it like it was made of steel. It twist easily with skill. No huge force required.
I’ve watched a lot of whetstone sharpening videos, thank you Chef Frank for making it so much less complicated than everyone else! Great video!
I actually grew up right by a small fishing hut. They had a (quite large) grinding stone..
(sharpening stone)?
..right by the side of the fishing hut.
-I used to try it out
(it was foot powered, of course)
when I was a kid.
😁
-Just think, - I grew up when personal computers did not exist.
-A video recorder was brought into my home (by my pilot stepdad) when I was 14 !
-And 2 video films. My parents asked ❗ me. to not watch the film "Rosemary's Baby".
I did as they asked.
(I saw it many-many years later...and didn't really find it that bad) 😁
-However, I watched another film they (mom+stepdad) bought.
It was "THE OMEN".
(It's about a ("satanic") young boy).
-That film was absolutely terrifying ❗❗❗
Please, go back to Ukraine and put your mask back on.
Two years ago I switched from a manual sharpener to a water stone And I have to say what a difference it made. Before the switch, I watched so many Japanese chef demo videos in order to perfect my technique.
I use the stone too
The more tactile the process the better. I agree
If you have a wooden knife block with vertical slots, try putting your knives in upside down so the blade isn't dragging on the bottom of the slot every time you slide it in or pull it out. This works for almost all knives except for small parers, where the handle is heavier than the blade and naturally tends to pull the blade away from the bottom of the slot.
Ooh nice tip
Check if your knife block is self sharpening before you do that.
My brother told me that. My paring knives go in sideways, probably for that reason.
My mother in law came to visit for a month one time. She likes to cook, but like Dale Doback in Step Brothers I told her “DON’T TOUCH MY WÜSTHOF KNIVES…DON’T TOUCH THEM!’ I showed her the Costco set of kitchen knives she was welcome to use. I went away on a business trip for 3 days, and when I returned I found some of my knives missing. I asked about them and she told me they were in the dishwasher. I immediately took them out and also discovered the tip on one was a little mangled. Upon further inquiry, I discovered she used the knife to pry difficult lids off of glass jars. I was close to going out into the garage to get my shovel and some lye! 🙃😉🤣🤣🤣 She wanted to go to Target to buy replacements. But I said “no” and took her to Sur La Table, where I originally purchased the knives, and a few hundred dollars later she learned to NEVER use my personal kitchen knives again!
You should have traded up for newer models
Wife and mother in law I mean🤣
I got mine at Macy's during a Black Friday sale, probably 1/4 the price you paid at Sur La Table. It is the Pro S series.
Good for you!
@@garyday6512funny joke boomer
@@garyday6512 Way to get the point across!
Frank is the MAN! My son who was a cook in a top private club in the Midwest made the observation that 'Chefs obsess over their knives.' From Wusthoff Ikons to Global chef's knives the chefs insisted on owning and using the best. Frank's suggestions will keep a great knife sharp and in fine condition. Thank you, Frank!
Hi Clinton, how are you doing. I hope this year brings happiness prosperity love and peace all over the world. I'm Allyson from California nice to meet you.
@@allysonhanks7367 Hi Allyson, I'm Doug from Alabama, nice to meet you.
As my father was a butcher i have some experience with knifes. All the hints given here are wonderful and useful. Thanks for the video.
Thanks chef! I did that plate honing- it works...felt sharper and I could also see the difference looking 👀at the blade...not bad for a 3 out of 5 score.
I just want to say thank you! I have had nice knifes for a while now and I thought I was doing a good job of sharpening them. I realized after I watched this video and tried the techniques out that I was wrong. In two minutes he was able to explain proper knife sharpening techniques better than any of the 25 minute videos I’ve watched before. So thank you!
Another tip to keep your knives sharp is when you’re swiping your knife along a chopping board to transfer the food you’ve just chopped into your pan, flip your knife over so you’re not using the side with the blade so it won’t dull the blade
Flip it so you're not using the blade? So you're holding the blade and pushing food with the handle? I think you mean so you're not using the EDGE of the blade, but are using the back/spine of the blade.
@@seikibrian8641 urgh.
@@seikibrian8641 Everyone with half a brain understood what Amy meant, no need to be condescending
@@seikibrian8641 cringepilled
I'd honestly recommend getting a bench scraper instead for transferring from your chopping board. They're generally deeper so you can scoop more stuff in one trip with a thinner edge than the back of your knife, are easier to use for that job in my opinion, and safer because there isn't a sharp blade anywhere around. I used the knife to do the transfer for years but the first time I used a bench scraper for it changed my life and I moved the bench scraper to the drawer right next to where I do all my chopping so it's always immediately available.
Frank is my guy. His instruction has transformed my kitchen and elevated my skill. Frank-o-meter for the win!!! 😊
I just bought a nice set of Zwillinge knives and this video was right on time for me! I particularly appreciate the detailed how to on correctly using a wet stone. Thank you!
If you want to see Frank's scale tip (or just something more detailed), Master knife maker Bob Kramer has a similar video on sharpening . For the Japanese style, Korin's in house sharpener Vincent has done a series on YT.
Be careful to not also sharpen your thumbs lol I did
@@tiacho2893 Thanks for the tip, I did indeed check out Bob Kramer’s video. Very informative, but upon investigation also very pricey. For a real connoisseur who can afford it, he’s fantastic. For more ordinary folks on a real life budget, Frank is far more real world. I don’t mind paying a little more for reasonably good quality, and cooking lovely meals with decent tools is a great pleasure, but I don’t really need absolute top of the line for simple, every day family cooking.
@@bonitahyman yeah. I hope to be able to afford a Kramer someday but that is no time soon. He did a sharpening tutorial that can be applied to any knife. Same with Vincent from Korin. He sharpens for the shop and puts the same effort and skill when sharpening a hand forged knife or the relatively inexpensive Misono I use. A cheap knife will perform well if sharpened well and I use mine daily. Dull knives are a pet peeve for me.
@@tiacho2893 Yes, his tutorials are super helpful, especially for newbies like me. I hear you about dull knives too - I’ve become a bit spoiled by my nice new knives! How ya gonna get ‘em down on the farm once they’ve seen Paris? HA!!
I use Japanese high carbon cutlery. It is very important that you dry your knives as soon as possible, especially after cutting acidic vegetables or detergent cleaning. Not just because high carbon steel oxidizes very fast, but oxidation is a systemic attack on steel. Molecules oxidize equally on the blade surfaces, but at the very edge oxidation seems to take effect more quickly. It's that way with razor blades as well (just showed my age, still use them along with a 56-year-old Gillette double-edge razor and shaving soap and brush). I found your video enjoyable and learned a lot. Thank you.
Sir, you're great at teaching knife knowledge. Clear, relatable, complete. Thank you.
Please never stop doing these videos Chef Frank. You're the best.
Epicurious should go out of business for pushing lies and misinformation.
Pls elaborate, your comment worth nothing like this.
My roommate and I were talking about how dull our knives were the day before yesterday 😳 this video couldn't have come at a better time. I also learned that pretty much everything I thought I knew was wrong 😅
I'm guessing you have an iPhone or iPad. I swear they have an open microphone and monitor your conversation so they can direct personalized ads. It happens to my partner, an apple user, all the time.
@@stevenvachon9745 Not only Apple. Happens on Androids too. (Speaking of own experience)
@@stevenvachon9745 I don't have an apple product, but I do believe this. There have been stuff I've only ever talked about but never searched and I'll get ads for it. it's terrifying, but not really something I can change 😅 I just try not to say important numbers and stuff out loud just in case
@@stevenvachon9745 I actually think it's more that they could predict you would have a conversation about the topic based on your search and browsing history, even if you don't search for it directly. A way to test would be to find some random topic in the dictionary using dice rolls to come up with the page and entry, have a conversation about it, and then see if it comes up.
Talking about how sharp you’re knives are … you’ve been in lockdown too long!
I worked for years in a meatworks in New Zealand where your knives and steel were an extension of your hands. A sure way to risk cutting off your thumb is to hold the steel with the grip he is using - you should always curl your thumb forward over your index finger knuckle. This reduces the potential damage to losing a thumb/forefinger tip or getting a nasty cut into the meat of the heel of your hand. Fortunately, we wore chainmail gloves at work, but we learned the proper grip in case of preparing food at home and forgetting that you aren't wearing a glove.
I don't know much about knives in that sense, but one time I was using an art x-acto knife (designed similar to a pencil but with a bladed tip, for drawing cuts into paper), and I wasn't paying enough attention and held it like a pencil. Sliced into the back of one of my fingers. Definitely possible to forget an important detail while doing a familiar action.
Very well-made video!
A lot of people think they sharpen their knives by using a honing steel...they are not.
The honing steel is just to straighten that edge one has built up by sharpening the knife....nothing more.
When done with the sharpening stone, I like to use a fine 10.000 grid stone to polish my edge.
It really makes a difference and the edge is literally a mirror afterward.
A serrated knife is a pita to sharpen but it can be done. I use a diamond-coated stick to do so. A couple of "grinds" in each serration and then flatten the back side with a fine 1500 grid stone/wet-sandpaper. If you just use it for bread and the like it keeps sharp for years.
Most "knife sharpeners" are just garbage and expensive too. If I have a really dull knife, from someone that wants it sharp, I grind it at first. I have a wet stone on a bench grinder that does the job. Afterward, I polish it on a cloth wheel with some polishing wax on it. It gets razor sharp by that time. To maintain it I recommend the same method you show in the video. :)
Washing: don't forget to properly clean the handle. As always, this was a great clear and concise video, Chef Frank!
Chef Frank, I enjoyed watching this video, and learned from it. I have a safety tip that you should have mentioned. Since I was a boy scout I was taught that the 1st rule in working with knives is to keep the cutting edge pointing away from body parts. In the future please make a point of driving home this safety policy. I know you are experienced so this may be less important for you to embrace but the majority watching this are not. In most of your video you were pretty good at demonstrating this rule until you came to washing. I suggest that the blade stay facing away, and the sponge be turned so it is above the blade, then below the blade. Also, that the knife stays still and the sponge be moved up and down the blade. I think you'll agree that there's much more control of the sponge than holding a 10" or longer knife by the handle and sliding it. Hope you and future readers of this comment take this safety message to heart.
Yeah, I have often grabbed a knife and rotated the edge away after someone set it down with the blade facing us. I have seen other chefs do the same. Most Chefs do it automatically. It is just one sign of you being a chef vs a cook.
Having tried several whetstone sharpening methods, I like yours the most. It feels the most natural and smooth to carry out. Thank you.
Packed with Easy to follow Instructions, Systematically presented resulting in maintaining (perhaps) the most important kitchen tool safely and for a lifetime. Thanks a million Chef!
Thanks Chef Frank. I've been sharpening knives in pretty much the same way that you do for years, but it's good to get confirmation from a professional such as you.
Thanks for a brilliant video. I have tried so many knife sharpeners over the decades that I have lost count. Only last week I tried a whetstone that I used for sharpening my DIY tools on my kitchen knives. Your video confirms that I am on the right track. Much appreciated 👍
Whet stones work on axes too. I turn a cheap Harbor Freight Tools one into a real one by giving it a proper edge.
When sharpening on a stone and you don't have a guide, don't use dimes, etc. , use the edge of the knife to dictate the angle to use.
Place the knife, almost flat, on the stone and, with a gentle pressure, edged facing away from you, slowly (faster than a snail move the knife forward. As you move forward, slightly increas the angle of the blade until you feel a slight drag... It isn't smooth anymore. This is the angle of grind on *your* knife, not someone else's.
Do this several times, figuring out speed, pressure (just a few ounces, doesn't take much) and angle until you can do it easily for each kmife. Then, you're set for life because that's a permanent skill.
I'm very surprised they didn't show that, here because it takes about five seconds to show and a lot longer to write. 😉
If you're afraid of cutting yourself while using a steel... Slow down! You don't have to go as fast as the pros and there is plenty of lengt on a *good* steel (mine's 12") to be safe.
Also, you can buy a steel with a cross guard to protect your fingers and, if all else fails, hold the steel with a kitchen towel on your hand. If you slip, you'll have time to stop before you damage yourself.
Also, this is important and should have been said, you'll (hopefully) only buy one steel in your life, if/so you buy a *good one.*
If a steel is short (8"), feels "nice and light and easy to use..." *Don't buy/use it.* It's not made of good material, will wear out fast and never do a good job to begin with. Many inexpensive "sets" that come with a block and steel include a junk steel to make you think you're getting more for your $$. When buying an inexpensive knife set, the more you get with it, like a block, steel, sharpener, etc., the less knife quality you get. (Unless you're buying some very expensive, high end set).
Buy a quality, heavy, (poss. German made) honing steel. If it's too heavy, learn the "point down on the table" method. It will cost around $25-$50 (dep. upon maker and where you buy, try eBay/Amazon) for a tool that A) Lasts you a loong time, if not a lifetime for an avg. home cook.
B) will do a *good job* of keeping your knives sharp which means less actual sharpening which means your knives last longer and saves you many more times the cost of a good steel. And, you'll like the way it feels to have a truly sharp blade when you need it. 😀
He also should have mentioned that every so many hours OR any time you're cutting meat on the bone (a chicken, boning steaks, etc., etc.) you will make slight bends in the edge of the blade. This folds the "burr" of the edge over and makes it snag and drag while you cut. So, anytime you cut into anything but pure meat or vegetables or if you do a lot of chopping, etc. against a hard surface (cutting board), always run your knife over your steel frequently during and once after you're done cutting. That way, you always pick up a sharp knife. You'll be happy, trust me! 😀
For the avg. home cook, having a good quality set of knives is a necessity but they see it as a luxury. The best bang for the money is Vcitorinox (think Swiss army knife) which is what's found in many pro kitchens/butcher shops. They were Forschner/Victorinox and originally just Forschner. All variants are still available (eBay) and the older ones had much better steel, as is with all now. Victorinox comes with a lifetime guarantee, good steel, long lasting. Find 'em on eBay (new and used), Amazon and Walmart.com sells a seven piece (w/smaller steel) set for $139, comes with a canvas storage roll ("eh...") and has an 8" chef's knife (most common), straight boning knife, paring knife, an off-angle bread/sandwich knife (I really like mine, good for other things, too) and a straight slicer/tomato knife and a 9" steel. The steel is "ok" but, I'd ultimately upgrade.
This set will do 95% of a home chef's tasks, for a very long time. There is also a "pro BBQ set" for $100 more that you don't need unless your an advanced meat cutter.
If you just want the basics, an 8" or 6" Victorinox chef's knife ($27-40+/-) which is plenty for most and will be your go-to, everyday knife.
A semi-stiff, 6" boning knife ($30+/-), a paring knife ($25+/-)
and a 7" bread/slicing knife ($35+/-).
That will get it done.
As an option (for your turkey, chicken and rib roast needs), an 8" carving knife ($30-45+/-) would be a perfect addition to round things out.
And a good, 10-12", heavy steel w/finger guards will keep things sharp.
This set will absolutely take care of 98% of your standard, kitchen tasks and will last you a lifetime. Not only do they last, they make cutting and cooking *much* easier and even fun, when you're not struggling with dull, cheap knives. I know people who won't cook because they have crappy knives and it's just too much hassle.
So, even though you'll pay more at first (try used on eBay, great deals there) everytime you pick up your knives, you'll smile.
Excellent tips! Thanks for taking the time to type it up!
1. Dish washers don't ruin the temper of steel edge because of temperature alone - it is not high enough.
Instead, a chemical process occurs starting with water - in itself quite aggressive - and rather aggressive detergent. Hence the recommendation not to let finer knives soak (too long).
2. A honing steel rod has very fine longitudinal serrations, much like a file. Doesn't work for serrated knives the way it was shown. Use a ceramic honing rod instead.
3. Wooden cutting boards are best if made from endgrain. Endgrain will quietly part when knife edge is applied. Sidegrain will be cut, leading to wear. Also, endgrain accepts e.g. oil maintanence better.
agreed that a dishwasher will not ruin a temper but is still a no go for knives.
It is the caustic chemicals, not the heat.
I still use thick plastic cutting boards, easier to clean and sanitize. I do have a bamboo set though.
Great video. Out of desperation while helping a family member cook I actually did sharpen a knife on the honing steel. It took about 45 minutes but it definitely went from dull to sharp enough to cook.
Some knife needs tested different honing rods, including ceramic, and they remove material.
It appears they can cut away misaligned edges, so an extent, but under a microscope it was obvious that a stone would produce a much cleaner edge.
I appreciate you explaining the difference between the various types of instruments!!! I just sharpened my knives by following your video!! ❤️
I love Frank! He's so genuine and funny and just a joy to watch in every Video he's in!
Frank is so funny especially when it’s his episode
1:38 "It's like a whisper!"
This is such a great educational piece. I've watched it several times myself, shared it with all of my siblings, and with friends. Thirteen minutes well spent.
if sharpening skill was a book this video was a foreword. Just fast quick point with no real meaningful information.
This man is a real Chef. Love him, thanks Franky.
A point of clarification: all sharpening, of anything, is "shaving the metal down to get it sharp." That's what the water stone does as well. The reason the swarf is perhaps more visible or noticeable with the pull-through sharpener is because the abrasives in it are much rougher, producing larger particles. But, understand that *all* sharpening operations are meant to remove metal and any tool that you sharpen and then plan to use to prepare food should be washed to remove the waste material.
i am currently working on my cert 2 and this is very helpful too someone that is new to cooking and has not had much experience this was explained very well and easy for anyone at any level to understand sharpening my knives is something that i have struggled with but after watching this i think i have a better understanding and can use the skill shown to improve my sharpening skills to have a well maintained knife.
This is a seriously good video. I sharpen chisels and wood planes until I could shave with them but have always found knives difficult. Great advice. 👍🏻
Huge part of sharpening with a stone is burr management. All youre doing is filing a piece of metal. Just like large scale filing, you get a tiny burr on your knife. You shape the blade on rough surface, dragging away from edge, and that creates a burr on the edge. You then go to fine grit and work harden the burr there until it falls off. Try it, you can feel the burr with youe thumb if you pay attention. Honing steel does the final work and aligns the edge. When knives go dull, half the time the edge is just folded over into a burr from some brute dragging the blade sideways across cutting boards and other surfaces. Honing steel folds it right up and so does any other metal surface, so dragging a knife across a knife works in a pinch. Just like rest of cooking:once you understand the inner workings of it, you can do it easily. I sharpen my knives twice a year and i cook for hours almost every fay
Okay but what's a burr 😂......you need to explain it like no one knows.
@@orphanoforbit7588 Burr is leftover metal that sticks to the piece that you're filing.
Seriously go take a file to some metal, it all makes sense once you understand how metal works.
You're absolutely correct, I never heard it explained as work hardening the burr but that's exactly right
Superb tutorial! Bewildering range of
sharpeners on the market and difficult to know the good from the bad. Your demonstrations and explanations very clear and easy to understand. Now I would not shy away from buying a stone. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Great job.
Thank you for this. You are the first person who explained in simple plain English how to sharpen a knife. Myself, like a lot of other people, thought the steel sharpened the knife, now I know better.
Frank, I’ve been watching a bunch of vids on sharpening kitchen knives. I appreciate your approach in saying a bunch in a short amount of time. All solid info - Thanks!
I sharpen my 10" chef's knife, every 2 years, you could set your calendar to it. it's the knife I use for everything including fileting fish. I use the hone as needed between sharpenings and my family still believes it's scary sharp before I even put it to the stone. good work frank, you explained things well
Huh? What kind of knife is it? Do you know the brand or the type of steel?
This was so helpful! Most of my knives are duller than Jon Snow. Will get a water stone. Thanks!
I use water stones for my kitchen knives and wood working tools. The only real drawback is that they tend to be more expensive than oil stones and they wear faster (a good thing when sharpening). But the wear will never be an issue for home use. One thing is that they are a bit delicate (like ceramics) and will break if accidentally dropped. Diamond "stones" like DMT's are even more expensive but won't break if dropped and also use water when sharpening.
If you're knives are really dull I wouldn't start at 1000 grit, 600 or so will get you to where you need to be before you hit the 1000. Otherwise you'll be sitting there rubbing your knife back and forth all day before it's back to sharp
Experience has taught me that when you use a magnetic strip it's best to put the knives with the handles above the magnet not below. That way any vibrations won't cause the knives to eventually fall.
Also never mount the magnet on a surface that gets hot. Heat destroys magnetic properties.
Counterpoint: with big knives, getting lightly knocked can also sometimes jar them loose as they lever themselves off of the magnet - and it's far safer for both anything on the counter (like your hands) and also for your knife if it falls handle-first.
@@DiningTablePrintPlay For larger knives I use 2 magnets, one up by the heel and the other closer to the tip.
I've always worked in kitchens where the most convenient spot for knives on a magnetic holder ended up being on the side of a refrigerator. Lots of vibrations.
Thank you for this interesting video. Being an engineer, I sharpen my knives on a sharpening stone using cooking oil and wash them thoroughly when finished. My family and friends have ripped the p*** out of me for doing so. I was so pleased to see this video. I will upgrade to a wet stone from now on. The other thing I am over the top about is leaving sharp knives and scissors in a bowl of water. I have pestered my family to no end to wash and dry the sharp knives and scissors and then put away. It is a never-ending battle for me. In my job, I have seen so many nasty cuts from bad practices that I must admit, I am over the top with it. When I was about 15 or 16 years, staying at my aunties house, my cousin Richard who was training to be a butcher showed me how to hone a knife on a honing rod. He was very fast and precise doing it. I tried and after a while of doing good and getting faster, I almost sliced my left thumb off which resulted in a visit to the hospital. I still have the scar some 54 years later and have never used on since. Thank you for sharing this video with us.
You need to use honing oil Bernie! No washing, just wiping when you're done. It's less messy than wet stones. As an engineer you should know.
I am 52. Never sharpened a knife in my life. Watched this, ordered a whetstone and now I have to warn the kids "the knives in the kitchen are sharp now!" (we have a honing tool, and now I know that's not enough, nor should it be used "to sharpen") 1000x thank you
For checking to see if my knife is sharp, I point it towards a bright light source, sharp edge up. Then I look for any reflection. If there's little points of light, those are dull spots. If there is no reflection, it's sharp.
I'd like to say I have a bone to pick about the first method. I have the exact same whetstone, and a fairly nice set of both stainless steel and antique carbon steel kitchen knives, and I use both regularly. I use my own variation of Frank's first method on both. My first difference is that rather than dragging the cutting edge across the stone, I push it across. So the stone travels from edge towards the spine of the knife as it sharpens. Doing it the way Frank describes causes what I describe as a "foil" of metal to build up on the apex of the knife blade, which is the material that has been slightly abraded away from the edge of the blade, bringing the two sides closer together at a point (making it sharper), except there's this foil of metal that will fold over onto the side that you're not working at the moment. As soon as you flip it over, that foil folds over the apex onto the other side with the first stroke and it never breaks off! This will eventually end up in your food, and then in your guts! When you push the blade across the stone, that abraded material moves towards the spine of the knife, not the apex of the blade, leaving nothing at your leading edge except a perfect blade. Of course, it takes a little more practice and care not to gouge your stone or your knife or you'll be honing a nick out of your knife.
And I really feel like those honing steels are worthless, although they are popular, so maybe I'm wrong about them, and if used often, maybe they work to keep a knife tuned up. But I feel like my next method after a good whetstone sharpening once or twice a year really puts the razor edge finishing touch on my knives (seriously, I can shave the fine hairs off my arms after I do this next step.) I got an old leather belt, and some red polishing rouge. I secured the belt on my table so it ran over the top of a couple books and used a little strap on the underside of the table to pull it tight and secure it, gave it a good dressing with the rouge, and THIS was where you have to pull your knives across that belt with the blade edge dragging. But you can really see how it dresses the edge of the blade and finishes the job. And the sharpness of the blade between these two steps is night and day, as well as helping the longevity. Your knives will be SCARY sharp with this method, and they will hold their edge for about six months, with no honing every time you use them.
That blue and white whetstone is a great product though. Rubber footing on the holding block base so it won't slip on your table, and a rubber grommet around the base of the stone so the stone won't slip in the base.
The thing is they used their knives a LOT MORE that's why they use honing steel on their knives frequently
Good info here. @5:01 The entire process of sharpening a blade is "honing"; and the guide @2:59 is called a "honing guide". Also, keep your water stone submerged in water using a plastic container - I've had the same stone submerged for >5 years (Norton water stones).
I tried the plate thing - IT WORKED !! That was a serious pro-tip.
Nice tips and yes, I am using two wooden knife blocks in the kitchen
and place the knifes with the blades to the top in the vertical slots.
I found with the manual sharpener you need to be lighter than with a stone. If you push too hard it vibrates, like it is in the video, and creates kind of a wobbly edge.
the manual that came with mine specifically stated not to push too hard because it may make your knife duller rather than sharper for this reason.
What the guy in the video did was definitely way to hard.
@@RoloFilms I have one at work and hated it until I figured that out now it's passable. 3/5
Pull-throughs are just a bad idea in general for knives. Takes off way too much material compared to freehand or other manual methods (sharpening system, belt, or otherwise). Same goes for electric and carbide sharpeners. Freehand on stones is always the best way even if it's harder to do.
@@andreigolovik3047 it really depends on how often you use and sharpen your knives. This is all based on super regular use, while I'll use my knife maybe 3-4 times a week for 10-20 minutes. No need to sharpen it daily in that case. So shaving off some material really isn't that big a deal when you don't sharpen it as often.
@@andreigolovik3047 learning to use a stone, yes, is the best. But a pull through is definitely good enough for most people's home knives. and if they're taking off a ton of material you're probably pushing too hard. From my experience, you almost don't want to push down at all on them.
I have that same stone. I'd also recommend a 400 grit diamond plate for cases where the blade is chipped.
I would not. Diamond plates have abrasive sticking up above the surface of the stone and tear up your edge. You then have to remove more edge material on later stones to remove all the damaged done by the diamond plate. Very few kitchen knives have steel that needs diamonds to sharpen. Any decent 80-200 grit stone can easily remove damage from kitchen knives.
Alright!!! Am I first in line for dibs on Frank coming to my house to sharpen my knives? Maybe will see if he has time to make my holiday turkey while he's here! Love ya Frank! ... hmmm I wonder what method Lorenzo uses for sharpening his knives, or I bet he invites Frank over too.
Would make a great charity prize.
Wow! You have really taught me a lot about cleaning knives. Didn't know not to put them in the dishwasher. I never knew the correct way to use a rock. Until now. Thank you so much.
Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?
I just realized I do almost everything wrong with my knives… thanks for a fun and instructive video!
If you pay attention to the geometry of your knife edge, (for example my Shun Santuko) Taking a quality fine grit Arkansas stone to it can give you a razor edge. There shouldnt be much of a burr, or at all. Then slide it on your honing steel and rinse. This knife has been a razor blade for me. It retains the edge so good. I only use it for vegetables, and slicing meats (no bones) on plastic cutting surfaces. I've owned my Shun for 2 years now and use it for most of my cooking and I have not chipped, or damaged it what-so-ever. But a (fine) Arkansas stone does the job for me. It Finely cuts even the hardest steels no problem, and leaves the best finish.
One thing that I feel is overlooked in most sharpening and maintaining videos from culinary professionals is stropping. It's somewhat similar to that of a honing steel, where you can do it between uses, maybe once every couple of weeks. Any piece of leather will do on its own, where you can lightly run the knife edge along it in the same way you would with a whetstone. The leather can even be loaded with a buffing compound that could be found at any hardware store. This can take sharp edges to the next level of sharpness and can have far better sharpness results when maintaining between actual sharpening of the knives. I prefer this personally over a honing steel.
I maintain with a strop -- I have steels and ceramic rods, but I've never found them to be useful. However, a leather strop coated with the green Veritas compound maintains a mirror polish on my edge and lets me go for as long as a month without going back to the stones.
That is because chefs are too busy to strop, only hobbyist ever bother doing it. You are not an 18th century barber where it was required.
@@toriless stropping takes maybe 5-10 minutes and might need done once every week or 2. That's not much of a time sink in my opinion and it does a heck of a lot better job than a honing steel.
I'm definitely getting a stone.
As for storage, I also like the magnetic strip, but I by far prefer the ones where the magnets are hidden behind the wood because I really don't like the idea of my precious super-sharp knives being placed against harshly angular metal strips. If the knife doesn't go on or off the strips evenly then the cutting edge could get dented or knicked, and there's the risk of the blade getting scratched.
Awesome video! I have been sharpening knives for years. I used to sharpen knives for hunters and fisherman. You nailed it. The only difference for me is I use a sharpening set that holds my knife at the perfect angle and I use oil. Great video!
Thank you Chef for explaining the best method for Sharpening a Knife. I have 2 Calphalon 7" Santoku Full Forged German Steel Knives that I use the most. Little did I know that Honing was the reason I wasn't getting a Sharp edge. Tomorrow I get the Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone delivered and can't wait to use it. I'm confident that with a little practice as you have demonstrated, this will do the Job. It's Very Hard to find these expensive knives, and since mine are still in Great Shape, I know this will be the solution. :)
At 5:38, that sinking feeling when you notice the editing team used % for angles instead of degrees. It's even more messed up when you think about the math behind it. But at least Chef Proto is on top of things! Would love a more extended discussion on water stones from him. Really intelligent and friendly presentation.
Get out :D
I used japanese wet stones for years until I purchased a quality diamond stone. (Also uses water)
The diamond stone works faster, is more consistent, and you don't need to flatten the stone regularly.
Thank you for this. When you say _quality_ diamond stone, how do you know which ones are good or bad?
DMT makes good stones. Waterstones are obsolete.
Thank you Frank!! Quick, easy, chock full of helpful information.
It's me Usama here.
Your are so confident
Deliverd a very useful video
I like it.
Please gide us more
I just have started cookery class and this video really helps me out a lot for the handling of knife and the way to sharpen. Thanks a lot.
All of Frank’s advice here rings true to me, and matches with my experience over 40+ years of at-home cooking.
On knife storage, I too have no counter space to give up for a block, AND no convenient wall space for a magnetic strip. So, I mounted a magnetic strip INSIDE a shallow drawer under my cooktop. Cutting boards and knives are all in the same place, and the knives don’t bang into each other and get dull.
I use wet stones, too. In my experience, methodical resharpening every 1-2 months can be done with a very high grit stone and a good leather strop with honing compound. It takes a really short time and the results are outstanding and very predictable.
A dish washer will not ruin the temper of your steel. The abrasive soap will likely dull the knife much faster than hand washing but it will not ruin the temper of the knife. Even if you are considering the 200 C mark as sighted in the video most dish washers barley get to around 120 C for internal temperature.
I have no idea if it can ruin the temper or not, but I'm guessing they meant 200 F-- which is well below 120 C.
Dishwashers are bad because the water sits on them and dulls the edge that way. Basically micro rusting. If you have a wooden handle it could cause it to crack as well.
@@heylookachicken4152 If they meant 200 F then it is even worse. 200 F isn't even a remote fantasy for effecting the temper on steel.
@@HH-le1vi Ya, between the abrasive powdered soap and them not getting completely dry, dishwashers are pretty bad for knives.
He said that 200º will ruin the temper. I can start to affect it at 200º, but it's at 200º _C_ , not _F_ . That's *400ºF* ! Not a chance your dishwasher is heating to 200ºC/400ºF (not least because bacteria is killed at 155-175ºF or about 75ºC). I mean, shoot: the centigrade scale is BASED ON THE FACT that water boils at 100ºC (212ºF). What do you think would happen if you heated a dishwasher to DOUBLE its boiling point? Hint: you wouldn't hear a whole lot from your drain cycle.
The first thing I do when entering a professional kitchen, especially one that I'm not familiar with, is plunge my hands deep into the soapy, opaque sink and root around for a while. You can learn a lot this way 😂
Good job Chef Frank. First time I have ever seen anybody explaing honing with a steel.
Idk what they’re paying Frank but it’s not enough. This guy is a legend!!!
When using a magnetic knife holder I always have the back of the knife make contact first to store them, thus avoiding the sharp edge from hitting against it. When removing I twist it slightly so the blade comes away first and then I pull, which protects the blade and makes it easier to remove them because the magnet isn't holding as much metal.
I love how I clicked on just to see how Frank does this and I do the same thing. My dad loves to use some kind of hand stone idk what it is but it works and I used it for most of my cooking life living with him but as I said I do the same as Frank because it makes me feel better while cooking with them. I also use scallions quite often because I LOVE them so whenever I can use them I do.
I have a knife block so they are greatly stored and I have so much counter space it doesn't look so empty all the time.
And who doesn't clean knives by hand? Like I'm not going to lie I have been taught to NEVER put them in a dishwasher mainly because of safety reasons but as I do this for years it's weird to even think about how someone just puts it in a dishwasher not thinking about it at all.
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Phone : yeeted
Body :heated
Holy water : needed
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the ceramic plate trick helped me immensely, cooking at friends' houses with low quality knives, unattended since the dawn of time, giving them life back out of nothing. using it as a wetstone by soaking the plate actually gave me good results, sub par with my actual wetstone but surely much much more than a honing, with extremely noticeable improvements.
I just carry a decently sharpened pocket knife for those occasions: A simple, cheap carbon steel Opinel N°10. Dull kitchen knives are a nightmare.
I’ve also successfully used the bottom of a coffee cup.
I appreciated the part about knowing if your knife is sharp, as demonstrated with the green onions. I'd heard that crunching sound and thought it was because of my 'mighty' knife! 😆 Now I know better.
It was interesting to find out about the plate method. Also the knife roll.
I had one of those magnets and I hated it because the knives always fell off! I had to get a new set of knives because a couple ended up with damaged tips. Now I have a wooden tray with narrow grooves that the knives lie in inside a drawer, with the sharp sides facing down.
Don't forget to wash the handles of the knives, too!
Get you someone who cares about you as much as this man cares about his knives
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Great video, although I wish he would have talked about honing with a strop, since using steel on Japanese knives is a no-no.
Most pros don't use Japanese knives unless they came up doing Asian food. Less applicable for younger cooks, but certainly for someone of franks generation, pros used German.
@@methyod many pros use asian. Its what you want:japanese for ultra sharp and thin blades that are easy to cut eith, german if you fall for the meme
The main difference between German and Japanese knives is the hardness of the metal. German is 52Rc heat treat I believe while Japanese is 62Rc. Thats why Japanese holds an edge better, but it also makes it more brittle. If you drop a Japanese knife it may shatter, a German one will likely bend. Of course there are style differences too but these days you can get one steel with another style, my German chefs knife is a Japanese shape for example. A pro will choose the knife based on their specific need, not memes
@@LamboGallardo560 true. A real pro knows the best kitchen knife is chinese cleaver.
Awesome video and great info except for 1 detail. The steel of a knife can handle MUCH higher temps that 200 degrees Fahrenheit in a dishwasher without changing the temper of the steel. It would take north 400 degree Fahrenheit or more to begin to affect the temper of the steel. Higher quality steel might require a bit higher temps to affect the temper.
I was also wondering if my dishwasher can even get to 200F, I think my water is set to 140F
@@joshportelli Hahaha.... That's a good point. However, there is a heating element in the bottom of the dishwasher. Not sure it that is capable of heating the water or not though.
This was extremely informative. It told me everything I have to know. I only have one chef knife and I do most of the things that it showed in your tutorial being that I live alone I store the knife on my counter, just laying on a towel. Thanks for all the useful information
This is the fricking best knife sharpening video ever. Sharp knives are a joy in the kitchen. I learned so much in this video. it is a keeper in my private stash. I had all the knife sharpening tools you talked about even the water stone. But I never learned the right way to use it. I never used the honer the right way either. This was just the best. I am so excited to learn how to do something right.Thank You Thank you Thank You. 👍❤️👍❤️👍❤️👍👍❤️👍❤️👍❤️👍
I'm super happy to learn that I was already doing things good. I have learned some improvement that I'll apply, but basically I was correct on all the steps (especially on how to use a water stone ^^). I just have to store my knives in a drawer (I have a small kitchen), but I was taking care that they can't move in the drawer, and especially that blades cannot hit things (with some compartments that I made from wood).
It's always great when a professional basically tells you what you were doing (because it felt like the "right way") is actually one of the right ways.
Every knife maker sells blade covers (from cheap plastic to beautiful wood fitted to the specific blade shape) and it keeps your knifes sharper longer. The worst thing for a sharp edge made of hard steel is to hit another piece of hard steel on edge. Just imagine what cutting on a stainless steel countertop will do to a knife. Loose in a drawer is similar but much slower and your dividers are a good solution.
I would say that a cheap plastic blade cover is still a good idea though. It keep the edge from hitting anything for a drawer that is opened and closed a lot.
Magnets on the side of the refrigerator work great, and the knives are right there. No need to open the drawer
@@collaldridge6506 It seems so, but in my kitchen the refrigerator is covered on the sides by wooden walls, so I can't use this kind of storage. It is an appartment I don't own, thus I cannot change the kitchen's furnitures. I would love to have that kind of gadget, though.
Frank being self aware of his memes makes him more adorable, but also give us less stuff to comment about :P
like, if you come to my home to sharpen my knives, I will have to show hospitality and offer tea, home-made snacks, and a light meal ...... to get more tips from you about my cooking :P
As I've gotten more in to woodworking, i now have a set of water stones to 8000 grit and a ceramic stone to 12000 grit for chisels and planes. Usually I dont go above 3000 grit for my Henckel kitchen knives though. Curiously, Id ask if there is a preference or right vs wrong way of sharpening the blade for pushing the knife towards the edge vs pushing away from the edge for sharpening??
Hi Andrew, how are you doing. I hope this year brings happiness prosperity love and peace all over the world. I'm Allyson from California nice to meet you.
I've heard that you "pull" the blade to create the "feathers" then use the steel hone to "straighten" the feathers.
also, hold the blade to a bare light bulb. If you can see the edge - it isn't sharp enough. a rounded edge reflects light.
But what do I know - I'm here to learn.
@@peterdarr383 Hi Peter Happy new Year to you.
I have a glass cutting board. It wrecked my knives, so I repurposed it for watercolor painting where it works beautifully. :)
I've been sharpening scythes, machetes, chainsaws and always knives but never knives with a wet stone as I'd use the honing thingy. I'll give it a try.
Great video. I'll watch more.
All my knives are always razor sharp. I’ve been using whetstones for at least 22 years now.
Using the bottom of a plate or coffee cup for the abrasiveness of the ceramic, I can't tell you how many times I have rented a cabin in the mountains or the beach that had terribly dull kitchen knives. Using this method, I have always been able to put a blade on a house knife that would get the job done. So glad to get back home to my real knives!
For my western knives I use a belt sharpening system for a super sharp (17.5 degrees per side) Scandi grind. The Japanese knives, your dead on using water stones after all the Japanese have kind of proven the method. Too bad high schools don’t teach Home Economics anymore. Because this video would definitely be in the 101 class of do it right and safely.
mm
Okay-Update from Yesterday-Received the Whetstone, and It Works like a Gem. Did Both Calphalon 7" Santoku Knives, it was quick, easy and they both came Razor Sharp. Can't Thank you enough .:)