PSA: I used to think a sharp knife was just a sharp knife. I was wrong.

For years, I just used a steel on my main chef's knife before every shift. Thought that was enough. Then I worked a pop-up in Chicago last fall, and the head chef made me put my knife on his 1000/6000 grit whetstone. The difference was insane. My old method just straightened the edge. The stone actually ground a new one. Cuts through tomato skin like it's air, no pressure at all. I do a full stone sharpening every three weeks now, steel in between. My prep time dropped by a solid 20 minutes because I'm not fighting the food. Anyone else make this switch and notice how much easier service gets?

3 comments

3 Comments

angela_wilson781mo agoMost Upvoted

But isn't a steel good enough for most home cooks, @avery366?

avery3662mo ago

Totally feel you on the "cuts through tomato skin like it's air" thing. I had the same lightbulb moment a couple years back after just using a pull through sharpener forever. Getting a decent stone and learning the angle changed everything, it's like you're not even working against the food anymore. I was so shocked at how much less effort it took for basic stuff like dicing an onion. What kind of stone are you using now?

mitchell.shane1mo ago

Are you using a combo stone or just a single grit? I started with a cheap 1000/6000 and honestly it was still night and day compared to my old pull through sharpener, I couldn't believe I'd been struggling with dull knives for years. Dicing onions used to be a tear jerking chore and now it's just quick and easy, feels like cheating lol.