Questions asked of a Knife Sharpener

While I am working in my knife sharpening stand some of the questions I get asked are the same ones -- so I thought I would write about them here on the blog.

"Is this knife worth sharpening," or "Is this knife expensive enough to be worth sharpening." My stock answer is if you want to use a knife, you should use it sharp! If the handle is broken or whatever such that you don't use it then of course don't have it sharpened. If you use it — sharpen it. My analogy is a car -- if you drive it, then wash it. 

I get asked a lot "Does this knife need sharpening?" I don't like this question, as it is more of a value judgement. A knife can always be sharper -- and the user pretty much needs to make the call. Is the user happy with how easily it cuts? I mention the tomato test — if it slices a tomato I would be happy with it. Back to my car analogy -- if you take a car to a car wash, they wash it, they don't try to decide if it is clean enough for the driver -- they just make it cleaner. 

"Can this knife be sharpened?" Some features of a knife -- like a granton edge -- makes some people think that it can't be sharpened. While I am happiest sharpening a plain edged knife -- almost without exception all knives can be sharpened.

"Is this knife too old to sharpen?" Knives don't age like for example a car. Any knife any age — as long as the blade and handle are in serviceable — can be sharpened just fine, and used for many years!

Visit my knife sharpening website for additional details by clicking HERE.