Sharpening &
Blade Care
A dull blade needs more force, and force is what makes a knife slip. Ten minutes with a stone keeps the edge cutting cleanly and under control.
Know where the edge is pointing. Keep the hand that holds the stone or the sharpener behind the edge, and never test sharpness on your thumb.
Is It Dull?
Two quick checks that keep your fingers away from the edge.
The Paper Test
- Hold a sheet of paper by its top edge
- Slice down into the top edge, away from your hand
- Sharp cuts cleanly. Dull tears the paper or slides off it
The Light Test
- Hold the knife edge-up under a bright light
- A sharp edge is too thin to reflect, so you see nothing
- Bright spots along the edge are flat or chipped patches
Find the Angle
Most pocket and outdoor knives are sharpened at about 20 degrees on each side. Heavier working blades use about 25. Holding the same angle on every stroke matters more than the exact number.
Find It by Halving
- 1 Stand the blade straight up on the stone. That is 90 degrees
- 2 Tip it halfway to flat. That is 45
- 3 Halve it again. That is about 22, close to where you want to be
Make It Easy
- Lock your wrist and move from the shoulder and elbow
- Go slowly. Speed comes later
- A guided or pull-through sharpener sets the angle for you
Sharpen on a Stone
Works with any flat stone or diamond plate. Use the coarse side only when the edge is dull or chipped, and the fine side to finish.
Get Ready
- 1 Put the stone on a flat surface with a damp cloth under it so it can't slide
- 2 Wet or oil the stone if its instructions say to
- 3 Hold the handle in one hand and rest the fingertips of the other on the flat of the blade, well back from the edge
Raise a Burr
- 1 Push the blade across the stone edge first, as if slicing a thin layer off the top
- 2 Sweep from the heel of the blade to the tip in each stroke
- 3 Keep going on one side until you can feel a faint rough lip, the burr, along the whole of the other side
- 4 Turn the knife over and repeat until the burr moves back
Refine and Test
- 1 Move to the fine side and use lighter strokes, swapping sides each time
- 2 Finish with a few strokes that are barely more than the weight of the blade
- 3 Strop on leather, cardboard or old denim, dragging the blade back-first so the edge trails
- 4 Wipe off the metal dust and do the paper test
Feel for a burr by brushing your thumb across the blade from the back toward the edge and off it. Never run a finger along the edge.
Pocket and Pull-Through Sharpeners
Fast, hard to get wrong and ideal for touch-ups in camp.
Pull-Through Sharpener
- 1 Set it on a flat surface and hold it down with your fingers behind the guard
- 2 Put the heel of the blade in the coarse slot and draw it straight back to the tip with light pressure
- 3 Three to five pulls, one direction only. Don't saw back and forth
- 4 Repeat in the fine slot, then wipe the blade
Folding Diamond Sharpener
- The lower number is the coarser side. On a 400/600 sharpener, 400 resets a dull edge and 600 finishes it
- Hold the knife still and move the sharpener, or the other way round, whichever keeps your angle steady
- Light pressure. Diamond cuts fast
Blade Care
Rust and grit do more damage than use ever will.
Clean and Dry
- Wash by hand and dry it straight away. Never the dishwasher
- On a folder, clean out the slot and around the pivot
- Salt water, fruit juice and blood all start rust fast, so rinse them off the same day
Oil
- Wipe a thin film of oil over the blade, most of all on carbon steel
- Use food-safe mineral oil if the knife touches food
- One drop on a folder's pivot, then work it open and shut and wipe off the extra
Store
- Somewhere dry, and out of children's reach
- Don't leave a blade in a leather sheath for months. Leather holds moisture
- Light rust comes off with oil and a kitchen scouring pad, rubbed along the blade
More From Know Your Gear
This guide is general information only. Always follow the instructions that came with your knife and your sharpener. Knife laws differ between states and territories, so check the rules where you live. In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).