Knife Skills —

a kitchen guide to using the right knife the right way

This site will give you the confidence to choose and use the knives and other nonelectric sharp tools in your kitchen. It’s also a reference site that you can use as you improve your skills and acquire the tools that will make you a better cook!

How to use a whetstone

To sharpen your knife, you must slide the blade on the whetstone at a 22½-degree angle. There’s a trick to figuring out this 22½-degree angle. First, hold your knife straight up with the sharp edge of the blade resting on the stone. This is a 90-degree angle. Tip the knife over onto one side, cutting the 90-degree angle in half. This is now 45 degrees. Then tip the knife again, cutting the 45-degree angle in half, and you’re now at 22½ degrees. You’re ready to start sharpening your knife.

Next is the motion for the sharpening technique. Hold your knife handle in one hand, with your other hand resting on the side of the blade. Slide the knife, from the handle end of the blade to the tip, along the whetstone. Repeat this on both sides until your knife is sharpened. Again, learning the correct motion will take some practice.

While you can get a very sharp edge on your blade, it will never be as sharp as it was on the day it left the factory. You can come close to this edge. But the manufacturing process is too precise to be duplicated.

Finding a 221/2-degree angle
Finding a 221/2-degree angle in order to sharpen a knife on a whetstone
Sliding the knife along the whetstone
Sliding the knife along the whetstone
How to Choose and Use Your Knives

How to Choose and Use Your Knives

How to Buy a Knife

How to Buy a Knife

Caring for Your Knives

Caring for Your Knives

Nonknife, Nonmotorized Sharp Kitchen Tools

Nonknife, Nonmotorized Sharp Kitchen Tools


A mountain of knives and a sea of fire. Chinese proverb

A mountain of knives and a sea of fire.

Chinese proverb


Man must be sharpened on man, like knife on stone. African proverb

Man must be sharpened on man, like knife on stone.

African proverb


When you are pepper, I am mustard; when thou art a needle, I am a knife. Bahumbu proverb

When you are pepper, I am mustard; when thou art a needle, I am a knife.

Bahumbu proverb

Javier Perez De Cuellar

I am like a doctor. I have written a prescription to help the patient. If the patient doesn’t want all the pills I’ve recommended, that’s up to him. But I must warn that next time I will have to come as a surgeon with a knife.

Hilary J. Bader

The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife.

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The information in this site is true and complete to the best of our knowledge.
The author disclaims any liability in connection with the use of this information.
All recommendations are made without guarantee.