Quick Tips on How to Sharpen Henckel Knives Like a Pro

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Was there ever a time when you had the worst cooking experience? All because your knives were old, damaged and dull. I had experienced it, and it is most frustrating. Although my Henckel knives were great, I know their blades will dull if not properly maintained.

With that, I learned how to sharpen Henckel knives and wanted to share it with you. I’m enjoying using my Henckel knives after all and don’t want the blades to dull so soon. On that note, this post is all about keeping your Henckel knives sharp. Let’s get on with it then!

How to Sharpen Henckel Knives – Step by Step Instructions

Follow these instructions to keep your Henckel knives sharp.

1. Sharpening Your Henckel Knives with Whetstone

How to Sharpen Henckel Knives

One of the most common tools used to sharpen knives is the whetstone. You can also use the same sharpening tool to keep your Henckel knives sharp. If you are unfamiliar, a whetstone is a rectangular block with sides almost like sandpaper. By dragging the knife on it, you can straighten and refine the blade’s cutting edge.

1. Preparation

If you are using a sharpening stone to sharpen your Henckel knives, make sure to immerse it in water first for at least 5 minutes. Place the stone on its non-slip side on a wooden base or on a cloth to keep it from moving. Maintain the stone’s wetness during the entire process to increase better results.

2. Proper Angle

Proper alignment is crucial. Hold your knife firmly using one hand with the blade facing you. While in this position, place the knife on the stone at around 10 to 20-degrees angle. The blade and whetstone should have less than 1/4in gap. Part of properly aligning the knife includes putting the hand on the blade, but careful not be cut.

3. Sharpening Motion

When you had the blade in the proper angle, begin moving with only a bit of pressure. Move the blade up and down across the whetstone. Ensure you keep the angle between the sharpening stone and knife. After a few strokes, you will see the burr. If your Henckel knife is a large one, you can divide it into two or three parts, sharpening it from the tip to the back of the bolster.

4. Changing Sides

After sharpening one side, turn the knife so that the blade doesn’t point to your body anymore. In this position, move again up and down. Maintain the same angle and gap mentioned in the previous steps. Slide the blade up and down, grinding both sides alternately for around 5 to 10 times on both sides.

5. Removing Burr

Sharpening a knife – Henckel or not – results to a burr. You can remove it by curbing the blade from top left to bottom right on the whetstone. After that, wash the knife underwater, so the residue is removed. Dry your blade carefully and then store your Henckel knife in a cool, dry place. Make sure it is somewhere out of direct sunlight.

2. Maintaining Henckel Knife Sharpness with Honing Steel

Maintaining Henckel Knife Sharpness with Honing Steel

One way of maintaining the edge of your Henckel knife is through the use of honing steel. Doing so at least once a week will keep the edge of your knife perfectly straight. The good thing about this is it will not wear down your knife, unlike sharpening. 

This tool is essential for keeping your blade’s sharpness after the sharpening process. It is essentially a steel rod with ridges (though there are smooth versions too), which you can press the knife’s blade against to hone it. Often, it is confused as a sharpening tool, although it is an entirely different kitchen tool.

1. Right Position

Instead of just holding the sharpening steel in the air while sliding the blade against it, hold it vertically instead. Rest its tip on a work surface (on a cloth perhaps to avoid slippage) and grip it firmly with one hand. In this position, the sharpening steel is in a secure position, thus allowing you to hone your Henckel knife well.

2. Proper Angle

Next is to put the blade against the steel in the proper angle. Start by pressing the blade’s bottom or thickest part against the honing tool. After that, work at it by pulling the knife down and towards you at a 15 to 20-degrees angle.

3. Movement

Pull down and towards you is the proper motion to hone your blade. Follow through this movement to the knife’s tip. While holding the knife in the same hand, continue making the motion on the other side of the honing steel, repeatedly. With this, you also reverse the angle of the knife, which makes the honing process more efficient.

You can look at this video on how to sharpen and hone your Henckel knives.

Sharpening and honing your Henckel blades is how you can have a lovely time working in the kitchen. But aside from that, it helps to know how to store them correctly. Proper storage will help keep your blades in pristine continue for a long time. This way, your sharpening efforts will not be wasted.

Conclusion

Learning how to sharpen Henckel knives is not a troublesome task. If you work in the kitchen, you must already know how to do that. With Henckel knives, there are not much of any difference in the sharpening and honing process. Just look for what method is best for making your blades extra sharp.

Sharpening knife tips:

How to Sharpen a Knife With a File The Easy WayHow to Sharpen Knife with Dremel – Here Are 3 Easy Steps

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