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BEHIND THE SCENES

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KEEPING A SHARP EDGE

With four dozen test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists working side by side in the test kitchen, we take knife care very seriously. Simply put, a dull knife is a dangerous knife. Here’s why: The duller the blade, the more work it takes to do the job—and the easier it is for the blade to slip and miss the mark (slippery ingredients like onions are the worst offenders), quickly sending the knife toward your hand. With a sharp knife, the blade does the work—and the razor-like edge is far less likely to slip.

To determine if your knife is sharp, put it to a simple test. Hold a folded, but not creased, sheet of newspaper by one end. Lay the blade against the top edge at an angle and slice outward. If the knife fails to slice cleanly, try running the blade over a sharpening steel. A sharpening steel is a tune-up device, not a knife sharpener. Just a few minutes of cutting can knock the edge of a knife out of alignment and running the blade over the sharpening steel can reset the edge. That said, if your knife still fails to slice cleanly after using a steel, it means the edge is worn down and needs proper sharpening.

To sharpen your knife, you have three choices. You can send it out to a professional for sharpening, you can use a whetstone (tricky for anyone but a professional), or—the most convenient option—you can use an electric or manual sharpener. Click here for information on our top-rated sharpeners.