How to sharpen kitchen knives –
honing steel, whetstone & when to call a pro
A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one. We explain the difference between honing and sharpening – and which method is right for your knife.
One of the most common misunderstandings in the kitchen: honing and sharpening are not the same thing. A honing steel used daily does not grind – it realigns. A whetstone used occasionally removes metal and creates a new edge. Understanding this distinction lets you keep your knife in top condition for life.
The difference: honing vs. sharpening
The cutting edge of a knife consists of tiny steel teeth. Cutting bends these teeth microscopically – like a blade of grass in the wind. The knife feels dull even though the edge has lost almost no metal. The honing steel realigns these teeth – no material removal, done in seconds.
When the edge is genuinely blunt, chipped or damaged, honing no longer helps. Metal must be removed and a new edge created – that is the whetstone.
The honing steel – daily care in 20 seconds
The whetstone – when the knife is genuinely dull
For home use a combination stone 1000/3000 grit is enough. The 1000 side for dull knives, the 3000 side to refine afterwards.
800–1200: Medium – basic sharpening for dull knives.
2000–3000: Fine – refinement after basic sharpening.
6000+: Very fine – for enthusiasts, produces razor sharpness.
When to use a professional – and what is the resharpening service?
Three situations where professional sharpening is needed: the knife has a chip, a serrated edge is dull (cannot be self-sharpened), or the knife has not been sharpened in years and needs a full restore.
VOCUT offers all customers a free lifetime resharpening service. Send the knife in, our experienced sharpeners in Solingen restore it professionally and return it to you. You only pay postage.
Knife dull? We resharpen it for free.
Lifetime resharpening service for all VOCUT knives – just send it in.
To the resharpening service Discover all knives