Why you shouldn’t sharpen your own knife – Even Master Chefs.

Knife sharpening is a practical and rewarding skill to learn, but there are some situations where it may be advisable to seek professional help or specialized services for knife sharpening. Norman Weinstein, knife-skills instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, recommends using a reputable professional instead of trying to sharpen your knives at home “because the learning curve for doing it yourself is so high.”  While top level chefs can sharpen their own knives, more and more master chefs are having their knives professionally sharpened choosing to do what they do best -create culinary masterpieces.


Here are some reasons why you might consider not sharpening your own knives:

1. Lack of Skill or Experience:

Sharpening knives properly requires practice, skill, and an understanding of the correct techniques. Further, if you’re doing it by hand, you may not have the muscle memory to sharpen your knives correctly.  Sharpening a Japanese knife is usually done at 15 -17 degrees which is different angle than sharpening an American or an European blade at 20 degrees.  If you are inexperienced or unsure about sharpening methods, let alone the metallurgy of the different steel used in your knives, you may inadvertently damage the blade, leading to a subpar edge or even ruining the knife.

“If you want to become a great chef, you have to work with great chefs. And that’s exactly what I did.” ― Gordon Ramsey

2. Risk of Injury:

Sharpening knives can be hazardous, especially if you are not familiar with the proper techniques or if you use the wrong tools. Accidents can occur, or injuries from mishandling sharp blades or even knife sharpening equipment.  If you’re not super careful, these pieces of steel, can get into your kitchen, cutting board and even into your food.

3. Specialized Equipment:

Achieving a professional-quality edge requires specialized sharpening tools and equipment. Pull through knife sharpeners don’t work and using different grades of sharpening stones to sharpen any knife are truly impractical – unless you’re a true knife sharpening expert.  Trying to maintain the correct knife angle, not taking too much metal, keeping the knife edge straight all sounds easy until you try it.


If you do not have access to the right tools or are unsure about the appropriate sharpening methods for your knives, you absolutely will not achieve your desired results

4. High-Quality Knives:

If you value your high-quality knives, you may want to entrust their maintenance to professionals who have the expertise to preserve the integrity of the blades and handle them with care. Not all cooks cook the same, and the same is true in appreciation of the true artisan master knife sharpener. Not everyone has the skill set to sharpen or even understand the process in the making of high-quality chef knives.

5. Time and Convenience:

Sharpening knives can be a time-consuming task, especially if you have multiple knives or if you are not experienced in the process. Professional knife sharpening services can offer a convenient and efficient solution, saving you time and effort. Also, which most people don’t think about, is the tiny little pieces of metal that come from your knife when you sharpen. 

6. Preserving Warranty:

Some knife manufacturers recommend or require that you use their authorized sharpening services to maintain the knife’s warranty. Sharpening the knives yourself may void the warranty.

While sharpening your own knives can be a fulfilling endeavor, it is important to assess your skills, tools, and comfort level before attempting the task. Professional knife sharpening services or specialized sharpeners can provide expert care and maintenance for your knives, ensuring they remain in top condition for optimal performance.