Knife Sharpening Guide

How to sharpen Kitchen Knives?

GLOBAL knives are crafted in Japan with an ultra-sharp cutting edge. Forged from Cromova 18 stainless steel, this unique material ensures that GLOBAL blades stay sharper for longer than most other knives. However, with regular use, GLOBAL knives will need to be sharpened from time to time to maintain their razor sharp edge.

Which knife sharpener should you use?

The best sharpening tool is the one that you are actually going to use. Each tool is different and may be easy or difficult to use depending on the individual and their level of experience or skill.

GLOBAL recommends periodically sharpening your knives using either a Whetstone or Ceramic Wheel Sharpener. In between stone sharpening, it is recommended that you use a GLOBAL ceramic or diamond Sharpening Steel to keep the edges of your knives aligned.

We do not recommend using electric sharpeners. They tend to strip a lot of metal off the blade, ruin the edge and lower the life expectancy of your knife.

How Often Should You Sharpen Knives?

The frequency of sharpening knives depends on usage. For most cooks, honing knives weekly with a Sharpening Steel and sharpening knives 2 to 3 times a year with a Whetstone or Pull-Through Sharpener will maintain optimum sharpness.

For everyday cooks, sharpen more frequently, around every 1 to 2 months. For occasional cooks, sharpening every 6 months may suffice.

GLOBAL serrated knives do not need to be sharpened.

What's the best angle for knife sharpening?

GLOBAL Japanese knives are factory sharpened to a 10 to 15 degree angle. This angle is designed to create a thinner, sharper edge which is ideal for precision cutting in the kitchen. Maintaining this 10° to 15° cutting angle is crucial for preserving your GLOBAL knife’s performance and preventing damage to the blade.

GLOBAL Pull-Through Wheel Sharpeners are pre-set to the correct cutting angle for GLOBAL knives. To help achieve consistent results when using a Whetstones Sharpener we recommend using a Sharpening Guide Rail to help maintain the correct angle.

Step-By-Step Guides:

Our resident knife sharpening expert, Matt, has collated his knowledge to help guide you in the right direction for each knife sharpening type:

How to use a Sharpening Steel?

Ensure consistent, high quality cuts using GLOBAL's diamond and ceramic Sharpening Steels, designed to sharpen any brand of knife.

Hold the rod safely - place the tip of the rod on a cutting board, holding it vertically with you non-dominant hand. Make sure to keep the rod steady!
Find your angle - GLOBAL knives require you to angle the blades at a 12-15 degree angle, but make sure to Google your kitchen knives to ensure the correct angle.
Alternate sides - Start with one stroke on the right, going from heel to tip and using the full length of the blade across the full length of the rod. Then one stroke on the left, again ensuring to use the full length of the blade against the full length of the rod.
Repeat - Repeat this process 3-8 times, equal amounts on either side of the blade edge.
Wash and Test - Always make sure to wash your knives once sharpened. And test on a thin piece of paper. If you still feel nicks along the blade, go back to the honing rod.

How to use a Whetstone Sharpener?

Soak the stone - Soak in water for 10-15 minutes. You'll know when it is ready when air bubbles stop coming up to the surface, then you know that the stone is fully impregnated with water and is ready to use.
Set up your workspace - Put the stone, or stone holder on a damp towel or rubber mat so it doesn't slide about it. Start with the coarse side (lower grit, e.g. 420-1000) of the blade is dull or has any chips, nicks or dings in the blade. The MS-471 combination stone is fantastic for this. Use the fine side (higher grit, e.g. 3000-8000) for the final refinement and polishing and finishing. For this I suggest the MS-472. You can go higher up the grit levels if you want to but for 99% of people, 420-8000 is more than enough!
Find the right angle - Aim to angle your GLOBAL knives at 12-15°. If you happen to be sharpening a knife that isn’t GLOBAL, then check the knifes manufacturer to get the correct angle (a quick Google search of your knives will tell you). To help, MS-463 guide rails are the perfect training wheels for getting used to the motions. And remember, consistency matters more than being perfect, everything else comes with time!
Start sharpening - When starting out, lay the knife on the diagonal, going from one corner to the other, that way it is fully supported with the longest part of the blade with the longest part of the stone. Push the knife across the stone, as if you’re slicing a thin layer off the top. Working from heel to tip, use light pressure the push the knife across the stone. Keep the stone wet, and if at any time, it starts to dry out, just add more water. You will start to see the water on the stone turn grey with a combination of the whetstone and the metal particulates of the knife – this is a good marker that you’re removing material!
Feel for burr - After a few passes, gently check the opposite edge with your fingertip (carefully!). As you remove material, the excess will roll up like a carpet and create a burr. This means your sharpening has reached the edge of the blade. Once both sides have a burr, move to the finer grit.
Polish on the fine side - Repeat the same motion but with lighter pressure and make sure to alternate sides more frequently. This refines the edge and removes the burr.
Test the edge - Slice a piece of paper; I find junk mail or any thin paper is best for testing as you can get a great feel for the sharpness of the knife. Make sure it cuts smoothly from heel to tip, and you don’t feel any nicks or chips along the blade edge. If you do feel any nicks, take it back to the whetstone and keep sharpening until you remove them.
Clean up - Rinse the stone and let it air dry completely (I usually leave mine on a cutlery rack until its dry). Always wash your knives after you sharpen them. They might only have a small amount of stone or metal particulate that we don’t want in your food or on your body.

How to use a Pull-Through Water Sharpener?

Explore GLOBAL and MinoSharp's range of easy to use, ceramic 2 and 3 Wheel Sharpeners. Crafted from the finest grit to produce top quality pull-through sharpeners.

Set it up - Put the sharpener on a flat, stable surface. Fill the reservoir up to the fill line with water. Hold it firmly by the handle, making sure to keep fingers behind the blade slots.
Start at the heel - Place the heel of the knife (part closest to the handle) into the first slot. Most pull-through sharpeners have a coarse slot (for full or damaged knives), medium slot (regular sharpening) and a fine slot (finishing touched and refinement). If you knife isn’t super dull, skip the coarse slot.
Pull, don't saw - Pull the knife straight towards you, heel to tip. Use light, steady pressure using almost the weight of the knife to do so – let the sharpener do the work. Do not push the knife back and forth or press down with force. One smooth pull through = one stroke.
Repeat: A little goes a long way - For the first coarse slot, 3-6 pulls are usually enough. For the medium slot, 3-6 pulls are usually enough. And for the final, fine slot, 2-4 light pulls, to finish off and refine.
Wash and test - Wash the blade to remove any metal or residue from the sharpener and wipe with a cloth or paper towel as metal filing can happen. Test it out on paper or a tomato – not your finger! I suggest a thin, lightweight paper such as junk mail (not A4), this way you can feel if your knives are evenly sharp down the full length of the blade as well as checking for any small chips or nicks in the blades edge.

How to care for your GLOBAL Knives?

Proper knife care is essential for maintaining the sharpness, durability and longevity of any knife. Learn how to maintain your kitchen knives from washing, to storage and cutting surfaces with GLOBAL's Knife Care Guide.