Knife Sharpeners
KEEP YOUR KNIVES PERFORMING THEIR BEST
At The Cotswold Knife Company, we stock a wide range of knife sharpeners from the top brands in the industry, such as Flint & Flame, Wüsthof, Zwilling, Kai, and more. A sharp knife is essential for safe, precise and efficient cutting, and our selection of sharpeners is designed to help you maintain the perfect edge on your blades. Our collection consists of whetstones, sharpening steels, and pull through sharpeners.
Whetstones provide precision sharpening for those looking to finely hone their blades, while sharpening steels are perfect for maintaining the edge between uses. For quick and easy sharpening, pull-through sharpeners offer a convenient, user-friendly solution. Whether you're a professional chef or a home cook, having the right sharpener ensures that your knives stay razor-sharp, improving both performance and safety in the kitchen. Explore our range of high-quality sharpeners to find the perfect tool to keep your knives in top condition.
- Renowned Brands:Featuring top names like Flint & Flame, Wüsthof, Zwilling, Kai, and more.
- Express Delivery: If ordered before 2 pm we will dispatch it the same working day. Express delivery is available at the checkout.
- UK Support Talk to us, not a robot, we can advise and process your order over the phone
ZWILLING 23cm Sharpening steel
FAQs
Professionals use a variety of tools to sharpen their knives, depending on their specific needs and level of expertise. Here are the most common sharpening tools used by chefs and professionals:
- Whetstones (Sharpening Stones): Whetstones are the most widely used sharpening tool among professionals. These stones come in different grits, with lower grits (e.g., 1000) used for repairing and reshaping the blade, and higher grits (e.g., 6000) for polishing and honing. Whetstones offer precise control, allowing professionals to sharpen knives to their desired sharpness and angle.
- Honing Steel (Sharpening Rods): While honing steels don’t technically sharpen knives, they are essential for maintaining the edge between sharpenings. Professional chefs use honing steels frequently to realign the knife’s edge and keep it sharp during daily use. A diamond or ceramic honing rod can provide some sharpening while realigning the blade.
- Electric Knife Sharpeners: Some professionals use high-quality electric sharpeners, particularly those working in high-volume kitchens where time is a factor. These sharpeners can provide a quick and consistent edge, though they may not offer the precision of a whetstone.
- Manual Pull-Through Sharpeners: Though less common among traditional chefs, some professionals prefer pull-through sharpeners for their ease of use. These sharpeners have preset angles, making them user-friendly, but they don’t provide as much control over the sharpening process as whetstones.
- Professional Sharpening Services: Many chefs also send their knives to professional sharpening services, where experts use specialized equipment to restore a knife’s edge. This is often done for high-end knives to maintain their performance over time.
Gordon Ramsay is known to use a whetstone to sharpen his knives, which is the preferred method for many professional chefs. Whetstones provide precise control over the sharpening process and allow chefs to achieve the desired sharpness and blade angle for their knives. Ramsay emphasizes the importance of using both coarse and fine grit on a whetstone to restore the edge and then polish it to razor sharpness.
In addition to a whetstone, Ramsay frequently uses a honing steel (or sharpening steel) to maintain the knife’s edge between sharpenings. This tool helps realign the blade, keeping it sharp during daily use without removing much metal.
Ramsay has demonstrated knife sharpening techniques on several occasions, showcasing how professionals like him rely on these traditional tools to keep their knives in peak condition. Regular honing and occasional sharpening with a whetstone are key to ensuring a knife stays sharp in a busy kitchen environment.
Shop at Cotswold Knife Company with confidence, knowing we are a verified stockist of all the knives we stock.