How Often Should I Sharpen My Knives?
Short answer
Most home cooks need sharpening once or twice per year.
Some need it more often. Some much less.
It depends on use — not time.
Think of sharpening like tire wear
Knives wear the same way tires do.
The more you:
- Use them
- Press hard
- Cut on abrasive surfaces
the faster they wear.
A knife used daily on plastic boards will dull far sooner than a knife used a few times a week on wood and cared for properly.
There is no calendar-based rule. There is only wear.
Home kitchens vs commercial kitchens
Commercial kitchens
- Use knives for hours every day
- Cut high volumes of dense food
- Often work quickly and aggressively
These knives may need:
- Weekly sharpening
- Biweekly sharpening at minimum
Home kitchens
- Use knives intermittently
- Cut softer foods
- Experience far less cumulative wear
With good habits, many home users can go a full year or more between sharpenings.
What good edge care changes
Proper care dramatically extends edge life:
- Wooden cutting boards
- No dishwashers
- No scraping with the edge
- No twisting or prying
These habits matter more than steel type or price.
Honing rods: when they help
A honing rod can extend time between sharpenings — if used correctly.
We recommend:
- A 1000-grit rod
- Light pressure
- Occasional use
A rod should be used:
- Only when the knife feels slightly dull, not every time before use
- When cutting performance drops
- Before the edge is fully worn
If the rod restores performance, the knife does not need sharpening yet.
When a rod stops working
Once:
- The edge is worn away
- The bevel is rounded
- Performance doesn’t return after honing
The knife needs sharpening.
At that point, more rod use only fatigues the edge further.
Signs it’s time to sharpen
- The knife slips on tomato skins
- It requires more force to cut
- Honing no longer helps
- The edge feels dull even when clean
These are wear signals — not failures.
Bottom line
Sharpening isn’t routine maintenance.
It’s corrective maintenance.
Most home cooks need it once or twice per year.
Commercial kitchens need it far more often.
When light honing no longer works, it’s time to see us.
