how to sharpen a knife without a sharpener

how to sharpen a knife without a sharpener

There is nothing more annoying than not being able to properly cut vegetables or meat because the knife blade is too dull, and you don’t have the right material on hand to restore its sharpness.

However, it is possible to sharpen a knife without a sharpener ! There are tricks to sharpen a knife blade and make it as sharp as a razor. 

And you don’t have to look far, you will certainly find something at home that will easily sharpen a knife .

What a trick to sharpen a knife…

1 – Sharpen a knife with a glass jar

Rub the knife blade on the edge of the neck of a glass jar, such as a jam jar.

Make 5 or 6 passes on both sides of the blade.

Then wipe the blade clean with a cloth or paper towel.

2 – Sharpening a knife with a leather belt

It’s more of a buffing than a sharpening, but this technique can be very helpful in giving thin, brittle blades a better glide.

Firmly secure one end of the belt under your foot, and then hold the other end with your left hand.

With your right hand, quickly rub the blade on the belt, making several passes in one direction and then the other, respecting an angle of about 30°.

Using the sharp knife, wipe the blade clean with paper towels or a clean cloth.

Tips

Is the knife blade sharp enough? Do this test:

Take a sheet of paper in your hand in an upright position and try to cut it.

If the blade cuts through the paper easily, it is perfectly sharp.

If not, sharpen it with one of our 9 points.

3 – Sharpening a knife with another knife

Without a doubt, this technique is the simplest and fastest.

This involves using another knife as a whetstone, that is, rubbing the blade of one knife against another of approximately the same size, in rapid back-and-forth motions, in one direction and then the other.

4 – Sharpen a knife on thick old jeans.

Place the old jeans on a table or any smooth and stable but also clean and dry work surface.

With quick, short movements of the wrist, tilting it slightly, without pressing too hard, rub the blade against the jeans about twenty times in one direction and about twenty times in the other.

5 – Sharpening a knife with a nail file

Rub the steel file, if possible, across the edge of the blade without pressing too hard.

6 – Sharpen a knife with aluminum foil.

This method of sharpening scissors is for use on solid blades that need only a little fine tuning.

On a wooden board, place a good thickness of aluminum foil rolled into a ball.

Cut this ball several times with the knife.

Then wipe the blade with a damp cloth to remove any steel residue.

7 – Sharpening a knife with sandpaper

For these two techniques, fine sandpaper is used, that is, 240 grains.

1st method

Pass the edge of the sheet over the sandpaper without pressing it too much, making back and forth movements…

Flip the knife over and repeat the same process on the other side.

2nd method

Put the sandpaper on a wooden board, fix it and cut it several times with the knife.

Then wipe the blade with a damp cloth to clean it.

8 – Sharpening a knife with a piece of natural stone

Find a piece of granite, marble, sandstone, quartz, or any hard, smooth, flat natural stone.

Place it on a damp microfiber cloth to prevent the knife from slipping, then in a fluid back-and-forth motion, press down on the blade, sharp side down, leaning the blade against the stone with steady pressure.

Flip the knife over and repeat the same process on the other side.

9 – Sharpening a knife with a cup or bowl

Pour a clay or porcelain cup. Place it on a damp microfiber cloth to prevent slipping.

Go about 6 times, each side of the blade over the grainy edge of the back of a cup or bowl like a whetstone.

Wash the knife by hand, not in the dishwasher. Clean it up. If the knife is not stainless steel, after washing it, before storing it, wrap it in paper towels impregnated with table oil.