Keeping your knife blades sharp is essential. While sharpening most knives is a simple procedure that most people know how to do, sharpening serrated knives is a different matter. Many people do not know how to sharpen serrated knives properly. Here is a simple guide for how to sharpen serrated knives using a sharpening rod with step-by-step instructions, along with some alternative sharpening methods.
Why Is Sharpening Knives So Important?
Proper knife maintenance is some of the most important cooking advice we can offer. It is vital to understand the importance of keeping your knives sharp so you do not bypass this essential kitchen equipment maintenance. Sharpening knives is crucial for two reasons:
- Safety: The most important reason to keep your knives sharpened is for safety. It is a mistaken belief that a sharp knife is more dangerous than a blunt one. Using a blunt knife means you increase the risk of slipping while cutting, slicing, or chopping. In turn, it increases the risk of you injuring yourself in the kitchen.
- Performance: If your knives are sharp, you will improve your food preparation. It is almost impossible to slice smoothly and make precision cuts if your knife is not sharp.
Why Is Sharpening Serrated Knives More Difficult?
There are different types of kitchen knives, and some have a straight edge, while others have a serrated bladed. Most people find it easy to sharpen a knife with a straight blade edge. Sharpening a serrated knife is trickier, as you need to sharpen each serration individually. Many people do not know how to do this properly, which is why we have created this simple step-by-step guide for how to sharpen serrated knives properly.
How to Sharpen Serrated Knives Using a Sharpening Rod
The best method for sharpening a serrated knife is probably to use a sharpening rod. Although it is time-consuming, it is a relatively simple process. Here is how to sharpen serrated knives using a sharpening rod.
- First, find the knife’s bevel edge, which is the side of the serrated knife that has angled gullets in the serrations. Usually, only one side of a serrated knife has a bevel edge, and you only need to sharpen this side.
- Next, take the sharpening rod and put it into the first of the serrated grooves. Sharpening rods are tapered, so align the rod in a position so that the rod’s diameter fills the gullet.
- Run the rod in smooth, short stroked through the gullet, always working away from the blade.
- Repeat this process for every cullet along the serrated knife blade.
- After sharpening every gullet, turn the knife over and check the blade’s flat side for metal shavings, which are called burrs. The simplest way to check for burrs is to run your finger along the blade’s flat side.
- If you identify burrs, you can remove them by either rubbing the flat side of the blade with fine sandpaper or running the flat side over a whetstone.
- Some serrated knives are only partially serrated and have a section of the blade that is not serrated. You should not use this method on that section of the blade. Instead, sharpen that section with a whetstone.
- Finally, wipe your knife carefully with a soft cloth to remove any debris.
You might like to watch the following video for a visual display of how to sharpen serrated knives using a sharpening rod:
Other Methods
Using a sharpening rod is not the only way that you can sharpen a serrated knife, as there are several other methods. Below, we have outlined three alternative ways for how to sharpen serrated knives.
- Electric sharpeners: Many electric knife sharpeners have a special section for sharpening serrated knives. Electric knife sharpeners differ from one model to the next, so you should check the instructions before using them. The main advantages of using an electric sharpener for sharpening your serrated knives are that it is convenient and easy. On the other hand, the result is not always as good as when you sharpen your knives using a sharpening rod.
- Manufacturer warranty: Some knife manufacturers sell their products with a warranty that includes a knife sharpening service. It means that you can return the knives to the manufacturer when they need sharpening. The plus side of this is that your knives are sharpened by professionals who understand the knives’ materials and design. On the other hand, you will not have knives while they are with the manufacturer.
- Knife sharpening services: Another option is to use a professional knife sharpening service. Experts sharpen your knives for you, saving you the time and trouble. However, you must pay for this service, and you will not have knives while they are with the knife sharpener.
How to Sharpen Serrated Knives: The Final Verdict
Sharpening a serrated knife is a different process to sharpening a knife with a flat blade, and many people do not know how to sharpen serrated knives. However, the process is surprisingly simple using a sharpening rod. It is also possible to use an electric knife sharpener to sharpen the knife if it has a serrated knives section. Alternatively, you can use a professional knife sharpening service, and some knife manufacturers offer this service as part of the product’s warranty.