Last post showed how to make pasta to perfection. Very shortly, I’ll put together posts that show how to make quick, easy and fully flavorful pasta dishes.

First, though, because those recipes will show how to cut a variety ingredients including, of course, fresh garlic (a must with pasta!), I thought I’d put out some quick posts showing how to sharpen a knife using a either handheld knife sharpener (this post), sharpening steel (next post) and electric sharpener (2 posts from now).

Why make such a big deal about keeping kitchen knives sharp? Because, as far as I’m concerned, a dull knife is the most dangerous piece of kitchen equipment. The reason: unpredictability.

As shown above, a dull knife crushes and tears food because the knife edge can’t set an edge without more-than-needed added downward hand pressure that then makes the knife more likely to slide sideways out of control off what you’re cutting and into your anchoring hand regardless how properly you curl your food gripping fingers. (You bet, this has happened to me.)

Click this link or any picture on this page for picture book directions showing how to sharpen a knife with a 1 stage or…

…2 stage handheld knife sharpener.