Why a sharp knife is safer
A sharp blade slices with light pressure and stays on the line you aim at. A dull one needs a hard push, and that force makes it skid off slippery skins like tomato or onion, often toward your fingers.
Honing and sharpening are different
Chopping bends the thin edge sideways. A few light strokes on a honing steel at about 15 to 20 degrees straighten it, so hone every few uses. Once honing stops helping, the edge is worn and needs a whetstone.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
A knife keeps skidding on a tomato skin. What is the safest fix?
Sharpen it, then slice with light pressure. A sharp edge bites the skin with little force, so it does not skid.
True or false: Ten strokes on a honing steel will make a truly dull knife sharp again.
False. Honing straightens a bent edge but removes almost no metal, so a worn edge needs a whetstone or sharpener.
What went wrong? You leave a good knife in the sink overnight, then run it through the dishwasher.
Soaking and the dishwasher dull the edge and rust the steel. Water rusts the steel and the rattling dulls the edge, so hand wash and dry right away.
Fill the blank: A honing steel removes almost no metal. It works by ___ a bent edge.
A honing steel removes almost no metal. It works by straightening a bent edge. It pushes the bent edge back into line so the knife cuts again.
An onion keeps rolling on the board while you cut it. What is the safest fix?
Cut a thin slice off one side and lay it flat. A flat base stops the roll, so your hand stays out of the blade path.
