Sharpening My Pampered Chef Utility Knife: Honing vs Professional Sharpening

[SandiLeigh]

I have the Utility knive that I got when I joined Pampered Chef.

Should these be professionally sharpened, or will the honing tool keep it sharp.

It just doesn't seem to be as sharp as it was when I first got it.

Thanks

 

[ChefJeniLobdell]

Use the honing tool. It wil make them nice and sharp again.

 

[bsaxman]

Cutting Edge: Forged Cutlery Honing Tool
#1057 $19.50
Keep your forged knives razor sharp! Ceramic rods hone blade edges for optimal performance. A soft-grip, non-slip base gives you a comfortable, confident grip. The retractable counterguard keeps your counters safe. Easy use for right- and left-handers.

 

[jbachen]

I always thought that honing and sharpening knives were two different operations... Alton Brown did a show on it once, but I may be remembering incorrectly?

 

[bsaxman]

I always thought that honing and sharpening knives were two different operations... Alton Brown did a show on it once, but I may be remembering incorrectly?

I saw that one! Yes there was an Alton Brown show on that. My recruiter also told me that the honing tool just "straightens" the knife blade, not sharpens. But when I looked up the item description in the Catalog, there's no denying what it says... but I also still have my doubts. I was always told to take my knifes to get them professionally sharpened. I was told Farm Fresh will sharpen your knifes for free.

 

[SandiLeigh]

If we should get them sharpened how often should this be done.

Also, with the honing tool how often should that be used.

I am thinking about buying one on my kit enhancement but am not sure.

Also, I want to make sure I am giving my customers all the right information.

 

[jbachen]

This is what the use and care guide says: "Honing Tool – This tool was custom-designed for use with our Forged (non-serrated) Cutlery. The ceramic rods are set at the correct angles to hone The Pampered Chef® Forged Cutlery (excluding the serrated 9” Bread Knife).* It is not for use with other brands of cutlery. Use the tool to maintain alignment of the edge as often as you desire. It can be done as often as daily! It is good to routinely hone the edges to keep them properly aligned and sharp. Professional knife sharpening is only needed every one to two years (depending on usage) and should be done when honing does not seem to be enough. Knives should be clean prior to honing and pacing in cases. The Honing Tool has a soft-grip, non-slip base for added safety and a retractable counterguard that protects surfaces during the honing process."

 

[pkd09]

I have not been advocating to my guests that it "sharpens" mainly aligns. I just e-mail HO so hopefully we can get a clarification. I'll keep everyone posted on what I hear.

 

[pkd09]

I just received a call back from the Test Kitchen regarding the Honing Tool. This is what was said:

You can tell when your knife needs to be honed when you look at it under a light and the blade appears dull. When you "hone" it becomes shiny. The honing tool also aligns the blade. You can also hone your knives daily if you wish.

IT IS NOT A SHARPENER! When you sharpen a knife, material is removed.

Also, the reason the honing tool is specific to our knives is because of the size of the rods inside the honing tool gives maximum aligning to the thickness of our knives. They can not guarantee it would work on other knives.

Hopefully this clarifies any questions we all have. It was really nice to get a return call from HO. I was expecting an email.