On the Cutting Edge

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As the blade sharpens, it will just perceptibly begin to drag on the stone. If you are beveling, switch to a fine-honing stone and repeat the process. If you are honing, it is time to check the edge. I test the edge on my thumbnail. If sharp, the knife will catch in the nail; if very sharp, it can whittle small curls of nail-like wood shavings.

As with any culturally important activity, there are certain taboos to observe. Avoid those kitchen knife sharpeners in which the knife is dragged through a slot. These shred the steel at a microscopic level, leaving the edge ragged and quick to dull. Don't rely on a sharpening steel instead of a stone. Using a steel may be picturesque, with blades and elbows waving about in the air, but it is useful only for touching up an already good edge and will not sharpen a dull one. And don't use a motorized grinder. Heat buildup on a grinding wheel can draw the temper out of steel almost instantly, ruining a good knife's ability to hold an edge.

The cutting edge of all human technology has always been defined in terms of its best cutting edge: first stone, then copper, bronze, iron, and finally steel. Now we're supposed to be a bit more technologically oriented, but we still have onions to dice. So long as there is some part of modern life that is not preportioned and shrink-wrapped, we will need good, sharp knives. And good knives ought, now and then, to taste a bit of oil and to feel the bite of a good stone.

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