Anyone who loves to cook knows that working with dull knives is an accident waiting to happen. A sharp knife is a safe knife. The need to exert undue force and the danger of the knife slipping can lead to a serious injury. The edge of a quality knife does not wear away; it folds over on itself. A knife edge is unbelievably thin; even thinner than a human hair. The impact of cutting causes the edge to fold over on itself. Pieces of the edge can even break off during food preparation.Over the years, we have invested in good knives which we straighten with sharpening steel. However, the traditional sharpening steel does not really sharpen. It maintains the edge by unfolding it, but the straightened edge is still weak and quickly folds again. True sharpening removes the old weak edge and reshapes a new stronger edge. Having your knives professionally sharpened makes them safer to use. It also extends the life and usefulness of your favorite knives rather than replacing them when the edges are dull or “folded.”
Every year we take our knives to be professionally sharpened before embarking on the usual surge of holiday cooking. We are fortunate to have a knife sharpening service close to home. The Cook’s Warehouse at Ansley Mall has a professional that visits twice per week. We drop the knives off in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon. Rates are very reasonable starting at $4.50 for a straight-edged knife and $6 for serrated knives. Of course, my husband and I will spend the next week or two reminding each other that we just got them done because they are incredibly sharp!