Honing and Sharpening a Knife

Honing and sharpening are different jobs. A honing steel pushes a bent edge back into line; use it every few days, at about 15 to 20 degrees, a few light strokes per side. Sharpening removes metal and makes a new edge. Do that on a whetstone a few times a year. Soak the stone if it needs it, start on a coarse grit, and work until you can feel a small burr along the whole edge. Then switch to a fine grit to polish. A sharp knife is safer than a dull one.