Using a dull and blunt knife can be quite tedious as it requires extra physical effort and results in loss of time as well. Moreover, the results of its usage are substandard as compared to a sharp and pointed knife.

Using a blunt knife is not only inefficient but also involves risk of an accident. This could lead to a potential health hazard.

It is no news, that knives require constant maintenance to work effectively. There are many techniques which can be used to sharpen the butcher’s knife. But you must use the one which is most suitable to you depending on your budget, usage and efficiency required.

Given below are a list of tools that you can use to sharpen your knife easily.

1. Use a sharpening stone

Sharpening stone is probably the oldest tool that has been used to sharpen knives since ages. It is an essential piece for knife maintenance. However, using the sharpening stone is not as easy as it sounds. It can be a tricky process and can take some time for you to perfect the skill of sharpening your knife on the stone.

Although once you get a hang of it, the sharpening stone can provide your knife with a sharp and effective blade. It is not the fastest method, but is surely an effective one.

2. Use a sharpening steel

Sharpening steel is perfect for regular use and is generally an accompaniment when you purchase an elaborate knife set. Although it is more useful in honing the knife blade than sharpening it, it is a handy piece of equipment.

Honing realigns the edge of the blade to improve the performance of the knife.  Whereas the process of sharpening generally refers to shaving off a light layer of the edge of your knife’s blade to make it sharper. A variety of differently shaped knife steels are available to make your job easier.

Knife steels are most useful when you need to improve a slightly blunt blade. They are not too effective when it comes to sharpening a very blunt blade of a dull knife.

3. Use an electric sharpener

This is an automatic and easy way to sharpen your knives without any hassles. Electric Sharpeners are known for their efficiency and speed. Anyone can use this, as its usage is fairly simple. You don’t need to refer a detailed “how-to” guide to use the electric sharpener. You just need to plug in the electric sharpener and voila! Within seconds, you get a knife with a razor-sharp blade. This process is much faster and relatively easy as compared to using a Sharpening stone or sharpening steel.

Having the right set of knives is important for a butcher. But maintain them is equally important. Many people neglect knife care and maintenance. Make sure you are using best quality sharpening tools for your knives. Maintaining your knives will save you a lot of money, frustration and time. Good quality sharpening equipment is essential for every butcher shop, whether it is a stone, steel or even an electric sharpener.