We've mentioned that a dull knife is a dangerous one, and discussed how to properly sharpen a knife or use a water stone in the past. Still, why exactly is a dull knife more dangerous than a sharper one? Plus, honing is easy with a 10" chef's knife—how do you keep your paring knives sharp? This video from the America's Test Kitchen answers both questions, and shows you how to test to see if your knives are ready to use.

In the video, Lisa and Bridget from America's Test Kitchen explain that dull knives require more force to use and press through the food you're cutting, which means you're more likely to lose control of the knife if something happens that you don't expect. Then they use a simple test with a sheet of paper to determine if their paring knife is sharp enough to be used. It fails, and they bring out the Test Kitchen's favorite electric sharpener to get it back into shape.

Some knife aficionados will tell you never to sharpen with anything less than a water stone or a honing steel, but doing so with small knives can be difficult. On the other hand, tabletop sharpeners are inexpensive and get the job done nicely. Check out the video for more tips on taking care of small knives, and a few bonus skill tips for handling small blades.


Paring knife skills, knife care, & knife sharpening with Bridget Lancaster and Lisa McManus | YouTube