Using dull knives can be a real drag and having to send your knives out to be sharpened can be a little tough if you just have one set.
You might have wished in the past that your knives would sharpen themselves. Maybe you didn’t know it, but there are actually knives that do sharpen themselves!
If you are tired of struggling to sharpen your knives yourself or are sick of sending them out to get sharpened, self sharpening might be the right fit for your needs.
There are pros and cons to this kind of knife but you will find that this might be the perfect solution to all of your needs. This is a simple kind of knife to own and it can eliminate a lot of your knife sharpening needs and concerns.
If you are ready to learn more about how self sharpening knives work, read on!
Table of Contents
Are Self Sharpening Knives Sold in Sets?
Yes, most self sharpening knives are sold as sets. This is because the process that helps them self sharpen is related to the sleeve or block that the knives are stored in.
This is good news for many people, as it makes no sense to get one self sharpening knife and then have to send out the others that you own to be sharpened anyhow.
Being able to get a self sharpening set of knives can make it much easier to want to invest in this kind of tool because it will save you so much time overall.
You will not have to wonder if you have a sharp knife for any task when you have a full set of these knives on hand at all times.
How Do Self Sharpening Knives Work?
Self sharpening knives get sharp because of the block or sleeve that they are stored in. These devices have a mechanism that sharpens the knife through the use of a ceramic sharpener that is inside.
So these knives are not sharpening themselves as you use them, but are instead getting sharpened each time they are stored and then removed from their storage arrangement.
The technology that is used to keep the blades sharp is a lot like honing them each time that you use them and this keeps them free of burrs and other imperfections that can lead to them becoming dull over time.
The ceramic sharpening blades that are inside the block or the storage sleeve are set at the perfect angle, which makes sure that the blade’s precision is preserved and just the dull bits are worn off each time the knife is stored and removed from its sleeve.
This is a really nice feature if you are tired of trying to figure out how to sharpen your specialty knives at the right angle and if you are sick of having to watch videos teaching you how to use the correct sharpening angle to be sure that your knives will remain balanced.
The knife block or sleeve will preserve the angle for you and you will never have to wonder if it is wrong.
Are There Drawbacks to This Kind of Knife?
The biggest drawback that you might experience is that self sharpening knives get sharpened very frequently. This is far more honing than you would normally subject any knife to.
This can lead to your knives having a shorter lifespan and therefore costing more than you would like when you have to replace them. You will not have to replace them that frequently, but it is a consideration that should be noted.
The ceramic sharpening system that is in place for most of these systems will preserve your knives for as long as possible and the system still works better than guessing at the right way to sharpen your knives yourself.
The other issue that you might experience with these kinds of knives, is that the storage arrangements for them can be a bit bulky when compared to regular knife blocks and storage arrangements.
This is because each slot or sleeve has to provide a sharpening service as well as a storage purpose, so there is more material included in the block or sleeve than you would normally have.
This can make your knife block or storage take up more space than it did before and if you have a small kitchen this might matter.
Another consideration that you must have in mind, is that there are not many specialty knives that are sold in a self sharpening format.
This is because specialty knives are too uniquely crafted and delicate for this generic sharpening process. These knives must be sharpened by an expert by hand to maintain their edge and superior blade shape.
Self Sharpening Knives Are Easy to Use and Enjoy
For many people, a self sharpening knife set helps save them time in the kitchen and prevents the need to send out their kitchen knives for sharpening from time to time.
If you have concerns about missing out on the use of your favorite specialty knife, you can still keep this knife and replace your basic knives with the self sharpening kind.
Having just one or two specialty knives to care for is not a big deal when you consider that all the other knives that you use every day will be sharpening themselves each time they are stored.
As always, make sure that you clean your knives thoroughly before storing them and that you never put them away wet. You will find those self sharpening knives are just as vulnerable to water damage and rust if they are not stored correctly.
You should also read the reviews for any self sharpening knife set that you are thinking of buying so that you can make sure that you do not get a subpar set.
Picking the right self sharpening knife set can save you time in the kitchen and save you money and effort that will no longer have to be invested in keeping your knives sharp and ready to use.
Brianna is a self-published author with a passion for sharing her knowledge and expertise on a variety of topics with people who are looking to find the perfect items for their needs. She loves making sure that the right kind of informative content is available to people looking for quality products of all kinds. She is an avid horseback rider and reader when she is not writing.
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