How to sharp a ham knife?

To slice a ham, you must have a good ham knife on hand that is sharpen and ready to make the cut easy. If you have never had the opportunity to sharp one, today we explain the steps to follow, so you can do it at home.

You will need a sharpening steel, which will be the element you will use to carry it out. The sharpening steel is a kind of knife of the same dimensions as the ham holder, which instead of having the sharp blade, has a rounded rod to sharpen.

Steps to sharpen your ham knife

• You should clean the knife and the chaira with soap and water.

• Dry them completely with a cloth without fluff.

• Take the knife with the hand you use to write and the chaira with the other hand.

• Keep the chaira steady during the whole time of use.

• Place the knife blade over the sharpen steel at an angle of 15 degrees and slide it along the blade, from end to end, trying to pass through the entire edge of the ham knife.

• This movement must always be done in the same direction. Knives blades have two faces must be sharpened, so continue until it is completely sharp.

• To check if it is sharpen, you can swipe the blade with a napkin or some paper towel. If it is cutted, it is ready.

• Once sharpened, wash the knife and sharpen steel to remove the metal dust and dry them immediately to avoid rusting it.

Chaira alternatives

• Sharpening stone. This option has many followers, although for us it is not the most advisable. For its use, similar to that of the chaira, it is necessary to place the arms inclined, holding with one hand the stone and with the other the knife. As advice, leave the sharpening stone to soak two hours before using them and never let the top of the stone to dry.

• A professional. This is your option if you do not have the necessary tools for sharpening the knife or simply do not want to do it at home. You will have your knife ready when you go to use it, without worrying about anything else.

How often should you sharpen a ham knife?

The most common is to sharpen the ham knife each time you have to use it. If you choose a professional to sharpen it, it will be enough to check the condition of your knife by testing it with a paper towel before slicing.

And finally, do not forget that ham knives cut a lot, so ALWAYS place your hand above the area you are cutting to avoid harming yourself.

Enjoy!