5 Different Ways to Sharpen knives Without a Sharpener

Knife sharpening plays an essential role in maintaining and prolonging the durability and functionality of your knife. For one, it does the obvious, i.e., Sharpen your blade edge. It also retains the blade edge for longer to improve cutting performance and safety.

But, do you know that you can sharpen a knife without conventional knife sharpeners? Our in-depth guide shares several easy-on-the-buck ways on how to sharpen knives without a sharpener.

Are There Any Options to Sharpen a Knife Without a Knife Sharpener?

If you lack a conventional knife, you can still sharpen a knife. You can find several options around the house or outdoors to sharpen your knife. You can use anything from a ceramic coffee mug to an old leather belt or river stone.

Without a Real Knife Sharpener Could a Knife Get Fully Sharp?

You can still achieve a highly sharp blade with spectacular edge retention. You simply have to adequately sharpen your knife and use the right technique when doing so.

Here are common alternatives for sharpening a knife without a sharpener;

01. Sharpen Knife With a Coffee Mug

If you don’t have a sharpener, the next best thing for sharpening your knife is a coffee mug, particularly a ceramic mug. The unglazed bottom part of a ceramic mug can be used to sharpen most knives in your kitchen, including chef’s knives.

Here’s how to sharpen your knife using a ceramic mug;

• Pick a ceramic mug with an unglazed bottom part and place it upside down on a flat countertop to expose the unglazed rim part.
• Grab the knife you intend to sharpen by the handle and hold the ceramic mug using your non-dominant hand.
• At a 30 to 45-degree angle, depending on the knife and bevel, place the knife’s blade heel against the rim of the mug. Gently, pull the knife’s edge across the rim from the blade’s heel to the tip.
• Repeat this step at least 5 to 10 times, flip the blade over and repeat the steps with the other side of the knife.
• Continue to do this until you achieve the blade sharpness you want. You can test the blade’s sharpness by cutting through a tomato or piece of paper. The cut should be smooth. You will also notice some residual blade metal shavings set at the bottom of the mug as an indicator of its working.

02. Sharpen Knife Using a Car Window

As surreal as it may sound, you can actually use a car window to sharpen your knife. This technique is especially handy when you find yourself in the outdoors, whether fishing or camping.

Sharpening a knife using a car window will hone its blade by bending the dull edges and rolling them to where they were. What makes a car window unique and ideal for this method is tempered. So, it can withstand a huge deal of impact and pressure.

Here’s how to sharpen your knife using a car window;

• Roll the window down halfway and place the knife against the rough window edge. Keep the knife’s blade on the rounded top of the window instead of the side of the window.
• At a 10 degree angle, move the blade edge gently in a back and forth motion at least 7 to 8 times.
• Turn the knife on the other side and repeat the steps when done. You can use a tomato or paper to check sharpness. If you aren’t satisfied, repeat the steps until you achieve the sharpness you want.

03. Sharpen Knife Using the River Stone

River stones are another excellent option for sharpening your knife if you lack a sharpening stone in your home. They are also a good option for those in the wilderness during fishing, camping, or hunting.

In fact, using a river stone is amongst the most effective methods, yielding a razor-sharp blade. As the name suggests, you will find a fresh river stone on a riverside.  A river stone works similarly to a whetstone.

Here’s how to sharpen your knife using a river stone:

• Applying mild pressure, place the blade edge at an angle you would place it if you used a whetstone.
• Brush the blade along the stone forward and backward at least 3 to 5 times and repeat the step on the other side of the blade. Use a tomato or piece of paper to check the sharpness.

Related Post: How to Sharpen Knife With Stone?

04. Sharpen a Knife With a Belt

You can use a belt lying around the house to sharpen your knife. This method yields the best results when you use a leather belt. However, it can also leave some damage to the belt. Thus, you want to use an old belt instead of a new, expensive one.

Here’s how to sharpen your knife using a leather belt:

• Lay an old leather belt front-facing on a flat surface and place your knife’s blade on it.
• Maintaining a 10 to 15-degree angle, move the blade edge in a back and forth motion for at least 3 to 5 minutes.
• Turn the knife over and repeat step 2. You can do so as much as you want until you achieve the sharpness you want.

05. Sharpen Knife Using Another Knife

If you are out of sharpening resources, you can use one knife to sharpen the other. You will use two blunt knives in this case, one as a sharpening tool and the other for sharpening.

Here’s how to sharpen your knife using another knife:

• Hold the knife to be sharpened on the right hand and the sharpening tool knife on the left.
• At a 15 to 20 degree angle, gently move the knife blade on your right hand against that on your left hand. This sharpening method works similarly to using a knife sharpening steel.

Conclusion

Even without a conventional knife sharpener, you can still achieve the blade sharpness you want using the right tools in your home. The key is to learn how to sharpen a knife without a sharpener.

Furthermore, with the selection of methods to choose, there’s always the right method for your knife, whether a chef’s knife in your kitchen or a fillet knife when you are out fishing.