About sharpening steel and leather

At Suba Knives, we are often asked about our approach to sharpening steel: is it a good idea to use, or are there better ways to maintain your knives?

First and foremost, we recommend sharpening your knives using flat grinding stones. In addition to this, maintain your knives with a fine grindstone (such as 3000 grit or finer) or on leather with a polishing paste.

Having worked in kitchens ourselves, we understand that it can often get hectic. It’s a far cry from pulling out a sharpening stone in the middle of a busy evening service to start polishing your knives. That’s why we suggest, if you need a little extra sharpness but don’t have time for a full sharpening session, using a honing steel as a quick fix. However, a more substantial recommendation would be to maintain your knives with a fine grinding stone (3000 grit or finer) after each evening service, or at least once a week. If your knives aren’t cutting as well, use a leather buffer (such as a piece of cowhide attached to a sturdy block) to hone them.

Sharpening your knives is much like cleaning a kitchen: if you do it regularly, it becomes much easier and requires much less effort than when it’s left to get completely out of hand.

Enjoy your time in the kitchen!