Can You Sharpen Serrated Knives? (And How To Do It)

My love for food means that I do not perceive food as compensation for some exercise but rather an introduction of healthy foods into the body.

For me, cooking is my passion, and hence should not be on the sidelines. I am saying this because, no matter how exhausted I am, I would often prefer cooking rather than ordering food from takeaways.

However, it sounds magical how I enjoy helping others indulge in most kitchen activities and trying out new recipes.

Can You Sharpen Serrated Knives?

Yes, of course you can sharpen serrated knives.

Many people believe the common myth that serrated knives do not require sharpening. This fairy-tale is undoubtedly not true.

Consequently, one can indeed sharpen a serrated knife, but it is unnecessary since these knives can go for an extended period without being honed.

Such kind of knives will sufficiently perform tasks even when the blades are dull. Therefore, they owe their edges perfect slicing ability more than sharpness.

How Often Do You Sharpen Serrated Knives?

Plenty of existing methods help in sharpening these knives when they go dull.

However, it may not be too frequent since they possess the self-protective feature. The serrations aid in protecting the sharp edges; hence they do not get into contact with the kitchen chopping board.

This feature means that serrated knives will compensate you with advanced edge retention compared to the kitchen knife.

As opposed to the serrated blade, the chef’s knife frequently makes contact with the cutting board, thus getting dull quickly, necessitating regular sharpening or replacement.

How To Sharpen Serrated Knives

Although serrated knives are distinct and require different sharpening, they are easy to sharpen, just like standard kitchen knives.

The edge of a serrated knife has curved serrations with indentations, while the opposite side is flat.

Therefore, you need to sharpen these indentations separately and not on the flat side of the knife. To achieve all these, a unique tool, the sharpening rod, is exclusively designed for sharpening serrated knives only.

The sharpening rod is only available in ceramic, diamond, and even steel. Here are the steps you should adhere to when sharpening a serrated knife:

Step 1: Begin from the back of the knife and place the sharpening rod in the gullet. Try your best to position the rod at the perfect angle of the slope for accuracy.

Step 2: Gently drag the sharpening rod across these serrations. It would be best if you preferred pulling the rod away from the blade rather than running it back and forth to avoid injuries.

This way, you could prevent accidental slipping and injuring yourself.

Step 3: Try to do more of step 2, and repeat the dragging process for each serration on the knife.

Although this step consumes plenty of time, it is worth the patience because it guarantees you incredible results.

Step 4: Flip the serrated knife over and use a piece of sandpaper or a typical sharpening stone to polish the blade. It is common to observe some amount of steel after sharpening the knife (learn how to sharpen a carving knife here).

These amounts of steel, usually known as burrs, often remain attached to the blade but partially.

Therefore, it is significant to remove any burrs stuck on the knife’s edge during the whole sharpening process.

Step 5: Finally, wash and dry the knife.

So, Can Serrated Knives Be Sharpened?

Yes, quality serrated knives are made out of steel, thus easy to sharpen and maintain instead of dumping them.

Either you can choose to sharpen it yourself, or you could perhaps use a professional’s help.

The procedure is straightforward but consumes a lot of time.

Therefore, you could take ample time and hone your serrated knife for clean cuts and better performance.