The Buttering-Bread Method: How to Use The Stick by Sharpow

A simple, controlled routine for maintaining your knife’s edge between sharpenings.

Learn more about The Stick, Sharpow Kits or check out The Hub.

Set Up

Place The Stick flat on a stable countertop, long edge parallel to you. Hold your knife perpendicular to the Stick, spine leading, edge trailing, just as you would when buttering bread.

Learn more about The Stick, Sharpow Kits or check out The Hub.

How to Use It

1. Start at the tip. Knives usually go dull in the front third first because that’s where they meet the board most often. Begin where it’s dullest, at the tip.
2. Glide toward the heel. Pull the knife smoothly across the Stick, spine-first and edge-trailing, in one continuous motion from tip to heel. Keep the knife nearly perpendicular to the Stick’s surface, matching the current angle on the bevel of the knife.
3. Repeat in a series of passes. Alternate sides, keeping pressure light and your motion even. You should hear a subtle scraping sound, the controlled abrasion of The Stick refining the edge.
4. Test for sharpness. After a few passes on each side, check your edge on a sheet of paper or by slicing a tomato or pepper, etc. It should cut cleanly without extra force.

Note: You are not really honing and you're not really sharpening the edge here. The Stick lightly abrades and refreshes the apex on blades, restoring crisp edges of freshly sharpened blades without removing unnecessary metal.

How Often

Use the Stick whenever your knife starts to crush food instead of slicing it cleanly, especially at the tip. For frequent cooks, this might mean once every few days; for occasional use, just when performance fades.

Care

• Clean the knife after each use to remove residue or abrasive dust.
• The Stick only needs occasional cleaning. Wipe it down or rinse lightly if buildup is visible, then dry.
• Store flat, in a drawer, or in a knife block slot.

FAQ