The Kitchen Staple You Can Use To Sharpen Dull Knives In A Pinch - Tasting Table

"This takes just one minute. You simple fold a piece of foil plenty of times to make a nice, thick piece. Then, as if you're cutting that foil pad, you glide the knife's blade along it around 15 times. The aluminum foil is somewhat abrasive, so it gently smooths out the wear and tear along the blade's edge that dulls it."

"You can also take a slightly thinner folded pad of foil and bend it over a 90-degree angle like your countertop's edge, and slide the knife over the corner to get some abrasion; just take care to not slice through the foil and into your counter. It's crucial to note that this is not the ideal method - foil is nowhere near as effective as professional sharpening tools, so it's a temporary fix."

Folding aluminum foil into a thick pad and slicing it roughly 15 times along the blade can temporarily smooth and sharpen a dull kitchen knife. A thinner folded pad bent over a 90-degree edge can provide additional abrasion when the knife is slid over the corner. The foil's slight abrasiveness helps remove minor wear and tear from the blade edge. The method takes about a minute and can also be used for scissors. The technique is a last-resort, temporary fix and is not as effective as professional sharpening tools; use care to avoid cutting counters.

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