Sharpen your knives with these clever tips

There’s almost nothing worse than a blunt knife when you’re cooking up a feast in the kitchen.

What’s even worse is going to find a knife sharpening tool and realising you have none.

So, what do you do?

Well, instead of racing out to the shops and buying a new knife sharpener, can actually use these four everyday items.

1. An old mug or coffee cup 

Let’s start off with an easy one. Turn your mug or ceramic coffee cup upside down, see the rough part of the bottom where the cup sits on the table? Well, run your knife across this part of the mug/coffee cup until your knife is sharp. You may see some marks on the bottom of the mug where the steel is being removed from the blade of the knife.

2. A plate or bowl from your kitchen

This one is a very simple trick! First, turn the porcelain bowl or plate upside down. See the solid rim on the underside where the plate or bowl sits on the table? Well, take your knife and run it at a 20 degree angle along the edge of the rim. Make sure you repeat the process on both sides until your knife is sharp again. And the beauty is, you shouldn’t scratch your plate or bowl in the process!

3. A nail file

That’s right ladies, your nail file can sharpen your knife! A nail file will have the same effect as sandpaper. All you need to do is run the edge of the knife against the sand paper like surface of the nail file. It’ll come up sharper than it was before!

4. A car window 

Ok, before you freak out about breaking or scratching your window, hear this one out. So, how does it work? Well, you use the top edge of the window to sharpen your knife. Just run the blade across the top of the window at the same angle you would on a knife sharpener (around a 20 degree angle). Your knife will come up sharper and more polished than before, this is particularly handy if you’re on the road and your knife goes blunt!

Have you ever tried any of these knife sharpening tips? How do you sharpen your knives?