Home Cooking Boom Drives Surge in Kitchen Knife Sharpening Demand

KUMA Knives publishes free guide to help home cooks maintain sharper, safer blades

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:03pm

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A close-up photograph of a sharp, polished kitchen knife resting on a clean, monochromatic background, representing the importance of maintaining high-quality cooking tools.A premium kitchen knife, expertly sharpened, symbolizes the importance of proper blade maintenance as home cooking reaches new heights.Sheridan Today

Copenhagen-based kitchen cutlery brand KUMA Knives has released a free guide on how to properly sharpen kitchen knives at home, as home cooking participation reaches historic levels. The guide warns that dull knives are more dangerous than sharp ones, and that relying on electric knife sharpeners can actually damage blades over time. KUMA recommends using whetstones, also known as water stones or sharpening stones, as the correct tool for home kitchen knife sharpening.

Why it matters

With more people cooking at home than ever before, maintaining sharp, safe kitchen knives has become a growing concern. This guide from KUMA Knives aims to educate home cooks on the risks of dull blades and the proper techniques to keep their knives performing at their best for years to come.

The details

According to the guide, dull knives require more cutting force, which increases the likelihood of the knife slipping and causing injury. Poorly cut ingredients also cook unevenly, reducing the quality of the finished meal. The guide cites electric knife sharpeners as a common mistake, as they strip excess metal from the blade with each use, shortening blade life over time. KUMA recommends whetstones as the correct tool for home kitchen knife sharpening, as they provide greater control over the blade angle and remove significantly less material per session.

  • Home cooking participation has reached historic levels, with 54% of consumers cooking more at home than they were five years ago.
  • The global kitchen knife market is projected to grow from $2.11 billion in 2025 to $3.73 billion by 2034, according to Fortune Business Insights.

The players

KUMA Knives

A Copenhagen-based kitchen cutlery brand that has published a free kitchen knife sharpening guide.

Oliver Salyor

The co-founder of KUMA Knives, who says that most people do not realize that electric knife sharpeners are damaging their blades over time.

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What they’re saying

“Most people do not realize that the tool they are using to fix their knife is quietly damaging it. We published this guide because good knife care should not require professional training. A whetstone, a few minutes, and the right technique will keep a quality knife performing for years.”

— Oliver Salyor, Co-Founder, KUMA Knives

What’s next

The KUMA Versatile Paring Knife, a 3.5-inch stainless steel blade engineered for peeling, slicing, and precision prep work, is available directly at kumaknives.com and on Amazon.

The takeaway

This guide from KUMA Knives highlights the importance of proper kitchen knife maintenance, especially as home cooking has surged in popularity. By educating home cooks on the risks of dull blades and the benefits of using whetstones over electric sharpeners, KUMA aims to help people keep their knives sharp, safe, and performing at their best for years to come.