Baccarat Knife Sharpener: Keeping Your Knives Sharp

Dull knives are more dangerous than sharp ones. When a knife slides off food instead of cutting through it, you compensate with extra force, and that's when accidents happen. A knife sharpener is one of the most practical kitchen tools you can own, and Baccarat offers several options worth knowing about.

Baccarat is an Australian cookware brand with a solid mid-range reputation. Their sharpeners are available primarily in Australia and New Zealand, though some models appear through online retailers internationally. Here's what they offer and how each type of sharpener actually works.

Types of Knife Sharpeners: What Baccarat Offers

Baccarat's sharpener lineup includes electric sharpeners, manual pull-through models, and honing steels. Each works differently and is appropriate for different situations.

Electric Knife Sharpeners

Electric sharpeners have motorized abrasive discs or belts that grind a new edge onto your blade. You draw the knife through pre-set slots at a fixed angle, usually in two or three stages: a coarse stage to reshape the edge, a medium stage to refine it, and sometimes a fine stage to polish it.

The advantages of electric sharpeners are speed and consistency. You don't need to learn a sharpening angle; the slots set it for you. The disadvantage is that they remove more metal than necessary, which over many sharpening cycles shortens the knife's life faster than a whetstone would.

Baccarat's electric sharpeners typically run two to three stages and work best on German-style knives at 20 degrees per side. They're not ideal for Japanese knives at 15 degrees per side, which require a different angle.

Manual Pull-Through Sharpeners

Pull-through sharpeners use ceramic or carbide V-shaped elements that the blade is drawn through. They're inexpensive, compact, and easy to use. They also work on a fixed angle and tend to remove metal somewhat aggressively.

For a casual home cook who wants a quick edge refresh without any learning curve, a pull-through sharpener works. For knives you've invested serious money in, a whetstone or an electric sharpener gives you more control over how much metal is removed.

Honing Steels

A honing steel doesn't actually sharpen a knife. It realigns the microscopic edge that has folded over with use. This is different from grinding away metal to form a new edge.

You should use a honing steel regularly (ideally before each cooking session) and sharpen (grind a new edge) only when honing no longer restores the cutting feel.

Baccarat makes both standard honing steels and ceramic honing rods. Ceramic rods are slightly abrasive and provide a light sharpening effect along with realignment. For harder Japanese knives at 60+ HRC, a ceramic rod is safer than a ridged steel because the smoother surface is less likely to cause chipping.

How to Use Each Type Correctly

Electric Sharpener Technique

1. Run the knife through the coarsest slot first if the edge is very dull or damaged.
2. Progress through medium and fine slots.
3. Draw the knife through each slot once or twice per side, applying light pressure.
4. Rinse the knife after sharpening to remove metal filings.

Don't over-sharpen. If the knife cuts paper cleanly after two passes, you're done.

Pull-Through Technique

Draw the knife heel-to-tip through the slot in a single smooth stroke. Apply light pressure. Repeat 3-5 times per side. The slot sets the angle; don't tilt the knife.

Honing Steel Technique

There are two methods: using the steel stationary on a cutting board and bringing the knife down at 15-20 degrees, or holding the steel in one hand and moving the knife across it. Both work. The stationary method is safer for beginners.

Hold the steel vertically, tip on the cutting board. Place the heel of the blade against the top of the steel at your target angle (15 degrees for Japanese, 20 for German). Draw the blade down and across the steel in a smooth arc, ending with the tip at the bottom. Alternate sides.

Who Should Buy a Baccarat Sharpener

Casual home cook with German knives: A Baccarat pull-through sharpener or electric model is a practical, low-effort solution.

Cook with Japanese knives at 60+ HRC: The manual pull-through and most electric sharpeners use a 20-degree angle that doesn't match Japanese geometry. A whetstone is a better choice for these knives. Baccarat's ceramic honing rod works fine for daily maintenance.

Someone who just wants knives to stay sharp with minimal effort: An electric sharpener with two or three stages handles this well. Pair it with a honing steel for regular maintenance between electric-sharpening sessions.

For more information on matching sharpeners to knife types, see our Best Kitchen Knives and Top Kitchen Knives guides.

Alternatives to Consider

If you're not set on the Baccarat brand, a few alternatives worth knowing:

Victorinox honing steel (~$30): Simple, durable, works on any Western-style knife.

KitchenIQ edge grip pull-through (~$10): Basic but effective for occasional use. Angle guide helps beginners.

Work Sharp Culinary electric sharpener (~$50-$80): One of the best electric sharpeners in the mid-range, with adjustable angle guides.

King 1000/6000 combination whetstone (~$40): The learning curve is real, but nothing maintains edges as well or removes as little metal. Worth learning if you own quality knives.

FAQ

How often should I use a knife sharpener? The answer depends on which type. Hone with a steel or ceramic rod before each use or at least weekly. Sharpen (grind a new edge) only when honing no longer restores the cutting feel, typically every few months with regular home cooking.

What's the difference between a honing steel and a sharpener? A honing steel realigns the existing edge without removing significant metal. A sharpener grinds away metal to create a fresh edge. Both are needed, but honing should happen far more frequently than sharpening.

Can I use a pull-through sharpener on Japanese knives? Most pull-through sharpeners use a 20-degree angle designed for Western knives. Japanese knives are typically sharpened to 15 degrees per side. Using a 20-degree pull-through on a 15-degree Japanese edge will change the geometry and eventually rounds off the tip of the bevel. A whetstone or angle-adjustable sharpener is better for Japanese knives.

Are Baccarat sharpeners worth buying? For Australian cooks, Baccarat sharpeners offer good value for money and are easy to find at retail. If you're outside Australia, the same quality is available from other brands at similar prices. Focus on the type of sharpener that matches your knives rather than on the brand.

Conclusion

The right sharpener depends on your knives and how much time you want to spend. For German-style knives and minimal effort, a Baccarat electric sharpener or pull-through model handles the job well. For Japanese knives, stick to a ceramic honing rod for daily maintenance and invest in a whetstone for periodic edge restoration. Whatever you use, the goal is simple: a knife that cuts cleanly without requiring extra force.