Limited Edition Collector Blades
How to Fix a Chipped Knife (Small Chips to Broken Tips)
How do you fix a chipped knife? Grind the edge back past the chip on a whetstone, then rebuild a new edge. For small chips, the Dalstrong 1000/6000 Whetstone Set ($59) is enough: its 1000-grit side removes steel and the 6000-grit side refines the edge, and the built-in 15° angle guide helps you hold a steady angle. For deep chips or a snapped tip, send it to the Dalstrong Knife Sharpening Service ($69) instead.
A chip looks scary, but most are cosmetic and take 20–40 minutes to remove. The fix depends on how big the chip is, so start by sizing it.
Step 1: Size the chip
Hold the blade edge-up under a bright light and look down the edge. Then match it to this table.
| Damage | What it looks like | Fix | Rough time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro-chips | Tiny glints along the edge; the knife snags on a tomato skin | Sharpen normally on the 1000-grit side, then polish on 6000 | 15–20 min |
| Small chip (under about 1 mm) | A visible notch you can feel with a fingernail | Extended 1000-grit work until the notch is gone, then a new edge | 30–45 min |
| Large chip (over about 1 mm) | A clear bite out of the edge | A coarse stone or a professional regrind | Send it out |
| Broken tip | The point has snapped off | Reprofile the tip, then sharpen | Send it out, unless you're experienced |
Step 2: Remove the chip (micro-chips and small chips)
- Wet the stone. The Dalstrong set is a non-soak corundum stone, so it's ready as soon as you apply water. Put it on its beech base with the 1000-grit side up.
- Grind the edge down, not the sides. A quick way to remove a chip is to drag the edge straight down across the stone at 90°, two or three light passes, until the chip disappears. This "flattens" the edge so you start fresh. Go gently; you only need to remove as much steel as the chip is deep.
- Rebuild the bevel. Now sharpen normally at your knife's angle, alternating sides, until you raise a small burr along the whole length of the edge. Dalstrong lists the Shogun Series edge at 8–12° and the Gladiator Series at 16–18°; see our knife sharpening angle guide for how to hold it.
- Refine on 6000. Flip to the 6000-grit side and use lighter strokes to polish the edge and remove the burr.
- Hone and clean up. A few passes on a ceramic honing rod ($79) aligns the new edge. Rinse and dry the knife.
Whetstone Set, 1000/6000# Kit ($59). A 1000/6000 two-sided stone with a beech wood base, non-slip silicone layer and a 15° angle guide. The 1000 side does the repair work and the 6000 side finishes it.
Step 3: Know when to send it out
Large chips and broken tips need a lot of steel removed. Doing that on a fine stone takes a long time and it's easy to change the knife's shape. A professional regrind is faster and keeps the profile even.
Dalstrong Knife Sharpening Service ($69). Send in 5 or 7 knives at a time; Dalstrong lists a 4–7 day turnaround from the time it receives them.
Why knives chip in the first place
- Hard boards. Glass, stone and ceramic boards chip edges quickly. Use wood or quality plastic; see our cutting board guide.
- Bones and frozen food. Thin, hard edges aren't made for prying or chopping through bone. Use a cleaver for that job.
- Twisting the blade. Prying through squash or twisting while you cut puts sideways force on the edge.
- The dishwasher and the drawer. Knocking against other utensils chips edges. Here's why knives shouldn't go in the dishwasher.
Harder steel holds a sharper edge longer but is more brittle, so it's more prone to chipping. Dalstrong's Shogun Series runs at 62+ HRC; the Gladiator Series runs at 54–56 HRC and is more forgiving. If you chip knives often, a tougher steel might suit how you cook. Want a heavy-duty knife for bone? Look at a Gladiator Series 9" Ravager Meat Cleaver ($99).
FAQ
How do you fix a chipped knife at home?
Grind the edge back past the chip on a whetstone, then sharpen a new edge. The Dalstrong 1000/6000 Whetstone Set ($59) handles micro-chips and small chips: repair on the 1000-grit side, then polish on 6000.
Can a chipped knife be fixed?
Yes. Most chips can be ground out. Small chips can be fixed at home on a 1000-grit stone. Large chips and broken tips are best sent to a professional sharpening service.
Is it safe to use a chipped knife?
A small chip is mostly a performance issue, but a chipped edge can snag and slip, and steel fragments can break off. Repair the edge before using it on food.
Why does my Japanese knife chip?
Harder steel, like the 62+ HRC AUS-10V in Dalstrong's Shogun Series, holds a finer edge but is more brittle. Hard boards, bones, frozen food and twisting cuts are the usual causes.
