Why won’t my chef’s knife cut all the way through food?

This Henckel’s chef's knife arrived fairly sharp, but my client said it wasn’t cutting the way it should. Like many forged European chef's knives, years of sharpening had gradually moved the edge upward while the bolster (the thick part of the blade nearest the handle) remained unchanged. The result was a condition known as bolster misalignment. I also see this in knives used in commercial kitchens. Aggressive use of a honing steel removes a lot of material from the blade where the steel first contacts the knife near the bolster.

When the bolster extends below the cutting edge, the heel of the knife can no longer make contact with the cutting board. You may notice vegetables remaining partially attached after a cut, or the knife rocking slightly as it moves across the board. In some cases, a knife can feel dull even when the edge itself is quite sharp.

In the photo above, you can see the bolster of th is knife protruding below the edge of the blade, preventing the knife from lying flat against the work surface. Correcting the problem requires carefully removing material from the bolster and reshaping the transition between the blade and handle so the entire edge can once again contact the cutting board, then properly sharpening the knife. It’s a common repair I do that can make a huge difference in how your knife performs.

After realignment, the knife sits flat, cuts cleanly from heel to tip, and performs the way its maker intended. Bolster misalignment is a common issue on older forged chef's knives, but it's also one that's often overlooked. Fortunately, I can correct this problem and restore knives to full function so they can continue serving their owners for many years to come.

Have a knife that isn't performing the way it should? True Grit Sharpening Services provides professional knife sharpening, edge repair, tip repair, and bolster realignment for customers throughout South King County and the greater Seattle area.