How to Sharpen Cutco Knives (and Why You Shouldn’t DIY)

Every week someone asks me the same question: “How do I sharpen my Cutco knives?” Usually they’re holding a knife that’s been in the family for 15 years, and they’re about to drag it through a gas station pull-through sharpener. Please don’t. I’m Deanna Scortino, “The Knife Gal,” and after 20 years of selling and servicing Cutco in Southern California, I’ve seen what DIY sharpening does to a good knife. The good news is you almost never need to do it yourself.

This guide covers how to tell which kind of edge you have, what you can safely do at home, why Double-D® edges should never touch a home sharpener, and how to get your Cutco sharpened for free under the Forever Guarantee.

First, Figure Out Which Edge You Have

Cutco makes knives with two very different kinds of edges, and the right sharpening approach depends entirely on which one you’re holding:

• Straight edge. A smooth, continuous cutting edge, like most knives you’ve owned. Cutco grinds its straight edges at 15 degrees per side (30 degrees total), with a hollow grind behind the edge that reduces drag and gives the blade years of sharpening life. My Cutco Paring Knife Collection is a good example of straight-edge knives.
• Double-D® edge. Look closely and you’ll see a repeating pattern of small points with recessed scallops between them. Introduced in 1960, the Double-D® edge has three razor-sharp cutting edges recessed between those points, angled to cut forward, backward, and straight down. It’s ground on one side only, at a 27-degree angle (12 degrees on the cheese knives). Knives like my Cutco Steak Knife and Cutco Table Knives use it.

If you’re not sure, run a fingernail gently along the side of the edge (never across it). Smooth means straight edge. A rhythmic bump-bump-bump means Double-D®.

How to Sharpen a Straight-Edge Cutco Knife at Home

Straight-edge Cutco knives can be touched up at home between professional sharpenings, using the Cutco Sharpener. Its carbide inserts are angled to match Cutco’s edge, so you don’t have to guess at the angle. Here’s how Cutco recommends using it:

1. Set up. Place the Sharpener on a sturdy, flat surface. Hold the handle of the Sharpener in one hand and your knife in the other.
2. Position the blade. Rest the heel of the blade (the end nearest the handle) in the center of the V-shaped inserts.
3. Pull through. Keep the blade upright and tilt the tip slightly downward. With light pressure, pull the knife toward you, following the curve of the blade all the way to the tip. Repeat 5 to 7 times.
4. Refine. Finish with 2 more strokes using very light pressure.
5. Clean up. Hand wash and dry the knife, and wipe your counter with a damp paper towel to pick up the tiny steel filings sharpening leaves behind.

The Sharpener works for lefties and righties alike. Just don’t put it in the dishwasher, since it isn’t watertight.

One honest note: a home touch-up realigns and refreshes an edge, but it doesn’t replace a factory sharpening. When the Sharpener stops bringing the edge back, it’s time to send the knife in.

Why You Should Never DIY a Double-D® Edge

This is the part I really want you to hear. The Cutco Sharpener is not for Double-D® edges, and neither is anything else in your kitchen drawer. Here’s why:

• The points are there to protect the edge. Those little points are what keep the recessed cutting edges from hitting plates, bone, and cutting boards. A pull-through sharpener, whetstone, or honing rod grinds those points down. Once they’re flattened, the recessed edges are exposed and the knife dulls much faster.
• It’s a one-sided edge. Most home sharpeners work both sides of the blade at once. Sharpen both sides of a Double-D® knife and you’ve changed the geometry Cutco designed it around.
• It takes special tooling. Recessed edges need specialized equipment to sharpen properly. That’s a big reason most knife makers don’t offer them, and why Cutco sharpens them for you.
• Electric grinders take too much steel. Every sharpening removes metal. A fast electric grinder can remove far more than necessary in seconds, shortening the life of a knife built to last generations.

The best part? You don’t need to sharpen a Double-D® knife very often. These edges stay sharp for years, which is one reason so many people believe Cutco “never needs sharpening.” It does, eventually. It just takes a long time.

Why DIY Rarely Makes Sense With Cutco

With most knife brands, learning to sharpen is part of ownership. With Cutco, it really isn’t, because professional sharpening is already included. The Forever Guarantee covers free sharpening for every Cutco knife, straight edge and Double-D® alike, for as long as you own it. You pay only a nominal return shipping and handling fee.

So weigh it out. On one side: an hour with a whetstone, a real chance of rounding off the tip or changing the angle, and no factory finish. On the other: a factory edge, applied with the same equipment that made your knife, at practically no cost. It’s not a hard call.

If you want to understand why Cutco is built this way, I go deeper in What Makes Cutco Knives Different From Other Brands?

How Cutco’s Free Sharpening Service Works

Sending your knives to Cutco is simple. Here’s the process:

1. Submit a service request through the return and repair page on cutco.com, and print your confirmation.
2. Clean and wrap each knife separately. Cover each blade completely with cardboard (a cereal box works, or the original sheath), then add a layer of tissue paper or newspaper.
3. Pack it right. Use a sturdy corrugated box so nothing shifts. Skip the padded envelopes, don’t tape blades or handles, and leave the block or tray at home.
4. Ship it. Include your printed confirmation and send the box to Cutco in Olean, New York, the same place your knives were made. You choose the carrier and cover shipping there.
5. Wait for the return. Cutco inspects every piece, sharpens it, and sends it back. If a knife can’t be restored, it’s repaired or replaced.

Plan on a few weeks from the time Cutco receives your package, and longer around the holidays. If you want sharp knives for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, send them early.

One thing to know: if a knife was damaged through unconventional use, like a trip through the garbage disposal or a melted handle, Cutco replaces it at half the current retail price. Normal wear and dulling are always covered.

Skip the Shipping: Local Sharpening in Southern California

Don’t want to box up your knives and go without them for weeks? In some areas, a local Cutco representative can handle sharpening for you, and in Southern California, that’s me. Find the guide for your area:

• Cutco Knife Sharpening in Los Angeles
• Free Cutco Knife Sharpening in Orange County
• Cutco Knife Sharpening in Ventura
• Cutco Knife Sharpening in Burbank
• Free Cutco Knife Sharpening in Glendale

It doesn’t matter whether you bought your Cutco from me, from a college student 20 years ago, or inherited it from your grandmother. The Forever Guarantee follows the knife, and I’m happy to help any Cutco owner.

How to Tell When Your Cutco Needs Sharpening

A few quick tests:

• The tomato test. A sharp knife breaks through tomato skin with almost no pressure. If you’re squashing before you’re slicing, it’s time.
• The paper test. Hold a sheet of printer paper by one corner and slice down through it. A sharp edge glides. A dull one snags or tears.
• The effort test. If you’re pressing harder than you used to, or the knife slides off onion skins, the edge has worn.

A dull knife is also a less safe knife, because it takes more force and is more likely to slip. Don’t wait for it to get bad.

Keep Your Edge Sharp Longer

The less you need sharpening, the better. A few habits make a big difference:

• Use the right surface. Cut on wood or polypropylene boards, never glass, granite, or a plate.
• Use the right knife. Don’t twist a paring knife through squash or pry with a tip. My Cutco Chef Knife Review: Petite Chef vs. French Chef will help you match the knife to the job.
• Hand wash and dry. Rattling around a dishwasher is hard on any edge.
• Store them properly. A block or sheath keeps edges from banging into other utensils in a drawer.

Do those things and you’ll be surprised how long a Cutco edge lasts. I cover the long view in How Long Do Cutco Knives Last?

Questions I Get About Sharpening Cutco

Can I sharpen Cutco knives myself?

You can touch up straight-edge Cutco knives at home with the Cutco Sharpener. Double-D® edges should only be sharpened by Cutco, which does it free under the Forever Guarantee.

Can I use a regular knife sharpener or whetstone on Cutco?

I don’t recommend it. On a Double-D® edge, it grinds down the protective points and damages the edge. On a straight edge, the Cutco Sharpener is designed to match Cutco’s angle, so there’s no guesswork.

Is Cutco sharpening really free?

Yes. Sharpening is covered by the Forever Guarantee. You pay your shipping to Cutco plus a nominal return shipping and handling fee, or you can work with a local rep where that’s available.

Do I have to be the original owner?

No. The Forever Guarantee covers the knife, not the receipt. Inherited, gifted, or bought decades ago, it’s covered.

How often should Cutco knives be sharpened?

It depends on how much you cook. Straight edges benefit from periodic home touch-ups. Double-D® edges often go years before they need a factory sharpening.

The Easiest Way to Sharpen Cutco: Let Someone Else Do It

Cutco built its knives to be sharpened by the people who made them, and they made that sharpening free. Touch up your straight edges at home if you like, leave the Double-D® edges to the pros, and you’ll be handing your knives down to the next generation in great shape.

Thinking about adding to your collection? Read Are Cutco Knives Worth It? or explore the Ultimate Guide to Cutco Knife Sets.

Learn more about working with a Cutco Representative Southern California, read every purchasing route in How Do I Buy Cutco Knives?, shop anytime at my online store, or schedule a free, no-obligation demonstration at theknifegal.com or by calling (323) 205-5288.

Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura County — sharp Cutco knives are closer than you think.