Camellia oil, also known as Tsubaki oil, is a lightweight, food-safe oil traditionally used to protect the surface of carbon-steel knives and swords, which are otherwise susceptible to oxidation and potential rust. It doesn’t turn gummy, nor will it turn rancid and effect the flavor of foods you prep. To use, apply a small dab on each side of the blade once a week and wipe dry with a paper towel.

We love whetstones because they work on knives of all kinds—even on other bladed tools like kitchen shears. The aluminum oxide stone has two levels of grit: Premium 1000 grit sharpens and restores your knife’s edge, while the 6000 grit refines and polishes the edge to finish. It works fast and is long-lasting, plus the sharpening base provides stability, scratch prevention (it’s equipped with nonskid feet) and better water control, which makes for easier cleanup after you’re done. We also really like that this whetstone comes with adjustable angle guides, which makes the whole process easier on the user. It comes with guides for both 15 degrees, which works for Eastern-style knives, and 17 degrees (which we’re partial to, since that’s the angle of most of our Milk Street knives).

Oregon-based Work Sharp’s newest electric knife sharpener is small enough to fit in a drawer and more economical than other systems, designed for home cooks who want the best for their knives without a learning curve. Using flexible abrasive disks that sharpen knives gently yet produce a fine edge, the E2 is excellent for everyday kitchen knives. Precisely angled guides and automated timing ensure complete and accurate sharpening with no guesswork—simply turn it on and run your knife through. Choose the upgraded model for an additional angle guide for pocket knives, two speed options, and an upgraded motor for thicker blades.

If you’ve invested in good-quality knives and want to keep them in tip-top shape, we can’t recommend Oregon company Work Sharp’s E5 Sharpening System highly enough. Our No. 1 choice for sharpening knives at home, it features a unique timer-driven belt system that works exactly like a professional sharpener’s grinder, putting a fine razor edge on blades without removing too much metal (the problem with other electric grinders). And with three timed settings, you won’t need to worry about under-sharpening or over-sharpening. The E5 is available on its own or bundled together with Work Sharp’s M3 Knife Sharpener, which is a classic honing rod made simpler to use.

The E5 Upgrade Kit takes home knife sharpening to the next level with 15 and 20-degree blade angle guides, which are easily swapped out with the E5’s 17-degree angle guides. The kit also includes four specialty sharpening belts, which allow fine-tuning blade sharpness beyond those included with the E5 system. The easy-to-switch belts are long-lasting, gentle on your knives, and can be stored snugly in an inner compartment of the sharpener when not in use.

Honing rods, also known as "steel" are an essential tool for maintaining a knife's fine razor edge. With use, the blade curls over with use, effectively dulling the edge. A few gentle swims on each side of the blade helps realign the edge, making it razor sharp again. Routine use of a honing rod—we recommend a few swipes every time you use the knife--will greatly prolong the duration in between sharpening, which in turn a knife's lifespan. Using a honing rod on their knives is a daily thing for professionals. It’s used before beginning prep and sometimes mid-prep if they find that the blade isn’t gliding through food as well as it was before. A home cook can dramatically improve their knife skills and speed in the kitchen if they adopt this habit, too. A sharp knife is a safer knife and also a faster knife! When it comes to honing rods, we prefer ceramic over metal, which does a better job of restoring the edge across a broad range of blade steels. Plus, this bull-nosed rod has achieved near-diamond hardness without incorporating literal diamond dust, which can strip metal from your knife and cause damage. Includes a ring for hanging and a sturdy hard-rock maple handle.