Between re-sharpening, you need to hone the knife. Honing keeps your cutlery sharp with what's called the sharpening rod or sharpening steel. You place the tip of the steel against the kitchen counter or your cutting board with the steel chipped edge down. You place the knife against the base of the steel at about a 20 degree angle and starting with the base of the blade (maintaining that angle), you pull the knife down and across the steel in a slight arc. In knife skill classes, they show you how to do this. Maintain very light pressure and repeat on the other side of the blade- usually four, five or six times. You alternate the sharpening on both sides of the blade and your knife will be perfectly sharp and ready to go to work. Eventually you will need to take it in for professional sharpening.
