Learn to Sharpen & Maintain Your Kitchen Knives

Using Traditional Japanese Whetstones

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About this event

Ever wanted to sharpen your own knives but not sure where to start?
We hear this all the time:

“I’ve had a whetstone for years but never learned to use it.”
“I’d love to sharpen my knives, but I’m scared of ruining them.”
“I’m not really sure about the angles.”

All totally valid reasons. Sharpening by hand can feel daunting — but with the right guidance, it’s absolutely doable.

This hands-on workshop breaks the process down step by step, giving you the confidence and skills to sharpen and maintain your own kitchen knives at home.

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When we run classes

We run sharpening classes on either a Tuesday or Thursday evening, every week throughout the year — except for December and January when we take a break.

Our classes are very popular and often book up quickly, so we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment. New class dates are released every couple of months, rather than for the whole year at once.

Our newsletter subscribers are the first to hear when new class dates are released, so if you’re hoping to join us, we recommend signing up to give yourself the best chance of getting the date you want.

[Sign up to our newsletter here]

If you check the calendar and can’t see any available dates, it just means everything currently scheduled is fully booked. More dates will be released in the next batch.

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How it works

We’ll meet at Community Cutlery (31 Leeds Road, Ilkley) from 6:45 pm.

Bring along your own blunt kitchen knives — ideally a chef’s knife and a small utility or paring knife, but if your collection’s a bit different, bring what you’ve got. The goal is to learn how to care for the knives you actually use.

We’ll start with a short theory session, followed by a live demonstration, and then give you plenty of time to get hands-on — sharpening your own knives with our guidance throughout.

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What to bring

• 3–4 of your own kitchen knives (at least one large and one small).
• No serrated or single-bevel knives this time, please.
• A bit of patience and enthusiasm for sharper knives.

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What’s included

• Instruction and guidance throughout the session.
• A stropping paddle (RRP £18) to maintain your edges at home.
• A mobile-optimised guide to sharpening theory.
• 10% off in-store on the day of the event.
• Ongoing support — if you get stuck later, just drop in or get in touch.

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Want to give a class as a gift?

If you’d like to give someone a sharpening class but don’t want to choose a date for them, you can purchase a £65 Community Cutlery gift voucher.

The recipient can use it to book a sharpening class when a suitable space becomes available. And if they decide they’d rather spend it on something else, the voucher can also be used in-store or online across Community Cutlery.

Please note that purchasing a gift voucher does not reserve or guarantee a place on a class — all class bookings are subject to availability.

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We look forward to welcoming you.

Please note: All classes are exempt from signup discounts.

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