---
slug: how_to_sharpen_a_serrated_knife
category_path: home_kitchen/kitchen_dining/cutlery_knife_accessories/bread_knives
type: informational
title: "How to Sharpen a Serrated Knife"
lead: "Sharpen a serrated knife one scallop at a time with a tapered sharpening rod that fits each groove, stroking the beveled side of each tooth a few times, then wiping the burr off the flat back. Don't run it over a flat stone or a standard pull-through sharpener, which grind down the points and ruin the serrations."
recommendation:
  name: "A tapered rod in each groove on the beveled side, a few strokes each, then deburr the flat back — never a flat stone"
  reason: "A serrated knife cuts with a row of tiny beveled scallops, so it's sharpened groove by groove rather than along a single edge, and the tool for the job is a tapered sharpening rod (ceramic or diamond-coated) that narrows to fit different-sized gullets. Look at the blade: one side of each tooth is beveled and the other is flat. Fit the rod into a scallop on the beveled side, match the rod's existing angle, and draw it through with a few light strokes, moving the rod to sit snugly in each groove down the blade and keeping the strokes even. Sharpening raises a burr on the flat back of the blade; once you've done all the teeth, lay the flat side down almost level and make one or two light passes along it, or wipe it with the rod, to remove that burr. Serrated edges stay usable far longer than plain ones and need this only occasionally. The big mistake is treating it like a straight knife — never grind the pointed tips flat on a whetstone or run it through a pull-through sharpener meant for straight edges, which flattens the teeth that do the cutting. If a knife has very fine serrations or you're unsure, professional sharpening is worth it."
published: 2026-07-09
updated: 2026-07-09
---


<ComparisonTable
  columns={["Step", "Do", "Why"]}
  rows={[
    ["Tool", "A tapered ceramic or diamond rod", "It fits into each differently sized groove"],
    ["Sharpen", "A few strokes in each scallop, beveled side", "Serrations are sharpened tooth by tooth"],
    ["Deburr", "One light pass on the flat back", "Removes the burr sharpening raises"],
    ["Avoid", "No flat stone or pull-through sharpener", "They grind the tips and ruin the teeth"],
  ]}
/>