It may seem strange, but sharpening your kitchen knives is actually one of the best ways to avoid cutting yourself while cooking. A sharp knife means an easier cut with less effort from you, which gives you more control and requires less force. Here are a few tips for sharpening kitchen knives at home.

1. Place a whetstone, or a rough-surfaced stone made for sharpening knives, on top of a cutting board to offer more stability.
2. Holding your knife by the handle, place it on a very slight angle against the whetstone (blade facing away, of course).
3. With moderate pressure, glide the knife forward across the whetstone 10 times. Flip it over and repeat on the other side.
4. The whetstone has two different types of grit, so flip the whole thing over to the finer side. Repeat the last step to smooth the knife's rough edges.
5. Finally, hone the blade with a sharpening steel. Place the long, steel rod point-down onto the cutting board, just as you would a nail. Touch the part of the knife closest to the handle against the steel, then pull the blade toward you and slightly downward with a bit of pressure. Repeat this 10 times on each side of the knife, and again any time the knife needs a touch-up.

How to Sharpen a Knife [About Food]
Knife Skills: How to Sharpen a Knife [Serious Eats]
How to Properly Sharpen a Kitchen Knife [Le Cordon Bleu]

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