While many would be happy to consume pizza in whatever form it comes in, some are more particular.
Plus, imperfectly sliced pizza is hardly appropriate to serve to guests.
To be on the safe and proper side, you’ll want to serve perfectly sliced pizza.
Aside from it making you the ideal host, it also helps get your guests’ appetites going.
Perfect, evenly-sliced pizza can’t be achieved using a dull pizza cutter.
Still, that doesn’t mean they don’t lose their acuteness eventually.
Today, we’re going over why pizza cutters lose their sharpness.
We’ll also discuss the methods and tools for giving pizza cutters their “edge” back.
This info should help you unleash your pizza cutter’s full potential.
Why Do Pizza Cutters Get Dull?
All pizza cutters get dull eventually, but it’s the cheap ones that lose their sharpness after just a few uses.
That’s because they’re made of low-quality materials that can’t handle frequent use.
Misusing pizza cutters is another way to dull their blade.
Wooden or plastic surfaces should be used for cutting pizza to prevent the blade from getting damaged.
Cutting pizza on stone or steel could dull the pizza wheel’s edge or blade.
Then, you have incorrect storage. Storing your pizza cutter in a drawer filled with other metal tools may dull its blade.
The blade can bump into other items as you rattle through the drawer.
The worst thing that can happen is that a portion of the blade chips off, rendering the pizza cutter pretty useless.
Can Pizza Cutters Be Sharpened?
Yes, there are several ways to sharpen a dull pizza cutter.
Make sure the method used is appropriate for the type of pizza cutter you have.
After all, what’s ideal for a pizza wheel may not necessarily work for a pizza blade, and vice versa.
The pizza wheel brings a couple of challenges when it comes to sharpening.
It has a rounded and rotating edge that can be tricky to sharpen.
Conversely, the pizza blade is easier to sharpen.
Although the edge of its blade is also curved, it’s not too curved that you shouldn’t be able to sharpen it just like a knife blade.
While most pizza cutters can be sharpened, some can’t.
This is because they’re made of either porcelain or plastic, which is unsuitable for sharpening.
Methods for Sharpening Your Pizza Cutter
Not having a sharp pizza cutter is hardly the end of the world, but it could mean uneven slices and poorly distributed toppings.
Imagine being the one ending up with the smallest size and the least amount of toppings.
1. Whetstone
Whetstones are ideal for both the pizza blade and the pizza wheel.
They can sharpen metal tools of all kinds, including knives.
Their surfaces are usually flat and come in various grits, which measure the stone’s coarseness and fineness.
Before using the whetstone, one must soak it in water for at least 15 minutes.
Then, place the whetstone flat and grind the pizza cutter at your desired angle.
If you’re sharpening a pizza wheel, ensure the blade isn’t rotating by taking it off its handle or holding it in place.
Also, make sure the blade around the wheel is sharpened evenly.
Whetstones aren’t just great for pizza cutters, they’re also excellent for knives.
That said, they usually work better for pizza blades than pizza wheels.
Pizza blades are structured like knives, while pizza wheels have a circular edge that’s difficult to sharpen.
Remember that whetstones are typically used when there’s no other option since other sharpening tools are likely to deliver better results.
2. Knife Sharpener
This is another great tool for sharpening the pizza wheel and the pizza blade.
Like the whetstone, it better fits the pizza blade than it does the pizza wheel due to the latter’s circular blade.
However, unlike the whetstone, it does an excellent job of fine-tuning a pizza cutter’s edges.
Still, a knife sharpener is hardly the best choice if you’re looking for a tool solely to sharpen your pizza cutter.
3. Puck Sharpener
A puck sharpener is pretty much the handheld version of the whetstone.
You soak it for 10 minutes, then move the tool back and forth with a firm grip over the blade of your pizza cutter.
This generally delivers better results than the whetstone.
4. Belt Grinder
A tool for finishing metal products, the belt grinder does a swell job of sharpening pizza cutters.
It’s usually more convenient to use on a pizza wheel.
You place the wheel’s edge at an angle to the belt and then apply pressure with your fingers.
This prevents the wheel from matching the belt’s speed.
With the wheel spinning slower, the blade around it gets ground more evenly.
5. Pizza Cutter Sharpener
Now, this tool is a champion pizza cutter sharpener.
Not only does it require minimal effort to use, but it also keeps your pizza wheel’s blade sharp for a long time.
So, no more clustered cheese and toppings or uneven slices that are unfair to your guests.
When using the pizza cutter sharpener, place it on top of any flat surface in your kitchen, then roll your pizza wheel through.
Repeat the process until the blade achieves the desired sharpness.
This tool doesn’t make the edge of the wheel razor-sharp, but it does make it slice like new.
The Best Way To Sharpen a Dull Pizza Cutter
How you sharpen your pizza cutters will ultimately depend on your type of pizza cutter.
That includes the material and method of cutting.
There are many ideal methods for the pizza blade, but none are more practical than a knife sharpener.
For the pizza wheel, nothing delivers better results than the pizza cutter sharpener.
This tool is easy to use and relatively low priced, so there’s nothing more to ask for.