Sharpen Japanese Knives with Newspaper

Who says there's no more use for print newspapers? In Japan, they're a secret tool for keeping knives sharp. The graphite of a newspaper's black ink produces an effect similar to that of a very fine polish—the particularly dense grit works best on the ultrathin edge of Japanese knives. Just lay the blade flat on a sheet of newspaper, and lightly glide it across. Do the same thing with the other side of the blade. Yesterday's paper will have a new life, and your knives will be razor sharp. That's good news for everyone.