K1000 Series Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull™ Essential Knife System FAQs

If your knives have not been sharpened for an extended period (4 weeks or more), increase the sharpening to 20–30 swipes (more swipes may be needed for severely dull knives), then resume the ordinary maintenance routine (10 swipes at least every 2 weeks).

For knives used daily, we recommend sharpening at least every 2 weeks to maintain their edges for a NeverDull® experience. For knives used less often, sharpen as soon as you notice a reduction in cutting performance and/or dull edges. Frequent sharpening will not damage knives.

No, you cannot over sharpen your knives. Frequent sharpening will not damage knives.

Move the lever up and down 10 times for each knife. 10 swipes of the lever should restore each knife to optimal sharpness. The lever must travel the full length of the sharpener, regardless of knife size. Even with smaller knives, like the 3.5" Paring Knife and 4.5" Steak Knives, the lever must travel the full length. The upstroke positions the stone sharpening wheel, and the downstroke sharpens the knife. If your knife has not returned to preferred sharpness, repeat sharpening. For more instructions on sharpening, see the Use and Care Guide.

No, only sharpen Ninja™ knives in the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull® Knife System. The sharpener is designed for Ninja™ straight-edge knives only. Sharpening other branded knives, serrated knives, or shears could damage both the knives and the sharpener. NEVER sharpen a serrated Ninja™ Bread Knife or Ninja™ Kitchen Shears in the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull® Knife System.

No, only sharpen Ninja™ knives in the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull® Knife System. The sharpener is designed for Ninja™ straight-edge knives only. Sharpening other branded knives, serrated knives, or shears could damage both the knives and the sharpener. NEVER sharpen a serrated Ninja™ Bread Knife or Ninja™ Kitchen Shears in the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull® Knife System.

Yes, you can sharpen your Ninja™ Steak Knives in the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull® Knife System. It is recommended to sharpen knives at least every 2 weeks to maintain optimal sharpness. 

No, only sharpen Ninja™ straight-edge knives in the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull® Knife System. DO NOT sharpen serrated knives. The sharpener is designed for straight-edge Ninja™ knives only. Attempting to sharpen a bread knife could damage both the knife and the sharpener. Bread knives have serrated edges to maintain sharpness.

The lever must travel the full length of the sharpener, regardless of knife size, because the stone sharpening wheel gets repositioned only if the lever reaches the end of the sharpener. It is this full downstroke that sharpens the knife. If the lever does not travel the full length, the stone sharpening wheel can get jammed at the end of the knife, which may prevent sharpening and cause damage to both the sharpener and knife. Travel the full length of the sharpener to sharpen your Ninja™ knives correctly.

A clean Ninja™ knife is inserted all the way in the sharpener once you feel the blade come to a hard stop when firmly pushing on the inserted knife handle. Large-handle knives go in the wide section of the sharpening slot. Small-handle knives go in the narrow section of the sharpening slot. 

Refer to the enclosed instructions (specifically the Quick Start Guide) for knife insertion diagrams and complete steps. 

A honing rod is not required. For optimal performance, only sharpen your Ninja™ knives in the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull® Knife System. It is recommended to sharpen knives at least every 2 weeks to maintain optimal sharpness. 

It is recommended to store your block on your kitchen counter for easy access to the knives and sharpener. 

Knives must be stored in a safe place, protecting the cutting edge and preventing against injuries. DO NOT store knives in the sharpener. It is recommended to store knives in a knife block or a drawer organizer. 

It is recommended to store your sharpener vertically on the counter or horizontally in a kitchen drawer.

1. To prevent damage of the knife and stone sharpening wheel, slide sharpener lever all the way to the bottom of the block before inserting knife to sharpen.
2. Insert the knife into the designated sharpening slot until the blade comes to a hard stop. Knives with large handles (Chef, Santoku, and Slicing Knives) should be inserted into upper sharpening slot. Knives with small handles (Utility, Steak, Paring, and Boning Knives) should be inserted into lower sharpening slot. 
3. While lightly holding in place and pressing down the knife handle with your left hand, pull the lever all the way up towards the knife, then slide lever down the sharpener until it reaches the end of the block. Do not twist or deflect the handle side to side. Slide the lever all the way up and down 10 times, using a steady, consistent motion. A slight click will be heard when the lever travels all the way to the bottom of the block. Do not slide the lever only halfway down and then back to the top of the knife block, as this could damage the knife and sharpener. Make sure to travel the full length of the block with the lever to prevent damage to the knife tip.
4. Once completed, carefully remove sharpened knife from the sharpening slot with the lever in the bottom position to prevent dulling of the blade edge. Keep hands away from knife edge while removing knife from sharpening slot. 
5. Rinse knife blade clean with water to remove any sharpening residue and dry thoroughly. Store in designated knife block slot or use for food preparation. If knife has not been returned to preferred sharpness, repeat steps above. Sharpen at least every 2 weeks. Refer to the Use and Care Guide and Quick Start Guide for a complete guide on sharpening your Ninja™ knives. 

For sharpening instructional videos, please visit qr.ninjakitchen.com/neverdull.

If your knives have not been sharpened for an extended period of time (4 weeks or more), increase the sharpening to 20–30 swipes of the lever (more swipes may be needed for severely dull knives), then resume the ordinary maintenance routine (10 swipes at least every 2 weeks).

The Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull™ Knife System is designed for Ninja™ straight-edge knives only; therefore, it is not possible to sharpen your Kitchen Shears with the built-in sharpener. If you use the Shears correctly and follow the recommended guidelines, then they should not dull over the lifetime of your cutlery set. 

The Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull™ Knife System is designed for Ninja™ straight-edge knives only; therefore, it is not possible to sharpen your Bread Knife with the built-in sharpener. If you use the Bread Knife correctly and follow the recommended knife usage guidelines, then it should not dull over the lifetime of your cutlery set. The serrated edges keep your Bread Knife sharp and ready to use.

No, the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull® Knife System is manual. You must swipe the lever on the side of the knife sharpener all the way up and down 10 times to sharpen each Ninja™ knife. 

More swipes may be needed for severely dull knives. If your Ninja™ knife feels dull after 10 swipes, increase the sharpening to 20–30 swipes, then resume the ordinary maintenance routine (10 swipes at least every 2 weeks).

Make sure you are pushing down and holding the release button while carefully removing your knife. The knife will be held in place while sharpening, and the release button is needed when you are ready to remove the knife from the sharpener. Note: ensure the lever is at the bottom of the sharpener when removing your knife.

1. Remove all knives from your block or standalone sharpener.
2. Move the sharpener lever to the bottom position.
3. Rotate block and tilt the block forward so you can easily access the back or lay the sharpener horizontally on a stable surface. Open the stone sharpening wheel access door. 
4. As you hold the lever in the down position with your left hand, pull the wheel holder down and towards you with your right hand. The wheel holder should connect with the snap feature to be held in place. NOTE: The wheel holder may be greasy and/or oily.
5. Remove the wheel by unsnapping and rotating the wheel pin clip upwards 90 degrees. Slide the wheel pin out and remove the wheel. If replacing the wheel, discard the old wheel and reserve the wheel pin.
6. Replace the wheel by placing the new wheel, or cleaned wheel, in the wheel holder. It can be installed in either direction. Insert the wheel pin through the wheel and snap the wheel pin clip in place. 
7. Verify the wheel is installed correctly by spinning the wheel. The wheel should rotate in the wheel holder. If it is jammed, is wobbly, or easily pops out, repeat step 6 until it rolls freely. NOTE: The wheel is meant to be angled in the wheel holder. 
8. Gently raise the wheel holder back to its original position inside the sharpener. Close the stone sharpening wheel access door.
9. )Tilt block back so it is standing upright on counter or stand the sharpener upright vertically. Move the lever up and down 3 times to ensure the sharpener is not jammed. If it is, repeat steps 2–9. Store your knives back in their designated slots (if applicable). 

Refer to the enclosed instructions for a complete guide on how to replace the stone sharpening wheel.

For replacing the stone sharpening wheel videos, please visit qr.ninjakitchen.com/neverdull.

To purchase a replacement wheel, call Customer Service. If you sharpen your knives every 2 weeks, it is recommended to replace the wheel every 2 years.

Each Ninja™ knife is made of premium, durable, high-carbon stainless steel that can be easily sharpened with the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull® Knife System. The specific blade material is 5cr15MoV. 

If you sharpen your knives every 2 weeks, it is recommended to replace the wheel every 2 years.

Each Ninja™ knife is made of durable POM (Polyoxymethylene). POM has high mechanical strength and rigidity, low moisture absorption, excellent wear resistance, discoloration resistance, high impact strength, and low fading properties. 

Wooden or bamboo cutting boards are recommended over plastic cutting boards to protect your knife blade's edge. DO NOT cut on marble, glass, ceramic, china, tile, granite, stainless steel or other metal, porcelain, or laminate surfaces. This will dull the blade edges quickly and decrease the lifespan of your knives.

The Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull® Knife System does make noise when used properly. The stone sharpening wheel grinds against the knife blade to sharpen it, which is what makes the grinding noise on the downstroke of the sharpening lever.

DO NOT cut through bone with knives or use knives to poke, pry, or separate frozen foods.

It is common for moist foods, like potatoes, onions, and cheese, to stick to the surface of the knife blade due to surface tension while cutting. When this occurs, it is recommended to use a Ninja™ Santoku Knife, because the hollow oval indents along the knife blade help reduce food from sticking.

Remove all knives before moving the block. Your block has suction cups on the bottom to stabilize the block while you sharpen your knives. To move your block towards you, gently lift on the back of the block. Place gently back on the counter and push down to activate suction cups. If suction cups are not sticking, clean the counter and the suction cups to remove debris.

No, only sharpen Ninja™ knives in the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull™ Knife System. The sharpener is designed for Ninja™ straight-edge knives only. Sharpening other branded knives, serrated knives, or shears could damage both the knives and the sharpener. NEVER sharpen a serrated Ninja™ Bread Knife or Ninja™ Kitchen Shears in the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull™ Knife System.

No, the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull™ Knife System is manual. You must slide the lever on the side of the knife block all the way up and down 10 times to sharpen each Ninja™ knife. 

Large knives are meant to be stored in the biggest slots on the top section of your Ninja™ knife block, while small knives are meant to be stored in the smallest slots on the top section. Steak knives are stored in the bottom section of your Ninja™ knife block. Shears are stored in the rounded slot on the top section of your Ninja™ knife block. However, as long as the knife fits in the slot, it does not truly matter where each knife is stored. Reference the Quick Start Guide for a labeled diagram on where to store each knife in your set.

First, remove all knives before moving the block. Your block has four suction cups on the bottom to stabilize the block while you sharpen your knives. To move your block towards you, gently lift one side of the block and then the other or lift up on the front of the sharpener. Place gently back on the counter and push down to activate suction cups. If suction cups are not sticking, clean the counter and the suction cups to remove debris.

Refer to the Quick Start Guide for a complete recommended knife usage chart based on your set.

• The Ninja™ Chef Knife is a multipurpose, versatile knife used for slicing, chopping, mincing, and dicing. This knife can be used on many food loads, including vegetables, fruit, protein, herbs, and seafood. including vegetables, fruit, protein, herbs, and nuts.
• The Ninja™ Bread Knife is used for slicing through bread, tomatoes, and citrus fruit. The Ninja Slicing Knife is used for cutting thinner slices of larger vegetables, fruit, meat roasts, and cold cuts.
• The Ninja™ Santoku Knife is a smaller multipurpose knife used for thinner slicing, dicing, and mincing. This knife can be used on many food loads, including vegetables, fruit, protein, herbs, and seafood. The hollow oval indents on the edge of the blade help prevent food from sticking to the blade.
• The Ninja™ Boning Knife is used for filleting fish, cutting meat, and separating meat from the bone.
• The Ninja™ Utility Knife is used for thinner slicing, trimming, and filleting for many food loads, including vegetables, fruit, and protein.
• The Ninja™ Paring Knife is used for cutting, trimming fat, and peeling small vegetables and fruit.
• The Ninja™ Steak Knife is used for slicing through cooked protein, mainly steak, chicken, chops, and fish. The Ninja™ Kitchen Shears are used for snipping and cutting herbs and trimming fat. 

If your lever is wobbling while you are using your Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull™ Knife System, then you should alter your grip. Please grip the lever lightly and in the middle. To sharpen, pull the lever straight up toward the knife—not sideways—then push it down until it reaches the end of the block. 

The Ninja™ 8" Slicing Knife may require additional force to sharpen compared to the other knives in your Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverDull™ Knife System due to the unique shape of the 8 inch slender blade. 

No. DO NOT place knives in dishwasher. To clean your knives, hand wash and immediately dry thoroughly to prevent watermarks, spotting, and rusting. Dishwashers can reduce performance and longevity of your knives and damage the handles and blades. To increase the lifetime of your knives, only hand wash. DO NOT touch sharp edge of knife.

For best results, hand wash knives with soap and water and towel dry immediately to prevent watermarks, spotting, and rusting. DO NOT place knives in dishwasher. Dishwashers can reduce performance and longevity of your knives and damage the handles and blades. To increase the lifetime of your knives, only hand wash. DO NOT touch sharp edge of knife.

No. DO NOT use any type of scour pads, such as Scotch Brite® Heavy Duty Scrub Sponges, while hand washing your knives. Scour pads could damage the blade and cause scratch marks. Only use gentle sponges or dish cloths to hand wash knives with soap and water.

To protect the blade surface from watermarks, spotting, and rusting, it is recommended to towel dry knives immediately after hand washing. DO NOT air dry. DO NOT touch sharp edge of knife.

If your knife blade shows signs of staining, use a non-abrasive metal polish for cleaning or gently scrub a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and water with a non-abrasive sponge. Rinse and dry immediately.

To restore the initial color of your handle, we recommend applying a small amount of oil or cooking spray to a paper towel and carefully rubbing it onto the handle. Rub for about 30 seconds and be sure to fully coat the knife handle. Use care to hand wash the handle with soap and water to remove excess oil. Towel dry immediately. If you are not satisfied with the results, repeat this process. Always carefully wash away all the oil and dry thoroughly before use.

Shears separate into two pieces for easy cleaning. Fully open shears with blades pointing away from you, then pull the piece with the hole off the bolt.  

Follow the steps in the enclosed instructions to remove the stone sharpening wheel. Rinse the wheel under running water and use a soft bristle brush to remove any metal shavings. Towel dry immediately before reassembling inside the sharpener. If you sharpen your knives every 2 weeks, it is recommended to clean the wheel every 6 months.

To prevent watermarks, spotting, and rusting, it is recommended to towel dry knives immediately after washing. Do not air dry to protect the blade surface. Do not touch sharp edge of knife.

If your knife blade shows signs of staining, use a non-abrasive metal polish for cleaning or gently scrub a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and water with a non-abrasive sponge. Rinse and dry immediately.