A cross-section of a knife edge, magnified ~1000×. The steel narrows to a fine apex just a few microns wide — and everything below happens to that tiny tip: it can bend (honing fixes that) or actually wear away (only sharpening fixes that, at the cost of a little metal each time). Use the blade, then try honing it, and watch the apex.
This is a perfectly sharp, brand-new edge. The two ground faces meet at a crisp apex — that fine point is what does the cutting. Try using the knife and watch the apex closely.