I want to learn how to sharpen knives with that "sharpening stick."

[MichaelD]

I tried it once in the past and ruined a very expensive knife. (not mine and I had to pay $$$ to replace it. )

Years ago, I bought a cheapie knife set. You know the kind; it comes with 5 knives, 8 steak knives and the wooden block. They are the serrated kind that you can't sharpen.

They have served me VERY well...a lot longer than I thought they'd ever last. But the time has come replace them.

I want to buy my dream knife set. A full set of Henckles Knives. They are hella expensive but they last forever.

But, you must sharpen them from time to time with the sharpening stick. I used to work in a large hotel and many times watched the professional, highly-paid chefs sharpen their tools of the trade. It looks easy, but as I found out, it is far from easy. You have to hold the stick and the knife at jsut the right angle, else you screw it up.

How to learn to do this? (Besides more practice and messing up some more knives.)

 

[waggy]

i have a nice set of chicago cutlery. there is a guy here in town that sharpens saws, knives heck you name it. he charges about $2 a knife and gets them razor sharp.

If you want to get a nice knife set i would see if you could find someone that can sharpen then proffesionaly.

 

[gentobu]

I was told to hold the knife at ~45 degree angle, and to go against the blade. Also, the sharpening stick is supposed to be used with knives that are already somewhat sharp, or else you will just waste your time. For the really dull knives you will have to get a sharpening stone.

 

[Daniel]

Its a sharpening steel, and he's right about the part where it still has to have some degree of an edge. If you really messed up a knife bad enough to need to be repaired using one you must have been doing it more wrong then I can imagine using one.

Some people use different angles but I tend to use 45 degrees, when you are first using one move the knife away from you for safety, I'm very comfortable doing it so I prefer bringing it towards me instead. Honestly though it is something that isn't too easily described over text, your best bet is to find a decent chef or a sharpening service and ask them to show you how to do it correctly.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: gentobu
I was told to hold the knife at ~45 degree angle, and to go against the blade. Also, the sharpening stick is supposed to be used with knives that are already somewhat sharp, or else you will just waste your time. For the really dull knives you will have to get a sharpening stone.

I thought the sharpening stick doesn't really sharpen the blade. Because of extended use, the very edge of the blade is bent, and the stick merely straightens it back out. You'll need a grinder or sharpening stone to actually "sharpen" it, I think...

Am I right, or not? Someone please clearify.

<== monkey dance

 

[gentobu]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick

Originally posted by: gentobu
I was told to hold the knife at ~45 degree angle, and to go against the blade. Also, the sharpening stick is supposed to be used with knives that are already somewhat sharp, or else you will just waste your time. For the really dull knives you will have to get a sharpening stone.

I thought the sharpening stick doesn't really sharpen the blade. Because of extended use, the very edge of the blade is bent, and the stick merely straightens it back out. You'll need a grinder or sharpening stone to actually "sharpen" it, I think...

Am I right, or not? Someone please clearify.

<== monkey dance

Yup, thats it

 

[bwass24]

The sharpening stick (called a steel) is really just to realign the microscopic edge of the knife. It's purpose is to restore the knife to its original alignment after it has been used and hit against a hard surface like a cutting board.

The steel will not, under any circumstances, sharpen a knife. At best, it will restore an already good knife. As said above, trying to sharpen a knife, that isn't already in good shape, with a steel will make it only worse. For hand sharpening the best thing to use is a handheld ceramic thing that has 2 sharpening surfaces at 90 degree angles to each other--like a V slot. That way you get a much more even edge because the knife is held perfectly vertical while running it through the ceramic surfaces.

 

[Wheezer]

Great choice in knives. I'm about $100 away from getting the 18pc. set myself, it runs about $430 for the block set. A very high quality blade.

 

[OutHouse]

When you use the steel its called honing. you "hone" your knives for the exact reason that bwass said.

I bought a Gatco Diamond set to sharpen my Heinkel knives.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Wheezer
Great choice in knives. I'm about $100 away from getting the 18pc. set myself, it runs about $430 for the block set. A very high quality blade.

Yup. I really like the fact that all the knives (in their "upper crust" line) are "full tang." (It's got nothing to do with "poontang" you perverts! ) It makes the knife super-strong since essentially, you're holding a "one-piece" knive.

Thanks for the advice, folks.

I honestly did not know that all the sharpening steel does is realign the edge. I really thought that it "ground" the edge. *shrugs then nods head* you learn something new every day.

Hey WHEEZER; where did you find an 18-pc set for "only" $430? Is is the full tang set?

 

[OutHouse]

info

 

[mithrandir2001]

Wusthof Trident knives for me.

I prefer to hold the knife at a 30 degree angle to the steel. 45 degrees is a little too steep.

 

[glen]

Originally posted by: mithrandir2001
Wusthof Trident knives for me.

I prefer to hold the knife at a 30 degree angle to the steel. 45 degrees is a little too steep.

Nother vote here for Wusthof.
Also, look at Global.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: mithrandir2001
Wusthof Trident knives for me.

I prefer to hold the knife at a 30 degree angle to the steel. 45 degrees is a little too steep.

Another vote here for much less than 45 degrees, in fact the whole included angle should be somewhaere around 30 degrees I would think.

I use a set of ceramic rods that have been set into a piece of wood at the right angle. It's good if you don't let the knives get too dull.


Something like this.

 

[jarsoffart]

Why go with Henckles when there is CUTCO!! Cutco knives are superior. Even Miracle Blade III Perfection Series knives are superior.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

here's one

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

here's another

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

here's possibly the best one

 

[Brutuskend]

Get a good set of "stones".

I bought a set of 3 from "The Snap-On Guy" and they are VERY good.

Each is a different coarseness and you start with the coarsest one and work down to the fine one.

With a little practice, you can get them (knifes) sharp enough to shave with.

 

[Smaulz]

Originally posted by: mithrandir2001
Wusthof Trident knives for me. I prefer to hold the knife at a 30 degree angle to the steel. 45 degrees is a little too steep.

Seconded on both points. My Wusthofs have treated me well through some of the roughest kitchens in the country. Unfortunately, back home here in Omaha, I have yet to find a reputable bladesmith that I can trust to get them back into shape. I'm quite afraid I'm going to have to ship them out somewhere.

 

[bwass24]

Unless you're very patient and steady handed, I wouldn't suggest using a bare oiled stone. It's just too easy to ruin a good knife. The ceramic rods are good for a manual tool. There is also a very good 3 stone diamond electric sharpener that I've used on my Sabatier french knives for many years. It does an excellent job of either restoring, or just cleaning up a well used knife. Here is a link to it, but you can get it MUCH cheaper elsewhere.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: bwass24
Unless you're very patient and steady handed, I wouldn't suggest using a bare oiled stone. It's just too easy to ruin a good knife. The ceramic rods are good for a manual tool. There is also a very good 3 stone diamond electric sharpener that I've used on my Sabatier french knives for many years. It does an excellent job of either restoring, or just cleaning up a well used knife. Here is a link to it, but you can get it MUCH cheaper elsewhere.

Wonderful sharpener. I have used it quite a lot, and I have several good knives. Chef's Illustrated rates it highly, and does not remove much metal at all. I put away the steel, and use the finest wheel instead.

 

[mithrandir2001]

Originally posted by: jarsoffart
Why go with Henckles when there is CUTCO!! Cutco knives are superior. Even Miracle Blade III Perfection Series knives are superior.

Spoken like a true door-to-door knife salesman. I had one of those Cutco reps at my door. Frickin' annoying. I told them I've already invested in Wusthofs but they insisted Cutco's were far superior. Sorry, buh-bye.

 

[Howard]

Man, with the price you pay for some of these 'high-end' knives, it's almost worth it to build your own forgery and make your own.

Full tang. It doesn't cost a lot, you know.

 

[PsychoAndy]

My dad has been sharpening his own knives for like 20 years. he has a stone to sharpen the blade.

as many have already said, a sharpening steel is a misnomer. it realigns the blade because it gets bent out of alignment with use. it dosent change the physical angle of the cut, so you still need to have a sharpener.

-PAB