Need to understand knife sharpeners

[vash]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Yep. Set the pointy end of the steel down on your cutting board and draw the knife down the length of it 2-3 times on each side at an angle that is a little steeper than the cutting angle (of 15 or 20 degrees). Do it every time or two that you use the knife. You are not trying to sharpen the knife, just push the "feathers" back into place.
Don't feel like you have two whip it around like the chefs do on TV. You just mess it up unless you are VERY good.

Perfect technique for me. It’s also the safest. (For me)

I only do this with my German knives. I strop the rest.

[flipper35]

You can use the steel and just strop after sharpening.

Any knife can be sharpened to cut the tomato like that, it is just a fine edge that doesn't do well in most kitchens.

The worst abuse are steak knives because you are cutting on a hard plate.

[vash]

Steaks are supposed to be tender and easy to cut.

Hence the cheap ass serrated steak knife. Nobody sharpens a steak knife, right?

[vash]

This morning I hit a cleaver with some Cooking spray. I wiped the excess.

I laid it down flat and wiped. I kid you not. It shaved a thin wafer of paper towel off the sheet about the size of a nickel. It might be too sharp at this point.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by vash

It might be too sharp at this point.

No such thing...

And why are you just sharpening the blade at the point. Sharpen the whole thing.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by vash

Steaks are supposed to be tender and easy to cut.

Hence the cheap ass serrated steak knife. Nobody sharpens a steak knife, right?

I hate serrated steak knives, especially if the steak is tender, which ours always are!

Originally Posted by vash

This morning I hit a cleaver with some Cooking spray. I wiped the excess.

I laid it down flat and wiped. I kid you not. It shaved a thin wafer of paper towel off the sheet about the size of a nickel. It might be too sharp at this point.

I agree with mausram there's no such thing as too sharp.

That said, I'm slowly phasing out the crappy knives and stocking up on a variety of really nice knives--including a really beautiful Zwilling Bob Kramer and a couple Miyabis. When and if I have to use one of the old knives, I have to mentally readjust to a duller blade. IMO, you get cut more using a dull blade than a sharp one.

[vash]

Yea. I was being sarcastic. I love sharp knives.

[wdfifteen]

I found my knife sharpener! Haven't seen it since we moved in January. Today is the day.
I decided to science the f**K out of this, and got out my dissecting microscope to take some before and after looks at the knives. This chef's knife is my go-to for 90% of what I do in the kitchen.



The set tup.



I hope this makes sense. This is an iPhone shot through one of the eyepieces. I am amazed I was able to take this. the knife is in the lower part of the photo, knife edge in the middle, and the microscope table can be seen in the top 1/2.
This blade obviously needs some work. That chip is tiny, but it has to go!



I think this shows that I have not been diligent about applying the steel to the knife. I think that tiny white line of the very edge is the feather - the thin, weak part of the blade that gets pushed out of shape with use. The steel is supposed to push this back in line with the rest of the blade when it gets bent. No push and eventually it breaks off.

[wdfifteen]

So:

I drew the knife across the steel, 4 times on each side.




The feather is gone. BUT



In the center of the photo you can kind of see a microscopic curl of steel coming off the blade.

[vash]

that's wild!!

and owning a microscope would ruin knife ownership for me ..i would obsess.

[wdfifteen]

This is the sharpener I use.




After using the shaping belt (4 strokes on each side) it looked really rough. What have I done to my knife?



Four strokes on the coarse sharpening belt and it looked a little better.



Four strokes on the fine sharpening belt and it looked finished to me. It felt really sharp.

[vash]

wd..for sure. order the leather strop belt for your worksharp. it's takes it to the next level.

[wdfifteen]

That last picture was the wrong one, so I deleted it.



This is the correct picture of the honed edge. I gave it 8 strokes on the honing belt. Looks good, nice and straight, no chips, and it feels sharp.




For grins I look a picture of a serrated bread knife that never sees the steel. You can see how the sharp edge folds over. It gets worse and worse and then breaks off in chunks if you don't use the steel regularly.



More grins. This is one of our steak knives. The missing chunk is actually visible to the naked eye.

[Paul_Heery]

Amazon has a deal on the Ken Onion Sharpener today for $85.99

https://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-Knife-Sharpener-Onion/dp/B07CW4T6RS

[David]

Originally Posted by David

I'm super lazy when it comes to sharpening kitchen knifes. Anyone here ever try one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/ChefsChoice-EdgeSelect-Professional-Sharpener-Sharpening/dp/B0018RSEMU/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1541015041&sr=1-4&keywords=chef%27s+choice+knife+sharpeners&dpID=41XggA7VgfL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

The wife was a little miffed that I gave her this sharpener for Christmas. Now that all her knives are sharp, she’s sold. It only takes a couple minutes to go from dull to a razor sharp 15 degree edge. Two thumbs up.

[Roswell]

This:

https://www.edgeproinc.com

It is not cheap, but will last a life time. Something you can leave your kid.

And once mastered, your knives will never be sharper.

[Geronimo '74]

Originally Posted by Roswell

This:

https://www.edgeproinc.com

It is not cheap, but will last a life time. Something you can leave your kid.

And once mastered, your knives will never be sharper.

There are clones on the market for a fraction of the price.

[Roswell]

They are clones. Euromaster or Fuchs? Matter of opinion.

Benjamin Franklin: The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten

No offense meant in any way, Geronimo.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Geronimo '74

There are clones on the market for a fraction of the price.

That process is very comprehensive and rivals that of sharpening wood lathe turning tools.