Knife Sharpeners

[BrianShaw]

Originally Posted by PeterW

(snip) One tip - if you have a knife block, USE IT ! But remember to put the knives in on thier backs, and you wont dull the edge as you pull them out of the block. Knives in kitchen drawers are a danger, and they dull quickly.

I second that advise. For carbon steel knives, however, I tend to favor magnetic bars since storing them "in the open" allows any residual moisture to dry... reducing the possibility of rust.

[dmun]

In a pinch you can sharpen a knife on the unglazed bottom of a ceramic coffee mug. If you are in someone else's kitchen and need a sharp knife, this works pretty well.

[Jed]

There is a skill involved with imparting an appropriate shape to a knife edge....

That said, my challenge has always been to keep a consistent angle between the knife and the stone (steel, diamond, etc). I produced more round edges that didn't really cut than I can remember...

I bought one of these units at the local 'box sporting goods' store, and have had great success keeping the knives in the kitchen sharp. Paid less than $30 USD. For me it forces me to keep a consistent angle through the process of changing the shape of the steel in the knife to create a sharp edge.

Lansky Standard Knife Sharpening System

After using this set of stones, I can then maintain the edge for a period of weeks with the steel.

- One way to a sharp edge..


JED

[dmun]

A word here about using a steel, which was shown to me by a Henkels rep many a moon ago. You plant the point of the steel in your cutting board and stroke the blade up the length of the file, with the edge facing down. This is the safest way, both of your hands are out of the line of fire, and, standing above it, you can better visually judge the angle of the blade.

[BrianShaw]

Originally Posted by dmun

A word here about using a steel, which was shown to me by a Henkels rep many a moon ago.

Many moons ago a Henkels rep even gave me a little wooden block, about 3 square inches, with "sticky pads" underneath and a dimple square in the middle of it to hold the tip of the steel. It really was quite useful and I used it for a while, but then found an alternative use for it... as a stand for an autographed baseball that is displayed in our china cabinet.

[gjbingham]

Anybody know what the recommended angle for sharpening cutlery is? 21 degrees comes to mind.

[Jed]

Originally Posted by gjbingham

Anybody know what the recommended angle for sharpening cutlery is? 21 degrees comes to mind.

It can vary based on the intended use. A hunting blade that is likely to be abused a bit and need a bit more durability, so maybe 25 degree's.

A razor blade, maybe 17 degree's...

21 looks to be the 'average' so probably the good all around angle for most common applications.. A reasonable combination of sharpness and durability...

JED

[PeterW]

Originally Posted by Jed

There is a skill involved with imparting an appropriate shape to a knife edge....

That said, my challenge has always been to keep a consistent angle between the knife and the stone (steel, diamond, etc). I produced more round edges that didn't really cut than I can remember...

I bought one of these units at the local 'box sporting goods' store, and have had great success keeping the knives in the kitchen sharp. Paid less than $30 USD. For me it forces me to keep a consistent angle through the process of changing the shape of the steel in the knife to create a sharp edge.

Lansky Standard Knife Sharpening System

After using this set of stones, I can then maintain the edge for a period of weeks with the steel.

- One way to a sharp edge..


JED

Jed

The Lansky is the one I use - gets an incredible edge, even on the single sided knife that I have.

At that price (which is a 1/3rd of the UK price !) I've ordered a couple of bits..!

As for knife angles, from the Lansky website :

17° Angle - A severe angle reccommended for razor blades, X-Acto© blades, scalpels or similar tools. Provides an extremely sharp but delicate edge.
20° Angle - A commonly used angle for higher quality blades and provides an excellent edge for kitchen cutlery and filet knives.
25° Angle - The recommended angle for most knives that need a durable, sharp edge. Ideal for hunting and outdoor knives.
30° Angle - An outstanding angle for knives that see the heavy use of cutting cardboard, wire or carpets. Recomended for heavy duty use.

They are the half angle i.e. the angle between the knife and the stone, not the overall angle of the blade.

Cheers

Peter

[Inishta]

For many years I used Sabatier steel knives and kept them sharp with a normal steel and whetstone. I then discovered the Global knives. They are made from Cromova 18 stainless steel. This is ice hardened to Rockwell C56-58. It holds the edge like no other blade I have ever used (although I would like to try the Kyocera ones) It also means that normal steels should not be used. I have a ceramic 'steel' for sharpening on the fly



My water ceramic sharpener is designed specifically for Global knives and is an easy and safe method for periodic maintenance.





It consists of two ceramic wheels, a coarse white one and a medium pink. Water is put in and because the groove in the stones is offset to the slot for the knife it provides the perfect sharpening angle. Global knives are sharpened to a 15-20 degree angle. Guide rails that clip onto the knife can be used with whetstones.

[talisker63]

Try the Kyocera for the demo I cut a potato into like 2mm dice with absolute ease. It is really great for slicing/dicing esp. vegetables and raw meat.