Knife sharpeners?

Food/Drink/Culinaria
1

I am very fussy about keeping knives sharp. It makes life so much easier and safer.

For me, the best and easiest way to keep knives sharp is to use a sharpening steel. I don’t mean the grooved round section type which straighten small burrs. I mean the oval section steels with a diamond encrusted surface.

I have bought a couple on the internet and they worked brilliantly but became worn out very quickly. The problem is, I have no idea which brand to buy for best quality and where to get it. If anyone has any suggestion as to what butchers or professional chefs use, I would be most grateful

2

I use this site, and get Wusthof which I replace periodically.

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3

I have two chefs steel sharpeners, the tapered round section steel ones. The second one lasted only about 5 years before becoming blunted. The first is over 30 years old and works as well as when I bough it. Trouble is I’ve no idea where I got it from :worried:

Edit: OH says we bought it when we bought a set of Sabatier knifes in the early 1990’s. It has the typical bakelite like black handle and the only marking on it is ‘Tier’ on the handle, although it’s very worn. The knifes went many years ago but the sharpener remains.

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4

I use the same, reckon they last a couple of years at most, but not expensive to replace (about €15)

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5

Trouble is maintaining the same angle stroke after stroke, sadly most men think they can sharpen a knife.

Using a fixed angle block (magnetic) and the diamond rolling sharpener ensures the correct angle is maintained.

HORL®3 sharpener | premium rolling knife sharpener | HORL-1993 HORL®3 sharpener | premium rolling knife sharpener | HORL-1993

6

If you’re as fussy as you say I can recommend one of these:

I’ve got the grown-up version for my woodworking tools and it is brilliant.

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7

At £169, I think I’ll stick with my 30 odd year old sharpener that’s always worked well for me.

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8

There are of course lots of knock offs, they served very well as Christmas presents this year as family complained they couldnt carve the meat which after watching the nephew destroying his mothers kives I was not at all surprised. About £30 on Amazon for the copies.

9

I am and as a former tool maker its just doing it right

10

But now I am a convert to these rollers.

11

@GraemeL the knife sticks to the block by magnetism and you gently roll the sharpener cylinder against the knife, applying a little bit of pressure?

I’m sure I read somewhere that there is a difference between sharpening a knife and honing it (which you use a steel for). Has anyone else heard that?

12

Lots of helpful comments

Do you use a ceramic or a steel sharpener? How often do you replace them? Wusthof sounds like a good make from the comments I have read.

I think you are referring to the grooved steel tools which are meant more for straightening the blade than sharpening.

The trouble is, I am one of those who thinks they can maintain an angle and sharpen a knife

Apart from the expense, they are too much effort to use. I just want to do a few sharpening strokes after each use to keep it honed.

Comments appreciated, thanks.

13

And the definition of insanity is? :rofl:

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14

I don’t have any illusions about my skill level but, after a few strokes, the knife cuts better than it did before and that’s good enough for me :blush:

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15

I disagree. Once I have a gouge shaped as I wish, maintaining the edge takes 20-30 seconds.

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16

I use a carborundum block for my knives, I get better results than I do with a steel.

17

Each and Everyone to their own… :wink:

I hold the steel in my left hand and knife in right hand… both arms up in the air and then the war begins… (OH keeps well out of the way)

However, an excellent young chef I know… he uses a similar steel to mine, but he holds the steel firmly pointing downwards, the tip pushing into/touching the bench/board, and swishes the knife from side to side down the length of the steel.

He was interested to see my centuries-old steel (family heirloom).
His is newer but still excellent quality. :+1:

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18

Well, when I bought it it was with a set of kitchen knives and described as a steel sharpener, but looking it up I see it actually hones the blade rather than sharpening it. Sharpening should only be done when necessary whereas honing is done before every use, which I do. I’ve only used a whetstone a few times on my knives, to remove very small nicks in the edge.

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19

Thats because you are simply raising a burr, basically thats what a steel does.

20

Because you are removing burrs not putting them in as with using a steel.