Knife sharpening

[corydoras]

I always liked Granton edged knifes for butchery type work and for chopping up root veg.

[Newt]

I keep one similar to This in the kitchen and I have not ever found anything to approach it for keeping a good edge on blades. Any blades. Not cheap but lasts for years of use.

 

For the serrated ones, I just use the final 'hone' stage.

[Big Jeff]

Newt - that Chefs Choice sharpener is the puppies privates and well worth the money, very easy to use and is great for putting on and maintaining an edge.

 

Over the years I have used all manor of sharpening systems and would comment as follows.

 

http://www.razoredgesystems.com/ - a system that uses dry stones and guides that is fiddly and slow but extremely effective at getting something that is scary sharp - when I shapened a bushcraft knife knife using this - on putting it back in the sheath it cut the stitching.

 

http://www.lanskysharpeners.com/video.php - a system that uses guides and stones that again is fiddly and time consuming that I personally have never really got on with (probably because you slide the hone not the knife up the blade)

 

A butchers steel maintains an edge (strictly speaking straightenss it out) and should be smooth and not course - a liitle known fact.

 

There are numerous other sharpeners that I have tried including water stones (which are esential for one sided Japanese knifes) and I have found them all to be disappointing.

 

Finally actual knife choice is a often over looked - remember cost does not always equate to quality and what works for you will not necessarily work for someone else - I like sabatier chefs/cooks knife for the kitchen in stainless (does not not hold an edge as well as carbon steel but remains untarnished) and for fishing hunting etc anything that is made in 01 carbon that developes a nice patina over time particularly in salt! (you do need to oil and maintain these often)

 

I have had and used many many knives and am now settled on 3 that will do all that i need.

 

I have also found damascus to be over rated and stupidly expensive for something that does not perform any better than cheaper alternatives.

 

Just my thoughts - but i do like a very sharp knife.

 

Jeff

[Andy_1984]

i used my dremel tool once to sharpen my knife, turned out very very sharp but was a tiny bit jagy, also the finish wasnt brilliant though im sure if i had a vice i could have got it perfect and wouldnt have run off the side of it making a big arched line across the knife

[five bellies]

One of the the problems with damasus steel or patern welded steel is de lamination on a microscopic level making an ultra sharp edge that blunts in seconds Most damascus weapons had a diferent grade of steel forged into them to make the cutting edge, The Japanese layerd white paper steel has a complecated temporing and anealing process, that gives it its durability but makes it brittel.

[barry luxton]

I have two filleting knifes, i rotate them with one in me box at any one time, the second, i take indoors and use an oiled sharpening stone. One is a mustard knife the second one has japanese surgical steel on. I don't know witch one is better but i like using both especially after they have been on the stone. Both did not cost a lot of money.