Sharpening knives

I'm a guy with no clue as to how to easily sharpen pocket knives, kitchen knives, etc. Are there easy to acquire inexpensive "widgets" to make sharpening duck soup simple? What would you recommend?

Thanks in advance

Reply to
Dave
Loading thread data ...

A double sided stone. Medium side and fine the other. Mandatory to keep them sharp is a 'steel' and use it regularly.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

Purists will tell you a set of stones is the only way. A chef's Choice electric seems to get high ratings though. About $100 and up

formatting link

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

I used to make knives, and although I no longer do that, I maintain them for ourselves, family, and friends. There a number of gadget that are called sharpeners. Most are pure junk, and a couple can just about ruin a knife. I'd stay away from them.

Start with a good quality knife. You can sharpen cheap knives, but they quickly dull.

For a well maintained knife that is just moderately dull, a high quality stone (I recommend Arkansas Stone as the best). You need two, a fast cutting stone and a hard stone for putting on the best edge. You will need to practice using them, keeping the same original bevel / angle.

For a very dull knife, I use a one inch wide belt sander with 200 - 250 grit. You can get a blade relatively sharp with this, and then go to the stone.

A steel does not put an edge on a knife, it repairs the edge though. Using a good sharp knife will cause the edge to roll or bend slightly. This is called a 'wire edge'. A steel will help repair this condition. It should be used after cutting into bones, or onto a wooden cutting board. There is a type of steel that does put on an edge to some degree, but I don't recommend them.

Always use a wooden cutting board - definitely not plastic, stone, etc.

That's about it, There is no quick, easy, cheap, duck soup solution like you seem to be asking for. If you are going to go easy, your best bet is to buy a bench mounted belt sander, with a 1" X 30" belt, cost about $30 at Harbor Freight. But stay away from the gadgets.

Bob-tx

Reply to
Bob-tx

Everyone will tell you about stones. It is true but they require you to maintain a particulat angle of knife edge to stone (or use a gadget to do so). That is not an easy task without the gadget.

For you (and my wife and often me) the simplest, easiest thing is the sharpener that has two sets of steel wheels that rotate into a "V"...put knife edge into "V", apply a bit of pressure and pull; repeat as needed. They don't make a great edge but it will cut better than it did.

I Googled for an image...hard to believe but there is none. Used to be, nearly every home had one; they were the sort of thing you got at the dime store, lasted forever. This image is similar but the one I'm talking about has only one slot. This looks like it may have litle stones instead of steels.

formatting link

Reply to
dadiOH

I just send mine out about once a year and have them done professionally. Found a place online and I just mail them in. That's what most restaurants do.

Reply to
trader4

Run a marker (Sharpie) down the edge. Practice removing the marker. In time you will be proficient at maintaining that edge.

Reply to
Thomas

I just got this from Amazon, $27.50 not including shipping:

Presto Pro EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener

Bought it to replace an older type, more expensive, diamond sharpener which was breaking down. It does just as good a job.

For my hunting knives I have a ceramic stick type sharpener to maintain edges sharp enough to shave with.

Reply to
Frank

EZ Lap. Diamond dust stones. If you can learn what the proper degree angle looks like, you can sharpen a knife in a minute. I got a new one last Christmas to replace my other that wore out. I purchased that one in 1976. I like the one that is about 2 X 6 inches. ($23) You can use it by rubbing the knife on it, or taking it in your hand and stroking the stationary knife. The double sided folding one is a good one, too. Knife sharpening isn't rocket surgery, the angle being the critical thing, and the type of sharpener you have dictates how much you have to work on it.

formatting link
Steve

Reply to
Steve B

I have this one:

formatting link
am very happy with it. Use the sharpener once on your knives, then the steel and hone before every use to keep them VERY sharp.

It was cheaper on Amazon the last time I looked.

-- Doug

Reply to
Douglas Johnson

Looks similar to the diamond sharpener that I had. It was failing because two of the diamond impregnated parts were falling off and I could not figure any way to fix them back on. All three of the stages had these. It did do a good job for the half dozen or so years that I had it.

Reply to
Frank

Try this:

formatting link
about $2 at Wal-Mart in the sporting goods section. One side has a carbide "V", the other side has a ceramic "V" for coarse and fine sharpening. Easy. There may be better sharpening techniques but I find this to be good enough for kitchen knives.

Reply to
David

You say to maintain a particular angle of edge, then recommend a gadget that does not have any control of angle. Those knife sharpeners you just recommended have ruined many knives.

Bob-tx

Reply to
Bob-tx

Yes they do, the wheels provide an angle, all you have to do is hold the kife so the blade is vertical. Most people can manage "vertical" but would have trouble with "30 degrees".

Not mine. And the fact remains that they *do* sharpen and are easy to use. OP characterized himself as "clueless" so they seemed a reasonable suggestion. They still do.

Reply to
dadiOH

"Bob-tx" wrote

I have seen MANY knives at yard sales that look like they were sharpened to death. Many of those who have electric sharpeners have no idea how to use them, don't understand how they work, and think that they need to draw it through ten or twelve times for it to be sure to have a good edge. I can sharpen mine in a couple of minutes, then steel it, and it's very sharp. Also, lots of people INSIST, GODDAM IT! on using glass cutting boards because they read somewhere or heard on Oprah that the wood and plastic harbor germs. Bullshit. Keep it clean and maintained, and they're good to go. And then, on most of those people who are anal about the cutting boards use sponges and those scrubby things on a handle that they use far far beyond their intended lifetime, sometimes until being totally shredded, and absolutely filthy. Mythbusters did a germ count segment. The dirtiest thing in your kitchen, by a factor of about 5x is the sponges and scrubbies. You know, the 2 for a buck at the dollar store ones that people use for six months? Ruin your $100 Henckels knife on a glass board, but save fifty cents by using a scrubbie until it disintegrates. Whatever works for you.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

"dadiOH" wrote

And, if you know anything about knives, you know they remove waaaaay more metal than is necessary to just sharpen the knife, shortening the life and looks of the knife. It is very easy to take away the profile of a knife with these by pausing a little too long in one spot.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

The metal removed is directly proportional to the pressure exerted and the number of times the blade is drawn through the wheels.

NOTE: I did *NOT* say these were great knife sharpeners. I said they were easy to use and do sharpen. Both are true. I do agree that one can sharpen better in other ways; however, considering the condition of most kitchen knives - won't cut butter, rivets gone, etc. - I also think these are useful.

BTW, I've used straight razors for close to 60 years...I do know how to get and maintain an edge.

Reply to
dadiOH

"dadiOH" wrote

Since most people have on average ONE sharp knife in their kitchen, it doesn't really make much difference. I have built a collection of fine knives over the years, many for a quarter to a few bucks at yard sales. I need to add another 24" magnetic bar because the one I have won't hold all of my knives.

I USED to keep two sharp knives for SWMBO, but was frustrated when I needed a good one. So, I sharpened ALL of them, and keep them sharp. She has learned all on her own, and at her own learning curve just what a sharp knife will do to anything in its path. She has also learned how to handle knives a LOT better, and I get comments from guests who use the knives. I always caution them that the knives are sharp, and they give me the duh look. Then they use it, and say man, this IS sharp.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

Why not plastic?

Reply to
croy

Some plastics will dull the knives. They can also become unsanitary when scratched up over time

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.