New Knife & knife sharpener

[Leaf Storm]

Went to the shop to get the ingredients for dinner.

Noticed a nice shiny knife set! The set contained one large knife and a small paring knife. It also contained one of those long knife sharpener! How could I resist it? :)

Great! I am happy with my new knifes and now have a knife sharpener! BUT there is a problem. I have never had a knife sharpener before and don't really know the correct way to go about using it.

Can anybody please tell me how to sharpen the knife? It's like a long rough metal pole thingy.

Thanks! :)

[kitchenelf]

Here's a link for you - just click on sharpen knives under the pictures

video on sharpening knives using a stone and a steel

[Leaf Storm]

Ok, thanks for the help :)

[norgeskog]

I could never master using those long poly thingeys. I have my fathers stone, which is granite and off kilter from use. It is 3/4 inch thick on one side and about 1/4 on the other. I run both under running water and hold the knife blade at about 20 degree angle and run back and forth altering sides of the knife. My father would also sharpen his straight edge razor on this.

[jennyema]

That long thing is not a knife sharpener. It's a honing steel. It realigns the edge of your knife. The sharp knife blade actually bends out of shape (microscopically) through regular use. The honing steel realigns the blade.

You should use a honing steel regularly. Like before or after every use.

But a honing steel doesn't actually sharpen the knife. Knives do need sharpening with a sharpening stone or other sharpening system. I take mine to a cutlery shop twice a year and have them do it. Some butcher shops and hardware stores do this, too.

There are electric knife sharpeners out there, but they have been known to ruin the edge if used incorrectly.

[norgeskog]

Originally Posted by jennyema

That long thing is not a knife sharpener. It's a honing steel. It realigns the edge of your knife. The sharp knife blade actually bends out of shape (microscopically) through regular use. The honing steel realigns the blade.

You should use a honing steel regularly. Like before or after every use.

But a honing steel doesn't actually sharpen the knife. Knives do need sharpening with a sharpening stone or other sharpening system. I take mine to a cutlery shop twice a year and have them do it. Some butcher shops and hardware stores do this, too.

There are electric knife sharpeners out there, but they have been known to ruin the edge if used incorrectly.

Thanks jennyema for clearing that up. I could never get those to sharpen, guess this is why,

[Leaf Storm]

Originally Posted by jennyema

That long thing is not a knife sharpener. It's a honing steel. It realigns the edge of your knife. The sharp knife blade actually bends out of shape (microscopically) through regular use. The honing steel realigns the blade.

You should use a honing steel regularly. Like before or after every use.

But a honing steel doesn't actually sharpen the knife. Knives do need sharpening with a sharpening stone or other sharpening system. I take mine to a cutlery shop twice a year and have them do it. Some butcher shops and hardware stores do this, too.

There are electric knife sharpeners out there, but they have been known to ruin the edge if used incorrectly.

Ahhhhhhhh OK! Thank you for the information :)

[GB]

Jenny is right (as always). Just to add on what she said, you might want to look into a sharpening system. They take the guesswork out of doing it right. The system I bought was a Lansky sharpening system. They are not very expensive, maybe $30-$40, but are well worth it. I would not have trusted myself with just a stone, but with a system I feel I get a very good edge and and not ruining my blades.

[Leaf Storm]

Ok, thanks for the suggestion :)

Personally, I just always used to throw away the blunt knifes and just buy new ones lol :oops: Maybe I should invest in a good knife and sharpener!