Not impressed with the edge on my new knives

[ohsmily]

I have that one too Andy and it is a great system. I switched to the Crock Stick though because it is a bit easier and quicker to use. Your system can sharpen serrated knives though and my Crock Stick can not.

I notice the "crock stick" can only do 20 degree and 25 degree angles. Is 20 steep enough to get a really nice, sharp edge? Would a 15 degree serve better?

I read a very lengthy article on knives, metallurgy, knife sharpening, and the particular edges people use...(someone on this forum linked me to it, it was on eGullet or something like that). The author seemed to think the EdgePro Apex was the best knife sharpening system out there. He also said that 15 degrees is preferable. Do you find that 20 degrees gets you a really sharp edge that is durable?

 

[Andy M.]

You are compromising with edge angles. The smaller the angle, the sharper the edge BUT the edge is less durable.

The larger the angle, the more durable the edge BUT it's not as sharp.

The 20 degree angle is considered to be a good all around compromise angle. I am using 20 for my heavy blades such as the chef's knives and 17 for the thinner bladed knives.

 

[thymeless]

Crock sticks can do other angles. The trick is to tilt the base of the crock sticks. Put a couple of magazines or book under one side. The downside is that you have to change the setup to do the other side, but it's a trivial task.

If you want to sharpen serrations on a crock stick system, get a spyderco sharpmaker.

thymeless

 

[Tony_AAA]

If you want to sharpen serrations on a crock stick system, get a spyderco sharpmaker.

thymeless

I agree, Besides being the only "twin-stick" style system that works on serations, the sharpmaker has 15 and 20 degree angles (as opposed to the too obtuse 20 & 25 angles on the crock stick brand.) 15 degrees is a better angle for santoku and other "soft" food knives 17-20 degree on your heavy duty kitchen knives--(ones that regularly encounter bone.) The Sharpmaker is the only twin-stick system (that I know of) that you can properly sharpen every knife in your block with (assuming you haven't gotten bit by the convex bug )

 

[Dan]

All,
I make knives as a hobby (no kitchen knives yet) but I can offer my 2 cents.
Quality steel will have the ability to both hold an edge and have some flexibility, the thing is if the steel is really hard the edge will chip, if it is too soft it will not hold an edge. I have a set of Henckel knives and this is how I treat them.

1. Don't count on the factory edge, although it should be very sharp it is the very last thing that is done in the knife manufacturing process and it still weighs on the company's mind to put a razor in the hands of the public (a crock but sometimes true)

2. I use an item made by spyderco called the sharpmaker, after 30 minutes you will be a pro with this. http://www.bestknives.com/spydtriansha.html


3. Use the sharping steel for touch up (hone) the edge in between sharpening


4. Stay away from that thing on the back of your mothers can opener

Dan

 

[Robo410]

Boil your knives in oil on a full moon night in an iron crock over a peat fire while slowly sipping single malt whiskey and chanting Peter Paul and Mary tunes from the 60s, and I guarantee that they will never go dull. Or buy a diamond sharpening honing steel and take your blades to a pro once a year for fine tuning. Or get a stone and and instruction manual and some cheap steel knives and practice till you're good, or just keep saying you can't sharpen knives ... or...

btw, I've done the second and third. The first won't really work but it tastes good and is kinda fun (also make french fries rather than puting your knives in the oil) and the last one lots of people already do, and you know how well that works.

 

[Grn_Tomato]

Steel and Sharpening

Hi All,
In response to sharpening your knives, somebody recommended using the spyderco knife sharpening system...this is the best gadget ever.

I have some Henkle knives that I love; however, when you are buying those, you need to make sure the steel is German. Henkle has been sending some of their manufacturing to China and other countries...You can tell the difference in, first of all, the price and near the henkle marker it will indicate where the steel is from. The German steel (what they are known for) seems to hold the sharpening a lot longer than the other; I find that I need sharpen the lesser expensive knives more often- I have both.

But back to the sharpening...the spyderco system puts a great back bevelled edge on you knives for great use. The back bevelling is kind of difficult to do if you are just using a stone. First you start out with a course stone and then keep going with a smoother stone to kind of finish it off. It works great.

 

[Crestman]

Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker

Does anyone know where these can be purchased in Canada? Just looking online and can't seam to find anything other than knifezone dot ca. I'd like to see what others are selling them for. Second, in the description of this system on this web site, it states that there are 40 and 30deg settings for knives...Is this maybe the wrong system I'm looking at?

Thanks,

Keith

 

[Dan]

Hello,
No not a mistake, you can adjust the stones to get the angle you want.
Try knife shops in Canada, like hunting or tactical knives. The sharpmaker was designed by spiderco and will sharpen just about anything. Knives, chisels, scissors, fishing hooks, or whatever. It even comes with a DVD and walks you through the process.
Gun shops carry this product also, that's where my wife bought me mine.

I can't spell

 

[Tony_AAA]

Does anyone know where these can be purchased in Canada? Just looking online and can't seam to find anything other than knifezone dot ca. I'd like to see what others are selling them for. Second, in the description of this system on this web site, it states that there are 40 and 30deg settings for knives...Is this maybe the wrong system I'm looking at?

Thanks,

Keith

30 and 40 degrees total equals 15 and 20 degrees (respectevly) per side. Same thing, different way of expressing it.

 

[Crestman]

Thanks Tony I was wondering about that.

There is a small shop I know of in town here that may have it. Thanks for the heads up Dan.

And thanks to everyone for this info, I've wanted a better edge on my Henkle's for a while now, but I wanted to do it myself. I've been using the $20 Henkle hand held sharpener and it seems to be wrecking the edges vs. sharpening them. They do seem fairly straight forward, but maybe I'm not using them right? No matter as I'll get myself a nice set and try and do it properly.

Keith

 

[ChefJune]

My Henckels arrived so sharp that I was surprised it didn't cut through the packaging.

I use my knife everyday but only for dinners, mainly. How often should a home cook have their knives sharpened? The edge is so gradually worn that I don't barely notice a difference.

My "knife guy" recommends home cooks having their knives professionally sharpened once a year.

I don't personally recommend any of the "sharpener" tools out there, because I have seen the way they chew up most fine knives, and I won't suggest you run that risk, until I find "the one" that really works.

 

[Andy M.]

No offense, but your knife guy being a professional, that cannot come as a surprise.

I have had two different set of knives sharpened 'professionally' (that is, I paid for the service) several times at different places including a high end cutlery shop, a kitchen store and an independent. They all left me dissatisfied, if not absolutely furious.

I use the Lansky System to sharpen my knives and, frankly, if that means I have to replace them sooner, that's the price I pay for sharp knives.