Sharpening

[Rob Babcock]

I'll get that glass rod eventually, Buzz. My latest toy is a HF 30X1 grinder with some 1200 grit belts by 3M I got from Lee Valley. I also got some fine grit PSA to make polishing tapes with. I won't have time to set up & try out the belt grinder at least til after I finish a couple of papers that I've postponed for too long, but I did use some of the PSA. Since I didn't know for sure how they'd work I wanted to try 'em on a beater knife first til I knew they'd "do no harm." On the plus side, I did find it useful to use a clean, dry mounted 800 as a blank (was that your advice or someone else? Can't recall, but thanks if it was...). On the downside, the knife I used was soft enough that it didn't really improve the cutting power much, although it did improve the appearance quite a bit.

 

[buzzard767]

I'll get that glass rod eventually, Buzz.

Get it Rob. If commercially... ehh who cares, but if in the home it's oh so unique. In either case, it works.

Sooner or later I'll be following you with a belt sander. As usual there is a learning curve, but I'm retired and have a bunch of beaters to practise on...

 

[Rob Babcock]

I was on the fence about the grinder, but no less an authority than Dave Martell himself advised me to buy one! Who am I to argue with The Master!

I expect a learner curve, but he recommends it for polishing/stropping. Pretty soon here I'll get a leather belt to go with the 3M 1200 grit mylars.

 

[buzzard767]

I was on the fence about the grinder, but no less an authority than Dave Martell himself advised me to buy one! Who am I to argue with The Master!

I expect a learner curve, but he recommends it for polishing/stropping. Pretty soon here I'll get a leather belt to go with the 3M 1200 grit mylars.

When will it end?????? I have a 48" round table on the lanai that I can totally cover with sharpening paraphernalia. At least this is a sickness that won't kill you directly.

 

[Leolady]

Which three stones and which "steel" are you using?

There are several brands I can think of off the top of my head.

TRI-6 Arkansas Stone sharpening system 6" 3 stone system, manufactured by Smith's Abrasives

3-Stone Sharpening system by BUCK

Norton 3 sided sharpenng stone

And I am sure there are many others.

I like a Dexter Russell steel.

 

[buzzard767]

There are several brands I can think of off the top of my head.

TRI-6 Arkansas Stone sharpening system 6" 3 stone system, manufactured by Smith's Abrasives

3-Stone Sharpening system by BUCK

Norton 3 sided sharpenng stone

And I am sure there are many others.

I like a Dexter Russell steel.

If I get off my lazy butt tomorrow after golf I'll put all my stones and stuff on that 48" table and give you a look at what I'm talking about. You can get very good edges with a decent three stone system. Great edges, however, are of another world.

 

[Leolady]

I am sure you are right, but I will settle for very good and be happy!

 

[buzzard767]

I am sure you are right, but I will settle for very good and be happy!

No problem with that, Leolady. "Very good" is good enough for 99.999% of knife users.

Then there are people like Rob and me, seeking the steels that because of their makeup will take and hold sharper edges than other steels and attempting to bring out the most in them. It's a hobby and a passion. Extreme as it is, it keeps me in the kitchen and my wife loves it.

 

[Leolady]

I can't help but say this..........don't roast me.

Men get really anal/passionate about their knives for some reason than women.

Don't get me wrong. I love and adore my knives, but I can't spend hours talking about the latest steel vs what the Japanese are doing like men do. And then men lecture/pontificate for hours regarding all the Asian brand name whatevers.

And these same men complain about their wives putting their knives in the dishwasher, or opening cans with them, won't sharpen the knives, and think all ladies are ditzy that way.

I am a woman, I have knives I like and keep them sharp myself. I wash them by hand and put them back in their rack after drying them. I use a good chopping block rather than using a stainless steel or granite countertop. I have to keep the man in my life from using my good knives to open packages or cut string.

Is this just an unjust generalization, or do you see yourself here guys? If I am being unjust..........let me apologize in advance and I hope you will forgive me.

 

[buzzard767]

Is this just an unjust generalization, or do you see yourself here guys? If I am being unjust..........let me apologize in advance and I hope you will forgive me.

I think I can answer this. The two most widely read forums on kitchen knives that I know of are knifeforums "in the kitchen" and foodieforums "freds". There is more knowledge in those two places than in the entire Internet world put together where kitchen cutlery is concerned. In both forums I would hazard the guess that no more than 60% but no LESS than 25% are professional chefs, food prep folks, etc. They need knives that can get sharp and stay that way. Try cutting with a dull knive for twelve hours. The Internet has brought us all together and through the sharing of information it has absolutely been determined that some knives, steels, and sharpening methods are better than others.

If you are a home chef making three meals a day and aren't too excited about the event then I'm sure you'll be happy with some junk knives touted by a TV show chef. If you're a pro or a dedicated home chef you'll want performance first, quality second. This forum has a mixture of both and that's the way it should be, asking and answering questions, and learning. No one opinion is *more* correct subjectively, but when it comes to knives there is also science involved and some of us actually know a thing or two.

 

[Leolady]

I was just "teasing"!

I glad you took it well. LOL!

 

[Leolady]

OOps!

I forgot to add that I am a member on the knife forum also!

 

[buzzard767]

I was just "teasing"!
I glad you took it well. LOL!

OOps!
I forgot to add that I am a member on the knife forum also!

You can't really mess with a Marine mind. It's already made up, but I'm a good listener..

 

[luvs]

my key maker sharpens.

 

[attie]

Because I fillet, slice and skin a lot of fish I have found that sharpening my knives Japanese style for a right handed person to be very effective, I don't know if this method would win any chefs over but it works great in my job.
Korin - Fine Japanese Tableware and Chef Knives

 

[buzzard767]

Because I fillet, slice and skin a lot of fish I have found that sharpening my knives Japanese style for a right handed person to be very effective, I don't know if this method would win any chefs over but it works great in my job.
Korin - Fine Japanese Tableware and Chef Knives

As a mollydooker I only have two left handed versions of traditional Japanese knives. I sharpen most of the rest of them at a 70/30 left handed bias.

 

[dcloud]

I bought a set of six serrated steak knives at D&W six years ago for about $15 and I have never had to sharpen them once; they are still as sharp as the day I brought them home.