Knife Sharpening

[norgeskog]

Seems that I heard that a dull knife is more dangerous and cause more accidental cuts than a sharp one!

I have heard that as well, Hungry. My knives are sharp as I can cut a tomatoe easily, but I guess my sharpening them regularly makes me more aware of them being sharp.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Does anyone get their knives professionally sharpened? If so, how often and is it worth it? I sharpen all but my Wusthof Santoku Hollow Edge (it doesn't ever need it) right before using on a sharpening steel, but it seems that over time, they've still lost their edge. I'm wondering if I should get them professionally sharpened. I can get my two chef's knives, a boning knife, carver and two paring knives sharpened for less than 10 euros (13 dollars). Is that a good deal?

At about $2 per knife .... yes it is worth having them professionally sharpened. How often depends on how much you use them and your cutting surface (end-grain wood doesn't dull the blade as much as edge-grain wood, which isn't as bad as plastic - glass or marble will dull them in no time.

If you know how to use an oil stone then the Norton system that choclatechef has is great. Most of the better professional kitchens will have them ... and leaning how to use them is part of the first week or two of Culinary School. But, it does require some instruction on how to use them correctly, and a bit of practice, so that you're not dulling your knives more than you are sharpening them.

The Lansky system is probably best for someone who doesn't know how to use an oil stone, or doesn't have much experience using one, and certainly takes up less space than the Norton oil-stone system.

If you have a knife store near you ... go talk to them. They can show you sharpening systems that will not wreck your knives .. and help you find one that will be best for you.

I use an oil-stone ... sharpen my knives every couple of months ... and still take them to a professional every 2-3 years to "true up" the blades.

 

[RPCookin]

This is half correct. A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one, but it does not cause any more accidents. The reason a dull knife is more dangerous is that if you do get a cut from a dull blade it will not be as clean a cut as if it were sharp. The blade will rip the skin more than cut it and that encourages infection.

Another reason that a dull knife is more likely to cause an accident, even if the user thinks they are being careful, is that you are required to use more force to accomplish the same objective than you would need if the knife was sharp. That means that when do you slip, the momentum will carry the blade farther before you can stop the motion.

One also tends to be a bit more cavalier when handling a dull knife, thinking that it isn't as dangerous as a sharp one, which can also lead to more mistakes.

 

[choclatechef]

If you know how to use an oil stone then the Norton system that choclatechef has is great. Most of the better professional kitchens will have them ... and leaning how to use them is part of the first week or two of Culinary School. But, it does require some instruction on how to use them correctly, and a bit of practice, so that you're not dulling your knives more than you are sharpening them.

See, this is what comes from being older than dirt.

Back in the day [my day that is], I never heard of "the lansky" system. In my small town there wasn't a professional knife sharpener.

Everybody used an oilstone, and folks learned from their parents, aunts, uncles, etc.

As a matter of fact, most people I know still do [except those few electric sharpener folks].

 

[Michael in FtW]

LOL choc ... Grandpa, Dad, and one of my Grandmas taught me how to use an oilstone - and the Boy Scouts reinforced it!