jfelco

i have a set of henckel knives and would like to maintain them the proper way. ive seen some chefs sharpen by holding the sharpening steel in one hand pointing down and the knife in the other. they would come across and down at about a 5-8 degree angle. is this right??? whats the angle the knife should be at???

PayUp

Use the steel often. A steel keeps your cutting edge honed and true. For you, around the house 15-20 degrees will work fine for you.

Here ya go. www.chefdepot.net/knifesharpening2.htm

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jfelco

sweet, thanks...

MiSo

<-- chef
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i like to use the steel pointing upwards.
not really upwards directly but at a slight angle facing away from your body.
i then slice downwards beginning at the back of the knife and finishing off at the tip.
when you're slicing, put slight pressure on the blade and hold the steel firmly. then do the same with the opposite side of the knife on the opposite side of the steel (of course). since you're slicing downwards, you'll have to start just below the top of the steel.
i read the other article posted and it said to use your arm and not the wrist. with my technique, i do the exact opposite. i use my wrist to accomplish the slicing downwards motion.
i slice with a very slight angle. i try to run across the blade across the steel as flat as possible, the blade should the able to glide along the steel smoothly.
at first this technique may feel awkward. if you're hand isn't steady it will feel uncomfortable. personally, i feel this method gives me greater control of the angle because you can "feel" if its right or not. with practice, you'll get the rhythm and soon you'll have a nice clean stroke. (plus it looks super professional in front of customers)

yellowchef

or if you dont feel comfortable at an angle, a technique used on cruise ships so nobody gets stabbed because of the very limited room hold it out horizontally in front of you and follow MiSos directions. It should be at about a 20 degree angle and the movements should be very smooth from bolster to tip. All work should be done with your wrist and not your arm since you do not cut usning your whole arm and blades take the shape of how you use them the most.

Also the steel should be used before each use of the knife. So before you prepare each meal, take a couple minutes and use your steel. This will greatly reduce wear and tear and keep the edge on your knife much longer.

Also if your knife can't be honed to its original sharpness you need to seek a professional knife sharpener.

MiSo

i left somethign important out.
i've seen some steel sharpeners that have ridges in them. if your steel has ridges in them, my technique "may" not work. if its a cheap steel, for sure it will not work because it will catch the blade. i like smooth steels better because it suits the way i sharpen. you can pick up a nice ceramic steel in the $20-40 range. it should be smooth all the way around. ceramic steel sharpens very nicely. the only thing i dont like about ceramic is that it chips easily (careful not to drop/bang it againt something)

most knives are meant to be sharpened with a steel. a good steel should keep your knife sharp enough for your kitchen needs. if possible, try to not use a stone because it is harder to get the blade as sharp as you want it.

omega2K4

I hate sharpening knives. I'm actually thinking about picking up some of those ceramic knives. The only downfall is that they can be pretty damn expensive. Anyone had any experience with them?

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yellowchef

Theyre terribly expensive and unless youre out to impress someone with how much you spent on your knife I wouldnt advise buying it. If you cook a LOT on a daily basis then sure, but if you are just cooking dinner and the occasional party or something, get over your knife sharpening laziness and buy a diamond or ceramic steel. Steeling a knife takes a few short minutes and is worth the trouble. There is more care involved with a ceramic knife because of how fragile(but sharp) they are.

whitenoise

not to mention dropping a ceramic knife can be expensive.
Secondly, steels don't really sharpen. If you plan on doing your own sharpening I recomend a tri_stone with a ceramic steel for generall maintanence of the edge.

yellowchef

we said the steel hones and can bring it back to its original sharpness..

its worth the few, like $3 a blade to take your knives to a professional sharpener a few times a year. If you are good about using the steel each time the knife comes out you shouldnt have to see the sharpener more than 3 times a year. A tri stone is expensive, you have to make sure the right oil is always on it, and the ones that use water wear quickly and are still very costly. Tri-stones also have a special way to be used or they can wear in the middle and not the ends, or wear on the ends and be higher in the middle.. so its much easier just to see the pro and drop a few bucks every 4 months. You also get a much better, longer lasting edge.