Knife sharpening

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RizzoTheRat

Original Poster:

25,291 posts

194 months

Wednesday 8th May
quotequote all
21TonyK said:
Like most things. If you have a reasonable knife (or knives) its worth spending a bit of money making sure you have suitable kit to maintain it. if you are not minded to fiddle around with stones then the roller type sharpeners seem to be popular.

However, its also important to remember theres a balance between sharpness and functionality and practicality.

Once sharp a decent quality fine steel (not diamond) will keep the edge in order.
So with these roller sharpeners, you should use the grinding end maybe once every couple of years to get a decent edge, and then just hone occasionally with the ceramic end?

wyson

2,095 posts

106 months

Wednesday 8th May
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I use a kitchen devils ceramic roller sharpener occasionally (brought because it was a which? best buy) and a honing steel before each use.

No idea how chefs like Gordon Ramsey hone with that sort of intensity, I followed a youtube video, knife at 90 degrees to the steel, then halve the angle and halve it again and run the knife edges backwards and forwards.

I take the ceramic sharpener on self catering holidays etc. Its small and light and makes quick work of sharpening the often criminally dull knives provided in the accommodation.





Edited by wyson on Wednesday 8th May 17:14

21TonyK

11,592 posts

211 months

Wednesday 8th May
quotequote all
RizzoTheRat said:
21TonyK said:
Like most things. If you have a reasonable knife (or knives) its worth spending a bit of money making sure you have suitable kit to maintain it. if you are not minded to fiddle around with stones then the roller type sharpeners seem to be popular.

However, its also important to remember theres a balance between sharpness and functionality and practicality.

Once sharp a decent quality fine steel (not diamond) will keep the edge in order.
So with these roller sharpeners, you should use the grinding end maybe once every couple of years to get a decent edge, and then just hone occasionally with the ceramic end?
Basically yes. Once you have an apex at the correct angle created with coarser grinds then a finer grind produces a less serrated edge of the same angle (we're talking magnifying glass to see). A uniform apex and cutting edge can then be maintained with a steel will using only the finer grinds to remove nicks and restore the edge when blunt.

A course grind should only be needed if the edge becomes damaged and you need to repair the cutting edge.

Thats the theory.

RizzoTheRat

Original Poster:

25,291 posts

194 months

Monday 20th May
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After reading varying reviews of the different roller sharpeners, and no idea how tell them apart, I ended up buying the Horl 2 instead of a cheap copy. The magnets are absolutely rock solid, and no sign of the ends of the roller unscrewing which seem to be frequent complaints with the cheaper ones.
Had a go with it on my Santoku and didn't realise just how good a job it had done until I sliced a tomato the next morning!
Now to work through the rest of our knives.

21TonyK

11,592 posts

211 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
^^^^ Need to make sure they don't get abused!


I've just spent a relaxing couple of hours in the garden enjoying the sun while I reshape and fine tune one of my work knives.

Issues I discovered with sharp knives are... 1) they cut through knife rolls and 2) they create holes in the front of car seats

Lesson learned, I'm now using the very nice Wusthof knife case which came from a fellow PH'er and a couple of cheap blade guards off Amazon.

Also ordered a handful of 2-3000 grit diamond plates off Ali for a few quid which are less hassle than wetstones when working away.

RizzoTheRat

Original Poster:

25,291 posts

194 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
21TonyK said:
^^^^ Need to make sure they don't get abused!
That is a definite issue, I notice the tip is missing from one of the smaller knifes, I suspect someone in the house has used it to clean the garlic press or the plug hole rolleyes