Knife sharpening advice

[Sway]

Morning guys and gals,

Over the last few weeks I've replaced some of the truly horrific knives I had for something a little nicer. Now trying to figure out the best way to keep them as sharp as they should be!

Here's the 'collection':



Henckels Motion 8", IKEA chefs, Henckels Santoku and Henckels 5 star bread (bread and IKEA owned for ages).

Up until now I've been using the cheap IKEA sharpener, and a really old steel I'm probably not using properly. Bought a minosharp two wheel sharpener yesterday as I know the Santoku needs the shallower angle.

Question is, what should I use for the two chefs knives, the stty IKEA one I presume is set to the more European bevel, or the minosharp? The Santoku has come up lovely very quickly, showing how rubbish I am at using a steel!

Or should I be getting a better quality replacement for the IKEA sharpener? If so, recommendations please!

Cheers,

S

[Mobile Chicane]

You can use the Minosharp to sharpen any knife.

[Sharted]

I've had success with a whetstone, got one in a plastic holder which can be screwed to a bench.

Sharpens all sorts of blades and they stay sharp.

Avoid glass chopping boards obviously.

[lockhart flawse]

It is a common misconception that a steel can be used to sharpen a knife but it doesn't. You should sharpen it with a stone and then, after sharpening, you use the steel to straighten the blade.

[Marlin45]

This is the best bit of kit I have found to do the job. Allows for multiple angles for knives with various uses.

http://lansky.com/

[Marlin45]

This is the best bit of kit I have found to do the job. Allows for multiple angles for knives with various uses.

http://lansky.com/

[Gandahar]

For someone who cannot be bothered spending ages doing it manually

http://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice-120-Professiona...

This produces edges sharp enough that if you drop it into a washing up bowl where you cannot see the knife you have to be very careful indeed washing it. My wife hates that ....

cue shriek.

Seriously though here a gadget it better than the proper way

[PiB]

If your knives are no terribly expensive I find diamond steels actually provide a degree of sharpening because they are so abrasive.

http://www.bigtray.com/dexter-russell-dexter-russe...

[bga]

lockhart flawse said:

It is a common misconception that a steel can be used to sharpen a knife but it doesn't. You should sharpen it with a stone and then, after sharpening, you use the steel to straighten the blade.

A steel can be used to sharpen but is hard work, you need a good technique & it's better off used to tickle the blade straight as you have mentioned.

[LotusMartin]

check out the Knife Wizard Electric Knife Sharpener from I O Shen KE3000

I've tried maybe 4 or 5 different sharpening devices/stones and this is the business. I didn't think my knives could ever be too sharp - this made me re-think that! Even turned cheap old knackered knives I was going to bin into razors.

one thing I will say though, you still need a steel to keep sharp between use.

[Turn7]

Mobile Chicane said:

You can use the Minosharp to sharpen any knife.

Its all I use....

[Puggit]

Our local butcher sharpens ours' for a tiny sum

[Dr G]

My 3 wheel minosharp did a lovely job transforming some very cheap knives and keeps the better ones razor.

[Digger]

Ditto.

[Boo152]

Wetstone about every 3 months (takes around 2 minutes each knife) then use your steel before every use.

[xuy]

Turn7 said:

Mobile Chicane said:

You can use the Minosharp to sharpen any knife.

Its all I use....

ditto

[xuy]

Turn7 said:

Mobile Chicane said:

You can use the Minosharp to sharpen any knife.

Its all I use....

ditto

[xuy]

Turn7 said:

Mobile Chicane said:

You can use the Minosharp to sharpen any knife.

Its all I use....

ditto

[wong]

Try googling "knife sharpening theory"

Once you know "why" you are doing it, any stone should be OK.

[Juicetin1]

A plug for the Catrahone Diamond Power sharpener. Made by Catra.
http://www.catra.org.uk/CATRAHONE_p/cu20.htm
By far the best non-free hand sharpener I have used.