Yes! I generally get good result steeling my biggest knife, a cheap 10" butchers knife, with much less effort than it takes with my Henckels 6" utility. Also, I'm glad to know I'm not the only person who anchors the steel vertically instead of doing the whip-whip-whip in the air. I'm just afraid I'm going to accidentally kill one of the cats doing that.
Maybe I should just get a leather strop. (And wear a boater and grow a handlebar moustache.)
― I do feel guilty for getting any perverse amusement out of it (Rock Hardy), Monday, 21 November 2005 22:32 (eighteen years ago) link
All the sharpening web sites say you should be able to shave your arm with a well-sharpened knife by scraping it at a perpendicular angle, but none of my knives, not even the absurdly sharp ones, seem to do that. Maybe my arm hair is abnormally tough? At least I know how to spot knife enthusiasts in the future -- bald forearms!
― Paul Eater (eater), Monday, 21 November 2005 22:52 (eighteen years ago) link
― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 15:25 (eighteen years ago) link
The Global sharpener I have has kind of two little whetstones that rotate with water in the bottom, one harder (or maybe finer) than the other. They make a lovely edge too, I use them before every time I use them (or try to) and they seem to always be arm-shavingly keen. I do have a couple of discolourations on them which shames me a little, they've come from leaving them out on the drying rack :(
― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 17:13 (eighteen years ago) link
― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 10:03 (eighteen years ago) link
Failing that, splash out on one good one rather than a set of cheaper ones. A good quality, decent sized knife will do most jobs you require of it (use the tip for small stuff, main body of the blade for bigger jobs etc)
― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:24 (eighteen years ago) link
I went to the Alton Brown website the other day and he's flogging some line of knives now. They look pretty good -- I had a moment of lust.
― I do feel guilty for getting any perverse amusement out of it (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 13:20 (eighteen years ago) link
― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 13:26 (eighteen years ago) link
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001UZZ90/qid=1134483846/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-5887580-9796664?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=284507
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DJYDY/qid=1134483846/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-5887580-9796664?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=284507
― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 14:26 (eighteen years ago) link
― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:20 (eighteen years ago) link
Regarding cheap knives: I too bet that a good lady sharpener could fix up your decrepit knife. Forschner/Victorinox seems to be talked about as the Best Cheap Knife but I have no experience with them. These Tojiros were also recommended to me recently as great knives for the price.
― Paul Eater (eater), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:40 (eighteen years ago) link
― I do feel guilty for getting any perverse amusement out of it (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 17:18 (eighteen years ago) link
I think I'll wait for the line with adjustable angles. I just got the Kyocera vegetable peeler whose head rotates from harp-style to straight-style.
― Paul Eater (eater), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 17:46 (eighteen years ago) link
Also, I was reading on those Sani-tuff boards - you can sand them to resurface! I'm going to order one after the holidays.
― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 19:23 (eighteen years ago) link
― Paul Eater (eater), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 19:37 (eighteen years ago) link
― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 20:48 (eighteen years ago) link
― Paul Eater (eater), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― Paul Eater (eater), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:49 (eighteen years ago) link
This might be a stupid question, but where would would I find a place like this?
― Lars and Jagger (Ex Leon), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:52 (eighteen years ago) link
I picture you in Michigan, but is that a true recollection or just a subconscious inference from your Michigany attitude?
― Paul Eater (eater), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:08 (eighteen years ago) link
― Lars and Jagger (Ex Leon), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:13 (eighteen years ago) link
― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 15 December 2005 11:10 (eighteen years ago) link
― martin andrew, Monday, 6 February 2006 16:43 (eighteen years ago) link
― Matt (Matt), Monday, 6 February 2006 16:52 (eighteen years ago) link
― Jaq (Jaq), Friday, 24 February 2006 23:14 (eighteen years ago) link
And what's the name of the place? They're all within a couple of blocks here -- I can go round and demand an apology for the mixup on your behalf.
― Paul Eater (eater), Saturday, 25 February 2006 00:16 (eighteen years ago) link
― pixel farmer (Rock Hardy), Saturday, 25 February 2006 00:39 (eighteen years ago) link
The place is Bakedeco.com, but that's okay - I'm happy now it's here.
Did you get to try out that knife sharpening thing? I'm still debating if I want to get that into it, or just continue to pay the pros.
― Jaq (Jaq), Saturday, 25 February 2006 01:12 (eighteen years ago) link
You have to think a bit about angles and bevels when you use it, and take into consideration the bevel your knife already has, and it definitely takes an hour's commitment on a dull knife, but the instructions are helpful. It seems like using it without making the initial effort to understand the why of what you're doing might be frustrating or unsatisfying, but if you do that, home sharpening does seem to give a lot of control beyond what taking a knife to a sharpening service offers.
― Paul Eater (eater), Sunday, 26 February 2006 05:05 (eighteen years ago) link
― Paul Eater (eater), Sunday, 26 February 2006 05:12 (eighteen years ago) link
I don't think I want to get that technical with the knives. But I would like to see the video of the guy slicing paper the thin way!
― Jaq (Jaq), Sunday, 26 February 2006 05:38 (eighteen years ago) link
― Paul Eater (eater), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 19:56 (seventeen years ago) link
― Jaq, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 23:54 (seventeen years ago) link
― eater, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 20:57 (seventeen years ago) link
I've decided to take the plunge and start sharpening my knives myself. I just ordered this system + special c-clamp - the reviews make it sound straightforward to use and that it gives a good edge.
― Jaq, Wednesday, 4 June 2008 16:45 (sixteen years ago) link
Today, my knives are SHARP!
― Jaq, Friday, 6 June 2008 20:33 (sixteen years ago) link
Nothing like a sharp knife. My steel and sharpener are perpetually at work so my home knives are in a terrible state. I am a poor show.
― Matt, Wednesday, 11 June 2008 20:15 (sixteen years ago) link
Just like the poor cobbler's kids never having any shoes :) Now that all mine are sharp, I'm starting to solicit them from family and friends, so I'm not tempted to just keep sharpening my own into nothing. Next you know, I'll have a stand set up down on the sidewalk, like my shoeshine guys.
― Jaq, Wednesday, 11 June 2008 21:04 (sixteen years ago) link
i need to learn how to sharpen. we've got a water sharpener and a crazy expensive, apparently difficult to use japanese sharpening system, neither of which i can use. i'm taking a knife skills class in a couple of weeks, and i hope this is covered!
― lauren, Thursday, 12 June 2008 14:38 (sixteen years ago) link
I'd be surprised if it wasn't. In fact I'd be bloody outraged.
― Matt, Thursday, 12 June 2008 20:50 (sixteen years ago) link
i assure you that i'll cause a scene if it's not!
― lauren, Friday, 13 June 2008 01:03 (sixteen years ago) link
http://www.altonbrown.com/shun/gfx_shun/bandaids_lg.gif
― Abbott of the Trapezoid Monks (Abbott), Thursday, 1 January 2009 23:33 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm coveting knives. I have one great knife and it's great. I love you so much, Only Good Knife I Own.
― Abbott of the Trapezoid Monks (Abbott), Thursday, 1 January 2009 23:34 (fifteen years ago) link
Happiness is not having what you want, it's wanting what you have.
― Plaxico (I know, right?), Thursday, 1 January 2009 23:39 (fifteen years ago) link
lauren how did the knife skills class go? i really need to learn how to sharpen, too.
― Tracer Hand, Friday, 2 January 2009 12:45 (fifteen years ago) link
I gave up trying to sharpen the old-school way--broke down and bought a chef's choice dealie. It's pretty awesome, but not as awesome as sharpening on a stone like a true knife badass.
― quincie, Friday, 2 January 2009 16:40 (fifteen years ago) link
My dad stood around in the kitchen sharpening knives bcz he loved his wetstone so much. It was his dad's, though, so he wouldn't let us touch it, ever.
― Abbott of the Trapezoid Monks (Abbott), Saturday, 10 January 2009 23:09 (fifteen years ago) link
http://home.woot.com/ has a really good deal on a knife dock today. I've been wanting one of these for awhile - a better way to corral the steak knives in the cutlery drawer as we don't have quite enough counter space for knife blocks.
― Jaq, Sunday, 4 March 2012 19:08 (twelve years ago) link
Magnetic knife holder on a spare bit of wall space was one of my best investments.
― Steamtable Willie (WmC), Sunday, 4 March 2012 19:45 (twelve years ago) link
If we are ever in a permanent space...
― Jaq, Sunday, 4 March 2012 20:04 (twelve years ago) link
Ok, I hate my crappy cutting board. Are you liking the sani tuff, Yerac? Rly don't wanna spend $80 on a decent-sized one right now. Any other recs anybody?
― form that slug-like grex (outdoor_miner), Wednesday, 21 November 2018 15:34 (five years ago) link
Yeah, I like it. I like how heavy it is (doesn't slide or warp) and hopefully it's better for my new knives. It does stain but who cares. I got the 12x18 one so that was only $38 and it's heavy enough I kind of wouldn't want a bigger one. I do still use my epicurean ones too for quick things.
― Yerac, Wednesday, 21 November 2018 15:38 (five years ago) link
I wanted a nakiri veggie cleaver but ended up getting this as my new knife for now. I spent the entire Friday watching knife sharpening/shropping videos.
https://www.cutleryandmore.com/enso-hd/prep-knife-p135306
― Yerac, Saturday, 24 November 2018 19:37 (five years ago) link
These are surprisingly good nakiri-style knives that one's spouse can abuse without excessive guilt: https://importfood.com/item/set-of-two-chopping-knives-kiwi-thailand
― mick signals, Saturday, 24 November 2018 19:45 (five years ago) link
I assume 12.5 inches is end to end and not just the blade? They are in BOISE!
― Yerac, Saturday, 24 November 2018 19:48 (five years ago) link
I need to get new cutting boards and I can’t find anything like a sani tuff here in Australia and shipping one in is heinously expensive. The Japanese equivalent appears to be an Asahi so i’ll have to pick one up in January.
My gyutou and Santoku are really good and I got the same Santoku for my sister. Nothing overly fancy but really easy to keep a good edge on. I’d really like a Usuba and an kitrisuke next.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Saturday, 24 November 2018 20:37 (five years ago) link
How are you sharpening your knives? I think I am going to just buy a 800 or 1000 grit King block to start and practice on my friends' crappy knives first.
― Yerac, Saturday, 24 November 2018 20:55 (five years ago) link
Yeah, I that enso I ordered (it had an additional 20% off) supposedly is useful to use as a paring and utility knife while looking like a small kiriitsuke.
― Yerac, Saturday, 24 November 2018 20:57 (five years ago) link
according to my knife/metal guru acquaintance (whose house in Paradise didn't burn!) this is what to get for actual sharpening: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004WFU7/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1 he gave me a little demo once and seemed to like to push his knife away from himself in his sharpening motion, which i'd never seen anybody do before. he had some theory about why he thought sharpening was more effective that way.
― form that slug-like grex (outdoor_miner), Saturday, 24 November 2018 21:07 (five years ago) link
bonus: it'll get you high
― gbx, Saturday, 24 November 2018 21:12 (five years ago) link
oh, and aforementioned friend recommended using oil and not water or dry
― form that slug-like grex (outdoor_miner), Saturday, 24 November 2018 21:18 (five years ago) link
I care for my knives with this guy; probably not going to spend the time learning to use stones in this lifetime
https://brodandtaylor.com/knife-sharpener/
― I have measured out my life in coffee shop loyalty cards (silby), Saturday, 24 November 2018 23:05 (five years ago) link
Yeah, I was watching a ton of videos on different sharpening stones, grits, methods. Some need to be water soaked, perma soaked, oiled, or splash and go. It's a whole thing.
― Yerac, Sunday, 25 November 2018 01:00 (five years ago) link
'burrfection' was the youtube channel I was watching where he has tons of videos of different sharpening stones/methods, stropping methods and how to sharpen different types of knives. He's not a professional chef, I think he just became ocd about knives. But I like how he wings it a bit.
― Yerac, Sunday, 25 November 2018 01:03 (five years ago) link
I have a diamond coated steel from ikea for day to day and a global 1000 grit stone for more serious sharpening. I can get a fierce edge with these, I’ve taken my knives in for sharpeneing I once or twice along the way.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Sunday, 25 November 2018 08:17 (five years ago) link
i like 'burrfection,' he's got a lot of enthusiasm and his sang froid about destroying extremely nice knives is...bracing
i use a wusthof 800/2000 and it's fine, but i'd really like some proper japanese waterstones and a sink bridge
― gbx, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 02:48 (five years ago) link
I was going to get something to hold the stone then realized that I could just use the sanituff board with towels and maybe a brick on top.
― Yerac, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 11:50 (five years ago) link
I am very into sharpening knives on the whetstone now. I think I have the touch.
― Yerac, Thursday, 21 February 2019 01:27 (five years ago) link
I did a knife sharpening class yesterday and it was somewhat revelatory. I didn’t think I was that bad at it but I got so much better at in a few hours.
Biggest revelation, which I feel dumb for not knowing about, is that your whetstone becomes less than flat very easily. We were to to bring our stones to the class we went over them with a flattener and the difference is remarkable.
I guess I should watch more sharpening stuff on YouTube or whatever.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Saturday, 15 February 2020 22:43 (four years ago) link
oh yeah, did they make you do the sharpie grid on top to see how not flat it is? I haven't flattened mine yet. I have just been trying to be good about using the entire thing.
― Yerac, Saturday, 15 February 2020 23:48 (four years ago) link
my newest knife is an Enso Bunka.
― Yerac, Saturday, 15 February 2020 23:55 (four years ago) link
It was a 6B pencil but the effect is much the same.
Interesting how much work it took to sharpen my 15+ year old global vs my kamata (basic stainless one). Both professionally done not so long ago but the softer global took a lot more work than the harder kamata.
I suspect I’m going to get very nerdy about this. Sharpening knives is very relaxing.
Only available till the end of today (Sunday) but this documentary about master knife sharpener, Katsunobu Sakashita is fantastic. Some next level techniques on display here and his arch shaped stone is really interesting.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/video/4003127/
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Sunday, 16 February 2020 01:52 (four years ago) link
oh yeah pencil not sharpie. I don't know if I find sharpening relaxing yet. The time does fly by though and I am shocked that I spend an hour on a couple of knives. I am thinking of getting a splash and go whetstone because having to soak is something that I sometimes don't want to prepare just for 1 or 2 knives. I have only been honing on cardboard and want to try something else.
― Yerac, Sunday, 16 February 2020 02:14 (four years ago) link
oh wow his fingers!
― Yerac, Sunday, 16 February 2020 02:50 (four years ago) link
ugh stropping on cardboard I mean, not honing.
― Yerac, Sunday, 16 February 2020 03:10 (four years ago) link
It’s kangaroo leather down here or nothing.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Sunday, 16 February 2020 08:27 (four years ago) link
But yes, his fingers! I am astounded he can still hold chopsticks or do anything that isn’t sharpen knives
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Sunday, 16 February 2020 08:28 (four years ago) link
You both will enjoy this: https://youtu.be/_jb1jNDQ-Bw
― Good taste, bit Victorian but who isn't? (jed_), Sunday, 16 February 2020 12:21 (four years ago) link
Oh wait that’s the kimono episode even though it’s titled as the Sumurai sword episode. Very weird.
― Good taste, bit Victorian but who isn't? (jed_), Sunday, 16 February 2020 12:23 (four years ago) link
all i can find to view are these clips:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p055p54d
although i did obtain a torrent of the episode.
― Good taste, bit Victorian but who isn't? (jed_), Sunday, 16 February 2020 22:32 (four years ago) link