Knife sharpening tips

[Anonymous]

BB

I agree with you up to a point. I bought my knives because of the Japanese tool making traditions and the beautiful balance and Damascus pattern - didn't know until this thread that anyone else did or that it was 'in vogue' to be honest. I often nip into the professional cook shop in town which is owned by a couple of 'knife anhoraks' and they kept promising to get some in stock until one day........

I have had a few Sabatiers and they were really pretty poor (there are loads of Sabatier factories, each owned by different members of the family which split up several years ago) and didn't stay sharp for long.

The Jap knives just take a sharper edge and then stay sharp for ages and a sharp knife makes the job easier and safer - they are quite a pleasure to use

 

[Harbo]

BB

I have to agree with Tony here - I have a few Sabatiers which are crap and a couple of older types which keep a good edge but sadly rust/tarnish at a drop of a hat!

Good knives are like good tools - compare a new Stanley iron to a LN/Veritas/Hock etc. - they make cutting so much easier. And a sharp blade is so much safer than a blunt one
When I do any cooking or carving at relatives homes I always regret not having brought some decent knives with me?
My wife will not eat any fat, grizzle etc (she should be a Vege?) so every piece has to be cut off - impossible with a cheap knife.

Rod

 

[John. B]

I think you'll find the word 'Damascus' refers to the pattern on the tool as in these Japanese chisels.




From the Arabic, 'Damask' A figured fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibers, with a pattern formed by weaving.
As in these examples of cloth




John. B

 

[bugbear]

I think you'll find the word 'Damascus' refers to the pattern on the tool as in these Japanese chisels.

Indeed. but there are several different metal working processes that can give rise to such patterns.

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

My wife will not eat any fat, grizzle etc (she should be a Vege?) so every piece has to be cut off - impossible with a cheap knife.

Rod

Well, I'll agree that a 2 quid, stamped-out-of-stainless-sheet knife will struggle, but most any knife 10 quid and up should be fine for your task, once sharpened.

BugBear

 

[Jake]

I think you'll find the word 'Damascus' refers to the pattern on the tool as in these Japanese chisels.




From the Arabic, 'Damask' A figured fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibers, with a pattern formed by weaving.
As in these examples of cloth




John. B

The Japanese term isn't actually damascus, but suminagashi - which is also the term for paper marbling (like that used for the linings of trad hardback book covers).

 

[Drea]

This might sound heretical, but I use one of these. Takes about 10 seconds once a week and my knives are shaving sharp. Impossible to get it wrong too.

Just as an experiment, I ran an old butter knife through it and it cut a ripe tomato when I was finished. :shock:

 

[andyavast]

I bought a minosharp for my girlfriend who has Global knives, very easy to use and control and delivers an extremely sharp edge within a few strokes.

Andy

 

[swagman]

Gentlemen of a certain age learnt how to sharpen their scout knives with a six inch blade on the nearest kerbstone. It's why my knives are always sharp. :mrgreen:

Sadly these simple skills have been eliminated from our society today..

I'm with Waterhead.

It would seem to me that when ever the topic gets around to sharpening, whether it be plane blades, or in this case knives, we seem to get so wrapped up in getting the right jigs, or starting with 1 stone, and finishing with another, we tend to forget the basic principle of sharpening.

Get a flat stone, use a firm grip, and if takes more than 2 minutes to resharpen, your stuffing about too much.

The old tradesmen would be turning in their grave with all this nonsense talk.



swagman. :x

 

[frugal]

This might sound heretical, but I use one of these. Takes about 10 seconds once a week and my knives are shaving sharp. Impossible to get it wrong too.

Just as an experiment, I ran an old butter knife through it and it cut a ripe tomato when I was finished. :shock:

I was given one as a present to sharpen my Global knives. I liked it so much that I bought one for my dad.

 

[bugbear]

The old tradesmen would be turning in their grave with all this nonsense talk.

I'm not so sure; I've read many old books and journals, and sharpening has always been a topic of conversation and debate, and not a little mysticism.

BugBear

 

[jlawrence]

Waterhead, Swagman.
Those were the days.
I used to be able to get a V sharp edge on practically any knife just using the a curb stone in the garden and a strop just to tidy it up.
Nowadays that just simply doesn't seem to work for me. I don't know if it's down to me (having just lost the art of how) or down to developments in the materials they use for the knifes but I certainly rarely get a good edge from a stone alone.

 

[Charlotte]

Drea, Andy, thanks for that - looks like a manual version of what I used to use - will order one!