Sharpening Trick for bread knives

[Vulcan]

Here we go again with the S word that upsets so many numpties on here!

I’ve got another one for you I’ve just seen. Terribly sorry it’s not directly wood working related but there you go.

On your marks …

 

[Jacob]

Here we go again with the S word that upsets so many numpties on here!

I’ve got another one for you I’ve just seen. Terribly sorry it’s not directly wood working related but there you go.

On your marks …

Watched a few minutes but got bored. I'm sure it will work!
I've seen crazier suggestions - there was one some time ago where they discussed the radius of round files for the indentations - filed individually.
In fact the whole point of the serrated edge is that it can be sharpened with two or three quick strokes with a sharpening steel each time you get it out of the drawer. Takes seconds. All it needs for life.
A normal carving knife ditto, but may take slightly longer, especially if you are cutting soft stuff like bread.
I've been doing this and nothing else, for years, with both sorts, one of them inherited and in use for 3 generations sharpened same way.

 

[BC'er]

Nice idea, but these knives are generally sharpened only on one bevel and he's changing that with his method.

Also, a good part of the cutting action comes from the points of the teeth, as they might be called, and this method just rounds them over and down.

I've sharpened several of these knives using a suitably sized Cratex abrasive bit in a Dremel Tool. Another method probably just as good would be a metal rod whose diameter matches the curvature of the teeth with fine abrasive "cloth" strip glued on - the stuff that comes in 1" wide rolls usually. Clamp the knife in soft jaws with the blade pointing away from the body and teeth to the right. With the rod at the appropriate angle, slide in a straight line to the right and repeat as necessary, lifting off the blade between strokes. Probably best to wear a heavy glove on the right hand and avoid distractions.

Old Sheffield type carbon steel knives are very good if you don't mind the frequent steeling required. The steel produces a slightly rough edge, when examined under high magnification, which gives a good "sawing" action.

I've also had them in the house from my parent's generation and ground down very thin on a belt sander, almost to the thickness of a thick artist's palette knife they go through all foods very well I find. I assume this is because a thin blade does not have to displace as much as a thick one. Good for scraping sticky bits off the bottoms of pans as well.

 

[Jacob]

Nice idea, but these knives are generally sharpened only on one bevel and he's changing that with his method.

Yes of course. These knives are only sharpened on one bevel by the manufacturer. After that you sharpen normally; equally on both bevels.

....

Old Sheffield type carbon steel knives are very good if you don't mind the frequent steeling required. The steel produces a slightly rough edge, when examined under high magnification, which gives a good "sawing" action.

Exactly, you've got it!
Just using a steel in the traditional way is much quicker, easier, less destructive. If you are having to work it hard then you have left it a bit too late; do it a little and often. Works on modern steel too!
That is what everybody used to do before modern sharpening was invented; some time in the 1980s it seems.
If no steel to hand you can actually sharpen a knife by using the back of another knife in place of a steel.

I've also had them in the house from my parent's generation and ground down very thin on a belt sander, almost to the thickness of a thick artist's palette knife they go through all foods very well I find. I assume this is because a thin blade does not have to displace as much as a thick one. Good for scraping sticky bits off the bottoms of pans as well.

No need to destroy an old knife if you use a steel - a little and often so it never gets too blunt.

PS if you have a large carving job in front of you such as a turkey, then a few passes with the steel every now and then as you go, will help enormously.
It's about maintaining a sharp edge rather than allowing it to go blunt and needing remedial work. Ditto with woodwork tools.

 

[furnace]

In fact the whole point of the serrated edge is that it can be sharpened with two or three quick strokes with a sharpening steel each time you get it out of the drawer. Takes seconds. All it needs for life.

One both sides, or just one?

 

[Jacob]

One both sides, or just one?

Both. A little and often.

 

[Phill05]

What I use is a 2 mm thick metal lathe parting blade two strokes down each side of your knife or blade and it is sharp same on serrated edge blades both sides, same works well on planer blades in situ in the block to keep them tip top.

I also use them for burnishing Brass and scraping rust off cast / steel parts, a go too tool.

 

[kinverkid]

As Jacob said, little and often should keep the knives sharp but what some refer to as a 'steel' is more like a burnisher. It will improve the blade of a reasonably sharp knife. If you are struggling to get it to cut then it needs sharpening. The manual method would be to use the oval-type steel which, these days would normally be coated with a diamond abrasive. Once sharpened, just like chisels and plane irons on a strop, hone them on the round steel little and often to maintain the edge. I've never tried this on a bread knife - I just didn't think to, so I might try it later.

 

[Jacob]

As Jacob said, little and often should keep the knives sharp but what some refer to as a 'steel' is more like a burnisher. It will improve the blade of a reasonably sharp knife. If you are struggling to get it to cut then it needs sharpening. The manual method would be to use the oval-type steel which, these days would normally be coated with a diamond abrasive. Once sharpened, just like chisels and plane irons on a strop, hone them on the round steel little and often to maintain the edge.

A trad knife "steel" not much like a burnisher - is serrated lengthways (probably a proper word for this?) with a bit of a filing action but not as sharp as a file.
It's all "sharpening" in my opinion, whether you call it burnishing, steeling, honing, grinding, etc

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Which steel to use depends upon the hardness of the steel in the knife. A traditional steel works for older carbon steel knives, it's basically cold forging - reshaping - the edge. Diamond "steels" are better for some very hard new steels, they abrade the edge. If you sharpen a serrated bread knife you end up with a ham knife. Some upmarket knives now are so hard I suspect they're made to be admired rather than used.
If you watch first class chefs and butchers, they touch the knives up before using them and finding them blunt.

 

[kinverkid]

I have not watched this video - I've got stuff to do. But here is a guide for steels and hones and somewhere on this site - how to sharpen a bread knife.

https://www.knivesandtools.co.uk/en/ct/sharpening-steel-buying-guide.htm

 

[selectortone]

I'll have to ask the butler.

 

[Jacob]

I have not watched this video - I've got stuff to do. But here is a guide for steels and hones and somewhere on this site - how to sharpen a bread knife.

https://www.knivesandtools.co.uk/en/ct/sharpening-steel-buying-guide.htm

Quick look at his vid. Seems to be sharpening each serration separately! What an absolute berk!
Didn't listen to his spiel so might have missed something?
Modern sharpeners are fascinating - they are so desperate to make things look difficult!

 

[Adam W.]

Quick look at his vid. Seems to be sharpening each serration separately! What an absolute berk!
Didn't listen to his spiel so might have missed something?
Modern sharpeners are fascinating - they are so desperate to make things look difficult!

I think you've got that wrong Jacob, he's sharpening an non serrated knife.

Carry on.

Oh, and merry Christmas/Winterfest/Whatever to all the sharpening geeks in interweb land.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mercer-Cul...8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Just buy yourself a new one every few years.

 

[Jacob]

I think you've got that wrong Jacob, he's sharpening an non serrated knife.

Not the vid I watched. https://www.knivesandtools.co.uk/en/ct/sharpening-a-bread-knife.htm

Carry on.

Oh, and merry Christmas/Winterfest/Whatever to all the sharpening geeks in interweb land.

And to you too. "Happy christmas" that is (keep it simple!)
Just having another mince pie, home made. I sharpen my own pastry cutters 32.5º with a set of diamond files, with a good Cognac as honing fluid. At £40 a bottle it's actually much cheaper than Honerite No1 and tastes nicer.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Stick to Armagnac, it's better value.

 

[Steve H01]

I prefer unserrated for bread... but I have to admit I have gone as far as using round stone files on a bread knife
Completely unnecessary as I knew before doing it, but it amused and certainly worked.

 

[artie]

My bread knife was £4.99 in Tesco, and because of my super low bread consumption
and the availability of the sliced pan, I fully expect it to last a lifetime without sharpening.

 

[Noel]

My bread knife was £4.99 in Tesco, and because of my super low bread consumption
and the availability of the sliced pan, I fully expect it to last a lifetime without sharpening.

Hard to beat a toasted heel off a plain loaf Artie.
But mostly agree, bread is poison.