Kitchen knife experts

Sac Arrow

Sac Arrow

Touchdown! Greaser!
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May 11, 2010
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Charlotte, NC
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Snorting his way across the USA
I have this set of relatively new kitchen knives. When they were new, they were pretty sharp. Set included a sharpening steel.

Now they're all dull, and the steel doesn't do JS. Can anybody recommend a good kitchen knife sharpening system? Preferably something that is motorized and will hold a constant angle, but not a harsh cheapo grinder that tears your blades up.
 
Some gun and knife shows I have been to offer sharpening services while you wait. My wife has taken knives and scissors to the local fabric store, too. They usually have posted notices when the sharpening guy will be in.

Sharpening seems to be half skill, half equipment, half metal quality (hey, the cartalk guys have three halves in their show)....most of the systems with at lease three grits are good. The system with the rods (steel and ceramic) are OK, too.

My wife bought me one of those orange handled forged Rachael Ray knives in the sheath with the built in sharpener fingers. They make few versions, some stamped, some forged. Anyhow, that works better than I expected it would...
 
I bought one of these...

http://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kitchen/every-kitchen-needs-a-knife-sharpener/

At the local Ace Hardware. I can make any of our steel knives razor sharp in 2 minutes. Learning how to hand-stone sharpen a knife is a worthwhile skill.

I also have a couple of Kyocera ceramic knifes that are at least two years old and are still sharp. They are great for fruits and vegetables but you have to take extra care with them. I still prefer a hand-sharpened steel knife for trimming and fileting steaks.
 
Go to America's test kitchen. Read the reviews. Top pick, Chefs choice pro 130. Love mine. Sharpened the knives prior to our New Year's party. Promptly ran the knife through the palm of my hand. Super glued it back together and the show went on.
 
I too have never had any skill sharpening knives (people have tried to teach me. I just can't do it). I picked up one of those electric diamond sharpeners at Costco and it works great.
 
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Matthew said:
I use this:
http://www.amazon.com/Choice-Diamond-Manual-Straight-Sharpener/dp/B00009R5OY

and a good steel. Touch the edges up with the steel whenever you use the knives, and use the sharpener when necessary.

The downside I've heard about electric sharpeners is they can overheat the blade edge if you aren't careful and change the way they hold an edge.
Click to expand...

The newer ones oscillate and you run it through in one direction only. I don't think they overheat the blade. I believe that was with the older spinning style. It says on the box that it won't hurt the temper of the blade and it seems to work well.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I have this set of relatively new kitchen knives. When they were new, they were pretty sharp. Set included a sharpening steel.

Now they're all dull, and the steel doesn't do JS. Can anybody recommend a good kitchen knife sharpening system? Preferably something that is motorized and will hold a constant angle, but not a harsh cheapo grinder that tears your blades up.
Click to expand...

What kind of knives and what kind of steel?

I'm sure you know this but a sharpening steel's job is just to realign and straighten the micro edge not really to sharpen.
 
A good quality knife will hold an edge longer. We have a 24 yr old set we purchased in W. Germany. Made by Zwilling J.A. Henckels. We have used nothing but the steele sharpener that came in the set.
 
I just take them downstairs and sharpen them on the knife sharpener that my FIL left me. ;)

When he was still alive he traveled a lot in his later years and would sharpen knives for a restaurant for a free meal. Before he passed he had sharpened knives in all 50 states.
 
6ahy4y8e.jpg

This is the one I have. It works great. No sharpening skills needed.
 
That is my housekeepers cup. She left it on my dresser and I didn't think I should throw it away. I think it has water in it, but I am not certain. Nothing gets by you, does it?
 
Call around - find a 'guy' - usually does keys, and all sorts of other stuff - drop your knives off on a Monday, pick them up Wed or Thu and they get sharpened for $1 or 2 a blade . . . its just easier than messing with all the choices out there, you end up spending less over the life of the knife than a) buying 2 or 3 different sharpeners, and b) taking the time to deal with them wondering if they are sharp 'enough,' and c) if you have OCD sharpening them every 4 days! :D

I'd rather spend my spare time flying - not sharpening knives - except for the k-Bar. . .
 
Find the local sharpening place where the restaurants bring their tools. The place I brought my knives to also sharpens drilling heads for quarries , concrete saws and other interesting stuff. A buck fifty a blade and they look like new.
 
I know how to hand-sharpen knives using a whetstone. I learned back when I was in the Boy Scouts, back when they still let us have knives and hatchets.

However, we have a guy about seven miles down the road who'll sharpen anything from a pen knife to a combine. I just take the knives to him every so often, and use the steel in between sharpenings. He does a great job and charges about $1.50 / knife.

-Rich
 
John221us said:
6ahy4y8e.jpg

This is the one I have. It works great. No sharpening skills needed.
Click to expand...

My wife is a chef and won't use a knife unless it can cut your fingers off if you slip. At home we use a Cabelas version of this one (with the option for serrated knives). Does a great job. Just don't tell her I use it for my hunting knives! Shhhhhh....
 
Sac Arrow said:
I have this set of relatively new kitchen knives. When they were new, they were pretty sharp. Set included a sharpening steel.

Now they're all dull, and the steel doesn't do JS. Can anybody recommend a good kitchen knife sharpening system? Preferably something that is motorized and will hold a constant angle, but not a harsh cheapo grinder that tears your blades up.
Click to expand...

Some grocery stores and hardware stores will sharpen them. I also go occasionally to a knife store about 10 miles away.
 
Alexb2000 said:
What kind of knives and what kind of steel?

I'm sure you know this but a sharpening steel's job is just to realign and straighten the micro edge not really to sharpen.
Click to expand...

Not great stuff, just some Faberware, mild stainless, straight edges. A couple steps above stamped serrated knives.

And yes.

John221us said:
That is my housekeepers cup. She left it on my dresser and I didn't think I should throw it away. I think it has water in it, but I am not certain. Nothing gets by you, does it?
Click to expand...

Nothing, no sireee. (You actually do have a housekeeper?)

comanchepilot said:
Call around - find a 'guy' - usually does keys, and all sorts of other stuff - drop your knives off on a Monday, pick them up Wed or Thu and they get sharpened for $1 or 2 a blade . . . its just easier than messing with all the choices out there, you end up spending less over the life of the knife than a) buying 2 or 3 different sharpeners, and b) taking the time to deal with them wondering if they are sharp 'enough,' and c) if you have OCD sharpening them every 4 days! :D

I'd rather spend my spare time flying - not sharpening knives - except for the k-Bar. . .
Click to expand...

CaptLabrador said:
Some grocery stores and hardware stores will sharpen them. I also go occasionally to a knife store about 10 miles away.
Click to expand...

That's why I want the easy mechanized solution if possible. I do actually know how to use a whetstone, but it's time consuming.
 
willywildes said:
Go to America's test kitchen. Read the reviews. Top pick, Chefs choice pro 130. Love mine. Sharpened the knives prior to our New Year's party. Promptly ran the knife through the palm of my hand. Super glued it back together and the show went on.
Click to expand...

I bought one of these for my mom on x-mas. She had a vast collection of knives, all dull. Not anymore!
 
Sac Arrow said:
Not great stuff, just some Faberware, mild stainless, straight edges. A couple steps above stamped serrated knives.

And yes.

Nothing, no sireee. (You actually do have a housekeeper?)

That's why I want the easy mechanized solution if possible. I do actually know how to use a whetstone, but it's time consuming.
Click to expand...

OK, I'll second the Chef's Choice 130 then. With those knives you'll need to sharpen a lot, so speed over quality.

BTW- What housekeeper spends that kind of money on a Starbuck's iced tea? Very suspicious. Does she wear a french maid outfit as well?:D
 
Alexb2000 said:
BTW- What housekeeper spends that kind of money on a Starbuck's iced tea? Very suspicious. Does she wear a french maid outfit as well?:D
Click to expand...

Wow, not an image I wanted stuck in my head. I think she recycled the cup and used it for water. It is one of those double walled insulated cups. It doesn't look like tea. I guess it could be vodka.
 
John221us said:
Wow, not an image I wanted stuck in my head. I think she recycled the cup and used it for water. It is one of those double walled insulated cups. It doesn't look like tea. I guess it could be vodka.
Click to expand...

Hah! Russian maid!! Damn I'm preceptive!
 
Some good advice on using your steel is here.

Bottom-line, get them professionally done and use your steel to keep them sharp for a long time.
 
willywildes said:
Go to America's test kitchen. Read the reviews. Top pick, Chefs choice pro 130. Love mine. Sharpened the knives prior to our New Year's party. Promptly ran the knife through the palm of my hand. Super glued it back together and the show went on.
Click to expand...

Just ordered one on Amazon. I really need a better way to sharpen our knives. I have a stone and steel, but never got my dad's touch on sharpening a knife. We'll see how it works when it arrives on Thursday.
 
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