Kitchen Knives

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I have used numerous methods to sharpen knives. I have used the Tormek, it worked. Usually, however, if the knife is appropriate for it, I just use the work sharp knife sharpener. I have an older high grit polishing belt that I have applied green honing compound to. Does a great job. I consider this fool proof if it is appropriate to your knives.

https://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-Kn.../dp/B003IT5F14

I have at least two different systems that hold a sharpening medium in a "V" shape. THe idea is that you hold the knife vertical, then "cut" down the sharpener. This sets your angle. It is very fast and easy to use. This is one example of one.... not one that I own, but an example.

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-2D2C-D.../dp/B008EKY5OA

One of my "V" sharpeners has triangle shaped stones, and you can sharpen against either a flat or a point. I forget the name. I also have one with round ceramic stones. By round, I mean a long cylinder. It is simple, fast, and pretty reliable.

You want something that reliably uses the same angle.

I found that I was able to get a very nice edge using my water stones, but, it was far more work than either of the other two. If your stones are always setup up and ready to go, however, you can touch them up as often as you need to.

The knife that I usually use, I keep sharp on a steel, and then I sometimes do a serious sharpening. The knifes used by the rest of my family, well, i never know what they are doing with those. I think they are using them to cut stone or something since I cannot keep them sharp. I mean, i get them sharp, then next time I check them, they are very dull, so the steel does not work from that state.

[Jim Koepke]

I'm doing the same things in the house as previous. What's changed is that I'm doing 10,000 different projects and am busier than I was before. LOL

After retirement one often starts to do so many things it makes them wonder how they ever found time to hold down a job.

The knifes used by the rest of my family, well, i never know what they are doing with those. I think they are using them to cut stone or something since I cannot keep them sharp. I mean, i get them sharp, then next time I check them, they are very dull, so the steel does not work from that state.

One bad habit many people have is to scrape things from the cutting board into a pot. This is okay if one uses the back of the knife. Many people use the cutting edge for scraping which tends to dull it quicker. Another possible dulling action is to cut things on a plate instead of a cutting board.

jtk

[Jim Becker]

One bad habit many people have is to scrape things from the cutting board into a pot. This is okay if one uses the back of the knife. Many people use the cutting edge as for scraping which tends to dull it quicker.

I actually do this, but with my Nakiri, which is wide, flat and thin, it hasn't been an issue. The cutting board is wood and the angle is nearly flat..it's not so much scraping as sliding it under the cut/chopped veggies and scooping them up. Perhaps it's the specific knife, but it stays sharper than any other knife in the drawer outside of my Zwilling prep knife.

[Jim Koepke]

I actually do this, but with my Nakiri, which is wide, flat and thin, it hasn't been an issue. The cutting board is wood and the angle is nearly flat..it's not so much scraping as sliding it under the cut/chopped veggies and scooping them up. Perhaps it's the specific knife, but it stays sharper than any other knife in the drawer outside of my Zwilling prep knife.

More likely the method is what spares the edge since it isn't being dragged across the board.

jtk