I've bitten the bullet and bought the best knife in the world!!

[Peripatetic Phil]

About a year or so later i was cooking something at his house and asked where the knife was. 
He'd been hacking the bamboo hedges down with it.  : Completely ****ed!!

Reminds me of a friend (a trade effluent inspector, in fact) who hacked down a silver birch that was preventing us from running an amateur radio aerial using a ceremonial Samurai katana that was hanging on the wall of an adjacent building that was nothing to do with us at all ...

I've found the best way to sharpen a knife with the old stick type sharpener and make sure it is quite new and not worn, is to run the blunt blade of a knife, across it in a downward motion about about 40-45 degrees a few times.

The first few times it will just slide, then around the fourth or fifth time you will feel it, "bite" against the grain, then you know it has taken effect. Do this a couple of times with both sides of the blade.

Then adjust the angle to about 20 degrees to, "hone" the edge to razor sharp

This is interesting, because (a) I have never managed to really understand how to use a steel properly, and (b) from your description I cannot see how the 20-degree angle will take.  If you think of what it will look like after your first 45^o grind, it will be something like this : >

Now, when you try to grind at 20^o, the only part that will make contact with the steel is the part furthest from the cutting edge (the left, in the picture above).  What I would have thought would be needed is an initial grind at 20^o, followed by a couple of strokes at 45^o to give a double-angle profile as in (for example) a chisel blade.  The (alleged) benefit of a secondary 45^o grind is that it removes the too-delicate edge of the blade, leaving a more robust cutting edge.  This is certainly how I use my twin-wheel grinder : vertical knife blade to get thin, narrow edge, then make it more robust by leaning the knife against each edge of the support in turn.

** Phil.

[976bar]

I've been shown totally the opposite Phil and my knives are like razors...

Each to their own I guess..

[Peripatetic Phil]

I've been shown totally the opposite Phil and my knives are like razors...  Each to their own I guess..

But you may well be right : I just want to understand how it can work !  If you hone at 45^o and then at 20^o, how can the steel touch the cutting edge ?   The knife is now flatter against the steel, so the steel touches the 45^o/180^o mitre -- well, that's how it would appear to me ...

(Later) -- Hmmm, maybe I /can/ see how it could work : if you hone the 45^o/180^o mitre sufficiently deep, you can end up with the same chisel profile as you achieve doing it in the reverse order.  The real difference is that with your method, the final 45^o edge is applied first, and in my method last -- I wonder whether that makes any difference ?

** Phil.

[madmatt]

I have to admit I am a sucker for a bit of Steel as well. Although not paying those kind of prices, the collection is coming along nicely

I admit it is a bit much for one knife, but the way I did to the better half is cooking curries is my relaxation time at weekends, I have bought a fair few knives over the years, and although quite pleased (last ones were 'b' grade henckles from tk maxx) I've always thought they could be sharper. I also find other than a bread knife and on rare occasions a paring knife, I always grab the same chefs knife, so this one fitted the bill. It will last my lifetime(bloody well better 'ad) and when it needs sharpening I send it to them free of charge to get it done.
As my mum always used to say 'never buy cheap tools!!'

Matt

[Peripatetic Phil]

. . . and when it needs sharpening I send it to them free of charge to get it done.

/Now/ I see the appeal !  I do like that, because neither steel nor stone can ever replace a factory-ground edge, IMHO (although the Gurkhas somehow seem to manage ...).

As my mum always used to say 'never buy cheap tools!!'

I'm with your mum there.
** Phil.

[madmatt]

Yeah, I think it was the lifetime sharpening that sold it for me. I've bought diamond Fischer steels in the past and ruined knives, whetstones, that are much better, but still not perfect and the  minosharp 3 whetstone wheels that are brilliant(I've posted about them on here before) but as u say u can't beat factory sharp.

They also told me they keep their edge very well and will only need sharpening once or twice a year. Weather this is sales bull is yet to be seen though.

Matt

[madmatt]

Ooh, also forgot to mention I have my first attempt at homebrew wine fermenting away! 30 bottles worth of Merlot!
Be ready for Xmas.

Bring on the curry puffs!!(see my old old post for the best homemade Xmas snacks)
Matt

[curryhell]

Ooh, also forgot to mention I have my first attempt at homebrew wine fermenting away! 30 bottles worth of Merlot!
Be ready for Xmas.

Bring on the curry puffs!!(see my old old post for the best homemade Xmas snacks)
Matt

Hope the wine turns out good.  Such perfect timing too Matt.
And the currypuffs are definitely on the radar for Xmas

[DalPuri]

Yeah, I think it was the lifetime sharpening that sold it for me. I've bought diamond Fischer steels in the past and ruined knives, whetstones, that are much better, but still not perfect and the  minosharp 3 whetstone wheels that are brilliant(I've posted about them on here before) but as u say u can't beat factory sharp.

They also told me they keep their edge very well and will only need sharpening once or twice a year. Weather this is sales bull is yet to be seen though.

Matt

It could've been a slight play on words for the pitch because technically a steel doesn't sharpen a knife. It straightens the edge. 

[h4ppy-chris]

i use one of theses to put the edge on the knife, then a diamond coated steel just to re- fresh when needed.
these are sold on ebay about a fiver, when you drag your knife across the V do it very lite it puts a razor sharp edge on.
i have Global knife sharpener (35 quid) not been used for 2 year  :

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Worlds-Best-Selling-Global-Knife-Sharpener-Brand-New-2-Blade-/181008552931?pt=UK_Kitchen_Accessories&hash=item2a24f353e3