Help! I have just killed my kitchen knives!

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Having spent the past fourteen years with some nice Henckels Zwilling 4* knives, I have only recently noted that the advice I had been given about using a sharpening steel was in fact rubbish.

As such, I had been using it with the knives at around 45 degrees to the steel.

This has led to them being very blunt (accelerated recently due to a wife complaining about them)...

What is the best way to recover their edges? I am aware that I should invest in a sharpening stone or something, but given how badly I have tormented these knives, part of me is a bit wary of doing anything further...

Is there a good, idiot-proof knife sharpener out there? Or do I need to take these knives somewhere specialist?

Thanks for your time!
 
go to you local butchers (proper one) they will either be able to do them for you or point you to someone who can
 
Even chefs have theirs properly sharpened then just keep an edge with a steel.

Some shoe repair shops will put a proper edge on them.
 
Thanks, i was put off paying £15 plus postage for my kyocera knife to Germany but they seem to do them their for just £4.50 !!
 
Buy some stones and learn, it's not difficult.

I sharpen mine every 2-3 months and just keep the edge maintained with a steel.

With the exception to lansky, no knife sharpener on the market works properly. They usually just ruin the edge.
 
Thanks for your input, people.

I've managed to acquire a knife sharpener (!) that seems to have worked (once I worked out how to use it). The edge on the knives is actually surprisingly good.

The lesson for me is to use what I have learned in this process and keep the knives in good working order. Properly.

Regarding sharpening stones: 5 years ago (before kids) I'd have done something like this in a shot, but real life takes over and - now having two kids - taking the time to sharpen knives like this just doesn't fit in with what I want to do with my spare time I'm afraid.
 
I too have an extremely busy schedule, only takes me probably 10 minutes every few months to give mine a quick sharpen on the stones and then provided you steel them before each use they'll remain sharp for the duration.

Lasts longer than any sharpener.
 
Buy some stones and learn, it's not difficult.

I sharpen mine every 2-3 months and just keep the edge maintained with a steel.

With the exception to lansky, no knife sharpener on the market works properly. They usually just ruin the edge.

I've heard good things about the spyderco sharpening kit too
 
Regarding sharpening stones: 5 years ago (before kids) I'd have done something like this in a shot, but real life takes over and - now having two kids - taking the time to sharpen knives like this just doesn't fit in with what I want to do with my spare time I'm afraid.

You don't use them often, do I don't see why having kids etc changes anything, you maintain it with a steel, then use the stones occasionally when you aren't happy with the edge.

I assume you know now the correct angle for henckles are 20degress, as makes of knifes are different angles.
http://www.j-a-henckels.com/en-US/P...er--kapitel/How-to-sharpen-a-knife--2678.html
 
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I need to buy my parents a decent knife sharpener. any recomendations for one not too dear?

They have the global 8 knife set and the block (G888k) , yet they are amendment that the global sharpener is a waste of money and they bought 2 x suction knife sharpeners from the good food show and they use them because the man selling them was nice and said they were the best for any knife.

It makes me die a little inside when I see the deterioration on the blades from these £10 each sharpeners.

I will throw them away when they are not looking. They also put them in the dishwashers :(:(
 
I used link monkeyspank posted was back next day and very sharp, almost new not bad at all for the price, would use again.
 
I assume you know now the correct angle for henckles are 20degress, as makes of knifes are different angles.

I go custom grind myself, 20 at the tip tapering to 25 near the tang (sharp, medium and bone smashing).

One a lot of people get wrong is jap knives, they don't clock that the angle isn't the same on both sides of a jap knife.
 
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