Sharpening knives

[Flibster]

Another Global user.

Right there's only 2 things you should use to charpen them.

1) The Global whetstones

or

2) MinoSharp Water Sharpener *not the Universal sharpener*

The whetstones are very very very very very good. But takes a while to learn and you can completely screw the knives up if you don't know what you're doing.

The MinoSharp this is a piece of piddle to use and is 95% as good as the whetstones. Plus only costs ~£22

I've got both - but really use the Minosharp most.

*remember that global knives have different angles on each side of the blade - but are the opposite way round to most knives so universal sharpeners can really screw them up*

Simon/~Flibster

 

[kefkef]

Here's a novel idea.

Go to your local butchers shop (not your in store butchers at asda etc), ask em if they wouldn't mind sharpening the knives for you as you buy your weekly meat. When i worked as a butcher we used to sharpen knives for customers all the time. from this, you'll end up:

1. Getting nice sharp knives.
2. Getting better quality meat professionaly prepared.
3. Supporting your local community shops so they dont all die out with the rise of the supermarket generation.

 

[AndrewP]

I got my mum some Global knives for Christmas and the Mino water gadget for her birthday, both are excellent, and they've been through 4 sheep from the slaughterhouse

 

[PyRo_ffs]

I use a Spyderco Sharpmaker for all my knives, does a super job. It's downside is your limited to the two set angles but I've never found it to be that restrictive.

Gets my vote too

It takes forever to reprofile or sharpen out nicks with it, but it's pretty much fool proof and great for those of us who have no free hand sharpening skills

 

[dannyjo22]

Here's a novel idea.

Go to your local butchers shop (not your in store butchers at asda etc), ask em if they wouldn't mind sharpening the knives for you as you buy your weekly meat. When i worked as a butcher we used to sharpen knives for customers all the time. from this, you'll end up:

1. Getting nice sharp knives.
2. Getting better quality meat professionaly prepared.
3. Supporting your local community shops so they dont all die out with the rise of the supermarket generation.

Thats a good idea. Shoudve done that myself. I will ask my butcher next time i'm in. Not a good idea to get caught walking home with a meat cleaver and a 12 inch chef knife though

 

[Flibster]

Here's a novel idea.

Go to your local butchers shop (not your in store butchers at asda etc), ask em if they wouldn't mind sharpening the knives for you as you buy your weekly meat. When i worked as a butcher we used to sharpen knives for customers all the time. from this, you'll end up:

1. Getting nice sharp knives.
2. Getting better quality meat professionaly prepared.
3. Supporting your local community shops so they dont all die out with the rise of the supermarket generation.

Or support my local butcher anyway and sharpen my knives myself.

Mmmm.......handmade sausages.....mmmmm......beef rib...... *dribble*

Simon/~Flibster

 

[Jonny69]

I've just got a Sabatier steel and replace it every few years when it loses its edge as such.

Sabatier guarantees a certain grade of steel (or rather it's supposed to) for knives and sharpening steels. I normally pick one that's a nice grey colour rather than shiny silver as it kind of shows how much carbon is in the steel. Higher carbon content is harder steel, it lasts longer and does a better job. With cheap steels you'll find you shave the ridges off and it'll stop sharpening the knives quite quickly.

 

[The_blue]

1 thing i thought when i saw this is why didn't you get something to sharpen them with when you got them. It's real hard work geting an edge back on a blunt knife.


2 secs with a steel before you use, 2 secs after its washed. Every time!!!



2 easy ways to use a steel:-


bang the tip into the chopping board (to make a small dint to stop it slipping)


|
--
|
|
| /
|/ <-- knife onto steel

hold the steel in one hand and the knife in the other and start hilt to base of steel (now the top) and slide down and towards you till you get to the tip of the knife. repeat each side about 90 times for blunt.....


2 hold the steel in front of you diaganal


. /
. /
. / left hip to right nipple or the other way around and use the other
. \ hand to draw the knife across as above.
. /


practice of a cheepo 1st if you want.

Don't skimp on a steel, it needs to be harder that the blade. My steel has outlasted 4 good knives over a 12 years in resturant kitchens.



Oh and never let anyone else sharpen your knife. you get a home grown edge(say 20 degrees on one side and 14 on the other due to your sharpening) from years of use and other knifes always seem to 'pull' to one side afer you get used to it!

 

[yermum]

I have a ceramic knife which is the mutt's nuts and freaks out anyone who sees it. It is also the knife to use on lettuce.

 

[Flibster]

It is also the knife to use on lettuce.

Heathen!

You should always tear lettuce rather than cut it.
Cutting lettuce makes it go brown very quickly - tearing doesn't.

Simon/~Flibster

 

[kefkef]

Or support my local butcher anyway and sharpen my knives myself.

Mmmm.......handmade sausages.....mmmmm......beef rib...... *dribble*

Simon/~Flibster

Gaaaah, hand made sausages. Lovely to eat, a right pain in the arse to make, especially at christmas when you are making them in 100lb batches and they are selling as fast as you are making them! Mind you, where i used to work they eventually got an electronic machine to feed the meat into the sausage skins which made it easier (i used to have to make 100lb at a time using a hand cranked suasage machine, i'm sure the Nazis made it as some form of torture for 14yr old lads!!!)

 

[Amp34]

This thread makes baby jesus cringe! (well me anyway)

 

[Flibster]

Gaaaah, hand made sausages. Lovely to eat, a right pain in the arse to make, especially at christmas when you are making them in 100lb batches and they are selling as fast as you are making them!

Hence the reason I buy them from the local butchers rather than making the buggers.

i'm sure the Nazis made it as some form of torture for 14yr old lads!!!)

You made sausages from minced 14yr olds?

Still...sound nice.

Simon/~Flibster