Do you sharpen your steak knives?

[Kolohe]

Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question.

My mother recently asked me to sharpen a set of 20+ year old combo edged Henckels steak knives for her. Depending on the steel, I usually put a 30 degree back bevel with a 40 degree working angle on my varous folders and kitchen knives, however, I have never sharpened steak knives before. Since these knives aren't used on cutting boards, won't the first contact with a typical ceramic or porcelain plate roll the sharpened edge I put on and make the knife instantly dull again?

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Yes, which is why they are typically serrated. However all that tends to blunt is the part that hits the plate and thus the edge back front that will stay very sharp typically.

-Cliff

 

[QuietOned]

I've always sharpened my steak knives. From the el cheapo sharpen twice and throw away dollar store ones to my presentation Gerbers.

Serrated steak knives, I just sharpened the off side of the serrations. I sharpened that way long before I got an EdgePro.

My Gerbers (set of 12 I got as a christmas gift in 1980-81) are going on 25 years old and do not show a lot of wear or damage. The are used several times a week at least, though not all of them at once. These I've sharpened out with a low relief grind around 15° and then bevels at 25° and 30°. The hold up better I've found. The don't require all that frequent of sharpening every 4th use they might get a touch up.

Cheaper "throw aways" that I get from the grocery store or dollar store sharpen them at 20 to 30° thn slap on a 40° bevel for resistance and toss after about the 3rd sharpening. I'm talking the 8 steak knives for 10$ type things. These are the type you toss in the picnic basket and what have you.

 

[kel_aa]

If the edge is thin and you are not trying to saw the plate in half, you can even use a plain edge knife for many weeks before it even comes close to a typical steak knife (my Opinel for instance).

 

[darkestthicket]

Negative, for some silly reason most of my cuts come from taking kitchen knives out of the dishwasher, ive been cut more times by steak knives than fixed blade survival types, folders and swords put togethor....and im trying to keep my fingers!

 

[tim8557]

Negative, for some silly reason most of my cuts come from taking kitchen knives out of the dishwasher, ive been cut more times by steak knives than fixed blade survival types, folders and swords put togethor....and im trying to keep my fingers!

One of the reasons you should not put any knives in a dishwasher.

 

[Jeff Clark]

Steak knives generally cut cooked food and so they don't have to be real sharp. On the other hand they often get picked up for some utility use so I don't like them extremely dull. I give mine a sharpening at a rather obtuse angle (almost as dull as a survival knife). A typical way to do this is to use Sharpmaker rods in the 40-degree slots (20 degrees per side) with the rods rotated to sharpen with rod edges. I sharpen until I don't see reflection off of the edge.

 

[RobbW]

I have a fantastic set of 16 walnut-handled Chicago Cutlery steak knives. I had to look long and hard to find a set of steak knives capable of taking a good, plain edge. I don't like serrations on a steak knife.

I sharpen at 20 degrees per side, they tend to stay sharp because I don't cut straight down into the plate, but at an angle. I touch them up from time to time, but each knife is really quick to sharpen since there is no need to remove much metal, and most of the dulling occurs on the relatively small belly of the blade.