F. Dick Multicut Steel

J

JD Spydo

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Nov 20, 2004
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About 3 years ago when I got my F. Dick smooth steel for my basic knife edge maintenance I also bought a really strange looking steel from the same supplier. It was also a sharpening steel made by F. Dick of Germany and it is a flat steel with recessed, precision grooves running the length of bar. These grooves run deep forming a perfectly squared off hard edge which has a very ridgid truing and aligning effect with some honing properties as well. This steel is not like anything else I have ever owned because there is nothing traditional about this tool.

The F. Dick Multicut does do a fine job on older carbon steel kitchen knives and seems to do a great job on a carbon steel hunting knife I have. Now I am in no way suggesting it as a substitute for a complete sharpening job but it is great to work with touching up a blade during a big job such as cutting up a deer or other wild game animal. Also it is great for touching up a blade that has sustained some light nicks or hitting the edge a bit too hard on a cutting board or other non metal surface. The F. Dick Multicut is truly a completely different sharpening tool all together and I don't think you can even put it in the traditional category of "sharpening steels".

I hope there are some of you sharpening buffs, meatcutters or steel junkies that may have also had experience with this most unique of sharpening tools. JD
 
Yes I have a multi-cut In my cupboard, they were popular at work a few years back but now you don't see them very often in the room. Usually only see them when a frustrated worker is having trouble with their knives and they resurrect the old multi-cut for a short while then back to the cupboard it goes.
The main problem with the multi-cut steel is the top edges of the grooves running down the shaft gets little nicks in it through ware and tare, and when the microscopic edge hits these nicks they roll your edge over.

Also modern multi-cuts and most other steels available today are coated, if you are to drop them and damage this coating the steel is useless, unfortunately this does happen from time to time. I once purchased a new F.Dick sapphire cut / polished steel and used it for about 2 hours, got distracted by someone and dropped it on the edge of a concrete step:mad: one side hade a big piece out of the coating and if you were to hit this when steeling it was good bye edge!
 
Meatcutter said:
Yes I have a multi-cut In my cupboard, they were popular at work a few years back but now you don't see them very often in the room. Usually only see them when a frustrated worker is having trouble with their knives and they resurrect the old multi-cut for a short while then back to the cupboard it goes.
The main problem with the multi-cut steel is the top edges of the grooves running down the shaft gets little nicks in it through ware and tare, and when the microscopic edge hits these nicks they roll your edge over.

Also modern multi-cuts and most other steels available today are coated, if you are to drop them and damage this coating the steel is useless, unfortunately this does happen from time to time. I once purchased a new F.Dick sapphire cut / polished steel and used it for about 2 hours, got distracted by someone and dropped it on the edge of a concrete step:mad: one side hade a big piece out of the coating and if you were to hit this when steeling it was good bye edge!
Click to expand...

Well MEATCUTTER I am looking closely at my F. Dick MULTICUT sharpening steel and if there is a coating on it I would have to say that it must be a "Hot Dip" coating of some sort or it might be different from the one you describe. Please don't get me wrong I am not challenging what you say at all it's just that the one I got seems to be of the highest quality.

It could be electolytically coated I guess but it would be the best one I've ever seen. The surface is hard and I mean very hard. I would bet this Dick Multicut steel I have would Rockwell out at 68 to 70. It sure has no problem abrading and aligning the knives I've used it on. Also if you are aware of any company who has steels better than F. Dick I would like to know who they are. JD
 
I have got mine out of the cupboard and am having a look at it now and I can see around the tip with a 16x magnifier glass where the coating has worn off and all along the edges of the groves there are nicks out of the coating. You are right in saying this coating is very hard because it is just that. I am sure you will not have this problem with home use if you show some care, but the riggers of the meat works with all the stainless steel and concrete no mater how much care you show sooner or later mishaps happen. Traditionally steels were forged steel hard all the way through, damage to the surface was easily fixed on a brick or abrasive medium.

F.Dick still makes one steel that is hard all the way through that I am aware of, I think it is called the hyginex or something similar it has a white handle. It still needs some work with some 800grit paper when new as it is a bit to rough for my liking, but you don't have to worry about rubbing through the coating.

Razor Edge make a non coated steel but I think it is still to rough when new.
I am still experimenting with this one as I'm not quite happy with it yet, a bit more rubbing and maybe it will come good.
 
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