Help guide me on my sharpening path

[HeavyHanded]

What ever it is, it does a fine job of refining the edges of my kitchen knives. No complaints on that score. As I said, my reason for switching to glass had more to do with rust than result, although I do think the glass does give me a slightly better edge. Of course, that's completely subjective. I've never tried testing between the two.


Stitchawl

I'm very curious, have you ever tried just laying a piece of flat stock on top of your stone/ stone holder and, using it just like a stone, steeling with that? Seems like one might get better angle control. Speaking of which do you come in at a slightly steeper angle or try to match the grind angle as close as possible?


HH

 

[stitchawl]

I'm very curious, have you ever tried just laying a piece of flat stock on top of your stone/ stone holder and, using it just like a stone, steeling with that?

I've never tried that. But then, when I'm steeling a knife, I'm in the kitchen getting ready to cut something. The steels (both metal and glass) are clipped to the wall right in front of my counter top. I just reach, steel, replace, cut. If I were to try anything other, it would slow down my kitchen routine. As I'm perfectly satisfied with the results I'm getting now, I doubt that I'd want to change. I base my appreciation of a kitchen knife edge on three criterion; how well it cuts a ripe tomato, how smoothly it cuts fresh chicken skin, and how well it thinly slices unfrozen meat or fresh fish. If those go well, my knives are sharp enough for me.

Seems like one might get better angle control. Speaking of which do you come in at a slightly steeper angle or try to match the grind angle as close as possible?

Usually at a slightly steeper angle. As no metal is being removed, so long as the original bevel is in good shape, I really don't pay that much attention to the angles. Obviously I'm going to avoid 45°, and sort of aim for about 20°, but I'm not real careful about it. Again, my steeling is just part of my prep work... Grab a knife, grab a steel, slash slash slash slash, replace the steel, grab a tomato, cut cut cut, grab a chicken, cut cut cut, etc., etc. I'm almost (but not quite) unaware of the steeling. It's just part of the process.


Stitchawl

 

[HeavyHanded]

I've never tried that. But then, when I'm steeling a knife, I'm in the kitchen getting ready to cut something. The steels (both metal and glass) are clipped to the wall right in front of my counter top. I just reach, steel, replace, cut. If I were to try anything other, it would slow down my kitchen routine. As I'm perfectly satisfied with the results I'm getting now, I doubt that I'd want to change. I base my appreciation of a kitchen knife edge on three criterion; how well it cuts a ripe tomato, how smoothly it cuts fresh chicken skin, and how well it thinly slices unfrozen meat or fresh fish. If those go well, my knives are sharp enough for me.



Usually at a slightly steeper angle. As no metal is being removed, so long as the original bevel is in good shape, I really don't pay that much attention to the angles. Obviously I'm going to avoid 45°, and sort of aim for about 20°, but I'm not real careful about it. Again, my steeling is just part of my prep work... Grab a knife, grab a steel, slash slash slash slash, replace the steel, grab a tomato, cut cut cut, grab a chicken, cut cut cut, etc., etc. I'm almost (but not quite) unaware of the steeling. It's just part of the process.


Stitchawl

Thanks for the responses - I'll try this out.