For the vast majority of persons who carry and use nicer pocket or kitchen knives, the carbide pull-throughs (which cut the blade, not abrade it) are not something we would ever use. For the vast majority of sheeple consumers they are probably thought of as heaven-sent. Even a carbide pull-through sharpened edge beats a completely flattened edge (I.E. due to glass cutting board or ceramic plate usage). Most of these sheeple people don't know how to sharpen a knife, nor have they ever experienced a really sharp edge. The ERU is an unknown quantity as of yet. I do like the adjustable angle, and the maker states that it doesn't cut, only abrades, so it's using a different mechanism to accomplish it's sharpening than most pull-throughs.
KNIFE Sharpening For Dummies
- Thread starter SwampDude
- Start date
I went to the website for the sharpener, and blew up the image to full-screen size. While it is possible that those are carbide scrappers, it is just as possible that they are ceramic. In fact, Wusthof makes, and has marketed, several different pull-through sharpeners in its time. They have one that they state is carbide. They have another that they state is ceramic.
Several of the better knife companies make pull-throughs that use ONLY ceramics, some make them with both ceramic and carbide, and some of course with only carbide. We know that non-adjustable carbide scrappers will chew up a blade, but as been said before, the typical housewife will only see that her knives are cutting better after using them. She'll use the sharpener once a month and never notice the damage, nor will she give a damn. She's only concerned with getting dinner on the table, and will be happy as a clam in her ignorance. Her knives will wear away after 5-10 years and she'll spend another $20 for a new one. Ignorance is bliss, and often economical.
WE, on the other hand, pay closer attention to what is going on at the blade level and know that carbide pull-throughs will make the blade will disappear quickly ... But....
....Take the case of John Q. KnifeCrazy... He puts his knives on a stone 2-3 times a week maintaining 'that perfect edge.' Sometimes even more often. At the end of 5-10 years, instead of a drop-point skinner, he has a nicely tapered, very sharp awl, and only notices the change if he happens to compare his blade with a new one. His knives will wear away after 5-10 years and he'll spend another $250 for a new one.
Sometimes pull-throughs are a good thing. Sometimes they are not. We can't make blanket statements about them and be correct.
Stitchawl
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2009
- Messages
- 4,008
We can make the blanket statement that known sharpeners will produce more uniform edges and that if a person wants a refined edge, pull through sharpeners will not do.
I straight edge shave, I cook, pull through sharpener can make a somewhat useable edge for cooking, never for shaving.
So there's a balance, I can get a vegetable cutting edge in seconds and a face shredding edge in seconds as well with pull through.
Better, I'll call a sharpening system. (Yoda)
I straight edge shave, I cook, pull through sharpener can make a somewhat useable edge for cooking, never for shaving.
So there's a balance, I can get a vegetable cutting edge in seconds and a face shredding edge in seconds as well with pull through.
Better, I'll call a sharpening system. (Yoda)