low cost honing steels, damaging?

Z

zorkd

Joined
Aug 24, 2007
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is the use of the cheap honing steels (most likely made in china, costs about $1 new) damaging to the knife edge?

i noticed that my zwilling knives sometimes felt less sharp after being steeled on this cheap honing steel.

when i pass the knife edge by the steel, it sometimes feels rough and catches in places, could this actually dull the blade rather than hone it?
 
if the steel is damaged you may have an issue, however if there is no decernable damage too the steel, i wouldent worry
 
In the case of the knife catching, yes I would think that would be damaging somehow. Either the knife is biting into the steel, or the steel has a raised bump that the edge is hitting. Grooved steels have never given me good results. I've never tried a smooth steel. I usually touch up between sharpenings with fine ceramic, free hand with the Triangle fine stones from the Sharpmaker.
 
Definitely a problem. A steel should never feel "rough". When the steel "catches" a fine edge, it will chip or bend it. It could cause damage which would have to be ground away to repair. Use that steel to crack nuts or poke badgers.
 
thanks for the advice.

since i am living on like $2 a day here at the moment (in between jobs), can't buy a good steel right now. i tried to smooth the grooved steel on my sharpening stone a bit, it seems to be working better now, the blade edge doesn't catch anymore. i'll save up for that spyderco sharpmaker that was mentioned, sounds like a good investment.
 
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I have in the past worked in a meat packing plant and all our steels were smooth. When your knife is sharp taking to a grooved steel is a step backwards.
 
zorkd said:
...i tried to smooth the grooved steel on my sharpening stone a bit...
Click to expand...

A more effective approach would be to take a piece of wet/dry sandpaper, wrap it around the steel and work it back and forth from handle to tip.
 
The shaft of a screwdriver will work as a smooth steel. Usually chromed, quite smooth, and more than hard enough. Decent ones though, not $.69 dollar store specials.

Aussie trick from Drovers that would have to butcher in the bush.

Rob
 
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