Question on sharpening steels...

T

tique

Joined
Oct 28, 2000
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970
I've started using a steel at work and really like it, gonna have to pick one up and add into the sharpening gear.

Is the cheapy standard ceramic steel good enough, or would something like what EdgePro offers be worth the extra price?
 
Please define your terms properly. A sharpening STEEL is made of steel and its action is to realine and cold work the cutting edge. A ceramic or diamond sharpening STICK acts differently ,they are abrasives and form a sharp edge in that way. With the stick they are available in course or fine grit. I always use a fine diamond and all that's necessary to sharpen is a few light strokes, bearing down heavily removes a lot a metal.
 
I have used a bunch of ceramic rods of varying prices. I have not found any difference in the cheap ones you buy for a dollar than the ones costing ten times as much. However there may be quality control issues with the cheap ones, bend rods, or nicks or bumps in the surface. I have not had that problem however.

-Cliff
 
The ceramic rod wears away some of your blade to make a fresh edge when you use it. It will give you an edge with a different cutting characteristic than using a steel. It is hard to predict how it will be different, it may not slice as effectively. Since it gives you a fresh edge every time it will be a more consistant edge than using a steel. A steeled edge needs to be resharpened using an abrasive device periodically. When you steel an edge that is not too worn it slices very nicely. A true steel (at least a smooth steel) removes minimal material. It helps you get the most life and best cutting performance out of a kitchen knife. I use both a steel and a ceramic rod at home. I steel every few using. I use the rod after every few steelings.
 
You can get the best of both worlds with a 'combi' steel. A square steel with 2 sides coarse or similar and 2 sides polished or smooth.
 
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