Steeling a knife

marthinus

marthinus

Joined
Dec 10, 2006
Messages
5,945
When steeling a knife does anyone have advice on what to use? I see normal steels that can be found for knives, mostly kitchen knives, but are there any other options? When it comes to sharpening systems I know we are spoiled for choice, but hearing Mr. Schempp talk about steeling a edge such as VG10 to maintain the edge rather then using stones to take of metal got me interested in this method. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Only information I found on Steeling:
Steeling helps maintain sharpness. This process realigns the edge, correcting for dulling causes such as a rolled edge. A sharpening steel is a type of hardened cylindrical rod used similarly to honing stones. For example, a butcher steel is a round file with the teeth running the long way, while a packer steel (used in the meat packer's industry) is a smooth, polished steel rod designed for straightening the turned edge of a knife, and is also useful for burnishing a newly finished edge. Because steels have a small diameter they exert high local pressure, and therefore affect the knife metal when used with very little force. They are intended for mild steel knives that are steeled several times a day, but are not well suited for today's tougher and harder steels.
 
Last edited:
I have found what I consider to be an inexpensive, readily available object that can be used as a 'packer steel' with a minimum of effort - a screw driver! Preferably one that does not have a chrome plated shaft and the shaft should be round vs. square. Most screwdrivers have fairly tough or hard steel which has been heat treated. Use steel wool or very fine grit sandpaper to polish the shaft, use a coarser grit to round the rough edges if the handle is cast plastic and there you are. The rounded and smooth or polished spine of a knife blade works just as well.
 
Mart, There is a sticky at the top of this forum written by Joe Talmadge that is well written and covers this subject . His writings are well researched and supported . The use of a steel will save wear on a knife . DM
 
I use one of the 'grooved' steels at home regularly, made by Henckles in Germany. I've used similar designs at all of the restaurants I've worked at, too - don't have any experience with the 'smooth' steels, but the 'grooved' ones seem to work dandy for maintaining an edge on your average kitchen knife.

I have heard, however, that the smooth steels are superior. Not sure about this one way or another...
 
I'm the odd one out, I don't like steels for anything but cheap kitchen knives and truthfully I don't even like them then. Look up burnishing add in a little knowledge of how a edge dulls and steeling no longer sounds like the greatest idea.
 
I'm with you on that one, knifenut1013. I don't like steels either. The only place I feel that they belong in is in a restaurant kitchen, where a keen edge is constantly required and the time to get it sharp must be done in seconds.

I love how everyone talks about "realigning the edge" all the time. Yeah, it kind of does, but then again, it kind of doesn't, as it gives you a wider edge triangle after each use and ultimately the knife must be resharpened. The tip of the pyramid is taken down further and further after each use, whereas using a stone allows for placing the bevel flat on the stone, thus maintaining the pyramid tip. Steeling creates microbevels and some people like them a lot though.

Most restaurants send their knives away for resharpening routinely. I find it unnecessary to use steels for that reason, when I have the time to use a proper flat stone or angle sharpener or what have you.
 
I 'steel' my kitchen knives before prepping every meal, either with a smooth steel or, more recently, with a a glass rod. Glass works very nicely, and you don't even have to go out and buy one. You probably already have 'borosilicate' glass in your kitchen. It's "Pyrex." The stuff glass baking dishes, meat loaf pans, and many measuring cups are made from. Just look on the bottom. If it says "Pyrex" you have a great 'borosilicate' glass (use the bottom edge of the pan) to steel with. If you want to get more formal about it, stop in a local chemical supply shop and they'll make you a foot-long rod of the stuff for just a couple of bucks. 'Pyrex' has been around a looong time, and people have been honing their knives on them almost as long as they've been using ceramic electric line insulators for honing.... :)

Stitchawl
 
I think steels work well to keep a sharp knife sharp, but if the knife is dull, more abrasive action works much better.

The smooth steels or "slicks" are for keeping a VERY sharp knife honed. Like many things there are various quality steels. Henckels (not sure about new ones) are decent but "FDICK" seem to be about the best.

I also use them mostly on kitchen knives with thin edges.

Peter
 
I use a big commercial grade steel like the kind they use in the slaughter house or commercial kitchen. The longer the better, and I use it daily to touch up the knives in my kitchen, and whenever my EDC's need a lick.

You can get these at any commercial kitchen/restaurant equipment supplier, but be prepared to pay some money, as its a good investment.
 
I've become an unintentional fan of DMTs ceramic in place of a steel. I put one in my kitchen well over a year ago, just to see how it did. I realized the other day it's been quite a while, my edges are still performing well, and they look good under the 'scope. Not fresh off the stone good, but way better in looks and performance than a edge that has just been steel'd for that amount of time. It's a very fine ceramic, rated 2000, but seems to work even finer. Supposed to be unbreakable compared to a normal ceramic rod too, so I think it would work well in a commercial environment. I'm not a big kitchen knife user, so your results may vary, but still more impressive than a steel.

The "Triangle Sharpener" is good for field use also, though some may find it a bit heavy for backpacking.

Here's a reference page....

http://www.dmtsharp.com/products/ceramic.htm

cbw
 
So I am unclear on the butcher's steel...the ones with the lengthwise grooves.

Are these really files with the cuts lengthwise? I know they look that way but they sure don't feel like it to me. Are these not just smooth grooves? I have never seen any metal come off on a steel like it does on a file.
 
The steel rod, (some grooved lattitudinally some grooved longitudinally) are most useful only for straightening out a curled over cutting edge. The machined groves may help to reduce the contact area between blade and steel to as small an area as possible thereby concentrating the amount of force applied to the smallest practical area at the blade edge. The grooves may also produce an impact effect "hammering" the edge back into alignment. When new, and if so designed, the grooves may also produce a small "filing" like effect. The steel, unlike a hone does not appreciably sharpen a dulled or blunted edge. It is designed to bend a rolled edge back into alignment with the rest of the edge grind. "Softer" blade steels respond better to this than harder knife steels. A rolled edge can only be bent back into alignment a limited number of times before metal fatigue sets in and the edge breaks off. A slightly rolled edge can be realigned several times. A badly rolled edge once or twice. OldDude1
 
Last edited:
cbwx34 said:
I've become an unintentional fan of DMTs ceramic in place of a steel. I put one in my kitchen well over a year ago, just to see how it did. I realized the other day it's been quite a while, my edges are still performing well, and they look good under the 'scope. Not fresh off the stone good, but way better in looks and performance than a edge that has just been steel'd for that amount of time. It's a very fine ceramic, rated 2000, but seems to work even finer. Supposed to be unbreakable compared to a normal ceramic rod too, so I think it would work well in a commercial environment. I'm not a big kitchen knife user, so your results may vary, but still more impressive than a steel.

The "Triangle Sharpener" is good for field use also, though some may find it a bit heavy for backpacking.

Here's a reference page....

http://www.dmtsharp.com/products/ceramic.htm

cbw
Click to expand...

I favor SMKW "Big John Super Sick" or "Tennessee Big Stick" ceramic sharpeners. They feature fine, "white" ceramic sticks that even edges out nicely yet take off just enough steel to give a "fresh edge". These sticks are inexpensive, so being a klutz (like me) is less painful if one of these sharpeners is dropped, twisted, or lost. I am especially fond of my "Big John". (I'm one of those!:D) It fills the hand nicely and its big stick makes for a relatively wide sharpening surface for a round rod. SMKW warrantys the "Big John" against wearing out, too. (Fat chance of that!)
 
John Schedel said:
I favor SMKW "Big John Super Sick" or "Tennessee Big Stick" ceramic sharpeners....
Click to expand...

I've seen that, but have never tried it. Looks pretty good. I like the bigger diameter... looks like it would provide a bit more contact area. I need to remember it, if I order from there again. Can't argue the price!

cbw
 
electric said:
What about the ceramic that comes with the Edge Pro Apex, Ben says it's for removing burrs

Eric
Click to expand...

That's correct. It's not a 'steel' nor is it used for one.
Ceramics are abrasive. Steels are not abrasive, even the ones with groves in them. The groves create 'impact' as the blade goes over them, in effect 'hammering' the edge back into place. There are some times when a blade develops a weakened edge (similar in size to the burr) that gets ripped off when steeling, which is why some steels are sold 'magnetized.' (Keeps the metal out of the food.)

Ceramics abrade the metal, grinding off either the burr (if used in the EdgePro manner) or in re-forming a bevel when used as a Sharpmaker. Ceramics make excellent sharpening stones when made into benchstone shapes too, especially at the higher grits for finishing an edge.

Steels have their place in the blade care progression, as do ceramics. One is not a substitute for the other.

Stitchawl
 
I've never experienced any benefits after steeling a knife, unless I had a burr edge, in which case the steel realigned it.
 
I'm with Stitchawl . "They have their place" . I've noticed benefits in steeling a knife of 440C and in using the ceramic stone . In steeling if you don't notice an improvement in the edge afterward then its time to sharpen (a lite touch) . Steeling merely puts off sharpening . Whereas, using the ceramic stone is sharpening (removing metal) . DM
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top