Using a sharpening steel

O

oldgranpa

Joined
Feb 12, 2004
Messages
44
My Forschner kitchen knife set I ordered came with a sharpening steel. Not having used a steel before I have a question....

Do I hold the knife still and run the steel over it?

Or do I hold the steel still and run the knife over it?

Sorry if this sounds stupid.
og
 
I run the knife across the steel. You could do it the other way and get the same effect, but I find it easier to control the knfie than the steel.
 
Remember a steel is not intended to sharpen a knife. It is not a file and not a hone. A steel simply pushes little nicks, dings, and bent parts of the edge back into the correct place along the edge. Since it works by bending the metal back into place it fatigues the metal and makes it weaker. The harder that you push on a steel or the rougher the sides of the steel the more it will tend to fatigue the edge. A steel works well on blades that are only a little dull and that are used to cut relatively soft food items. The typical use is to periodically freshen up the edge on a butcher knife every couple of hours of use. You use it lightly if the steel is perfectly smooth and very lightly if the steel has ridges along it. Even though the steel causes the edge to fatigue and develop little chips with repeated use, those little chips help the blade to slice effectively by providing microserrations.

You also need a regular abrasive hone to actually sharpen the edge. This will need to be done at least lightly sometime after about 10 hours of cutting. A V-style ceramic rod sharpener like the Spyderco Sharpmaker is good for that type of sharpening. I seldom use a steel anymore. I mostly use fine ceramic rods so that I keep my edges strong. I don't worry about wearing out my knives since I own enough knives for 20 lifetimes. There are knives that take particularly well to steeling and cut better after you do it. I didn't think that Forshners fell into that camp. Some of the non-stainless carbon steel knives like to be steeled. I haven't had as much luck with stainless.
 
I generally teach cooks to hold the steel in the left hand vertically with the tip of the steel on a cutting board. Then stroke both sides of the blade against it with the other hand. Doing it this way seems to be easier for beginners. Jeff Clark is right. It takes no pressure to straighten an edge. If you feel you need to press, then you actually need to sharpen the blade. Good cooking.
 
I found years ago that each person sharpens differently. My father never wanted me to steel his knives since I did it apparently at a different angle !For typical kitchen knives like Forschner steel often , sharpen on stone rarely. I can't remember anyone holding knife still and moving steel.
 
thanks, all, for the great replies. I have an Edge Pro Apex set that I use for my Folders but had never considered a "steel" before.
My wife is gonna appreciate your replies.
(Thanks, Knife Outlet, who I ordered the set from.)
og
 
If you're like me, a steel is ideal for sharpening...that is if you have the proper "steel". I bought a Hewlette Jewelstick 3 sided diamond hone "steel". It had the same length and general appearance of a steel, but isn't, really. I love it for my larger knives. I always finish up on a Spyderco fine ceramic rod, though, and then strop it.
 
I hold the steel vertically as well, and run the knife down the steel, with no more pressure than the weight of the knife itself.

Well, sometimes I hold the steel vertically, with the tip of the steel resting on a table, and then tilt the knife and run it down the steel. I also sometimes tilt the steel instead of the knife, and then hold the knife vertically instead.
 
J. Davey, that's sharpening, not steeling anymore. With a steel, you just burnish. With a diamond "steel" you're removing metal
 
From my sometimes less than sterling experience working in a slaughterhouse I soon found steeling as unconscious an act as breathing, holding the steel straight up and down and then running the blade down each side,"peeling" the steel. Jeff C has it right.. If you were steeling often it it was sign of trying to resurrect an edge lost to bone or tooth contact.. probably time to hit the wheel. The knives were considered as almost... well not disposable cause they weren't cheap, but somewhat expendable.. not your high grade kitchen knives built to last a lifetime. Considering the toll on your wrists enacted over time by dull knives, you soon learned to sharpen and protect them.
Might seem obvious but check if your steel has a guard, I've seen lots of fancy ones without, depending on how you steel it might only be a matter of time until ... :grumpy:
 
Jeff Clark said:
Remember a steel is not intended to sharpen a knife. It is not a file and not a hone. A steel simply pushes little nicks, dings, and bent parts of the edge back into the correct place along the edge.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Jeff. I just purchased a Henckels set awhile back and I was getting really PO'd that I couldn't sharpen the smaller blades. I feel like a real genius. :rolleyes: :)
 
Check out www.handamerican.com they have a tutorial on steeling (burnishing) in their site with pics and all. Great place!

Rob
 
I move both at the same time - knife more than steel. don't know if that makes sense....but that's how I do it. ultra-freehand method.....done gently.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top