What angle

[BostonBull]

I should have my GATCO here soon.

What angle should I use for my BM154cm Grip, and my kitchen knives? My BM is in pretty good shape, my kitchen knives on the other hand..........

 

[me2]

What do you do with them? I sharpened my BM Ares at 20 degrees on the Sharpmaker. It was my work utility knife for a while. The factory bevel was about 15 degrees, so the 20 degree slots worked for a quick edge. I sharpen my kitchen knives at 12-15 degrees. They are relatively soft, or I might consider going thinner. Thinner knives cut better and hold an edge longer, as long as they are not so thin as to take damage. If your kitchen knives are used for food prep only, you can go as low as the Gatco will allow. This is for stuff such as cutting vegetables, meat, fruit, spices, and other soft material. I'd save one and sharpen it higher for bones, frozen food, etc., maybe 20-25 depending on the steel. It really depends on how picky you are. You could just as easily sharpen all of them to 20 degrees and be done with it. In fact, that would be my recommendation if your kitchen knives are like most and get used for everything from food to window caulk. At 12-15 degrees, my kitchen knives dull much more from contact with the polymer cutting board than any food. And be sure to use a wood, polymer, or bamboo cutting board, as ceramic plates or metal pans will make your sharpening efforts nearly worthless after the first pass of the blade along their hard surfaces.

 

[Hard H2O]

I have the GATCO Professional kit.

The GATCO will do 11°, 15°, 19°, 22°, 25°, and 30° per side.

I do have been doing all my kitchen cutlery at 15°. It has worked for me. They slice nice whether it is a paring knife, a chefs, a fillet, a boning, or a santuko. The edge has been durable and long lasting on each knife I have sharpened with the GATCO.

 

[BostonBull]

Kitchen knives are used strictly for food. No bones either.

My EDC is used mostly to cut cardboard, plastic, and most importantly ropes. Not new ropes most of the time but old dirty ropes in the field.

 

[Hard H2O]

Kitchen knives are used strictly for food. No bones either.

My EDC is used mostly to cut cardboard, plastic, and most importantly ropes. Not new ropes most of the time but old dirty ropes in the field.

Do you cut any meat with your kitchen cutlery? How about poultry? Those are the bones that were alluded to.

I use the same angle on all my kitchen cutlery. Even on the boning knife. The GATCO with a strop can touch up and resharpen if you hit a bone.

 

[BostonBull]

Do you cut any meat with your kitchen cutlery? How about poultry? Those are the bones that were alluded to.

I use the same angle on all my kitchen cutlery. Even on the boning knife. The GATCO with a strop can touch up and resharpen if you hit a bone.

Yes I cut meat, I only buy boneless meat except steaks which are cooked bone in, and then a steak knife is used to cut the meat, so NO bones in my kitchen.

 

[Hard H2O]

Yes I cut meat, I only buy boneless meat except steaks which are cooked bone in, and then a steak knife is used to cut the meat, so NO bones in my kitchen.

You never roast a turkey? No ribs in your kitchen? How about cleaning a whole fish?

 

[BostonBull]

You never roast a turkey? No ribs in your kitchen? How about cleaning a whole fish?

Nope not a huge fan of turkey. only on Turkey day. Ribs I only eat real ribs that have been smoked, so they are also not found in my kitchen. My wife HATES seafood. So no fish in here either. I only eat seafood while out.

Honest to goodness no bones about it, there are no bones in my kitchen. Sorry.......

So what Angle should I be at with everything?

 

[Hard H2O]

Nope not a huge fan of turkey. only on Turkey day. Ribs I only eat real ribs that have been smoked, so they are also not found in my kitchen. My wife HATES seafood. So no fish in here either. I only eat seafood while out.

Honest to goodness no bones about it, there are no bones in my kitchen. Sorry.......

So what Angle should I be at with everything?

I like the edge my GATCO gives me at 15° for the kitchen cutlery. You might want to try some at 11° if you can get it depending on the blade.

The shallower angles slice better than the more obtuse ones. The trade off is that they tend to not last as long. I have not had that problem. Use a cutting board and all will be well.

For my other blades I have done a few different angles depending on the knife and whether it is mine or not. For the guys at work I tend to stick with the angle that is already there. For my personal knives and my EDC I take them down a notch.

 

[BostonBull]

Whats the easiest way to find the angle that is already there?

I did my kitchen knives and my EDC at 15* today.....we'll see how it goes. If my EDC is getting dull too fast, I will raise it to 19 or 22*

 

[Hard H2O]

Whats the easiest way to find the angle that is already there?

I did my kitchen knives and my EDC at 15* today.....we'll see how it goes. If my EDC is getting dull too fast, I will raise it to 19 or 22*

I mark the edge with a sharpie. Just mark the edge bevel itself. You can see if you are over, under, or right on by where the sharpie is removed. If youare at to high of an angle you will be removing it from the very edge. If you are to low you will be removing it from the shoulder. If you are right on it will be removed from the entire edge bevel.

Works great for rebeveling. Going to a different angle you can mark it and start working. You can see your progress as the marker is removed and the new bevel shows up as shiny metal. Sometimes in that process I will mark and remark as it gets washed away by oil and swarf.