I’ve been using the blade angle guide and sharpening a few of my knives!
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Cool. I think with time and practice and “muscle memory” you may be able to do away with the angle guide.
Once you do get them sharp, don’t forget to hone occasionally. I misplaced my honing steel in a move about 20 years ago and for a long time was sharpening my daily-use knives 2-3 times a month. Reading various knife threads here last year convinced me I really needed to replace it. What a difference it makes (“Thanks HOs!”). I hone before each use and now the edges last 6 months or more between sharpenings.
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I am now using 400, 1000, and 3000 in Sharpening Supplies house brand, MiUSA. A very small bit of burr can make the blades more efficient in the kitchen IMO. I also got a holder and their house brand flattening stone.
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In mine, too. A light touch on a worn 80 grit belt sharpens most knives just fine.
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When I was working in a “pro” kitchen I was obsessed with getting the sharpest edge possible, but in the end I think I did more harm than good tbh. Now the I’m retired I sharpen them when they get dull ,which isn’t that often. I use a Wusthof steel for my cheep daily users and a 1000 grt stone for my good knives.
I still find it Zen and relaxing but I just don’t find the need to do it as often.
Pro tip for drying knives after a days session, use an old phonebook(remember those :D?) if you have one lying around.
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Daddy, what is a facts masheen?
Edit - old lawyer joke just bubbled to the surface.
Secretary: Sir, the plaintiff just requested we send them the discovery materials by facsimile.
Old Lawyer (not too up to date on this newfangled facsimile stuff): Okay, but make sure you make a copy first!
(Yes, I’m old)
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Agreed. Kiwis don’t keep for too long; but I prefer easier sharpening with frequency to honing all the time. Take about the same amount of time and the Henckels I hone do stay sharp, but not like a freshly sharpened Kiwi. Thus, I love Kiwis. Love my Henckels, too; but I always use the hell out of the Kiwis. Dexters, too. I can get those suckers sharp.
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And? How’s it been working out?
Simple answer — not as often as I should. I have a sharpening steel which produces a good edge on my knives but these are not super duper ones meaning they were never as sharp as better ones from the start. Plus I abuse them somewhat especially the five inch blade as I regular chop it into avacado stones to remove them occasionally having to make several attempts to get the knife deep enough and central to effect removal.
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So far so good! Haven’t sharpened since then. Except some steak knives, which I recently sharpened on an appliance. I’ve also been putting them ( the steak knives )in the dishwasher.
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Back in the '50s I’d sneak my dad’s sharpening stone outside and go to work on my pocket knife. I had no idea what I was doing, but damn! That thing got really sharp. It is that easy and natural don’t be afraid of a blade and a stone. Just jump in.
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My grandpa had the grinding wheel you pumped with your foot. May have been the best toy of my young life. If you remember the cheap jackknife 'Barlow" , my friends all had them and I’d get them all sharp. That is after ruining a bunch of old junky knives my grandpa had laying around.
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How did you guys use them? I vaguely remember jack knives, but can’t remember anyone using them.
I never went anywhere without it, still always have one around. Back then you could bring them to school. I remember bringing my Old Timer skinner for show and tell. Now, I’m the adult at school and I can’t carry one anymore.
A jackknife was the first tool many kids where I lived got. It’s a screwdriver, splinter remover, ingrown toenail remover, whittler, squirrel skinner (no sht, you can skin a squirrel with a little jackknife), fish gutter, fishin’ line cutter. Anyone care to add to the list? Jeez I used it for everything. Coupon cutter…
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Mumblety peg
We played that, but we modified it to mumblety foot. 
Little risk in there.
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You can bleed, gut and clean mule deer with a small pockdtknife, too. Someone can find Ted Nugent’s video proving it.
Yep. I ruined a brand new pair of PF Flyers playing it.
At least they weren’t Red Ball Jets you ruined.
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Funny how the “dare” seems a worldwide phenomenon. PF Flyers, baby! Had a few myself. Then I got Chucks. There’s a reason I call my mom every Sunday without fail. She should have killed me.
I think I’d opt for my Buck skinner over my Buck jackknife. But, yeah, I suppose one could gut and clean a deer. Squirrels are easy, though. Gutted some big ass salmon, northern, lake trout with one, though.
