Some weeks ago while visiting mum, I sharpened her knives on a diamond stone. It was kind of fun for a change, I had not been doing any sharpening for around 6-12 months or so I suppose.
Enthusiastic from the experience, a couple days ago at home, I fixed a thin and hard Japanese knife that had some pretty serious micro chipping on it. Then today I took the time and sharpened 16 knives in about an hour to working order on a Naniwa pro 1k stone. The knives were pretty dull considering the long time. I mostly only went until I had an even-ish burr from one side, then continued on the other side for about the same amount of strokes. Maybe a few strokes still on each side, plus a bit of burr removal on the stone. While washing them, I “stropped” with a sponge and then promptly dried with a towel and placed back into the drawer block.
Not sure if I’m going to sharpen for a while now, I don’t need my knives tip-top all the time. I guess it helps having plenty of knives. I did lap the stone though and left it ready on the holder. I have way too many stones, but since the novelty of putting or keeping a higher grit finish wore off, I suppose I could get by with just the 1k or an 800# and the double sided diamond stone.
Sounds like a satisfying time. I like my knives sharp but still with a tiny bit of burr. I get there quickly with a few swipes on 300 and a few more on 1000. I think I could keep French carbon steel adequately sharp perhaps indefinitely with honing before each use using light pressure on a very fine but not polish steel. I have a good selection but do 95% of my work with the ten inch chef. This morning I chopped chives for my folded egg using that knife. Grabbing it has become a reflex over the years. So has pulling the steel.
Sounds good, French carbon is a joy. I made sure to sharpen them today.
In hindsight, I suppose I would have been better off with something else than the F.Dick Polish for my steel, to create a bit of teeth. Which steel do you have and do you like it?
My most major use case are the Sabatiers indeed, the Polish works for a while until it doesn’t. Though I like to actually sharpen on stones, but perhaps Micro or some combination steel would have been nicer for the purpose the steel ended up to be used with.
Yaeh. It does. I have about 4-6 knives which I considered to be “main” knives. So I get to rotate among them for quite sometime before I need to start sharpening. I sharpening my knives about every 6 months or so. However, if you considered that I have 4-6 knives to rotate, each knife only get 1-2 months usage before I sharpen again.
I rarely use my 6000 grit stone for my own knives any more. A highly refined, polished edge looks really good, but leaving a little tooth on the edge gives a better kitchen cutting experience.
My most polishing stone is a 5000 grit (by Japanese standard). I used to take all my knives to 5000 grits, but later it becomes apparently that it is unnecessary. I would say only two of my knives are worth to take it to that level. Both happened to be made by Watanabe. For all the other knives, the 2000 grit enough.
These work fine. My SS Wusthoff knives go in the dishwasher and get hit on a pull-through when they come out. I have a sanitized and sharp knife for every evening’s meal prep. I might do things slightly differently were I working prep in a starred sushi restaurant, but clean never goes out of style.
The “mad knife skill” jag-offs are one doobie away from making a whole lot of people sick.
I think it just all comes down to expectation and what not. I used to sharpening my knives on a cement floor. It works. Would I do that on a good knife. Absolutely not. You know there is something to be said about using inexpensive stuffs. Not only the initial prices are cheap, but you don’t need to worry about damaging them.
This will probably make all the specialists faint or scream, but I have used this Swiss tool to hone my knives for years… The gadget was invented for the Swiss army to sharpen their bayonets. Much easier to use than a steel (which I still use occasionally) and it fits in your pocket. I use wet stones every 4 to 6 months 1000 / 6000.
Not in anger but in training… and kept at home by the Swiss militia together with their rifle. Still one of the best trained army in the world, ask the Pope.
Not in anger but in training… and kept at home by the Swiss militia together with their rifle. Still one of the best trained army in the world, ask the Pope.
