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The harder the steel the harder they are to sharpen.
Its true, BUT most kitchen knives are not made of such unless some really high dollar Japanese stuff. You will find the cheapest knives can be some of most difficult to sharpen, they tend to be made of some of cheapest softest stainless out there, 420-J2 or even just mystery scrap mishmash. 420-J2 a soft stainless BUT some of the "gummiest" stuff, lot times it just doesnt hone cleanly, least with regular silicon carbide or aluminum oxide. the ridge just moves around without going away. True for 420 in general though 420HC is better and once well sharpened can hold edge well enough. These zirconia belts on my belt sander are only thing that I have found that will put nice edge on some of the cheap knives. I have some knives that at best only ever had marginally sharp edge that now have truly sharp edge. I am sure diamond would too, but diamond isnt cheap, not that zircon is give away, though its lot cheaper and more available than it used to be.
So for the problem child kind of cheap knife, need something with either zircon or diamond. Has to be one of those corollaries of Murphy's Law that some of cheapest softest stainless knives are hardest to sharpen. I am curious how long one of those el cheapo knives will hold edge once I give it one. Those two $1 Dollar Tree knives were maybe the worst. Just consider the quality of materials for a 8in chef knife that can sell NEW retail for $1. Last time after LOT work I got them sort of sharp, two weeks and dull. It was an experiment, no illusions they were truly going to hold an edge for very long. But with fresh zirconia belt it was pretty trivial to put edge on them that would cut paper, sharper than I had achieved before. I would guess this sharp of an edge and knife treated with utmost care, only touching food or cutting board, might last a month. A better knife, maybe six month to a year. Lot of edge retention is how you treat the edge. No dishwasher or banging around in junk drawer or touching any metal or glass or stone. And any knife made of Chinesium stainless will rust. Not as quickly as old fashion carbon steel, but lot faster than traditional American, European, or Japanese stainless. All cheap stainless will be Chinesium anymore. If you dont like rust spots, oil it with mineral oil after use or keep can of Bar Keepers Friend around.
Oh somebody far wiser than me in knife sharpening said anything should take a sharp edge, showed me he could even sharpen edge of a defunct credit card to point it could thinly slice a tomato. Couldnt do it for long cause yea, its plastic. But it was to prove you can put fine cutting edge on anything. The better truly hard steels will hold the edge longer (without being brittle) but they are pricey. Lesser steels if hardened same amount will be brittle. As always life is about compromise. For kitchen cutlery, sharpening couple times or even four times a year, not a big deal. Just has to be sharp. I dont need a kitchen knife that can stay sharp for five year, especially if it costs some insane amount or is so brittle blade chips easily.
Lots of good info in this thread. I may have missed it if mentioned but the very act of sharpening a knife is gratifying. It's more meditation than chore and having the ability to put an edge on a blade is a rewarding life skill. Sharpening a knife is as important to a cook as knowing how to cook proper rice.
Lots of good info in this thread. I may have missed it if mentioned but the very act of sharpening a knife is gratifying. It's more meditation than chore and having the ability to put an edge on a blade is a rewarding life skill. Sharpening a knife is as important to a cook as knowing how to cook proper rice.
It can be addictive to make an old dull knife new and sharp again once you learn how. Takes very little physical effort, important to old man not in best health. Sense of accomplishment without toting that barge and lifting that bale.
But for clueless people that think of it as yet another disagreeable chore, sure they will pay money to avoid it. Its really one of those useful life skills, shame its rarely passed on to newer generations. Become another hobby type activity for a few.
High end “professional” knives are a vanity for most people. Unless someone is employed at a job that has them cutting hours a day, why bother with knives that need whetstone sharpening? There are hundreds of options available for serrated, stainless steel knives that do a good job of slicing and they stay sharp. For fancier cooking duties, the single edge French knives wear so slowly that a touch up on a simple pull-through sharpener is all that’s needed.
One doesn't need to be a metallurgist to know that any knife will require occasional sharpening.
High end “professional” knives are a vanity for most people. Unless someone is employed at a job that has them cutting hours a day, why bother with knives that need whetstone sharpening? There are hundreds of options available for serrated, stainless steel knives that do a good job of slicing and they stay sharp. For fancier cooking duties, the single edge French knives wear so slowly that a touch up on a simple pull-through sharpener is all that’s needed.
When I was working in a commercial kitchen. I used Henckel knives and had them sharpened frquently.
At home, for the past 30 years, I have used the same set of Kenckel International knives from Japan that require no sharpening. Other than the paring knife which needs replacement, the set is in excellent shape.
At home, for the past 30 years, I have used the same set of Kenckel International knives from Japan that require no sharpening. Other than the paring knife which needs replacement, the set is in excellent shape.
Can saw your food or cut it, your choice. Serrated knives are quite popular because people want to avoid sharpening. Unfortunately they get dull too, still work, just like a dull saw will still sort of cut, especially soft materials. You can sharpen the big wavey edge kind, not so much the micro serration kind. Well unless you want to grind off the serrations. Then just depends on kind metal. If made of good quality metal, you can do this. My second favorite paring knife started off life as a small Ekco Flint Arrowhead bread knife with scalloped edge. But it was hollow ground both sides.
I shortened it to paring knife length, ground off the serrations and sharpened it. Worked cause it was good metal. It was no loss to me if it hadnt worked, no need for it as a bread knife and no interest sharpening serrated edge. Many serrated knives arent good metal. And that handle is more comfortable in my hand than most paring knives. Most are way too small and rinky dink unless you want to buy one of those high end $60 German paring knives. I have one of those and its very nice, bought it in damaged condition and renewed the edge and point. Looked like somebody opened a paint can with it. Not $60 nice though, but well worth the $10 I paid for it. Holds an edge very well.
Oh happened on this video of some guy using a Harbor Freight belt sander like mine to sharpen a knife. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0GUxIP-rdg That angle guide is cool, but I have always just freehanded. And the leather stropping belt is kinda cool, though $20 seems might salty for it. You wouldnt want to use the white jewelers rouge, use the green. It does come in a range of grits/colors so if you want super duper ultra polished edge.... work your way up. The sanding belts themselves only go to about 2000 grit. Thats usually enough in of itself to get pretty good edge. But if you want the ultimate edge....
Could also put a cloth buffing wheel on a shop grinder and with the rouge use that instead of the leather belt. Even saw video of some guy made one out of a circle of plywood. Again using the jewelers rouge.
Or go old fashion and strop by hand. LOL remember the barber stropping his straight razor on a belt. I havent been to a barber in decades, learned to buzz cut my own hair.
Well, for ease of sharpening and ability to maintain an edge, high carbon steels are the best. Not high carbon stainless steels, but regular old carbon steel. Yes, it will darken and if you leave it wet it can rust. So what? Don't leave it wet.
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