# Keeping those knives sharp



## chandler48

From my dad...."a sharp knife will cut you.....a dull one will HURT you." He was right. I helped a hunting partner field dress a deer once, and he asked me to reach in and cut the esophagus while he held it. I cut it, and he withdrew the organs, bloody, naturally. But the blood didn't stop. I cut his hand pretty good, and he never felt it. Sign of a sharp knife.


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## ktownskier

I steel my knives every time I use them. EVERY TIME. And it is the steel that came with the knife set. 

The local high-end grocery store where I grew up (and had my first paying job) will sharpen knives for free. One day, I decided to bring in a few of my knives to have them sharpened. 

They asked that I leave them and pick them up the next day, which I did. When I picked them up, they guy asked how I took care of them. I explained that I hand washed them, steeled them every time, put them in a block....

He asked how much I used them and how old they were. I said they were about 15 years old and almost every day. When he picked his jaw up, he said that a couple of them still had a factory edge. One of them was the 8" chef's knife which I did say I didn't use all that much. 

The rest didn't need much sharpening, just a bit of honing. He did give me a couple of pointers on the more unique knives I had but he said to come back anytime. 

All of my knives are Wusthof-Trident Classic. When I got divorces, my now ex-wife said that since I did all the cooking in our marriage, it was only fair that I took the knives, the cookware and the cuisinart. But she would keep the bakeware and kitchenaid. 

And yes, a good knife will cut you so that you won't feel it. But a dull knife will, as Bud says, HURT you!!!

I did take a couple of knives into have them sharpened a couple years ago to Whole Foods. They did loose the factory edge finally, but they were still in great shape. Even after 35 years of use!!!


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## chandler48

While we are talking about sharpening, I have an older guy (machinist, retired) who asked me for his sharpening service when the occasion arises. I keep usually 30 to 40 saw blades, 10" and 12" combined, at any given time. When he sharpens them, he rolls them in hot wax to not only protect the very sharp carbides, but to protect me from cutting myself  They are very sharp. And, yes, I have cut my hands installing them.


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## ktownskier

Ayuh, to quote Bondo, 

That is why I can only give 1 & 3/4 thumbs up!!!


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## huesmann

One thing to note is that different knives have different bevel angles on the edge.


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## Mystriss

It was like 80 bucks to get my 20pc Chicago's done at a local knife company so I just take em in there to get the right bevel and all that.


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## Startingover

I have a couple from Warthers in Dover, Ohio that I have to take back for them to sharpen, but no fee.


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## ktownskier

gorgeous knife!!

That is kind of why I want to learn how to forge so i can make damascus knives.


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## ktownskier

Mystriss said:


> It was like 80 bucks to get my 20pc Chicago's done at a local knife company so I just take em in there to get the right bevel and all that.


Chicago's are good knives. Some of them are made from low carbon steel. Make sure to wipe them dry as they could rust. If they are low carbon steel, they will get a sharper edge, but you will need to steel them every time. 

Like any good product, the better you take care of them, they better they take care of you.


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## RockyMtBeerMan

My dad made his knives out of old leaf springs from the junkyard and they stayed very sharp.


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## Startingover

This knife stays sharp. My aunt, 85, gave it to me around 1998. It was her mother-in-laws who she didn’t like. My uncle had a machine shop and he used to sharpen her knives with a stone and honing oil, which she gave me. When he died another uncle sharpened her knives. I don’t know what those marks are on the blade. The handle is getting dried out. Maybe I can use the oil I use on my cutting board.


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## Bud9051

Wood loves oil so the cutting board oil should be fine, not a pro so better advice welcome.

The marks on the knife come from it getting away while being sharpened on a grinding wheel. You can tell it has seen a lot of that grinding as the middle of the blade is no longer flat from heel to the front, see that curve.

But the handle looks similar to some of my inherited utensils and knives and they are some type of synthetic. But try the oil.

Bud


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## SeniorSitizen

Startingover said:


> I have a couple from Warthers in Dover, Ohio that I have to take back for them to sharpen, but no fee.
> 
> View attachment 583141


AW HA, a jeweled blade, I like those. When our youngest son went out on his own in life, without any tools, I picked up a old hand wood saw at auction and rather than sharpening it myself took it to a shop for sharpening then jeweled the whole blade.


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## Mystriss

ktownskier said:


> Chicago's are good knives. Some of them are made from low carbon steel. Make sure to wipe them dry as they could rust. If they are low carbon steel, they will get a sharper edge, but you will need to steel them every time.
> 
> Like any good product, the better you take care of them, they better they take care of you.


I bought chicago's because Father has had a set since I was 7 (that's almost 40 years fyi)

I, however, am very mean to my knives... There's a reason they bite me and I have to wear cut-resistant gloves at all times when making dinner :vs_laugh:

I actually thought mine were trashed cause they were blunt level dull after idk 7+ years of harsh use. I brought the Chicago set into the knife store because I really like the shape of them (blades and handles) but I don't know the names of the styles or whatever and I was hoping to find something similar in the Shun brand which was recommended by my brother (who was at one point a 4star chef.) The guy at the knife store was like, no, no, no, we can fix these just fine and save your husband a couple grand lol


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## Startingover

Didn’t know knives could be so interesting. 

I forgot about my Buck knives. I had a set of 3 kitchen knives. I broke then tip off the butcher knife prying something frozen apart. Long after a girlfriend saw it an knew what happened cause she did same thing. 

I still have a few Buck steak knives but snapped one blade off handle. You could send them back but I never bothered. I have a Buck pocket knife I had given my dad.


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## wooleybooger

I've had Chicago Cutlery knives since the mid 1970's. I really like them and they do need to have a steel used on them often. Everytime I use one it hits the steel first. I have a long Case steel and a shorter Chicago Cutlery steel. I much prefer the CC steel to the Case even though the CC isn't long enough to use on my 10" chef's knife or my 12" roast beef knife but I've learned to do it. Over the years I've only used a stone on them maybe half a dozen times.

I bought a set of made in China made CC steak knives and they seem to be as good as the old USA made knives. I recently bought a CC 7 1/2" slicer/fillet knife. The blade is good but I'm very disappointed in the handle. The corners of the scales are not rounded but left square making it uncomfortable to handle. Fortunately I have the woodworking tools to correct that.


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## huesmann

Startingover said:


> I don’t know what those marks are on the blade.


Looks to me like someone was working it on a grinder (or some kind of rotary tool) and slipped, sending the knife skittering over the grinder.


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## SeniorSitizen

Startingover said:


> Didn’t know knives could be so interesting.
> 
> I forgot about my Buck knives. I had a set of 3 kitchen knives. I broke then tip off the butcher knife prying something frozen apart. Long after a girlfriend saw it an knew what happened cause she did same thing.
> 
> I still have a few Buck steak knives but snapped one blade off handle. You could send them back but I never bothered. I have a Buck pocket knife I had given my dad.


 Nearly 50 years ago my BIL awarded me a 3 blade Buck just the right size for a pocket knife. I called it my Sunday knife so it wasn't used much. A couple years ago I discovered a great nephew collected knives so I gave it, along with several other pocket knives I don't need anymore, to him as a graduation gift. Knowing that kid I know the Buck will be well cared for because his grandfather had bought it and great uncle SeniorSitizen had it all those years.
Some would call that re-gifting:biggrin2:


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## SeniorSitizen

Startingover said:


> This knife stays sharp. My aunt, 85, gave it to me around 1998. It was her mother-in-laws who she didn’t like. My uncle had a machine shop and he used to sharpen her knives with a stone and honing oil, which she gave me. When he died another uncle sharpened her knives. I don’t know what those marks are on the blade. The handle is getting dried out. Maybe I can use the oil I use on my cutting board.
> 
> View attachment 583143


 Maybe all Paring knives eventually take this shape but in our family the time seems to be in the 50 year range. This old man made stone of AL Oxide, that was my Grandfather's, with about 80 grit on one side and approx. 200 grit on the smoother side, has taken care of 3 paring knives that I know of and lost count on how many Old Timer, Scharade and Case pocket knives along with numerous sheath carried hunting knives. The poor ole stone's coarse side is worn through to the fine side in one area but I can still sharpen a good knife with it to shave with if you'd soak your whiskers long enuff.


Something strange though. Our 2 sons could never sharpen a knife by hand with it or any other stone. I just laugh and tell them to bring those to me because your mother's genes must have cancelled those kinds of activities.


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## Startingover

I’ve heard of Case pocket knives. I think I have one. Don’t know why but dad must have had a dzn pocket knives. Gave g’son some an kept a few. 

I only bought this at WM to carry hiking cause the blade locks open. It has some weird coating. The clerk said it was the largest that could be legally carried. Which I don’t know anything about.


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## chandler48

@Startingover, you mention Buck Bros. knives. I may be repeating an earlier post, but before the internet, my dad had a Buck folding knife which he loved. He showed it to me and I determined the rivet had broken. I wrote to Buck and they said they would take it back for repairs. I didn't know how much it cost, and really didn't care. Some time passed and he got a package in the mail. A brand new Buck knife, better than the one he had and a personal letter handwritten and signed by one of the Bucks. He apologized for the inconvenience. THAT's how to run a business.


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## SeniorSitizen

chandler48 said:


> @*Startingover* , you mention Buck Bros. knives. I may be repeating an earlier post, but before the internet, my dad had a Buck folding knife which he loved. He showed it to me and I determined the rivet had broken. I wrote to Buck and they said they would take it back for repairs. I didn't know how much it cost, and really didn't care. Some time passed and he got a package in the mail. A brand new Buck knife, better than the one he had and a personal letter handwritten and signed by one of the Bucks. He apologized for the inconvenience. THAT's how to run a business.


That's what I think of when I see the phrase *back in the good old days*


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## SeniorSitizen

ktownskier said:


> gorgeous knife!!
> 
> That is kind of why I want to learn how to forge so i can make damascus knives.


The last forging I did was a set of 3 cold chisels in school and I can only find the largest of the set now. Maybe not too bad for 60 years or more. The heat treating was most interesting, hardening / tempering by color. I would do that again now if I had the opportunity without acquiring a forge.


For knives I may have better success making one from an old broken handle Chicago that I acquired from a auction in a box of miscellaneous stuff. This paring knife our daughter snatched up before the mineral oil had time to soak in the Ipe scales.


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## Mystriss

... I suppose I should ask the knife company how to steel my chicago's. I've never done it because I'm worried I'll mess up the bevel angle. My father used to do it when we had holiday dinners here, but they moved out of state so they don't get done at all now >.<

Also, my husband wants to start forging knives (and swords for me, I've mentioned that casually collect swords.) He got a propane tank forge and a bunch of other tools, but he hasn't had time to play with it yet. I had to make the mailman an emergency batch of cookies and leave him a stern "don't hurt yerself" note because he delivered the anvil to our front porch


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## Startingover

Had to hunt for these. Buck and Robeson. They’re grubby. I need to clean them with something.


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## Startingover

Mystriss 

Tell us about your swords.


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## Bud9051

Sorry if I missed it but don't recall ceramic knives being mentioned. I've been tempted to try one but seeing too many in the bargain basement section.

Do they really hold an edge as advertised and when they need sharpening, how?

Bud


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## SeniorSitizen

COPIED:
Bone has a hardness of about 3.5, steel *knives* about 6.5 and *ceramic knives* about 9.5. Diamonds are 10. If you really want to *sharpen* them you will need a fine or very fine diamond *sharpener*. The diamond size should be as small as you can get—1000 or more (6 microns or smaller).Dec 7, 2009
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/1578/How+do+you+keep+Ceramic+Knives+sharp


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## huesmann

Dang, SeniorCitizen, that knife pictured in Post #20 is no longer a paring knife—it's a fillet knife!

Re: ceramic knives, they sure are sharp, but IME they are too brittle and way too easy to chip.


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## SeniorSitizen

When reading grinding and whet stone literature we may see mentioned the hardness of the stone - softer / harder. That information is about the vitrification of the parent abrasive and often not about the abrasive itself. The abrasives usually have a scale of their own.
Anyone interested in furthering their sharpening experience try this link.:smile:


https://www.carbo.com/en-us/resources/expertise/technical-information-bonded-abrasives-basics


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## SeniorSitizen

huesmann said:


> Dang, SeniorCitizen, that knife pictured in Post #20 is no longer a paring knife—it's a fillet knife!
> 
> Re: ceramic knives, they sure are sharp, but IME they are too brittle and way too easy to chip.


In my younger days I witnessed an unknown number of miles of steel shavings made from weld pipe line fittings using a ceramic tool and the first rule was, - - don't stop the damm machine with the tool bit engaged in the material - - The 3/8" square bit had 4 corners available and you'd be fortunate to even have 1 corner remaining to use. Hard as glass and just as brittle.


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## wooleybooger

SeniorSitizen said:


> In my younger days I witnessed an unknown number of miles of steel shavings made from weld pipe line fittings using a ceramic tool and the first rule was, - - don't stop the damm machine with the tool bit engaged in the material - - The 3/8" square bit had 4 corners available and you'd be fortunate to even have 1 corner remaining to use. Hard as glass and just as brittle.


^^^^ This.

As a machinist we used ceramic inserts for machining the hardfacing on friction surfaces. If stopping before the end of the cut you backed the tool out of the cut while the feed was engaged also otherwise it would chip.


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## Startingover

This is what I sharpen my knives with. I guess its better than nothing.


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## DerfIV

I use a Tormek Supergrind 2000 that I bought 30+ years ago. Definitely a tad pricier than a typical knife sharpener but it sharpens just about anything with a cutting edge if you have the right jigs. Just today when cutting up some veggies I cut off a tiny layer of skin from my thumb and didn't notice until later that spot was sensitive to temperature. Oh well, it adds a bit of protein to the salad....

http://newwoodworker.com/reviews/tormekrevu.html


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## Mystriss

Startingover said:


> Mystriss
> 
> Tell us about your swords.


Hmmm I only have two of them handy ATM:









Dragon fantasy sword and the WWI bayonet my grandfather had willed to me a few years ago. There's two long swords, ones an "Excalibur replication" (fake because Excalibur, if it even existed, wouldn't look like this one does - but I still like the look of it.) The second long sword I don't remember what it's called, but it's got the viking style pomel and a kinda fancy hand guard on it. Then there's a pair of what I call my rainbow swords; they're short swords with light colored spiral wood handles and have that multi-colored curved metal blades (shaped like the dragon sword but without all the teeth.) The last short sword is what I'd call your classic "looking" knight sword. (Not a realistic representation, but it's more realistic than the "movie script Excalibur" and my fantasy dragon sword.

I used to have them and some of my bows up on the wall above my computer desk but I can't find the picture of them before I swapped them all out for my more guest friendly musical instrument collection :vs_laugh:


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## SeniorSitizen

With all this sharp talk there's a couple of rules to follow. If I'd known this when I was 6, I wouldn't have cut my hand sharpening that Machete with a 14" Mill Bastard. Not my fault the vise it was clamped in was taller than I.


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## SeniorSitizen

DerfIV said:


> I use a Tormek Supergrind 2000 that I bought 30+ years ago. Definitely a tad pricier than a typical knife sharpener but it sharpens just about anything with a cutting edge if you have the right jigs. Just today when cutting up some veggies I cut off a tiny layer of skin from my thumb and didn't notice until later that spot was sensitive to temperature. Oh well, it adds a bit of protein to the salad....
> 
> http://newwoodworker.com/reviews/tormekrevu.html


I had the honor of using a Tormek at my son's shop last Fall. Due to time constraints I didn't get to be as well acquainted with it as well as I'd like.


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## SeniorSitizen

I cheated, sorry.
In my later years I've discovered partially frozen meat handles and cuts the way I like better than completely thawed so I grabbed the electric to dice meat for the nail soup the wife promised.


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## chandler48

I bought this Ulu knife from an auction house, not because of the knife so much, as it was for the history of the knife. I love using it. It is carbon steel, hand made from Russia. The previous owner's great grandmother emigrated with it when they came to America. Her husband forged it and made the handle. I set one rule with my wife. If you use it, clean it and dry it completely before it leaves your hands.


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## maxwell852

I exploit a knife sharpener. I slide the knife side at an attitude in a single route only for 3 or four times. then i do the alternative side of the knife area, once more 3 or four instances. I end off with one glide on each facet and wipe with a moist piece of kitchen roll to dispose of any free burrs.


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## J. V.

I use my Chefs Choice electric sharpener about once a year. I then use a steel every time I use a knife.
They are always very sharp. Very sharp.
I might try professional sharpening just to see?


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## Mike Milam

SeniorSitizen said:


> Maybe all Paring knives eventually take this shape but in our family the time seems to be in the 50 year range. This old man made stone of AL Oxide, that was my Grandfather's, with about 80 grit on one side and approx. 200 grit on the smoother side, has taken care of 3 paring knives that I know of and lost count on how many Old Timer, Scharade and Case pocket knives along with numerous sheath carried hunting knives. The poor ole stone's coarse side is worn through to the fine side in one area but I can still sharpen a good knife with it to shave with if you'd soak your whiskers long enuff.
> 
> 
> Something strange though. Our 2 sons could never sharpen a knife by hand with it or any other stone. I just laugh and tell them to bring those to me because your mother's genes must have cancelled those kinds of activities.


I have a stone that looks a lot like that. Probably had it 40 years.


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## SARG

Stones are for sharpening .... steels are for taking the "hair" off & correcting the edge.
Fast way to determine if a blade is sharp .... try sliding (scraping) across your thumb nail. If it "bites" and won't slide ... it is sharp.
Buck knives uses belt sanders for their edge.


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