# Knives



## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Ok, not an actual tool, except in the kitchen.

I have trouble sharpening my knives. I had ceramic wands where you wipe the knife from side to side. From an uncle I have honing oil and a sharpening stone. These things take forever and don't sharpen very well for me.

My knives are top of the line so I dont want to ruin them but I was wondering if my Dremel could be used to sharpen them?


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## djlandkpl (Jan 29, 2013)

I would not use your Dremel. It's too easy to ruin the edge. I have a Chefs Choice electric sharpener. Really easy to use and it's easy to hone the edge when you need to.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Oh,boy---this is a big subject----I use a three sided carborundum stone---then a steel--

However, when a knife is new I take it to a knife sharpening service---as I prefer a long tapered edge,not the hollow ground that usually comes with the knife---

Let's see what others have to say----I was a chef and had to train the staff on knife sharpening----I don't know if I can describe the process--it was hard enough when I was looking over the shoulders of a trainee.


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## mrs fix it (Oct 9, 2011)

NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT! For many reasons, it could take to much off, it could over heat and change the metal strength. My husband is a knife collector and sharpener so all of my Wustoff stay sharp and shiny! After asking him, he said to use a diamond sharpening rod. Or get it professionally done.

Mary Jane Baker, Silk painter and general handy-woman


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

No Dremel. I get great results on my knives with the 4000/6000 two sided water stone that I grabbed when I picked up a couple of Korins. Ron


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Yrs ago there was a knife store in the malls that sharpened but it's gone.

My knives are half Wustoff and the others are "Warthers" from Dover, Ohio.

If anyone is interested in reading about a man who was a genius, the story of Mr. Warthers museum and his train craving is amazing. At least they will sharpen their knives if you take them back. 

Using their 'Old faithful' parry knife this weekend sliced my finger and didn't hurt but my hand looked like I had a red glove on.

Thanks for the advice. Guess I should have known. When I try to take shortcuts an do things the easy way it never works out.

One of my best knives is from the 50's I estimate. It's a long thin knife with wood handle that's held it's edge. No maker mark.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Mr. Warthers was an amazing wood carver. Most carvers know how to sharpen and sharpen well. Once a knife is really sharp you don't need to sharpen it again, you only need to hone it, unless it becomes very dull or nicked.

You can ruin a knife edge very easy. Here is a link to a wood carving forum which has tons of instructions on sharpening knives. When these guys/gals sharpen a knife it is sharper than a straight razor.
http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1317984

The folks at the wood carving forum are really nice folks and will be more then happy to help if you need help. 

Here is a video on youtube you might like to watch, Tom is a fantastic sharpener and wood carver.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--9BcM5kUJo

Like Mike said, it is a big subject on sharpening the correct way, there is way more to it than most folks think. The knives you own are some really nice knives, I would take them to a really good shop, not some dude who sharpens saw blades and such. If the edge of a knife over heats, it is a goner and will have to be retempered.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Jim, glad you know about Warthers. Have you been to his museum. Can you believe he carved those trains? I grew up around there an know someone who went off to war, WWII, and his dad had Mr. Warthers make him a specially engraved knife. 

I didn't know there was a diff in sharpen and honing. 

When I was married an we had a sporting good store I had some Buck knives, but broke the tip off a butcher knife by prying frozen meat. Then a steak knife blade just broke in half. I could have mailed it back but didn't.

The thing about small towns is that there aren't any good knife sharpeners. 
I might look around Orlando sometime.

Thanks


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I wasn't familiar with Mr Warthers Museum, I checked it out online. Fantastic carver, here is the link.
http://www.warthers.com/

If you broke the tip off that knife, chances are it was high carbon steel, which is very good for holding an edge, but will snap instead of bend. Most pocket knives are made of Stainless steel today because SS will flex and not break as easy as carbon steel.

People will buy a knife they know will dull easy but they don't want one that the tip will break. That is the reason knife manufacturers produce pocket knives made of SS now days. I will take a carbon steel blade any day over a SS blade.

Sorry bout that, I just can't help myself. :whistling2: 

I wish there was an easy answer for you on sharpening but there really isn't, sharpening a really good edge without ruining the knife is an art, it takes some effort. 

If I had knives as expensive as your's and didn't know how to sharpen them I would ship them to someone who specialized in sharpening them and learn how to hone. JMHO


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Startingover said:


> Ok, not an actual tool, except in the kitchen.
> 
> I have trouble sharpening my knives. I had ceramic wands where you wipe the knife from side to side. From an uncle I have honing oil and a sharpening stone. These things take forever and don't sharpen very well for me.
> 
> My knives are top of the line so I dont want to ruin them but I was wondering if my Dremel could be used to sharpen them?


Watch for this fellow in your area being it looks like he travels. :laughing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxly222EE0U


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## bassJAM (Dec 12, 2012)

I always like using arkansas stones, and have recently tried a little with japanese water stones. Both take a little time and skill, but yield excellent results.

On a whim last year I also bought a worksharp knife sharpener, which uses different sanding belts to sharpen knives. It works, but I can get my blades sharper with stones. It also tends to round the tips a little. But I like using it on my mid grade Victorinox kitchen knives. My fiance likes to throw them in the sink when she's done and I can't get her to stop, so this is a quick way to get them sharp. No way am I going to spend time with a stone if she's just going to dull them up in a week.


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## landfillwizard (Feb 21, 2014)

The edge of the knife should have an angle of ~15º to 20º. A 1:3 slope is 18.3º. If you can hold that angle you can sharpen you blade to a reasonable angle. Once you have sharpened your knife use a diamond honing rod to put a fine edge on the blade. Use approximately the same angle to get a good edge. When sharpening or honing use the same number of strokes on each side.


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## Scottg (Nov 5, 2012)

Another vote for Chef's Choice.

We've got a Pro Model 120 we use for our Henckels knives. I also use it for my pocket knife and buck knife. (Used to use my SpyderCo triangle stones, but this unit is just faster. For my axe and hatchet, I'll use either the Dremel or an bench grinder. But for fine knives? You need really good tools to keep them the way they should be.

We're reasonably happy with it. Me especially since it's my task. It only takes maybe a minute or two per knife and it seems like a better edge than I'd be able to put on otherwise.


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