stimac@tymix.UUCP (Michael Stimac) (12/30/83)
Having received a knife sharpener as a recent gift, I would now like to learn how to use it properly. This sharpener is about 3/8" in diameter and about 12" long, made apparently of hard steel. The surface has an engraved diamond pattern. I know that I should rub the knife edge over this surface somehow, but I fear that doing it wrong will make the knife less sharp. What's the technique? I have both stainless steel and carbon knives, if that matters. Thanks, Michael Stimac
marcum@fortune.UUCP (01/04/84)
#R:tymix:-15800:fortune:2700010:000:949 fortune!marcum Jan 4 11:41:00 1984 To sharpen a knife, take the sharpener by the handle in one hande, the knife (again, by the handle...) in the other. (I'm right handed, and take the knife in that hand). Place the blade against the sharpener, about a 20 degree angle, as if you were going to whittle the sharpener. Initial placement of the knife should be so that the base of the blade (nearest the handle) is at the base of the sharpener (nearest the handle). Draw the knife along the sharpener, as if you were whittling it, drawing the length of the blade across the sharpener as you move the knife down the sharpener. I change sides with each stroke, drawing the udnerside of the edge across the top side of the sharpener, then the top side of the edge along the underside of the sharpener, alternately. If I recall, _Joy of Cooking_ has some reasonable illustrations. Alan M. Marcum Fortune Systems, Redwood City, California ...!hplabs!hpda!fortune!rhino!marcum
jec@ssc-vax.UUCP (Jim Campbell) (01/06/84)
The thing you have is called a steel, and there are at least a couple of ways you can use it. But first, you should know that you cannot effectively sharpen knives (over the long haul) with only a steel. You need a stone, too. A first general instruction: When sharpening (any cutting instrument), always draw the instrument over the sharpening surface such that you draw the sharp edge of the instrument **into** the sharpener, never away from it. When you use the stone, you should endeavor to shape the edge into a typical 'knife-edge' shape, meaning that you should aim for a small angle at the edge. When using the steel, the angle should be larger. The steel is, thus, used to resharpen a knife over a long period of time. You should be able to regain a good cutting edge by using the steel a number of times before it becomes necessary to use the stone again. Now for the steel. The best way to start is to hold the steel vertically by the handle, with the tip down against a cutting board. Hold the steel in your 'off' hand (i.e. left hand if you are right handed). Take the knife, edge down, in the other hand. Then draw the knife down the steel, starting nearest the knife handle and pulling it towards you so that when you get to the bottom of the steel, the tip of the knife is against the steel. Hold the knife against the steel at a fairly large angle, say 20 to 30 degrees. Draw first one side of the knife against the steel, then put the knife on the other side of the steel and do that side. Continue this alternation until done. Another way is to hold the steel with the tip up, and pull the knife down it. Once you get used to this method, you can steel a knife very quickly, because you learn to move the knife and the steel together.
usadaca@uiucuxc.UUCP (01/11/84)
#R:tymix:-15800:uiucuxc:2500011:000:668 uiucuxc!usadaca Jan 10 09:12:00 1984 what you have is a stelleel, not a sharpener. no amount of use of the implement you have will produce a usable edge if that knife is really dull. i'd suggest you get a japanese water stone....they're what the samurai used to sharpen those incredible swords. they really do work and are faster than oil stones. just be sure to dry your knives before putting them aeway or rust could develop. by the way, as to the use of the steel....what you are actually doing is causing friction alond a very narrow (wire) edge and that friction actually causes some of the metal to flow into a new, smoother state. thus, s steel "renews" an edge that is only partially blunted.