01-12-2004, 11:21 AM
[cool][size 1]Hey, O4T, you have raised one of those questions that can provoke a heated argument among knife nuts. [/size]
[size 1]If you read through some of the info in the links, I seem to recall that one of them nixed the use of oil on the stones. I used to use oil on my sharpening stones, but haven't done so for a long time. The oil seems to collect the mixture of metal filings and stone dust and gradually fills in the spaces between the cutting surfaces. After a while you are just rubbing your knife blade over a slick, oily mess and you are not cutting steel.[/size]
[size 1]If I am doing some "heavy work"...putting on a new edge...on a new knife, or one that has been used heavily since the last touchup...I set up next to the sink. I either hold the stone under a slow stream of water or at least rinse it under water every few seconds. This flushes out the debris and keeps good cutting surfaces available.[/size]
[size 1]That's with the coarse side of the stone. For the fine side...and for the softer finishing stones...I may not use any water at all. I do rinse them before I start, to clean out the stone powder and metal left over from the last use.[/size]
[size 1]As for the diamond hones, they are a good thing to have...especially for the rough sharpening chores. But, a good two sided stone is not expensive. I have one that I paid almost $20 for in a high class tackletorium many years ago. I also have one I bought for $1.50 in one of those discount tool places. I gotta say that the cheapie does a fine job, but the fine grit side is not quite as fine as I like for finishing the edges.[/size]
[size 1]I get asked a lot about serrated knives. I did not include any "Ginsu" knives in the pics I posted. Nor did I include a big serrated blade "bread knive" that I recovered from a friend's restaurant when he was going to throw it out because it was dull and he couldn't sharpen it (I could, I did, and it is now very dangerous.) I do use and appreciate serrated knives on occasion.[/size]
[size 1]If you fillet big catfish, walleye or striper or wiper, a serrated blade knife can make the job of cutting down through the heavy bones of the rib cages much easier. Of course, if you use an electric knife, you are already using a serrated blade.[/size]
[size 1]Sharpening serrated blades is akin to sharpening an ice auger. You do not have to sharpen the whole blade, but the points of the serrations DO need to be touched up once in awhile. That's where the little round diamond hone in my picture comes in handy. A few light strokes between each point on the serrations and you are ready to slab some bigguns.[/size]
[size 1]There are several key factors in knife sharpening. First is the quality of the steel in the knife blade. Hard steel takes longer to prepare, but holds a good edge much longer. [/size]
[size 1]Second, is the angle of the cutting edge. For routine kitchen use, you can get by with a "chisel" shaped edge. For slicing fillets and skinning them, a slower tapered edge works better. You need to develop the ability to hold your knives at just the right angle while moving them across the sharpening surface. At the very least you can end up with scratches on your new knife blade. At worst you will end up with a rounded and uneven edge...which affects clean cutting.[/size]
[size 1]Third would be the type of sharpener you use. I actually use hardened files for some preliminary work on a new blade...or one that has been dinged a lot. But, a good diamond hone or carborundum stone is preferred.[/size]
[size 1]Fourth would be the amount of pressure you apply while sharpening. Start out with heavier pressure. Do your fine finishing with whisper soft strokes on the stone, followed by medium heavy strokes on a good steel or ceramic edge.[/size]
[size 1]Last would be time. Do not keep sharpening on the coarse stone after you have achieved a basic sharpness. You will just be removing steel that does not need removing. Go early to the smoother stone and do not try to get a razor edge with the stone alone. That usually takes some final strokes on the steel or ceramic.[/size]
[size 1]A hint. If you are touching up your knives somewhere you do not have a steel or ceramic rod, you can use other things to "de-burr" the edge and finish it off. I sometimes lay a piece of dry cardboard or heavy paper on a flat surface and do a few strokes on that. I have also used the shaft of a screwdriver or even a smooth unpainted metal surface on some other tool or fixture. Oh yeah, I have also used a heavy leather belt...like the old razor strops in the barber shops (anybody old enough to remember those?). Again, maintain smooth strokes at exactly the same angle...going back and forth from the smooth stone to the finishing surface until you have the edge you want.[/size]
[size 1]Now see whatcha did. Ya got me started again.[/size]
[signature]
[size 1]If you read through some of the info in the links, I seem to recall that one of them nixed the use of oil on the stones. I used to use oil on my sharpening stones, but haven't done so for a long time. The oil seems to collect the mixture of metal filings and stone dust and gradually fills in the spaces between the cutting surfaces. After a while you are just rubbing your knife blade over a slick, oily mess and you are not cutting steel.[/size]
[size 1]If I am doing some "heavy work"...putting on a new edge...on a new knife, or one that has been used heavily since the last touchup...I set up next to the sink. I either hold the stone under a slow stream of water or at least rinse it under water every few seconds. This flushes out the debris and keeps good cutting surfaces available.[/size]
[size 1]That's with the coarse side of the stone. For the fine side...and for the softer finishing stones...I may not use any water at all. I do rinse them before I start, to clean out the stone powder and metal left over from the last use.[/size]
[size 1]As for the diamond hones, they are a good thing to have...especially for the rough sharpening chores. But, a good two sided stone is not expensive. I have one that I paid almost $20 for in a high class tackletorium many years ago. I also have one I bought for $1.50 in one of those discount tool places. I gotta say that the cheapie does a fine job, but the fine grit side is not quite as fine as I like for finishing the edges.[/size]
[size 1]I get asked a lot about serrated knives. I did not include any "Ginsu" knives in the pics I posted. Nor did I include a big serrated blade "bread knive" that I recovered from a friend's restaurant when he was going to throw it out because it was dull and he couldn't sharpen it (I could, I did, and it is now very dangerous.) I do use and appreciate serrated knives on occasion.[/size]
[size 1]If you fillet big catfish, walleye or striper or wiper, a serrated blade knife can make the job of cutting down through the heavy bones of the rib cages much easier. Of course, if you use an electric knife, you are already using a serrated blade.[/size]
[size 1]Sharpening serrated blades is akin to sharpening an ice auger. You do not have to sharpen the whole blade, but the points of the serrations DO need to be touched up once in awhile. That's where the little round diamond hone in my picture comes in handy. A few light strokes between each point on the serrations and you are ready to slab some bigguns.[/size]
[size 1]There are several key factors in knife sharpening. First is the quality of the steel in the knife blade. Hard steel takes longer to prepare, but holds a good edge much longer. [/size]
[size 1]Second, is the angle of the cutting edge. For routine kitchen use, you can get by with a "chisel" shaped edge. For slicing fillets and skinning them, a slower tapered edge works better. You need to develop the ability to hold your knives at just the right angle while moving them across the sharpening surface. At the very least you can end up with scratches on your new knife blade. At worst you will end up with a rounded and uneven edge...which affects clean cutting.[/size]
[size 1]Third would be the type of sharpener you use. I actually use hardened files for some preliminary work on a new blade...or one that has been dinged a lot. But, a good diamond hone or carborundum stone is preferred.[/size]
[size 1]Fourth would be the amount of pressure you apply while sharpening. Start out with heavier pressure. Do your fine finishing with whisper soft strokes on the stone, followed by medium heavy strokes on a good steel or ceramic edge.[/size]
[size 1]Last would be time. Do not keep sharpening on the coarse stone after you have achieved a basic sharpness. You will just be removing steel that does not need removing. Go early to the smoother stone and do not try to get a razor edge with the stone alone. That usually takes some final strokes on the steel or ceramic.[/size]
[size 1]A hint. If you are touching up your knives somewhere you do not have a steel or ceramic rod, you can use other things to "de-burr" the edge and finish it off. I sometimes lay a piece of dry cardboard or heavy paper on a flat surface and do a few strokes on that. I have also used the shaft of a screwdriver or even a smooth unpainted metal surface on some other tool or fixture. Oh yeah, I have also used a heavy leather belt...like the old razor strops in the barber shops (anybody old enough to remember those?). Again, maintain smooth strokes at exactly the same angle...going back and forth from the smooth stone to the finishing surface until you have the edge you want.[/size]
[size 1]Now see whatcha did. Ya got me started again.[/size]
[signature]