Knife sharpener

MaxCast · « **on:** 17 Sep 2005, 08:41 pm »

Need a knife sharpener. All my kitchen knives are dull and I can't cut a tomato

Need a cheap one too. Are the electrics worth it?

rosconey · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Sep 2005, 08:46 pm »

never saw a electric worth a dam,maybe they are better now--go to a sporting goods store and get a wet stone

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 Sep 2005, 08:57 pm »

Quote

All my kitchen knives are dull and I can't cut a tomato ....

You need a "serrated" knife for that....or a good mandoline, works even better. As for a sharpener...you might try this...

low cost model....works well !!![/list:u]

Obie · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Sep 2005, 09:04 pm »

If the knives are truly dull, you need to have them ground by a professional. Most good kitchen stores offer this service for a buck or two a blade. Don't risk damaging decent knives with a home sharpener. Stones and steels keep the edge straight, but can't really be used to restore an edge.

PeteG · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Sep 2005, 09:34 pm »

A Spyderco Sharpmaker is hard to beat for the money, you can get a good edge
with the sharpmaker, and than maintain the edge with a ceramic rod, you can keep the rod in the kitchen.

If you prefer a Electric sharpener, Chef’s Choice is very good for sharpening kitchen knifes, but can get a little pricey.

ctviggen · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 Sep 2005, 09:44 pm »

I would get the knives sharpened professionally. You can use a sharpening stone yourself, but professional stones typically include 3 stones, with varying grades of roughness. Even my professional chef brother, who has his own set of sharpening stones, has his knives sharpened. On the other hand, I like a sharpener for simple tasks and crappy knives (and when you can't get to someone). I went to the kitchen to look at mine. The name? "Knife sharpener." That's it! Hah! I believe I purchased it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but might have purchased it at Kitchen, Etc.

Do you use a steel (for honing, not sharpening)? Also, tomatoes are notoriously hard to cut. Even my obscenely expensive, japanese ceramic knife (bought at 40 or 50% off when an online kitchen store was going out of business) won't cut them. On the other hand, my Forschner (sp?), $10 at the year-end clearance does pretty well, which I think is because the blade isn't as smooth as the ceramic. Even Alton Brown recommends using a serrated blade for tomatoes.

Khorn · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 Sep 2005, 09:48 pm »

I have both the Chef'sChoice 460 manual....very good and relatively inexpensive and the Chef'sChoice 'EdgeSelect' 120 Electric....fantastic, gives a super sharp edge.

I can highly recommend both although the 120 is well worth it if you want to spend the money.

hmen · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 Sep 2005, 11:56 pm »

Ever try the Popeil Pocket Knife Sharpener?

MaxCast · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Sep 2005, 01:22 am »

Thanks for all the replys guys. Ha! and my wife (who thinks we are a bunch of nerds) thought I wouldn't get any responses.

I have one of those cheap handle with stones in the form of a V. When new it put a nice edge on the knives. Cut a tomato very easy. Now I see a flat spot on the stones and I think I have dulled the knives by using it.

I will first check out a pro. Two bucks a blade seems worth it to get them right. I will then get one of the cheaper sharpeners to use until they need an overhaul again.

Thanks again!!!!!

Hogg · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Sep 2005, 07:40 pm »

I also have the Chef's Choice 'EdgeSelect' 120. However, I had it modified. The addition of Blackgate capacitors, HEXFREDs in the Power suply, silver wiring throughout and a silver fuse made the knives sharper and leading edges held longer.

Jim

Tweaker · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Sep 2005, 08:09 pm »

I would also suggest letting a pro sharpen kitchen knives. Used to be you could take your knives to the meat dept of any supermarket and they would do it for free. I think many still do.

jules · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Sep 2005, 12:28 am »

This rather depends on how serious you are about sharp knives.

There are two problems with taking your knives to a professional.

1. They often use equipment that takes too much metal off the edge of your knife and reduces the life you are going to get out of it and ....

2. Sharpening with a stone really needs to be done regularly. Professionally I give my knives a quick once over at the start of each day with a stone and maintain the edge during the day with a steel. At home you still need to do this about once a week to get the best out of your knives and this makes taking it to a pro sort of impractical.

I suggest you buy a conventional but high quality double sided oil-stone at least 10" long and make sure you can hold it firmly on your work surface in some way. The minimum for this can be something like a sheet of absorbent paper towel sitting on a couple of damp sponges. Sharpening a blade is a mixture of strength and finess. It can also be quite dangerous if your grip slips so technique is critical.

Longer knives are more easily sharpened with a good length stone [it's also less fiddly and they wear better].

You should also regualrly [every few minutes if you're into a serious task]use a steel that is close to the length of your knife. A good steel should have a fairly smooth finish. You get to be able to hear/feel [not sure which it is] the response of a sharp knife on a steel. A dull knife has a sort of ring to it where a sharp edge is gives a kind of dull, soft response.

Great knives with great steel, well sharpened are a joy to use but the same knives with an ordinary edge are no better then el cheapo stuff [or even ... aaaagh, serated edges]

jules

warnerwh · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Sep 2005, 12:58 am »

I've used Arkansas stones for decades and they work well. I don't have the time to go have them professionally sharpened. Once you get the hang of it you can do it yourself just fine. Also quality knives are worth the extra money. They may seem expensive but are a joy to use and hold their edges much longer than inexpensive ones. You only need to buy good knives once too. It's cheaper to spend the money the first time on good ones than buying cheap ones and then having to buy good ones anyway like I did.

Khorn · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Sep 2005, 01:24 am »

Quote from: Hogg

I also have the Chef's Choice 'EdgeSelect' 120. However, I had it modified. The addition of Blackgate capacitors, HEXFREDs in the Power suply, silver wiring throughout and a silver fuse made the knives sharper and leading edges held longer.

Jim

To derive maximum benefit from this machine, one must mount the unit on BDR cones. Also, it is imperative that during use you and the machine are exactly centered in a pyramid shaped space.

Oh yes, I almost forgot……Grace Slick must be singing ‘White Rabbit’ in the background if you desire the utmost sharpness.

DeadFish · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Sep 2005, 03:23 am »

Just thought to throw my 2 or 3 cents in.

Firstly, totally recommend Spyderco Sharpmaker, since I've owned and bragged on mine since they came out selling at homeshows, maybe 15 or 20 years ago. I had a Dad and Grandpa and I was a Boy Scout, but was never consistent with the results of using a flat stone. My bad.
The Sharpmaker is simple with a series of stroking motions to both sides (left/right) of edge on ceramic rods in a base. Spyderco also makes some diamond rods to fit the base if you have to get serious about getting some steel back to sharp. Never have to force it, just drawing motion down both sides of a V, 10 to 20 strokes. Simple enough for the likes of even 'me'.
My point being, once you have your knives sharp and conforming to the 30 or 40 degree edge the unit gives you from sheer repetition, it is easy to maintain all the knives you own on a regular basis in about 5 minutes time, every once in a while.
If you have serious 'ding's in your knives, maybe let a pro sharpen them, but like someone else said, even 'paper wheels' can take off more metal than needed. Also, sometimes hard to find someone that knows what they are doing.
More info on other ways to sharpen might be gleaned poking around at
www.bladeforums.com
This a place for people nuts about sharp things like we find ourselves about audio.
As I understand it, a 'steel' rod is merely to straighten the fine edge that cuts that rolls over with use. Not really to sharpen.
Ah, and agreed with poster suggesting serrated for tomatoes. You can get a super Forschner/ Victorinox 4inch or so serrated for under 10 dollars.
(Forschner makes some great bang-for-the-buck kitchen knives!) These are the people that bring you the Swiss Army Knife.
There ya go, I guess that is it. Been working in a knife shop for 9 months, but carried a pocketknife forever and that is what I've gleaned.
...Well, that and warn your family when you have sharpened the knives....

Regards,
DeadFish

MaxCast · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Sep 2005, 10:30 am »

Thanks for the Tweek tips.

Lots of good points and suggestions ....now, get-r-done.