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[Space Chick]

I do a lot of cooking, but have never got on with using a steel to sharpen my knives, so now my very expensive knife set is blunt

 

I have decided the time has come to invest in a good electric knife sharpener, and thought I'd ask the collective genius of Omlet to give me recommendations (or indeed ones to avoid )

 

Thanks

[Reikiranf]

I haven't got an electric sharpener but I have the chantry knife sharpener and I think it's fab I got mine from QVC years ago and have just replaced the sharpening mechanism for £7.99, which I thought was a bargain.

 

You can now buy them in Lakeland for £27.99, the sharpening mechanism is v shaped and you just saw the knife backwards and forwards about 10 times, the reviews on the lakeland website don't rate it much But I love mine and I don't have cheap knives and haven't needed to buy any new ones since having the Chantry sharpener.

[Goosey Lucy]

I have a Chantry sharpener too, I treated myself to one from John Lewis a couple of years ago, it's saved me buying new knives so I feel it is well worth the expense. Be warned though, it will make your knives very sharp, OH was silly on Sunday and sliced into his thumb while slicing the Sunday joint

[majorbloodnock]

If you don't mind my asking, how didn't you get on with a sharpening steel? Was it a problem with technique? Personally, I do use a sharpening steel, but changed from a traditional steel to a diamond steel. All the kitchen knives I use regularly are sharp enough to shave off the hair on my forearm, and I've not yet found another sharpening gadget to rival a steel in getting my knives that sharp.

 

Would you be willing to give a steel another try, or have you your heart set on an electric alternative?

[chick wiggle]

I also have very expensive knives and use a sharpning steel all the time, practically every time i use them and my knives are, well i couldnt put it better than MBN, why not a steel Debs?

Im sorry i cant help with other sharpners

[Space Chick]

If you don't mind my asking, how didn't you get on with a sharpening steel? Was it a problem with technique?

Would you be willing to give a steel another try, or have you your heart set on an electric alternative?

 

Without a doubt a problem with technique Even OH can't get to grips with it.

 

We currently have this steel........

 

http://www.procook.co.uk/shop/Knives/Blocks%2C-Sharpeners-%26-Accessories/ProCook-Elite-TPR-Sharpening-Steel/d35/sd219?code=2126

 

as it matches our knives, so I thought it was a good one

[chick wiggle]

Have a look here Debs, its a bit long winded but is very clear about the technique and in no time you will be doing it like Gordon Ramsey

http://www.videojug.com/film/sharpening-a-knife-with-a-steel

 

[Space Chick]

Oooohhhh Do I get to swear and shout at Phil to get out of my kitchen

[chick wiggle]

You mean you dont already

I use this technique and my knives are as sharp as the day i bought them, give it a go anyway before you spend a lot of money on another sharpener, Oh thats if you do already have a steel?

[majorbloodnock]

OK, then. Technique is something that can be pretty easily rectified.

 

First of all, forget the fancy "everything on the move" technique you often see in a butcher's; it's great if you know what you're doing, and it's a bit faster, but that's not important in the home. Secondly, remember that if you're finding it hard work, you're doing it wrong. Thirdly, the best way to approach knife sharpening is a little and often - fantastic if you can get into a habit of a few sharpening strokes just before each session with a knife.

 

Now, a quick bit of theory. A cross section of a knife blade is a bit like a triangle, with a fairly thick top (to give rigidity and strength to the blade), tapering down to a very acute angle for the cutting edge. However, if you kept that angle as acute as that, you'd have an extremely sharp knife for a few cuts, then it'd be so weak you'd lose the edge. Therefore, you have a secondary angle on either side of the cutting edge so that the sharp angle is still shallow enough to last a while. However, the effect is still two tapers, and resharpening is simply a matter of taking a minute amount of metal off each of the secondary angles to restore the sharp edge.

 

That's the theory, but in practice, many people don't pay sufficient attention to keeping a consistent angle between blade and sharpening steel, so the blade's cutting edge stops looking like a triangle and more resembles a bullet cross section.

 

What I've found is the most practical method for learning consistency is as follows:

 

1. Find a table or surface at about crotch level.
   
2. Hold your steel in one hand, and place the end of the steel on the table. This will naturally mean the steel is sloping downward at about 40 degrees or so, but the angle's not that important.
   
3. Place the blade of the knife on the steel, so the side of the blade a centimetre or two from the handle is flat against the steel, and the cutting edge is facing toward the table.
   
4. The bit of the blade nearest your hand is the spine. Tilt the blade a bit so the cutting edge is resting on the steel and the gap between the spine of the blade and the steel is about a thumb's width. The exact gap isn't that important, so long as you can repeat it.
   
5. Now, maintaining that angle between blade and steel, wipe the blade down the steel. The effect is almost as if you were trying to take a thin slice off the top of the steel with the knife, and if you imagine doing that, you're pretty much bound to get it right.
   
6. Now try to mirror the same action on the underside of the steel; keep the blade at a slight angle to the steel and slice an imaginary sliver from the underside of the steel.
   
7. You don't have to press hard. In fact, using the same pressure as if you were trying to carve slices of meat from a joint is about as much as you need. 5 - 10 slices on each side of the steel is quite enough to achieve what you need.

 

You may find the first few attempts don't make the knife feel all that much sharper, but that's probably because you're changing the profile of the knife back from "bullet" to "triangle". However, it shouldn't take long before you're finding your knives cut instead of tearing. At that point, you know you've cracked it.

 

P.S. There also seem to be some fairly good videos on youtube showing similar techniques.

[bluekarin]

Have a look here Debs, its a bit long winded but is very clear about the technique and in no time you will be doing it like Gordon Ramsey

http://www.videojug.com/film/sharpening-a-knife-with-a-steel

 

 

Thank you for posting - it's been most informative. I bought a knife sharpener thing which has two wheels; one rough and one smoother, but unfortunately the ceramic wheel came off. I've never been able to 'get' how to use a steel before, and I do try, but it never seems to get my knives sharp. I shall try out his method and see how I go.

[chick wiggle]

If you take your time to get the hang of it, speed follows pretty quickly, and my knives have never been sharper.

[..lay a little egg for me]

I used to have an electric knife sharpener but I could never be bothered to get it out of the drawer and plug it in, especially once I inherited one like the Chantry sharpener from my late Mum. The electric one also makes an horrendous noise. I gave it away after I hadn't touched it for about 5 years. So I wouldn't bother getting an electric one if I were you. If you can't get the hang of the steel, try the Chantry type which work well.

[The Dogmother]

I use a steel as well, and sometimes, I finish off with a quick pass over the carborundum stone (oiled) for a really lovely, smooth fiish

[Reikiranf]

I followed your link Space Chick & the Pro Cook V sharpener looks exactly the same as the Chantry one