keith157 wrote:The first question is have you used a steel before? If so great then you know it isn't for basic sharpening just frequent touching up. If not be careful it's not as easy as it looks. As Toby says I have recently bought the IO Shen KE198, which once I'd got the hang of it is fantastic. I don't use a steel these days, one pass on each side of the polishing wheel/fine stone does the trick. I know that Ed (Bunch of Swine) has the larger model and swears by it.
The "fashion" is for ceramic and diamond steels but a good old fashioned (try and get an old carbob steel one if you can 2nd hand) steel one will work well. I have a Victorian steel which I got for a couple of pounds from a charity shop and it's the bees knees and was used evrytime up to buying the electric sharpener. It still gets used with my carving set as a bit of theatre.
How do you currently sharpen/grind your knives at the moment? I'm told that On The Edge Knife Sharpening will be at Tongham and if you can wait they are the people to talk to. Both Steve and Eddie had knives sharpened at Brands Hatch and are more than satisfied.
Yup, used a steel for many years and had a good teacher in my dear old Dad who somehow knew what he was doing (as with many things but at the time I knew better - until I aged a little). I gained a couple of his steels when he passed away, I think he got them from Noah when the Ark was finished. They have served me well for several years but are in the UK and I am not! The knife situation here is currently poor to embarrassing (serrated - arrrgh) so no sharpening is being done but am about to order a couple of new toys ( I've been good and deserve a reward ) that should improve the situation a little.
Thanks to all for the info.
Posted: 09 Jun 2013, 01:15