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  #31  
Old 01-17-2018, 08:40 PM
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Default Which Knife?

Steels do not “sharpen” a knife. What they do is maintain a knife by straightening out the bent over edge of the knife. If it’s folded over completely, the steel won’t work and it’ll need to be sharpened. When you use a steel, apply pressure and pretend you’re trying to shave off a thin slice of the steel. I can keep a knife very sharp using a steel alone.

Last edited by Cohibaman; 01-17-2018 at 08:44 PM.
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  #32  
Old 01-17-2018, 08:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cohibaman View Post
Steels do not “sharpen” a knife. What they do is maintain a knife by straightening out the bent over edge of the knife. If it’s folded over completely, the steel won’t work and it’ll need to be sharpened. When you use a steel, apply pressure and pretend you’re trying to shave off a thin slice of the steel. I can keep a knife very sharp using a steel alone.
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Originally Posted by mtroo View Post
I have always understood steels to be more for maintaining an edge and not really sharpening, per se.

Yeah, I know that, but as long as the knife is sharper when I'm done than when I started, it has been sharpened.
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  #33  
Old 01-17-2018, 08:47 PM
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I have several brands. My favorite is Henckels.
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  #34  
Old 01-17-2018, 08:49 PM
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Miyabi Birchwood. Period.

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  #35  
Old 01-17-2018, 09:31 PM
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I love knives. My wife gives me a hard time, but there is something nice, in an almost primitive way, about the aesthetic of holding a perfectly matched and balanced blade in your hand. Knives can be very personal. Wustof Classic and Shun are my favorite kitchen knives to date. You can get the Shun steel crazy sharp. The santoku version with the dimples in the blade was a game changer for me. The dimples really help keep veggies (potatoes, onions, etc.) from sticking to the side of the blade, and Wustof’s santoku has enough curve on the belly for a rocking cut motion, it is flat enough to not leave uncut pieces of food sticking to each other. I find a 5 inch santoku blade, paired with a good paring knife, works well as a multi-purpose kitchen blade/combo for me, but it’s a preference thing. Some people like a 10 inch blade. Chef style blades are classic for a reason. Some people like to be able to work knowing where the side of the blade is, using their knuckles to guide. Get what feels good to you. You’ll be less likely to have a mishap if you are comfortable with it.

I like a 2 1/2 to 3 inch blades to field dress and skin whitetail, with specific shapes and jimping to secure my index finger or thumb at times on the top of the blade. But you’ll see some guys at camp prefer 6 inch Bowie’s style knives, and they do just fine. A lot of it is personal preference. Just like audio, it’s fun to play around with the feel of different knives. You will know you have the correct blade for you when it feels like an extension of your hand.

I’ve tried a lot of different ways of sharpening, but have found that hand sharpening on a set of diamond stones works best for me. I use a steel to touch up the edge during general use. It has always worked well for that purpose for me, but is limited in “sharpening.” My grandfather was a butcher before turning to farming, and I have fond memories of him working his carbon steel butcher knife on his well-worn steel. My father also. When I was a kid it just seemed magically dangerous, in some way. I was drawn to it from the allure of a boy looking up to his father and grandfather.
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Last edited by Shrinky Smurf; 01-17-2018 at 09:33 PM. Reason: Typo
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  #36  
Old 01-18-2018, 04:31 PM
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I have Japanese steel but my workhorse go-to knives are Victorinox Fibrox 8” Chefs knife. I have two of them. Like their balance and grip. They seem to hold an edge for a long time.
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  #37  
Old 01-19-2018, 04:06 PM
David S. David S. is offline
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Cool discussion!

Must say, my go-to knives are mostly Henckel's 4 star & 5 star. Sometimes like my carbon steel Sabatier slicer. Don't currently own, but have used & admire the Shun offerings.

For my needs? I can do most everything from breaking down a 1/2 side of beef to chiffonading basil with the following knives: Henckel's 4 or 5 star 10 or 12" chef's knife. Henckel's 4 star 4" pairing knife, Henckel's 4 star bread knife, and a decent set of poultry shears.

Beyond that? A decent cleaver & a nice santoku are just gravy.
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  #38  
Old 01-20-2018, 02:08 PM
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Shun, LamsonSharp, and Glestain in my kitchen...
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  #39  
Old 01-20-2018, 02:24 PM
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Last year, my wife and I were in Tokyo visiting our oldest son. We went to a small knife shop in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. The shop was established in 1842 and the current proprietor of the shop is the 11th Machiya Kan-emon of the Machikan knife shop. These knives are hand made on site. The artisan gets the blade unbelievably sharp. This is by far my favorite knife, but not necessarily my most expensive knife. Part of it is sentimental I suppose, but part of it is undeniable workmanship. It is a thing of beauty.

I have 2 Bob Kramer knives when he collaborated with Shun. These are a 6 and 8 inch chef knives. Quite nice, Damascus steel. But just not the same as the Machikan knife.

The one I use most is a Chinese vegetable cleaver. Unbelievably useful in the kitchen. Smash garlic, tenderize meat (don’t cleave meat/bones with it), use it as a scoop. Scary sharp. If you have not used a Chinese veggie cleaver, you really ought to at least explore them. A different concept than a western chef knife, but very useful.
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  #40  
Old 01-24-2018, 07:32 PM
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Just used the new Global Santoku and it is wonderful. What a pleasure to use. Definitely like the 1-piece construction. So much so I ordered their 3" paring knife.
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