keeping sharp knives sharp

Hi,
     As I have mentioned before, "how do I keep my knife sharp? is one of the most common questions that I get. The answer is easy but most folks won't do it.

     In fact, the majority of people don't get their knives sharpened at all, I have had people tell me that they just don't care if they are dull. Since you are reading this, you have an interest in sharpening so I will explain, what in my opinion is the best way to maintain your edge.

     

Steel and Ceramic Hones (NOT the best but very good)

    Through the years, cooks, butchers and homemakers have used a Steel to maintain their knives. I believe that the steel in knives was different 40 years ago so a skilled butcher did have the ability to maintain and edge with an old worn out steel Steel.  These tools are still in use of course and most older chefs will tell you that it's all they need. "Been using this steel for years, why fix something if it isn't broken"


   I am not saying that these Steels don't work, when used properly, I am saying that there is a better way to keep the edge up, better than a ceramic hone. This is particularly true of hard knives, 58+.
If you took a Fujiwara for example and ran a steel over the edge, a metal Steel, there is a very strong possibility that the metal that is fatigued and has moved from the centre of the knife would break off instead of being re-aligned.  The metal is too hard, it wont' flex.

Fujiwara and 400 grit Naniwa Chosera

     If you think of the metal that has become fatigued, the metal making the knife dull as metal being pushed back and forth by a Steel, it is just becoming more fatigued. It is being pushed back into place, if done properly by the steel but it is still weak. You are not strengthening the steel in the knife by doing this, you are at the very best, moving tired metal back into place where it will be subjected to the force of every day use again and in a short amount of time will just bend over again.


 

Takeda 

   Instead of moving fatigued metal around, why not just remove it and we can do this with a whetstone, a finishing stone. Something 4,000 grit and above. It is easy to do and is just a matter of applying trailing strokes, using light pressure to remove the metal that has done it's job. Take it away and expose the fresh steel underneath. You do this at the same angle as the knife is sharpened at or a little higher, not lower.

  I think a leather strop is even better than a Steel. The other benefit of using a whetstone to maintain the knife is that it promotes muscle memory. To me, it just makes sense to remove fatigued metal using the same products I used to sharpen a knife.

Leather strops

   The problem in a professional kitchen is that this approach takes time. It is much faster just to pull out a steel rod and use that than to stop what is being done, go over to the water stone and use it. It is too bad people just wouldn't get together and buy one 5,000 grit stone, even a 2,000 grit stone is okay, better than any other hone.


   Just my thoughts, please contact me if you have any questions or criticism about it, I am always open to discussions on sharpening.


My email


  Having said this, if you are doing something to maintain your knives, good for you, most people don't so you have that going for you, kudos to  you.
Peter