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Blunt knives

(17 Posts)
ExDancer Sat 10-May-25 10:50:10

Give me a new super-sharp knife and I'll ruin it in days. I tried expensive Japanese ones to supermarket cheepies and they never keep an edge.
I've also tried sharpeners, starting with a steel through to little round things that stick to the worktop by suction - I just wreck them all.
Can anyone recommend a good make - or suggest what I'm doing wrong.
I've been married 60 years to have had plenty of time to try to get it right.

Scribbles Sat 10-May-25 11:04:55

Unless you have a butcher friend who can teach you how to use a whetstone properly, get one of these!
www.argos.co.uk/product/1340068?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=13957843-a1cd-47c3-8258-02fb3fc3a085&istItemId=pqawprtix&istBid=t&&cmpid=BPLA01&utm_custom1=1189672134563408&utm_custom2=F112TTTL&msclkid=ec0ebab0f9521df47c77d2afda8e8d2b&gclsrc=3p.ds&gad_source=7

It saves hours of work and the lives of your knives.

kittylester Sat 10-May-25 11:25:11

We recently replaced all our knives with Lakeland ones which came out well in a survey I saw.

We (well DH) have sharpened them once in the lastc18 months.

We never put them in the dishwasher and always dry them thoroughly after washing.

I also have a couple of very old Sabatier and a bread knife called the World's Sharpest Knife bought from an Ideal Home type thing 55 years ago which has never needed sharpening.

My Dad used to sharpen their knives on the back step.

Sago Sat 10-May-25 14:55:33

In our holiday let we have a Fabre self sharpening knife block.
Guests have commented on how sharp the knives are.

Lizzies Sat 10-May-25 15:03:12

Sago

In our holiday let we have a Fabre self sharpening knife block.
Guests have commented on how sharp the knives are.

I have never been to a holiday let where you couldn’t ride bareback to London on the knives. Well done you!

kittylester Sat 10-May-25 17:27:38

I was going to add that a knife block is better than sticking them all in a drawer together.

CanadianGran Sat 10-May-25 20:52:35

Lizzies, I have never heard that saying! Is is specifically about knives, or would you use it in another manner?

Greyduster Sat 10-May-25 21:38:20

I’ve had a Taylor’s Eye Witness Chantry knife sharpener for years and it’s never let me down. Made here in Sheffield, where they know a thing or two about knives.

Elowen33 Sat 10-May-25 22:39:23

What sort of cutting board do you have? Glass and ceramic will blunt a knife.

Lizzies Mon 12-May-25 15:53:10

CanadianGran

Lizzies, I have never heard that saying! Is is specifically about knives, or would you use it in another manner?

It’s what my gran used to say when the carving knife was blunt. She was from the North York moors area.

JaneJudge Mon 12-May-25 16:02:26

It’s a bloody good saying 😅

I can’t help as I only have blunt knifes. Give me a sharp one and it’s a guarded trip to A&E

JaneJudge Mon 12-May-25 16:02:55

Guaranteed trip, not a guarded one. I’m not the Queen

Beechnut Mon 12-May-25 16:44:00

Lizzies

CanadianGran

Lizzies, I have never heard that saying! Is is specifically about knives, or would you use it in another manner?

It’s what my gran used to say when the carving knife was blunt. She was from the North York moors area.

My father in law used to say that about knives Lizzies. His father was a Yorkshire man.

foxie48 Mon 12-May-25 18:09:59

OH sharpens mine on a steel but my favourite little knife was inherited from MIL, it's probably over 80 years old, tends to get rusty if not used daily but is just a dream to use. I agree with avoiding ceramic or glass, sharp knives are safer IMO as I don't use pressure to cut so less likely to slip.

M0nica Mon 12-May-25 19:44:14

CanadianGran

Lizzies, I have never heard that saying! Is is specifically about knives, or would you use it in another manner?

In my family, courtesy of my Mil the phrase was:
'ride bare-arsed round the moon' used only to describe knives

She came from North Bucks.

Witzend Tue 13-May-25 11:37:03

I do masses of chopping up of vegetables with a couple of ancient Prestige serrated knives, about 6 inch blades, that I’ve had for donkeys’ years. I’d be lost without them!

Magenta8 Fri 16-May-25 16:10:05

I use the rough, unglazed bottom* of an earthenware bowl to sharpen mine. It seems to work.

*better than "riding bare-arsed round the moon" grin