Knives

We have an electric knife sharpener, it works very well. I remember my Dad sharpening the carving knife on the back doorstep.

I have a gadget that fixes to the work top by suction and then you draw knives or scissors through it to sharpen. It does work better on the non serrated knives though.

My dad used to sharpen the carving knife on the kitchen step too.

Always use a serrated knife for slicing tomatoes, they defeat most straight edge knives.

My husband uses the steel as well ExD he tells me to leave his best knives alone !
Don't put kitchen knives in the dishwasher either as this is supposed to blunt them.

I use a steel, that came with a carving knife and fork set, when we were married.
I suppose there is a knack to it, and I do enjoy getting a nice edge.
Many years ago, my good friend was bemoaning the bluntness of her knives, so I offered to run them by our steel.
She was delighted, and then used to pop round when something needed sharpening.
I have an electric can opener, with a knife sharpener built in, but have never used it, as I like the 'feel' of working with the steel.

My dad did too,so i do it on the wall.
Doesn`t have the same effect on UPVC.

I use a couple of small serrated knives I’ve had for ages for slicing and chopping veg or fruit - and I do an awful lot of slicing and chopping.
It’s difficult to find really good ones that don’t bend, though.
Mine were Prestige.
I take one with me if we ever stay away and I’m going to be doing any cooking - I can never get on with other peoples knives.

I use a steel too Auntieflo it’s very satisfying for some odd reason, DH never does it, as I cook and use the knives, it’s my job.

I have a carbon stone sharpener which works adequately but nowadays I much prefer serrated edge knives which save all that palaver.

My knives are sacred to me and very very sharp!
I use a steel..
Try watching a you tube video.
Pictured is my favourite knife, I love it.

I've a thing that is like two small crossed steels that you draw the knife through a few times. It works fine for me.

In the long ago days when I did catering training the first thing the chef tutors said was always use a large sharp knife for cutting everything. Blunt knives are dangerous and inefficient and small knives make every cutting job really slow and fiddly. I only use a (much loved and sharpened so it has very little blade left) small knife for peeling things* like quartered apples and onions...The 7" cooks knife does everything else.

And never cut on anything but a wooden or plastic chopping board. Those glass ones are death to sharp knives..

*+ potato peeler for veg, of course

Quality of these knives is amazing for the price...

Dh does them but so will the butcher!

I use a carborundum stone, I don't need to use the rough one as I do it fairly often but actually hold it like a steel. I find it quite easy that way. My husband uses a suction gadget.

Here's how to use a carborundum like a knife pro:
youtu.be/lBXRkMZfIXk

I have a couple of Kitchen devil knives which are my favourites.

I have had the same block of Kitchen Devil knives for many years and they are as sharp as ever. They are in daily use and never need to be sharpened.

Twenty-three years ago in Edinburgh there lived and worked a man who came round sharpening knives. He pushed a barrow that held his sharpening tool. He was also an expert caligrapher.

DH regularly uses a steel to sharpen ours and every now and again a stone block. this takes away any minute burrs that the steel may leave over time. He says the angle at which the knife blade is to the steel should be 45 degrees. Don't know if this is correct or not but it works for us.

Yes, Sunday before carving the roast Dad would sharpen the knife on the back step. The step was worn away in the centre!

For about 50 years I had a very basic Prestige brand plastic one that fixed on the wall. I just ran the knife down between two wheels. Whnever we moved house it came with me, but a year or two ago the plastic cracked and broke and it fell off the wall.

I now have an electric sharpener, but it is not as good.

Spice101 My father told me 19⁰ is correct for knife sharpening. He did have a friend who was a chef but I don't know where the info came from. I was taught to think of 45⁰ and imagine it just under half.

I use a carborundum usually but 19⁰ seems about right to me. The video above talks about a thin slice of butter I think (if I remember correctly) - I think this would be a lot less than 45⁰ (though I DO love butter!) - probably a narrower angle than 19⁰ to be honest.

Maybe there is an actual chef on Gransnet who knows what is taught now?

I am still using my father's knives.

I have finally mastered using a conventional knife sharpening steel, and agree that the angle is key. That said, I only know this angle by eye, so can offer no help whatsover really, beyond 'keep trying'!

I tried lots of of sharpeners over the years, but none of the gadgety ones ever worked well for me

I've never sharpened knives. ?