I Need help with sharpening :o(

[MartiniDave]

I can remember as a youngster, walking round the village where I grew up with my dad, I was probably about 8 years old. He pointed out to me several window ledges that had a dished surface worn in them where the old fen boys had used them to sharpen their various knives. There were also similarly worn paving stones where labourers had put an edge on their shovels.

Sadly most of these are now gone, but it just goes to show you don't HAVE to have any specific type of stone or system, just use what works for you.

I use many types of sharpening device, Hoodoo hones, DMT "stones", bits of slate and I've even got my grandfathers razor stone.

Getting good results is more technique and practice than equipment. Don't give up too easily.

Dave

 

[Kath]

I can remember as a youngster, walking round the village where I grew up with my dad, I was probably about 8 years old. He pointed out to me several window ledges that had a dished surface worn in them where the old fen boys had used them to sharpen their various knives. There were also similarly worn paving stones where labourers had put an edge on their shovels.

Sadly most of these are now gone, but it just goes to show you don't HAVE to have any specific type of stone or system, just use what works for you.

I use many types of sharpening device, Hoodoo hones, DMT "stones", bits of slate and I've even got my grandfathers razor stone.

Getting good results is more technique and practice than equipment. Don't give up too easily.

Dave

Absolutely!

To add my 2cents ... I think it's because knives are so 'fancy' these days. Who'd want to sharpen something they've paid so much for (and hold in such reverence) on a paving slab or a windowsill? Knives used to be passed down to kids from parents and grandparents, they were made to last and they were made to be used.


(I'll be hiding from Adi007 for the rest of the day after saying this of course! )

 

[Adi007]

Sharpening modern steels in a traditional way is harder ... Older carbon steels were much easier to sharpen than, say, VG-10. I remember my grandfather being able to get a razor edge on a pocket knife using nothing more than a milk bottle!

Also add to this the fact that we are now sold stainless blades - they are nice and shiny when we get them and we want to keep em that way!

Personally, I think that the sooner you get a scratch on the blade, a few spots of rust and get the handle dirty, the sooner you'll get on and use it ... after all, they are just tools!

 

[Keith_Beef]

I can remember as a youngster, walking round the village where I grew up with my dad, I was probably about 8 years old. He pointed out to me several window ledges that had a dished surface worn in them where the old fen boys had used them to sharpen their various knives. There were also similarly worn paving stones where labourers had put an edge on their shovels.

Sadly most of these are now gone, but it just goes to show you don't HAVE to have any specific type of stone or system, just use what works for you.

I use many types of sharpening device, Hoodoo hones, DMT "stones", bits of slate and I've even got my grandfathers razor stone.

Getting good results is more technique and practice than equipment. Don't give up too easily.

Dave

In my bit of Sheffield, all the houses have two or three steps leading up to the back (kitchen) door. The steps, especially the top step, is always rounded. As a kid, I was told that the stone had been worn away from a combination of sharpening the kitchen knives, and from cleaning the step with a "donkey stone".

I've also read a connected story about why stainless knives got a reputation for bluntness. It seems that when all kitchen knives were plain carbon, the women used to rub the flats againts the back step to polis off any rust spots. Without setting out to do so, they were sharpening at the same time. So the women thought that carbon steel knives needed no sharpening. Along came "Firth Rust-Free" and the like, and there was no need to polish on the back step... and so the knives were no longer getting an accidental sharpening session every friday. So all the stainless knives blunted quickly.


Keith.