Help with sharpening with rod

It's called a Steel-a Sharpening Steel. Try ameritech.netindex.htmOpen ↗ you
probably need something more than just a Steel-they are somewhat old fashioned.

Pete said:

I have some Henckels knives and a sharpening rod.

Are there any suggestions or websites to help me sharpen these?

I cook a lot, and use the sharpening rod.. but the knives are not getting any sharper.

"Pete" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have some Henckels knives and a sharpening rod.

It's more properly called a "steel."

Quoted message said:

Are there any suggestions or websites to help me sharpen these? I cook a lot, and use the
sharpening rod.. but the knives are not getting any sharper.

The steel helps keep the existing edge true, rather than actually sharpening. It could be that your
knives are simply read to have a new edge put on, either professionally or by you, using a
sharpening stone.

Jerry Avins posted this link to alt.cooking chat recently -- it's very informative:
gpvec.unl.eduSharp1.htmOpen ↗

If you decide you want to invest in a sharpening system above and beyond a sharpening stone, this
one is interesting, if expensive: business.gorge.netedgeproOpen ↗

-j

Pete said:

I have some Henckels knives and a sharpening rod.

Are there any suggestions or websites to help me sharpen these?

I cook a lot, and use the sharpening rod.. but the knives are not getting any sharper.

That's because, despite the name, it's *not* for sharpening: it's for *honing*. The blade, with use,
goes out of true and the honing steel will help you right the blade. But, as the blade *dulls*, no
amount of honing will help that. You need to have a blade smith come and sharpen the blade for you.

--
Darryl L. Pierce <[email hidden]> Visit the Infobahn Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce>
"What do you care what other people think, Mr. Feynman?" "Die for oil
suckers....suckers....suckers...." - Jello Biafra

A steel will only remove some of the bad edge, you need a stone to sharpen them before you use
the steel.

--
Helen

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object
of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him

<>< ><> www.peagramfamily.com mompeagram.homestead.commompeagram.homestead.comOpen ↗

mompeagram.homestead.comMY WEIGHT WATCHERS.htmlOpen ↗

mompeagram.homestead.comRECIPES.htmlOpen ↗

225/188.4/145

"Pete" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have some Henckels knives and a sharpening rod.

Are there any suggestions or websites to help me sharpen these?

I cook a lot, and use the sharpening rod.. but the knives are not getting any sharper.

Pete said:

I have some Henckels knives and a sharpening rod.

Are there any suggestions or websites to help me sharpen these?

I cook a lot, and use the sharpening rod.. but the knives are not getting any sharper.

Perhaps you aren't tilting the knife enough. You have to feel the edge contact the rod, just barely.
What the rod does is burnish the edge back straight where it has bent over.

It also wears away the edge so after many years you may find a concavity in the edge. In that case
grinding is necessary.

Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

Entering your freshman dorm for the first time, and seeing an axe head come through the door on
your right.

Quoted message said:

"Herr Darryl Achtung Pierce" oinks:

Pete said:

Quoted message said:

I have some Henckels knives and a sharpening rod.

That's because, despite the name, it's *not* for sharpening: it's for *honing*.

Wrong. Knife steels *burnish*, they do not hone. Hones are abrasive and remove material, typically
employed for finishing/sizing cylinder IDs. For finer finishing of more or less flat surfaces a
*strop* is employed, but that too removes material with an abrasive, usually "rottenstone".

There do indeed exist "sharpening rods" of many styles (and if that's what the OP says he has then
that's what he's got - don't put your ignorant verbiage in people's mouths, you dumb Krautish lout
[censored]), usually constructed of ceramic, or a diamond dust impregnated substrate.

Search: <sharpening rods>

Global Ceramic Sharpening Rods - Global Ceramic Sharpening Rods. ... $29.95, add. 10-in. Ceramic
Sharpening Rod by Global #G-25 IN STOCK! $84.95, add. Displaying Items 1 - 2 of 2, ...
cutleryandmore.comprodlist.aspOpen ↗

Kyocera Ceramic Sharpening Rods - ... Return Policy, BizRate Customer Certified (GOLD) Site. Kyocera
Ceramic Sharpening Rods. 6-in. Ceramic Sharpening Rod by Kyocera Item No. CSW-12 IN STOCK! ...
cutleryandmore.comcat.aspOpen ↗ www.cutleryandmore.com]

Ceramic Sharpening Rods -click image to enlarge - Knife Sharpeners ... - Knife Sharpener - Arkansas
Sharpening Stone! Bench stones, tri-stone, also ceramic rods and leather strops. ... Ceramic
Sharpening Rods -click image to enlarge. ... knifeart.comcerspeedrod.htmlOpen ↗

Smith's® Ceramic Sharpening Rods (Css9) - Big Ez Shoppe. Smith's® Ceramic Sharpening Rods (Css9).
Smith's&reg; Ceramic Sharpening Rods (Css9) Smith's® Ceramic Sharpening Rods (Css9) SMITH ABRASIVES.
... bigezshoppe.comac 0950.htmlOpen ↗

A Cook's Wares - www.cookswares.com - ... Diamond Machining Technology Diamond Vee Sharpening Rods.
... We have found that the best way to keep knives sharp is to use sharpening rods. ...
cookswares.comindividual.aspOpen ↗

<snipped>
---

---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =--- ---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =--- Sheldon
```````````` "Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

On 1/27/2004 11:35 PM Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these
great (and sometimes not so great) words of knowledge:

The "steel" is used for honing the blade, just touching up the edge and/or removing any burr that
may develop - not for sharpening.

Depending on how much use the knives have had they may need sharpening. MOST local butcher shops
will sharpen you knives for free.

Personally, I don't know if I would trust my Wusthof knives to a butcher shop, however, there are
many good knife sharpening people out there.

If you want to do it yourself, I can highly recommend the "Chef's Choice" brand (about $100). I have
a 320 (220 ?) and love it. I have only used the #1 wheel on one knife (It would barely cut melted
butter {:-} ). I usually use the #3 wheel and the knives are literally sharp enough to shave with.

On a personal note - after I sharpen the knives I HAVE TO POST SIGNS all over the kitchen so the
wife doesn't cut herself (I sharpen her knives once a month and she has STRICT ORDERS NOT TO TOUCH
THE WUSTHOF KNIVES [my knives]). One trip to the emergency room was enough (14 stitches and she
didn't know she had cut herself until she looked and saw all the blood).

Quoted message said:

It's called a Steel-a Sharpening Steel. Try ameritech.netindex.htmOpen ↗ you
probably need something more than just a Steel-they are somewhat old fashioned.

Pete said:

I have some Henckels knives and a sharpening rod.

Are there any suggestions or websites to help me sharpen these?

I cook a lot, and use the sharpening rod.. but the knives are not getting any sharper.

Any suggestions on where to get a stone?

Are there rating by how coarse they are?

My knives are a year old, used a lot and never sharpened.

"THEMOM1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

A steel will only remove some of the bad edge, you need a stone to sharpen them before you use
the steel.

--
Helen

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the
object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him

<>< ><> www.peagramfamily.com mompeagram.homestead.commompeagram.homestead.comOpen ↗

mompeagram.homestead.comMY WEIGHT WATCHERS.htmlOpen ↗

mompeagram.homestead.comRECIPES.htmlOpen ↗

225/188.4/145

"Pete" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have some Henckels knives and a sharpening rod.

Are there any suggestions or websites to help me sharpen these?

I cook a lot, and use the sharpening rod.. but the knives are not getting any sharper.

Is it even a good idea to use the "steel" ?

More harm then good???

Rodney Myrvaagnes <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Pete said:

I have some Henckels knives and a sharpening rod.

Are there any suggestions or websites to help me sharpen these?

I cook a lot, and use the sharpening rod.. but the knives are not getting any sharper.

Perhaps you aren't tilting the knife enough. You have to feel the edge contact the rod, just
barely. What the rod does is burnish the edge back straight where it has bent over.

It also wears away the edge so after many years you may find a concavity in the edge. In that case
grinding is necessary.

Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

Entering your freshman dorm for the first time, and seeing an axe head come through the door on
your right.

PENMART01 said:

Quoted message said:

"Herr Darryl Achtung Pierce" oinks:

Pete said:

Quoted message said:

I have some Henckels knives and a sharpening rod.

That's because, despite the name, it's *not* for sharpening: it's for *honing*.

Wrong. Knife steels *burnish*, they do not hone. Hones are abrasive and remove material,

Which a steel has and does, though it really pushes metal back into place more than it does
remove material.

Quoted message said:

typically employed for finishing/sizing cylinder IDs. For finer finishing of more or less flat
surfaces a *strop* is employed, but that too removes material with an abrasive, usually
"rottenstone".

There do indeed exist "sharpening rods" of many styles (and if that's what the OP says he has then
that's what he's got - don't put your ignorant verbiage in people's mouths, you dumb Krautish lout
[censored]),

Krautish? WTF are you babbling about now?

<snip>

--
Darryl L. Pierce <[email hidden]> Visit the Infobahn Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce>
"What do you care what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"

Pete said:

Is it even a good idea to use the "steel" ?

More harm then good???

No harm in them, no, as long as you understand what they are and aren't doing. As long as you don't
expect the blade to be sharper when done, then they're doing no harm.

--
Darryl L. Pierce <[email hidden]> Visit the Infobahn Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce>
"What do you care what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"

(Pete) said:

Is it even a good idea to use the "steel" ?

More harm then good???

You should use the steel every day. If you keep the edge good with the steel you can go years
without having to use an abrasive on it.

When the edge goes, you have to use a stone, which makes the knife a little smaller.
Eventually, no knife.

Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the simple unconscious expedient of
discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

"Pete" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions on where to get a stone?

THe cheapest good ones are from woodworking stores. Have a look around the net for woodworking sites
in your country.

Quoted message said:

Are there rating by how coarse they are?

Yes. The best I have found are Japanese water stones. They are sold in various grits/sizes. A
standard sized combination stone will be about two inches wide and a grit of 1000 one side 6000
the other side will give you a razor edge once you learn how to use it.. <not an exageration. I
can shave with some of my knives> These stones just need to be soaked in water for about half an
hour, then put on the worktop on a folded towel to stop it moving. They can be a bit messy, so use
an old towel.

Because you use water, and the grit that wears off is just a ceramic man made material, there is no
danger of it contaminating your food like oil could do if it works its way into the handle of your
knife. Just rinse it after sharpening. After use, always wash all the grit and metal powder that was
created in the sharpening process off the stone with cold running water. Let it dry out for a day or
two. Otherwise you will get a mouldy stone.

Then you use your steel to maintain the edge untill it gets blunt again.

Quoted message said:

My knives are a year old, used a lot and never sharpened.

Then you may need to set aside quite a lot of time to sharpen, and don't let them get in such a
state again. Look around on the net for websites with articles on sharpening. Once you get the
knives in good shape, it will only take minutes to bring them from a little dull to perfectly sharp.

silverkitchen.comknife sharpening.htmlOpen ↗ Has some good articles. Read a few
and go with the method that feels right for you.

John

In (Pete) said:

Any suggestions on where to get a stone?

I use this kit (no affiliation) with all of my kitchen, utility, and tactical knives:

razoredgesystems.comproduct info.phpOpen ↗

The manufacturer recommends that you don't use oil or water, but use the hones dry instead. I was
skeptical at first (having always used honing oil), but my Wusthof and Benchmade knives were sharp
enough to shave with after using the kit as directed.

Regards,
Greg
--
\|/ ___ \|/ [email hidden] +----- 2048/83C90191 -----+ @~./'O o`\.~@ | 0B 65 E0 58 F3 F9 81 F5
| /__( \___/ )__\ Crypto, Security, and Phrack: | F0 72 75 FA 1E BD C9 66 | `\__`U_/'
pobox.com~thevisionOpen ↗ +-------- via WWW --------+

On 01/28/2004 11:27 PM, in article [email hidden], "John
Bailey" <[email hidden]> opined:

Quoted message said:

"Pete" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions on where to get a stone?

THe cheapest good ones are from woodworking stores. Have a look around the net for woodworking
sites in your country.

Quoted message said:

Are there rating by how coarse they are?

Yes. The best I have found are Japanese water stones. They are sold in various grits/sizes. A
standard sized combination stone will be about two inches wide and a grit of 1000 one side 6000
the other side will give you a razor edge once you learn how to use it.. <not an exageration. I
can shave with some of my knives> These stones just need to be soaked in water for about half an
hour, then put on the worktop on a folded towel to stop it moving. They can be a bit messy, so use
an old towel.

Because you use water, and the grit that wears off is just a ceramic man made material, there is
no danger of it contaminating your food like oil could do if it works its way into the handle of
your knife. Just rinse it after sharpening. After use, always wash all the grit and metal powder
that was created in the sharpening process off the stone with cold running water. Let it dry out
for a day or two. Otherwise you will get a mouldy stone.

Most of your info was relevant and true except the above.

Japanese waterstones have to be saturated with water to work properly, so they always need to be
stored in water.

Get a Tupperware container big enough to store your stone and keep it submerged. If you are
concerned about mould put one capful of Clorox bleach in the Tupperware.

And Japanese waterstones must be constantly flattened because they are so soft. If you want to know
how to do that, let us know.

Quoted message said:

Then you use your steel to maintain the edge untill it gets blunt again.

Quoted message said:

My knives are a year old, used a lot and never sharpened.

Then you may need to set aside quite a lot of time to sharpen, and don't let them get in such
a state again. Look around on the net for websites with articles on sharpening. Once you get
the knives in good shape, it will only take minutes to bring them from a little dull to
perfectly sharp.

silverkitchen.comknife sharpening.htmlOpen ↗ Has some good articles. Read a few
and go with the method that feels right for you.

John

Quoted message said:

Most of your info was relevant and true except the above.

Japanese waterstones have to be saturated with water to work properly, so they always need to be
stored in water.

For someone needing to sharpen every day such as a woodworker who needs to sharpen chisels and plane
irons several times a day while working on a project or a professional kitchen where the knives
would get blunt very quickly then storing them in water is essential. Nobody wants to stop work
while waiting for the stones to drink up all the water they need. But for someone who is using the
stone to sharpen perhaps three or four kitchen knives every other month, it may be more convinent to
store the stone in a drawer and only take it out and soak it when the knives need sharpening.

Such light use sharpening knives should not need a dead flat stone. Unlike woodworking tools, where
a non flat stone is worse than useless, the curved edge of a knife doesn't require such an exact
surface to get good results. A second coarser stone should be fine for many years of light use. Just
rub the two together for a few minutes to wear off the high spots. although special truing stones
are available which will do this faster.

I could very well be using my sharpening stones to a fraction of their potential over the years. But
I have found soaking them untill they can hold no more water, and then letting them dry out again
after use to be more convinent, and I still get very good results. Others may have different
preferences.

John

On 01/29/2004 9:53 AM, in article [email hidden], "John
Bailey" <[email hidden]> opined:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Most of your info was relevant and true except the above.

Japanese waterstones have to be saturated with water to work properly, so they always need to be
stored in water.

For someone needing to sharpen every day such as a woodworker who needs to sharpen chisels and
plane irons several times a day while working on a project or a professional kitchen where the
knives would get blunt very quickly then storing them in water is essential. Nobody wants to stop
work while waiting for the stones to drink up all the water they need. But for someone who is
using the stone to sharpen perhaps three or four kitchen knives every other month, it may be more
convinent to store the stone in a drawer and only take it out and soak it when the knives need
sharpening.

Such light use sharpening knives should not need a dead flat stone.

IMO you're missing the point here. Why sacrifice quality of honing, the reason Japanese waterstone
cut so well is they are MUCH softer than Arkansas oilstones. The black material left on the stone is
metal coming off the knife.

Go to your local glass dealer and ask if they have any 1/2" scrap, then go to the hardware store and
get some 220 grit wet & dry sandpaper.

Put the sandpaper on top of the glass and spray with water. Rub the stone until all the black
material is gone and you have a clean surface, this indicates it is flat again.

Continue honing and you will notice improvement.

Unlike

Quoted message said:

woodworking tools, where a non flat stone is worse than useless, the curved edge of a knife
doesn't require such an exact surface to get good results. A second coarser stone should be fine
for many years of light use. Just rub the two together for a few minutes to wear off the high
spots. although special truing stones are available which will do this faster.

I could very well be using my sharpening stones to a fraction of their potential over the years.
But I have found soaking them untill they can hold no more water, and then letting them dry out
again after use to be more convinent, and I still get very good results. Others may have different
preferences.

John

--
============================================================================
"There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism...The one absolutely certain way of
bringing this nation to ruin...would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling
nationalities." Theodore Roosevelt. (Speech, New York, 1915)
============================================================================

(Pete) said:

Any suggestions on where to get a stone?

Are there rating by how coarse they are?

My knives are a year old, used a lot and never sharpened.

leevalley.comleevalley.comOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

IMO you're missing the point here. Why sacrifice quality of honing, the reason Japanese waterstone
cut so well is they are MUCH softer than

Arkansas

Quoted message said:

oilstones. The black material left on the stone is metal coming off the knife.

Which is mostly rinsed off by the water I drizzle on the stone. The 1000 is coarse enough to not
retain the metal swarf, and the fine side is finished with the nagura stone which suspends most of
the swarf in the slurry. About every fourth or fifth time I use the stones, I rub the two I have
together, which keeps both surfaces true and rinsing the resultant slurry away gets rid of any
blackness.

Quoted message said:

Go to your local glass dealer and ask if they have any 1/2" scrap, then go to the hardware store
and get some 220 grit wet & dry sandpaper.

Put the sandpaper on top of the glass and spray with water. Rub the stone until all the black
material is gone and you have a clean surface, this indicates it is flat again.

The same process is often used for fettling hand planes. I'm well aware of it, although I belive
that the abrasive used is normally a bit finer than that. 220 grit is a bit coarse. Try something a
bit finer and your stones will last longer.

Quoted message said:

Continue honing and you will notice improvement.

They have worked to the same high standard since the day I got them. I've been using the same stones
since 97 or so, and have no black metal buildup, no clogging, my waterstones are flat, and the edges
on my cooking and relevant woodworking tools and those of several friends are immaculate.

The point I was making about flatness was in relation to kitchen knives, which I was assuming that
the original poster was intending to be the only thing they were sharpening. In this case, the stone
does not need to be flat to work correctly as it does with woodworking tools.

John