How often do you sharpen your knives?

[raf_gti]

I've finally picked up a decent set of knives, a rather lovely 7-pc Wusthof set. http://www.wusthof.com/desktopdefault.aspx/52_view...

Now, being a slightly paranoid person with any of my new 'toys' I'm almost scared to use them in case I blunt them!

How often should I be sharpening them? The set comes with a steel so I will use my old Anolon knives to practice with so I don't so them any damage.

<chop chop chop>

[Cactussed]

I bought a whetstone when I started buying Japanese knives.
I probably sharpen every 8-10 times I use them?

[TV8]

I sharpen the main one most times i use it. Mrsb less so...

[Changedmyname]

Once a week on an indian oil stone then horned on a steel, but then again I use knives for a living not just in the kitchen.

[Bat Fastard]

Changedmyname said:

Once a week on an indian oil stone then horned on a steel, but then again I use knives for a living not just in the kitchen.

You're a hitman?!

[Roger645]

Probably six weeks for a formal sharpen. I touch them up with a diamond rod as and when. Apart from my meat filleting knife and the cleaver I have set them all to a 15 degree bevel so I can give them a sharpen easily on the same setting. I use a spyderco sharp maker for the formal sharpen

[Pferdestarke]

Don't confuse sharpening with honing and pay attention to your chopping surfaces. Glass is a major no no as it will bend the tip of the blade over on any knife and feel blunt.

With my Wusthof I can feel it go dull after a heavy prep session so tend to give four or five strokes on the steel each time I use it. I've used it heavily for over a year now and haven't shown it the whetstone yet.

Use them as they were intended with respect and they will serve you well. Keep then honed on the steel and only mess with the stone when they really need it.

Plenty of sharpening vids on YouTube.

Edited by Pferdestarke on Sunday 18th December 10:53

[Cotty]

Cactussed said:

I bought a whetstone when I started buying Japanese knives.

I still need to buy one of those. Which one did you go for as there are different grades that I have seen.

[Crease]

Bat Fastard said:

Changedmyname said:

Once a week on an indian oil stone then horned on a steel, but then again I use knives for a living not just in the kitchen.

You're a hitman?!

The rifle is the first weapon you learn how to use, because it lets you keep your distance from the client. The closer you get to being a pro, the closer you can get to the client. The knife, for example, is the last thing you learn

[Vieste]

When the g/f starts the mental.

[Simpo Two]

I bought my first Kitchen Devil in 1982. In about 1998 the girlfriend left it under the grill and melted the handle off, so I'm now on my second.

Ah, my coat, thank you

[mattdaniels]

Is there some sort of PH sharpening other than cutting them through the sharpening didger before you use them?

[Tango13]

A blade is only as sharp as the mind that wields it.

[smack]

I regrind my knives probably every 6 months or so, and straighten the edge of them with a cemamic steel every other time I use them.

Since I have 3 cooks knives in the block (depending what I am preparing, and the mood I am in depends what one I use), it extends how often I need regrind them back to scaples.

[Fishtigua]

I still have my carbon-steel Sabatier knives from College. The 10" filleting blade is a fave, you can get such an edge on it, you can keep all your posh blades. Shame they all colour black after a while.

[Bill]

I've never used anything other than a steel on mine, and only when they've lost their edge so it depends on what I've been doing.

But recently my main 10" Sabatier has lost its curve so I can't chop so well by rocking it on the end as the blade doesn't contact my chopping board. IYSWIM. I don't know if this is poor steel technique, or whether I mainly sharpen the bit that gets blunt, but I think it either needs a very good regrind or replacement. It's 15 years old so I guess I can't really complain.

[Cactussed]

Cotty said:

I still need to buy one of those. Which one did you go for as there are different grades that I have seen.

I bought a 250/1000 dual grade but it turns out I only really use the 1000-grit. There's a few good options online for dual grade stones.

[The_Doc]

Fishtigua said:

I still have my carbon-steel Sabatier knives from College. The 10" filleting blade is a fave, you can get such an edge on it, you can keep all your posh blades. Shame they all colour black after a while.

"Sabatier" basically means nothing these days, Could be quality, could be rubbish, could be some shiny dots in the handle of the knife,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier

I was surprised to find out..

[Pothole]

OP: they tell you what to do on the flipping website you linked to.

http://www.wusthof.com/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-2...

[Ayahuasca]

I use a machete and a sheath knife or folding knife from time to time.

I sharpen them on an Arkansas oilstone before every use, until I can get a burr to appear on either side, then I touch them up with a steel and sometimes a leather strap to remove the burr.

My test of then they are sharp enough is when I can shave hairs off my arm.

I am sure they could be even sharper, but I have never managed to get to that stage.