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Sharpening and Steeling

post #1 of 3
12/13/11 at 10:28am
Thread Starter 

 

Sharpening and steeling, the first questions

 

I received a global 10” knife as a present a few weeks ago and begun to read about knives for its maintenance. I stumbled across this forum and begun to voraciously read the postings. Since then I began to read and learn about knives, I have realized how ignorant I am and how much I can learn from the many contributors. I have found particularly interesting and helpful the postings of boar_d_laze, Phatch, Phaedrus, and several others. Based on several of those postings I bought a King stone 1000 grit, and I am anxiously waiting for a Kagayaki Basic Petty 125 mm. I will then own a Global 10” Chef knife; an 8” Chef knife, 8” Santoku, 10” bread knife, and 2 3” paring knives from Wusthof, a very old Gerber Chef knife, and the incoming Kagayaki basic petty. I also have a Japanese Usuba that I never used (I received it as a present several years ago and I did not know how to use) and I now do not know what type of steel it is or the maker since I cannot understand the characters in the box or the knife itself. As I continued to read I realized that I have never sharpened my old knives and that I need to start learning and I begun by buying a kings stone and a Calphalon 10” steel.

 

Reading my lines I feel a bit embarrassed by my ignorance (more than a bit actually), although I am very willing to learn. I would like to respectfully request help in answering a few questions, and perhaps by sharing any advice you might want to share:

 

1)      How can I identify the maker and material of the Usuba I have? The material and tuype will define the care I need to give it

2)      What are the differences in sharpening angles between the Kagayaki, Global and Wusthofs? Is there a difference in technique?

3)      Do I need to sharpen the bread knife? If so, how?

4)      Should I use the steel after the stone in all of them or only in some of them?

 

I am a bit intimidated and very excited by the prospect of starting to learn. I am also grateful for your help.

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post #2 of 3
12/13/11 at 11:05am
1)      How can I identify the maker and material of the Usuba I have? The material and tuype will define the care I need to give it

Don't know.  Assume carbon steel and kasumi (two layer laminate) construction.  If it's carbon and you neglect it, it will let you know it's carbon.  It will let you know even if you don't neglect it but it will take awhile. 

 

2)      What are the differences in sharpening angles between the Kagayaki, Global and Wusthofs? Is there a difference in technique?

Kagayaki and Global get 15*on each side.  As to symmetry, I believe Global is 50/50 and Kagayaki is 70/30 righty.  Unless you're left handed don't worry about it one way or the other.  It's not important until you develop the ability to raise, detect and chase a burr; to deburr; and to polish.  Once you've got the basics we can start talking about how to move metals.  Bear in mind that you can sharpen your knives to whatever symmetry you think is appropriate; there's no good reason to worry about the manufacturer's choice.

 

Wusthofs ship at 20* with 50/50 symmetry.  I think they work better at 15* with a 20* (or so) microbevel on the cutting edge. 

 

3)      Do I need to sharpen the bread knife? If so, how?

Rarely.  With a file, slip, a "V" stick holder, or a small, aggressive "sharpening steel."  Sharpening a wavy-edge knife is one of the few times an aggressive sharpening steel is appropriate.

 

4)      Should I use the steel after the stone in all of them or only in some of them?

The easy answer is "never."  There are all kinds of exceptions to the rule, though.  For instance, if you use your steel to help deburring, the knife may see the steel after it's done with your last stone. 

 

Your stones will true your edges as well as your steels -- just not as quickly.  An edge fresh off the stones should be well-trued.  Since the basic purpose of a steel is truing, there's no need to steel after sharpening. 

 

Hope this helps,

BDL

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post #3 of 3
12/13/11 at 11:11am
Thread Starter 

Yes dbl, it does help inmensely, I think my next step is to read some more until I understand your advice on how raise, detect and chase a burr; to deburr; and to polish. If ther are tutorials in this forum about it would you mind pointing me in their direction? 

Thanks again for this, and for generous advise thoughout the Forum

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