Knife question [General]
2011 Feb 27
I wouldn't use the sharpening place near preston. Take them to either grace in the kitchen on bank street or C.A. Paradis also on bank. They might actually be able to help/teach you how to use a sharpening steel.
Grace in the kitchen:
Grace in the Kitchen & Serious Cheese
C.A. Paradis:
C. A. Paradis
The problem i have with the place near preston is, they just put on an industrial sander.....takes so much off your blade and they don't do it with care. Just stick knife after knife in the machine all day long....they don't give a shit about your knifes.
Grace in the kitchen:
Grace in the Kitchen & Serious Cheese
C.A. Paradis:
C. A. Paradis
The problem i have with the place near preston is, they just put on an industrial sander.....takes so much off your blade and they don't do it with care. Just stick knife after knife in the machine all day long....they don't give a shit about your knifes.
2011 Feb 27
A proper knife sharpener is basically a belt sander, but if done properly it should not take off much steel.
And I don't think a steel hone is something that can be used to sharpen a knife can it? My (limited) understanding so far is that it can keep a knife sharp for a limited period but you eventually have to get it sharpened (on a sander or a stone)
And I don't think a steel hone is something that can be used to sharpen a knife can it? My (limited) understanding so far is that it can keep a knife sharp for a limited period but you eventually have to get it sharpened (on a sander or a stone)
2011 Feb 27
no a steel will not sharpen it...but once you get it properly sharpened the steel should keep it's edge for quite some time without having to use a stone. I understand that knife sharpeners is almost the same as a belt sander, but they have to be used with care. I was not happy at all when i got my knifes done at capital cutlery (that is the one near preston)
Different brand knifes have different angles. japanese vs. north american style knifes
Different brand knifes have different angles. japanese vs. north american style knifes
2011 Feb 27
OK, so I'm not off base then :) Good to know I'm learning something on my new job. Nobody has stated that explicitly but I'm putting pieces together. And I guess for average home use and how little a knife really gets used, the times between requiring proper sharpening could be quite long - 6 to 12 months or more even.
For a butcher you need to give it a proper sharpening every week or two at very least, because your whole day is spent cutting and a good part of that is boning. Some of our butchers even sharpen theirs a couple times a week.
Another tip - don't put your knives in the dishwasher because it dulls them. Hand was them. I started doing that since becoming a butcher and I definitely notice they stay sharp longer.
For a butcher you need to give it a proper sharpening every week or two at very least, because your whole day is spent cutting and a good part of that is boning. Some of our butchers even sharpen theirs a couple times a week.
Another tip - don't put your knives in the dishwasher because it dulls them. Hand was them. I started doing that since becoming a butcher and I definitely notice they stay sharp longer.
2011 Feb 28
Another possibility is the Sharpening Shoppe on Catherine St (www.sharpeningshoppe.com/). They have a mobile service as well, which might be of interest to you out in the east, notjulia.
I haven't used him but remember a story done about him in The Ottawa Citizen, maybe by Ron Eade, maybe not. There is only a single mention of them here at OF (Jan 15/07 at Forum - Knives?post_id=660#post_660).
Anybody here at OF made use of him, mobile or in the shoppe?
I haven't used him but remember a story done about him in The Ottawa Citizen, maybe by Ron Eade, maybe not. There is only a single mention of them here at OF (Jan 15/07 at Forum - Knives?post_id=660#post_660).
Anybody here at OF made use of him, mobile or in the shoppe?
2011 Feb 28
They'll actually sharpen your knives for free at C.A. Paradis. I do my own on an oilstone, so haven't gone this route yet. There are a couple of knives that I wouldn't mind actually getting properly done, then I'd be able to keep them up to my level of sharpness. I just found out how to sharpen my bread knife
so I may not even have to take that one in.
A steel is used as a maintenance tool between sharpenings. It helps to keep the thin, sharp edge in line. As that's the weakest part of the blade, a bit of a touch on both sides with the steel will set it right.
so I may not even have to take that one in.
A steel is used as a maintenance tool between sharpenings. It helps to keep the thin, sharp edge in line. As that's the weakest part of the blade, a bit of a touch on both sides with the steel will set it right.
2011 Feb 28
I'd avoid C.A. Paradis' free sharpening. You never know who is doing it and they're inconstant. I very much regret taking my knife (Wusthof chef's 7" ) there for sharpening and what is worse I took my guy's knives (Zwilling Henckels
[the German ones with the two guys] pearing, chef's 9" & 6") there too. I thought I was being nice, that it would have been a pleasant surprise and ended up being less so and something I still feel crappy abut. Almost cried in the store it was such a hatchet job. Someone from the store ended up sharpening them a second time trying to fix it and though better still not great.
Not much care was put into it. The edge is no longer clean looking, one looks like a bunch was taken off (it was a sharpen not a repair) and they sharpened the whole blade's edge from tip straight to and including the heal. Why would you ever sharpen the heal of a knife?
[the German ones with the two guys] pearing, chef's 9" & 6") there too. I thought I was being nice, that it would have been a pleasant surprise and ended up being less so and something I still feel crappy abut. Almost cried in the store it was such a hatchet job. Someone from the store ended up sharpening them a second time trying to fix it and though better still not great.
Not much care was put into it. The edge is no longer clean looking, one looks like a bunch was taken off (it was a sharpen not a repair) and they sharpened the whole blade's edge from tip straight to and including the heal. Why would you ever sharpen the heal of a knife?
2011 Feb 28
I picked up this machine by Waring about 5 years ago (after a bad sharpening experience). Does a great job on my knives - especially the heavier German ones. I picked it up for about $80.00 at Costco. Don't know if they still have them, but it puts a nice edge on them. It even sharpens my bread knife.
www.waringproducts.ca
I too will not go back to the place near Preston & Norman - butchered my knives - the edges were horrible.
www.waringproducts.ca
I too will not go back to the place near Preston & Norman - butchered my knives - the edges were horrible.
2011 Feb 28
Chef's Choice make some excellent sharpeners. I own a 1520 and I'm extremely happy with it.
www.edgecraft.com
www.edgecraft.com
2011 Mar 1
I own this Henckels sharpener: www.canadiantire.ca
does a pretty good job, though I wouldn't put higher end knives through it.
The Japanese water stones look interesting though :-D
does a pretty good job, though I wouldn't put higher end knives through it.
The Japanese water stones look interesting though :-D
notjulia
I have knives that someone gave me at some point in time and assumed that they were cheap. Like who would give a person who can't cook nice knives. Well, I looked up the name on them and it says en. wustohof dreizackwerk trident solingen germany inox AvantGarde. From the little poking I've done, I think these are actually decent knives. They don't seem very sharp. What do I do?
Also any hints to a newbie??
Connie