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So after recent purchase of a new tantuko knife I want to get a new steel. I'm pretty handy with a steel or a stone, but have been relying recently on a carbon pocket knife sharpener which just isn't really up for the task.
So... what's the recommendation, good value but good quality too.
Thanks!
Forget steels, then don't sharpen a knife properly
Learn to use a proper set of sharpeners for proper awesomeness
My favourites are the DMT Diafolds
Good value, good quality? VG10 would get my vote and it's probably your best bet for price/quality. It also takes and holds an edge pretty well.
The newer stainless steels (S30V/S35V) are still pretty expensive and probably overkill for the kitchen.
I'm pretty pleased with my Victorinox Diamat - however, as mentioned above, they don't actually sharpen knives - more like just straighten the edge out a bit.
Steels are for maintaining an edge, not creating one.
Following with interest....
Yeah, I realise that the whetstone is the go-to to get the edge established properly, but I like to give my knives a quick tickle every couple of days to keep them straight. Least that is my thinking!!
Steels are for maintaining an edge, not creating one.
Every day is a school day 🙂
Daft Vader of this forum is the man to speak to regarding this. Im sure he makes lots of blades
Strop on the back of the door.
You need a Dick 11" multicut fine flat steel.
Other steels wont even come close, had mine for 30 years Butchery and Slaughterhouse work.
You wont get the results you want straight away, you need to practice and get comfortable with it, and touch up the blade more often than you probably think you need to as the trick is to keep the blade edge maintained - that said it can sharpen a dull blade if you know how.
Far better than any other oval steel, or carbon steel.
I bought a whetstone over Christmas to kill a bit of time and learn another skill. Took a few hours over a few days to get the hang of it. As you are constantly checking the blade for sharpness you learn what to feel for on the blade. So now when I use the steel before using a knife each time (just a few strokes each side - at the right angle of course) I can then feel the blade and say whether it feels even or whether it needs a final stroke on one side or the other to straighten out the burr.
Afternoon... for main sharpening duties I start with 400 grit wet and dry and move up in grits. Then onto a 1000 grit waterstone and finish on a 6000 grit waterstone. To keep the edge hone on a leather strop with autosol.. Keeps things razor sharp.
I thought you actually wanted a grade of steel to make a blade, i am a dissapoint
Wysiwyg... O1 or D2 are good grades of tool steel. Some stainless grades are good but a bugger to work... Hth!
DV> to hone my skills ive decided to go down the recycling stuff route till ive perfected my grinds etc. Ive been leeching as much info from youtube as possible, Trollsky etc. and finally decided on a pattern I liked, a drop point hunter. Just deciding what to upcycle to make it, got various old saw blades, chainsaw guide bars, leaf springs etc.
Go big or go home
I've been using a Spyderco Double Stuff pocket stone for the last few years and found it very useful for maintaining a decent edge on my various blades while out and about. I keep it in my daily rucksack/laptop bag.
[url= http://www.knivesandtools.co.uk/en/pt/-spyderco-double-stuff.htm#tabbutton1 ]Spyderco Double Stuff[/url]
The pouch can be used for stropping, although doing this has worn the stitches out of it, so it's falling apart now.
I've used it on various types of blade steel with good results, including a Doug Ritter RSK1 (S30V version), Chris Reeve Small Sebenza (S35VN), Leatherman Wave (420HC), Leatherman Charge (154CM) and a [s]pry-bar[/s] Ka-Bar 🙂 (1095).
Wysiwyg... I personally out of that would use the spring steel. Probably the most forgiving after annealing amd will harden well... Give me a shout if you need any help
Sharpening knives with wetstones takes a while to master and get to a degree where you're always going to be happy with the results.
I bought one of these:
[url= http://www.heinnie.com/lansky-turn-box-4-rod ]lansky turn box[/url]
It simplifies the process greatly and with a little practice you can have your edges razor sharp with very little time spent.
Thanks Kerbdog, that lansky turn box was exactly the impulse purchase I was looking for, if the reviews are anything to go by my forearms should be hair free in no time...