If You Could Buy Just One Kitchen Steel...?

Eli Chaps

Eli Chaps

Joined
Apr 20, 2018
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Hello Sharpners,

As the title says, if you had just one maintenance steel for average kitchen knives (Wusthoff, Henkells, etc.) what would that be?

Thanks in advance. :)
 
Kitchen knives are made to sharpen, use and dull. For me, ease of sharpening, stainless abilities, handle material (to take many washings),
grind and length & style of the blade. These would be on my short list for kitchen knives, in general. For steels I would like 440C on the high
end and 425m or 12C27 Sandvic on the low end. 420 would be ok if it had other features that made the package better. DM
 
David Martin said:
Kitchen knives are made to sharpen, use and dull. For me, ease of sharpening, stainless abilities, handle material (to take many washings),
grind and length & style of the blade. These would be on my short list for kitchen knives, in general. For steels I would like 440C on the high
end and 425m or Sanvik on the low end. 420 would be ok if it had other features that made the package better. DM
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Yeah David, I tend to agree and that's why I've never bothered much with steels. If I do perform some in-between sharpening maintenance it is often with a strop. But wasn't sure that's the best approach and wanted to ask.

Thanks for your input. :)
 
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I've liked a polished steel for typical stainless kitchen cutlery of the variety mentioned. Since most cutlery of this type responds well to simple realignment of rolled/burred edges, that's the type I prefer. It removes next to nothing, in terms of metal from the edge, and does a great job in realigning it, maybe doing a little work-hardening of the edge as well. Up to a point, the keen edge seems to become stronger in using it. The one I'm using is from Mundial (vendor pic below), picked up at a local restaurant supply store. Not very expensive either, at less than $25 or so.

When the time arrives for resetting the bevels or true sharpening of these knives, as indicated by the edge becoming weak/unstable again, I generally take them to a Fine India stone. I usually de-burr the edge on the polished steel again, afterward. Then it can go for a few weeks again, using just the steel for tune-ups along the way.

489430111-Steel-Round-Polished-10in.jpg
 
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Are we talking about the steel IN a kitchen knife, or the steel used to maintain an edge? I think the best all around stainless steel for performance and ease of sharpening would probably be CPM 154. If we are talking about a steel used to maintain sharpness, a ceramic honing rod works very very well on all different types of steel (low alloy carbon, stainless, and tool steel).
 
samuraistuart said:
Are we talking about the steel IN a kitchen knife, or the steel used to maintain an edge? I think the best all around stainless steel for performance and ease of sharpening would probably be CPM 154. If we are talking about a steel used to maintain sharpness, a ceramic honing rod works very very well on all different types of steel (low alloy carbon, stainless, and tool steel).
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I was meaning a steel honing rod for edge maintenance of the softer ubiquitous kitchen knife steels.

I've never been very disciplined about using a rod and am planning some purchases so wanted some things to check out and contemplate. :)
 
I like the rim of a glazed cup or bowl. I also have a length of glass rod that's been textured up with a diamond plate.

After that, its almost more important what the knife steel is than the 'steel' steel. I have an Oxo steel that works pretty well, and some vintage grooved ones that are pretty played out.
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
Just honing that edge back to center is all that’s needed
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Yes, this!
I have a smooth steeling rod that works ok. It requires 10-12 strokes and this refines the edge. So, I have gone to back-honing on a stone and folding the edge back straight. On a coarse stone it takes only a few strokes and the edge gets little refinement. If you do an edge leading stroke, your peeling this burr off and basically creating a new edge. Which takes a little more work. I've also had good success using a piece of
oak wood flooring, 2 1/2" X 6" with SiC grit applied and back-honing on that. DM
 
David Martin said:
Yes, this!
I have a smooth steeling rod that works ok. It requires 10-12 strokes and this refines the edge. So, I have gone to back-honing on a stone and folding the edge back straight. On a coarse stone it takes only a few strokes and the edge gets little refinement. If you do an edge leading stroke, your peeling this burr off and basically creating a new edge. Which takes a little more work. I've also had good success using a piece of
oak wood flooring, 2 1/2" X 6" with SiC grit applied and back-honing on that. DM
Click to expand...
The basic idea of a butchers steel is something you have in your knife roll or kitchen to tune up the edges a bit. Stones & other sharpening tools are “for Me” things that are in the Shop. I’ve told new sharpeners that some of the Steel shavings and grit etc ends up in your home, Do it outside or anywhere else where food isn’t cooked or eaten..
I sometimes use hardwoods to work off a burr by pull the edge through 3-5 times before stropping on leather with Green Chrome!
 
I have a Victorinox smooth steel. I also have a smaller Chicago Cutlery butcher's steel that I sanded down to get rid of the grooves. These work great for cheaper kitchen knives made out of softer steels.
 
Eli Chaps said:
I was meaning a steel honing rod for edge maintenance of the softer ubiquitous kitchen knife steels.

I've never been very disciplined about using a rod and am planning some purchases so wanted some things to check out and contemplate. :)
Click to expand...
Oh maybe it's just me, or the beer, but I say get better steel knives first, ones that will hold an edge. For the final word, or as close as we'll get, what the Science of Sharp says.

Looks like better steel and use a ceramic rod instead. You need to get some better knives :):):):):):):):):):):)
 
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Diemaker said:
Oh maybe it's just me, or the beer, but I say get better steel knives first, ones that will hold an edge. For the final word, or as close as we'll get, what the Science of Sharp says.

Looks like better steel and use a ceramic rod instead. You need to get some better knives :):):):):):):):):):):)
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I primarily run Wusthoff, Henkels and a Yaxell in BD1N. Good enough for me, easy enough to sharpen and tough enough to not worry about them. :)
 
I’ve been using the very cheap grooved ceramic hone from Outdoor Edge. I believe it’s about $5 at some of the online knife stores.

The grooved ceramic is a nice combination. Harder and finer than a steel, more aggressive than a smooth ceramic. Plus, it’s pretty small and fits nicely in the kitchen knife block. A lot of the larger hones won’t fit.

technique is more important than equipment. I find it much easier to hold a consistent angle if I hold the hone horizontally instead of vertical. It’s easier to use the same muscle memories and techniques as a flat bench stone.

I typically do a few edge leading passes per side and then do some very light edge trailing stropping passes to deburr.
 
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