Let's break the stigma--who else loves butcher's steels?

FortyTwoBlades

FortyTwoBlades

Baryonyx walkeri
Dealer / Materials Provider
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There seems to be a dominant trend in the industry to frown on the use of steels. However, lets stop and think for a moment here. Grooved steels act like a file only they cut in the opposite direction. We know that files can produce very nice edges on tools like axes and machetes, as well as softer sporting knives, and this is often remarked on. Most sharpening steels by quality manufacturers are at least 60 RC with nicer ones hitting about 62. So long as the steel is harder than the target blade and the striation pattern is sufficiently fine and sharp (like the teeth of a file) then a very good edge may be rapidly produced. This includes not only industrial kitchen/butcher's knives, but other knives and tools of heat treatment in the "springy" range. They aren't the only solution, for sure, and like all sharpening tools they aren't appropriate for all situations, but they're wonderful tools for a decent handful of common sharpening/maintenance situations. Who else appreciates them? I know I do!
 
The only ribbed butcher steels I've seen were super space ridges, like 20 on the whole length. Could you give a link to some nice ones?

I myself like ceramic rods and diamond coated steels. But a plain smooth steel is nice also.
 
I use a steel regularly between sharpenings to maintain the edge on all my knives. The knives stay sharp longer between regular sharpenings improving performance and extending the life of the blade.
 
sintro said:
The only ribbed butcher steels I've seen were super space ridges, like 20 on the whole length. Could you give a link to some nice ones?

I myself like ceramic rods and diamond coated steels. But a plain smooth steel is nice also.
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I find the steels by F. Dick to be of the highest quality and the widest range of styles on the market. The only one I carry in the shop right now is their Poliron polished oval steel which functions like a non-abrasive strop to align the edge after fine honing, but I'll be carrying more in future. Most steels on the market are of very poor quality and could be compared to the equivalent of a no-name Chinese file. They have poorly cut teeth to begin with, are overly coarse, and dull quickly. A nice fine file is not just hard, but has a well-cut pattern as well. F. Dick started back in the 1700's as a file company and still produces files today--so they know how to cut the teeth and harden them right.
 
There's a stigma? :confused:

I think you, 42, would know better than I, but I never heard of such a thing! Steels are a great tool, included in lots of knife sets, and what's more iconic than a chef (or even an your dad at the Thanksgiving table) honing a knife on a steel?
 
uyotg said:
There's a stigma? :confused:
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Not necessarily a stigma, just a personal preference. Many of the higher hrc j knives can be chippy and can be damaged when steeling. In addition keeping consitant angles is a little more difficult on a rod than a stone. The softer steels of the most commonly used brands are more forgiving.

The higher hardness knives should be able to go plenty of time with put steeling or sharpening anyway, generally only the softer steels really need to be steeled mid shift or mid roast to realign the edge. It makes no sense to steel a 64 hrc suji on a 1k steel, when you just took the time to sharpen it up to 5000 or 8000.

But....on the rare occasion when I do pull out the wusthof, vic, or fdick, then I steel it.
 
I can't imagine getting through a workday without a steel. Knife to the right, steel to the left.

I don't steel my yanagi, but everything else needs the light touch of a grooved but smooth steel. Of course there is no sharpening, just the slight realigning of the micro-teeth of a very sharp edge. O1, 52100, white and blue both #1 & #2, talonite, S90V, ATS-34, the weird blend from Shigefusa...all respond well to a properly used steel.

And these are edges that have been taken to polish with a 5000 stone.

Here is the steel I've used for over 25 years...

simonich_talonite.jpg


JMHO YMMV

-Michael
 
I think you'll find that some abrasive action does occur. It's just light, much like a few quick strokes on a fine stone. On that lovely example of yours you can select between heavy and fine abrasion by varying the amount of pressure you apply. Hard pressure will restore a damaged edge while light pressure will provide minor edge maintenance to keep it fresh. :)
 
BTW even though it might not look like it the steel is perfectly smooth with the exception of the grooves...

-Michael
 
Yup! That's their MultiCut model I believe, or some prior variation thereof. I hear the older ones are actually fairly collectible! :)
 
I use a steel very regularly on all my kitchen knives, it keeps them sharper longer. Basic maintenance means you don't need a stone that often to keep them sharp
 
steels has to be harder than the knife they're truing. =D

or else you'll end up just messing up the edge
 
A steel is a file but also acts as a burnishing tool and can damage the metal at the apex to the point it becomes too soft to remain stable. A steels use is good to a point and counterproductive after that point. Gotta know the limits.
 
knifenut1013 said:
A steel is a file but also acts as a burnishing tool and can damage the metal at the apex to the point it becomes too soft to remain stable. A steels use is good to a point and counterproductive after that point. Gotta know the limits.
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Yup! Proper use and application are important with any sharpening tool and there's much less good instructive material out there regarding steels than there is with other sharpening and maintenance tools. All the instructions I've ever found tell you to either stick the tip on a table top or to make the strokes in the direction of your hand, while I've found the technique commonly used by butchers (alternating sides with heel to point strokes on the steel, edge facing away from the user) both faster and most effective. It does require a greater developed ability to hold an appropriate angle relative to a surface, however.
 
I do not use nor own a good steel. However, I did some experimentation a couple of years ago using the spine of another knife as the steel. The steel knife (spine) was a Faberware 8" chef's knife from my 10+ year old wedding set. I steeled everything from S30V to annealed 1095 with it, and it worked pretty well. Yes I made a blade of annealed 1095. It was an experiment after all. I was cutting cardboard and steeling when the edge lost it's ability to shave my arm easily. It kept the knives going, but eventually was just not effective. I generally don't prefer steels, and just resharpen on a 4k waterstone or Sharpmaker, depending on the knife. I learned the "steel" doesn't have to be harder than the blade for it to work.
 
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