As I said in an earlier post, if it's not sharp, the steel won't
sharpen it!

Serendipity wrote:
> Rick Rider wrote:
>
> > On 19 May 2005 07:26:23 -0700, "salgud"
> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Serenpidity wrote:
> >>
> >>I wanted an actual sharpening steel.
> >>
> >>I hate to tell you this, but the "sharpening steel" is not a
sharpening
> >>steel. This is a very common misconception. The "steel", or
ceramic, is
> >>for aligning the blade before use, which makes it cut better. It
> >>doesn't sharpen the knife at all. You need a sharpening stone or
knife
> >>sharpener to do that. Check the instructions that came with the
knives
> >>to see that they say.
> >>After 35 years of sharpening my knives periodically on a stone
(It's
> >>much thinner in the middle that at the ends after 35 years), I
bought a
> >>Wusthof ceramic knife sharpener (not like a steel) for $20. I'm
still
> >>not sure if I'm getting as good an edge as I got with my stone, but
it
> >>is much quicker. Seconds instead if minutes to sharpen my Wustof
> >>knives. Maybe as I get better with the Wusthof sharpener, the
knives
> >>will get shaper. If not, I'll have to go back to the steel.
> >>Just wanted to warn you that I've heard people getting frustrated
many
> >>times, here and other places, about "sharpening" their knives with
a
> >>"steel" or "ceramic steel".
> >
> >
> >
> > Well, yes, people refer to it as sharpening, but I believe most
understand it simply puts
> > a fresh edge on the knife. Real sharpening removes some metal to
create a newly shaped
> > edge, the "sharpening" steel helps the blade retain its edge
through use. I use my steel
> > each time I use a knife, and sometimes during use. I learned how
to use a steel from a
> > butcher I worked for. With proper use of a steel, the average
home user would expect to
> > "sharpen" knives only about every year or so.
> >
> >
> >
> Can you tell me how you use the sharpening steel properly? The
> instructions said to hold the steel upright on a sturdy surface then
> hold the knife at a 20 degree angle and make 5 - 6 quick sweeps. I
> tried it on a knife I was tossing but it didn't seem to work.