While it's possible to be too concerned with sharpness, a dull knife is more
dangerous than a sharp one. It's actually the roughness of the sharp edge
that allows you to cut a ripe tomato. That's why those ginsu knives that
they sell on tv can cut tomatoes so well, they've got serrated edges. I
find a few strokes on the stone is sufficient for my stainless blades, I
don't like the edge the steel gives them, it removes the teensy burrs and
roughness that make for quick cutting. It's sufficient to rub your thumb
across (never with) the blade to determine sharpness. If it strums like a
string, it's sharp, if it slides across without vibration, it's dull. It's
also not recommended to keep knives in a block, it's unsanitary.

-JD

"Green Mtn. Griller" > wrote in message
news:ZaEtg.3380$hb3.2116@trndny04...
>
> "Louis Cohen" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Lots of people know lots more about knives and sharpening than I do.
>> They sharpen or touch up their knives with various kinds of equipment
>> and test them by cutting newspaper or shaving hair off their arms.
>>
>> I don't shave my arms much in the kitchen, or anywhere else for that
>> matter. And I read the newspaper (and then crumple it up to start the
>> BBQ).
>>
>> So when my knives don't slice as well as they usually do, I get out my
>> hardware store 2-sided stone, dry. 10 strokes on the medium side of
>> the stone on each side of each knife (pull one side, push one side).
>> 10 more strokes on each side on the fine side of the stone. Then I
>> steel them (10 more strokes on each side), I clean them off, and I
>> slice a tomato.
>>
>> One more cleaning, and back they go into the block. When all the
>> knives are done, I rinse the stone off and put it away for another
>> couple of months.
>>
>> I could probably get away with less wear on my knives if I knew the
>> right way to check when they're ready (instead of applying 10 strokes).
>> But, hey, the knives (mostly Forschner and a couple of forged knives)
>> have lasted 20 or so years with no visible wear. And I'm gonna live
>> maybe another 30 years, so I'm not worried.
>>
>> I do use a Sypderco Tri-Angle sharpener for the serrated bread knife.
>> But I think I get better, faster results with the stone on regular
>> knives than with the sharpener.
>>
>
> Yes, being able to cleanly slice a ripe tomato is a good indication that a
> smooth-edged blade is good to go. But, that's assuming that your neighbor
> has an abundance of tomatoes or your ready for a salad! ;-) Personally,
> I test on a fingernail - hold the blade at an angle on a fingernail and
> gently start to slice; if it catches on the nail, it's ready. That's
> after sharpening and stropping to remove the wire edge. I sharpen my
> knives about every 6 months or so, unless somethin' toopid happens, on a
> diamond hone system. But, I steel my knives every time they come out of
> the block or the drawer - 5x's on each side, then 4, etc.
>
> Just my 3 cents (adjusted for inflation!) ;-)
>



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