I have a diamond-coated "steel" that works, but I prefer a stone most of
the time. Ceramic rods are similar, but without the hand guard.

http://www.swissknifeshop.com/cutler...ore/sharpening

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Jerry Avins > writes:

> I have a diamond-coated "steel" that works, but I prefer a stone most
> of the time. Ceramic rods are similar, but without the hand guard.

You still want a real steel; it does different things than your abrasive
one. Basically, the steel straightens the edge, whereas everything else
takes off metal to re-form the edge (at varying rates of speeds and
degrees of precision).
--
David Dyer-Bennet, ; http://dd-b.net/
Snapshots: http://dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/data/
Photos: http://dd-b.net/photography/gallery/
Dragaera: http://dragaera.info

On 3/16/2012 5:13 PM, David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
> Jerry > writes:
>
>> I have a diamond-coated "steel" that works, but I prefer a stone most
>> of the time. Ceramic rods are similar, but without the hand guard.
>
> You still want a real steel; it does different things than your abrasive
> one. Basically, the steel straightens the edge, whereas everything else
> takes off metal to re-form the edge (at varying rates of speeds and
> degrees of precision).

But a steel would probably not reform the edge of a ceramic knife.
Anyone tried?

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.

On Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:39:37 -0400, James Silverton
> wrote:

>On 3/16/2012 5:13 PM, David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
>> Jerry > writes:
>>
>>> I have a diamond-coated "steel" that works, but I prefer a stone most
>>> of the time. Ceramic rods are similar, but without the hand guard.
>>
>> You still want a real steel; it does different things than your abrasive
>> one. Basically, the steel straightens the edge, whereas everything else
>> takes off metal to re-form the edge (at varying rates of speeds and
>> degrees of precision).
>
>But a steel would probably not reform the edge of a ceramic knife.
>Anyone tried?

Yes. It doesn't work. The properties of ceramic are completely
different from steel (your alloy may vary). I gave away my ceramic
knives, they didn't cut muster.

I am now agnostic on knife brands but IMO harder alloys *may* keep an
edge marginally longer but need more effort to maintain the edge. I
don't do 440 SS any more; sharpenable but shortlived.

There's a Japanes Knife shop just opposite one of my 'Locals'. I need
to pluck up courage and explore it - before lunch. Could be
educational but extremely expensive.

Regards
JonH

On 3/16/2012 5:13 PM, David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
> Jerry > writes:
>
>> I have a diamond-coated "steel" that works, but I prefer a stone most
>> of the time. Ceramic rods are similar, but without the hand guard.
>
> You still want a real steel; it does different things than your abrasive
> one. Basically, the steel straightens the edge, whereas everything else
> takes off metal to re-form the edge (at varying rates of speeds and
> degrees of precision).

By experiment, the ridges in a steel seem to be for decoration or at
best for tearing off pieces of the rolled edge that have torn loose. Try
a piece of 3/8" drill rod for comparison. I see no difference. Does the
cutlery steel's taper have any purpose at all?

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Jerry Avins wrote:

>> You still want a real steel; it does different things than your abrasive
>> one. Basically, the steel straightens the edge, whereas everything else
>> takes off metal to re-form the edge (at varying rates of speeds and
>> degrees of precision).
>
>By experiment, the ridges in a steel seem to be for decoration or at
>best for tearing off pieces of the rolled edge that have torn loose. Try
>a piece of 3/8" drill rod for comparison. I see no difference. Does the
>cutlery steel's taper have any purpose at all?

You can accomplish what a steel does by using another kitchen knife.

James Silverton > wrote:
> On 3/16/2012 5:13 PM, David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
>> Jerry > writes:
>>
>>> I have a diamond-coated "steel" that works, but I prefer a stone most
>>> of the time. Ceramic rods are similar, but without the hand guard.
>>
>> You still want a real steel; it does different things than your abrasive
>> one. Basically, the steel straightens the edge, whereas everything else
>> takes off metal to re-form the edge (at varying rates of speeds and
>> degrees of precision).
>
> But a steel would probably not reform the edge of a ceramic knife. Anyone tried?


You could sharpen steel on a ceramic knife.

Greg

James Silverton > writes:

> On 3/16/2012 5:13 PM, David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
>> Jerry > writes:
>>
>>> I have a diamond-coated "steel" that works, but I prefer a stone most
>>> of the time. Ceramic rods are similar, but without the hand guard.
>>
>> You still want a real steel; it does different things than your abrasive
>> one. Basically, the steel straightens the edge, whereas everything else
>> takes off metal to re-form the edge (at varying rates of speeds and
>> degrees of precision).
>
> But a steel would probably not reform the edge of a ceramic
> knife. Anyone tried?

My understanding is you basically don't sharpen ceramic knives; at least
I've never tried.

Yeah, I expect the wear mode is completely different, and a steel does
seem likely to be irrelevant.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, ; http://dd-b.net/
Snapshots: http://dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/data/
Photos: http://dd-b.net/photography/gallery/
Dragaera: http://dragaera.info

On Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:19:17 -0500, David Dyer-Bennet >
wrote:

>James Silverton > writes:
>
>> On 3/16/2012 5:13 PM, David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
>>> Jerry > writes:
>>>
>>>> I have a diamond-coated "steel" that works, but I prefer a stone most
>>>> of the time. Ceramic rods are similar, but without the hand guard.
>>>
>>> You still want a real steel; it does different things than your abrasive
>>> one. Basically, the steel straightens the edge, whereas everything else
>>> takes off metal to re-form the edge (at varying rates of speeds and
>>> degrees of precision).
>>
>> But a steel would probably not reform the edge of a ceramic
>> knife. Anyone tried?
>
>My understanding is you basically don't sharpen ceramic knives; at least
>I've never tried.
>
>Yeah, I expect the wear mode is completely different, and a steel does
>seem likely to be irrelevant.

Ceramic knives are sharpened the same way the edge was originally
formed, ground with a diamond dust impregnated wheel... one can touch
up the edge at home with a diamond lapping rod.
http://www.cdtusa.net/
http://www.knifecenter.com/item/LSLS...rp-stick-knife

I prefer diamond coated steel. Diamond is considered one of the toughest and hard substance.