Using a kitchen steel

[Dastagg]

After trolling this forum, which has made me strive for so much more, I have invested in the fine and extra fine diamond wheels for my T8 and also the Japanese Water Stone. That as well as the FVM setup with the hard copy book and the Kindle version of the book as well as a PT-50 Bess tester. My knives are improving each time I sharpen using all this fortune I have spent for personal use. I cannot stand not striving for perfection, so I tend to go out on a limb.

I however have used a kitchen steel in my kitchen for maintaining my knives for use but never tested yet to use a steel properly. I have Youtubed videos showing how to use one of the steels and have seen some of the pros do it different ways. I have seen most that pull  the knife with cutting towards the stone and a few that use the steel in a cutting motion away from the point such as using the leather strop wheel. I wonder if either way if really better or is using a steel not the best method in keeping the knife maintained between sharpening? I have to work harder and harder on using a steel in maintaining my angles, so testing is not as accurate depending on my angle when using a steel.

No matter however, I am really learning a lot, thanks to many here and the fortune I have spent striving for perfection. Now getting there is more on me rather than limited equipment.

[John_B]

Dale,
You may want to read this thread
https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=3955.0

It is a discussion on how to maintain an edge and I hope steeling will be further discussed in it.

To really see what is going on I think you need a microscope to evaluate the edge. The BESS tester should give you good information as well if you carefully control the variables in any experiment.

[wootz]

Operators at the meat plant are trained to steel edge-leading, knife edge up, with visual control of the edge contact with the steel.
After every 10-15 cuts they steel gently on the polished/smooth steel, 2 passes each side.
After every 10 steelings on the polished steel they steel on the grooved/ribbed steel, in other words, the knife is taken to the grooved/ribbed/abrading steel after every 100-150 cuts. They then continue with the polished steeling, and so on.

Our Experiments on Knife Steeling are in the Edge stability testing section of our website.
It is a long study, but to get the picture, you can read the first 2 pages and go straight to the Conclusions on the page 14.

[Ken S]

Thanks for posting this, Vadim. Over the years my steeling technique has become more subtle. Your post encourages me to stick with the learning program.

Ken

[RichColvin]

Vadim,

Your continued work to develop a fact-based approach towards sharpening is moving this quickly away from opinions and preconceptions.   Thank for this.

Kind regards,
Rich

[Dastagg]

I truly appreciate the answers. I never even knew there was a polishing steel and only knew of a grooved steel.

[BobD]

This is what I've carried for most of my career, including my time at the CIA. FDick is the only manufacturer I recommend when people ask. They are widely regarded as the best in the industry and the price reflects that, although they do have quite a selection to choose from. The polished steel is a FDick Poliron and the large one is FDick's Multicut, which I believe is the most versatile model around. The Oval shape design is far superior in my opinion, They have many models to choose from. personally i do not use a grooved steel on Japanese knives though.

[wootz]

... personally i do not use a grooved steel on Japanese knives though.

Hi Bob,
Do I read it right that you recommend the Multicut over the regular grooved steel? I haven't tried it myself.

Your note is interesting because in our experiments we also saw that the higher HRC blades do not benefit from grooved steeling as much as from polished.

[Ken S]

Bob,
Thanks for the tip about the F Dick Poliron. I have been looking for a good smooth steel. I ordered a Politon earlier this afternoon after reading your post. I like to buy only once.

Wootz' report reflects his usual thoroughness. Serious knife sharpeners can learn a lot of cutting edge knowledge by studying Wootz' reposts and videos. Thanks, Wootz.

Ken

[Ken S]

Bob,
I ordered an F Dick Politon. I was surprised by how different the smooth, polished edge feels against the knife, even when compared with the smooth ceramic rod I normally use. I look forward to learning this new (to me) skill.

Ken