| USING A SHARPENING STEEL | | | | Push the blade flat across the sharpening steel, |
| With a little practice, anyone can master the art | | | | moving in the opposite direction of normal cutting. |
| of using the steel to keep your knives sharp. | | | | Place tip of knife on steel close to table, with |
| The sharpening steel is a metal rod that consists | | | | even pressure push blade of knife as you move |
| of a slightly softer hardness factor than the knife | | | | UP the steel. |
| blade. Sharpness is maintained by stroking the | | | | Stroke the whole blade to the blade handle, you |
| blade, at a 10 degree angle, over the rod on a | | | | should end up near handle of steel. |
| regular basis. It is best to use the same brand of | | | | Repeat the process on the other side of the |
| steel as your knives to avoid using the wrong | | | | knife-edge. |
| steel. | | | | The sharpening steel should be used every time a |
| When a knife is looked at under a microscope, | | | | knife is used. A professional meat cutter carries a |
| the edge, even the edge of a fine edged knife, is | | | | steel at his side and uses it every few minutes to |
| made up of thousands of small teeth. After | | | | keep his knives sharp. |
| constant use, these are bent out of line and the | | | | Use a scouring powder pad to clean and remove |
| blades become less effective for cutting properly. | | | | metal particles from the steel, do not use steel |
| Stroking the knife on a sharpening steel does not | | | | wool. Use even pressure with the scouring pad |
| put a new edge on a knife; it simply realigns the | | | | fro handle to tip. Rinse with clear water, dry the |
| existing edge, increasing sharpness. | | | | steel well and store in a dry place. |
| After a lot of use the steel becomes ineffective | | | | THE HONE |
| and some type of hone, or stone, is needed to | | | | I recommend using a ceramic hone for home use, |
| put a new edge on a knife. After this is done the | | | | electric sharpeners and stones are a little more |
| steel fine tunes the blade. | | | | tricky to use. |
| Easiest Method of Steeling for home using | | | | Handle the hone with care, unlike a steel, it can |
| "Cutting Motion" and followed by "Reverse Cutting | | | | break if dropped, or banged against a hard |
| Motion" | | | | surface. |
| Sharpening with "Cutting Motion" | | | | Any method for creating a new edge also |
| Hold the sharpening steel in your left hand with | | | | increases wear on a knife, |
| the point of the steel firmly placed on a cutting | | | | A ceramic hone creates a new edge on a knife |
| board or table, the steel should now be vertical to | | | | by removing metal from the knife blade. |
| the surface. | | | | After honing the knife, use a steel in order to |
| Hold the knife in your right hand , as if you were | | | | realign the cutting teeth and provide a razor sharp |
| going to cut | | | | edge. |
| Place the section of the blade closest to the knife | | | | If a knife is steeled regularly it should not need to |
| handle against the sharpening steel just under the | | | | be honed too often. |
| steel handle. | | | | Clean your hone after each use with scouring |
| Angle the knife about 10 degrees from the | | | | cleanser and a sponge or cloth....No Soap of any |
| sharpening rod. | | | | kind! |
| With even pressure pull the knife handle toward | | | | Rinse with clear water and a wipe dry. |
| you as you travel DOWN the steel, stroke the | | | | Caring for you knives, steels and hones pays |
| entire blade edge ending at the tip as you near | | | | dividends, dull knives cause accidents |
| the bottom of the steel. | | | | Knives should be used only for cutting boneless |
| Alternate from left to right sides of the steel rod | | | | meat, it should not be used as a chopper, this |
| about six times. | | | | plays havoc with the edge, requiring frequent |
| Sharpening with "Reverse Cutting Motion" | | | | honing which reduces the life of the blade. |
| Put the point of the sharpening steel on a cutting | | | | If you do a lot of chopping, buy a small cleaver. |
| board, or table, surface at a 90-degree angle. | | | | |