What should I look for in a sharpening steel?

[guitar1580]

I'd like to pick up a decent vintage steel for my carbon steel kitchen knives, without spending a fortune. Other than finding one that's not pitted, what should I look for? Are they made of different types of steel for different knives? Do brand names matter? Any suggestions appreciated.

Josh P

[Paladin]

F. Dick is supposed to be the best, I think.

Ray

[deanmm56]

If you can find an old Schrade honesteel ...... they are great ..... just make sure it is the old USA version and not the cheap Chinese knock offs now sold by Taylor Brand knives

[Elvis]

I've got an old Russell that I've owned for over 30 years and an old Case steel that was a gift, so I really can't part with either, but as long as you stick with the plan not to buy one with pits, you should be fine. They show up on ebay quite often and will be a lot cheaper than hunting down a new one. Good luck!

[coffeecup]

My preferred source has always been Salvation Army . . . watch for pits, dings, and cuts, go for a brand you recognize, and you should be fine.

[HiPower]

ditto to paladin on f. dick. may i mention that steels are really best used to realign the teeth on an edge so your best results will be finding one that is slick [no grooves] used to be called a butcher slick. one modern steel that is great is the F. Dick multitsteel but new ones are very expensive.---HiPower

[guitar1580]

Hey thanks for the suggestions. I notice that some steels have a much longer blade than others. Are there any advantages to the longer ones?

[HiPower]

larger steels may have been popular in slaughter houses since "breaking knives' were often used to separate large sections down to workable pieces. i have an old henckels hand forged scimitar 12 in. blade. the blade is stamped "for cutting not chopping".---HiPower

[orvet]

Forschner, part of Victorinox, makes good steels that won’t break the bank. I have one I use. Keep in mind that steels come in various degrees of abrasion (I don’t think grit is the right term, but you get the idea). A smooth steel, aka a packing house steel, removes no steel from the knife, instead it rolls the edge back out to cut where you can cut with it. The coarser the steel the more metal it removes.
I would also caution you against a 'cheap' (quality) steel. Some are very coarse and will ruin the edge unless you need to remove a lot of metal from the knife.


There is a real art to using a steel properly. I have seen people ruin knives with a steel. In the cutlery store I had a nearby restaurant who brought us their knives to sharpen once or twice a week. I noticed several were quite suddenly getting extremely worn toward the heel. I asked the manager and he said; “We have a new guy on the meat cutting station who thinks the girls think he is cool if he stands there sharpening his knife all night.” The knives the ‘new guy’ used had a divot worn into blades toward the heel. I think he was promoted to dishwasher.

Like all other types of sharpeners angle is EVEYTHING when using a steel. I don’t use a steel a great deal, so I usually use them with the point against a cutting board so I can be certain I get the angle I want.

[guitar1580]

Thx again for the help folks. I never used a steel alot, but I will experiment with it, and wanted a good old one to have around with my old butcher knives.

I found this F Dick one. The owner said it is approx 25 years old, commercial grade, with medium grit. I was deciding between this one and a longer one by Foster Brothers, decided to take this one.

Josh P

[orvet]

You should be happy with it.
F. Dick makes good steels.