when I started we had a knife sharpening service..that was nice.. the next store had a tri stone, I never used one. the meat amanager showed me after the first week or so . every store I go to has a different sharpening tools so electric some not. it always has to be learned all over again unless you have your own sharpeners at home. I am still trying to figure out how to use the tru hone sharpener correctly..noone there seems to know how. sometimes i get it right sometimes I make it worse...anyone got any adviceo n that?
I knew how to sharpen a knife long before I worked in meat.. but I sure was impressed with the way those guys could slap steel and it didnt take me long to learn that, lol!
I knew how to sharpen a knife long before I worked in meat.. but I sure was impressed with the way those guys could slap steel and it didnt take me long to learn that, lol!
Oh yeah that slapping steel part is awesome. Sometimes I do that just to make people go "WOW"
DAY 1 WAS HOW TO USE A STEEL, THEN PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH TAUGHT HOW TO USE A STONE....THEN IT WENT TO USING A GRINDER,STONE & STEEL TO PRODUCE A SUPER SHARP KNIFE
When I was willing to come in early, or stay late, (off the clock) to practice on the stone- the veterans made it look so easy about 6 months after I started as a clean up kid
to damn far back to remember. i had to carry beef, grind, chickens the first month I was in, then started on the boning, learn to use steel and sharpen knife the same day so I could get through boning fast. when you bone out 12 to 13 grocery carts a day of boning you learn to sharpen your knife fast. in those days you didn't leave any red on a bone, neck bones was a bitch with a dull knife.
Was never really taught more than just half-assed. Pretty much had to learn it on my own trial and error. I think I'm the only one who doesn't use a steel much. Most guys are on the steel constantly. I use it after I finish sharpening then I don't use it much sometimes for days until edge starts getting turned. Even then I don't steel it like I'm mad at it! To much steeling to me seems to weaken edge and dull it just like cutting does over time. Anyone else not a compulsive steeler or is it just me? Never really used a tru-hone Fdarn is that a hollow grinder?
Being a lefty in a right handed world, I had a difficult time learning. The old pros would try to teach me but something got lost in the translation. Eventually I got sent to a store as "2nd man" under a lefty who was probably the fastest and best cutter I ever worked with in my life. That did it!
Still. over the years, I found that while I was often "in the groove" other times I was in a slump and just could not get te right edge. Sort of like a hitter in baseball!
I dunno abot you guys but if I couldn't maintain a razor sharp edge I would always have a miserable day!
a dull knife sucks, forschner knives seems to keep an edge a little better than a dexter-russell, The history channel had a special on knives and sharpening, they magnified a knifes edge and the blade gets very jaggered-thats why you use a steel, to align the edge back, doesnt really sharpen the blade, just aligns it
I'm partial to sandpaper for a great edge- Ive tried just about all the sharpeners. I've got over 50 knives, so I have many to practice on- many Ive bought online, from amazon to ebay, many Ive been given- the older ones that they are ready to throw out-I like to practice on these, these can be the dullest. I give away many I've sharpened for gifts, everyone needs a sharp knife in the kitchen
I do the paper cutting test-after sharpening a knife
I have an old three sided stone in the basement- I use to have quite a few belt sharpeners- but sold most of them. Oddly, One of the best edges from an old dull knife was from a bench grinder
I like cleavers too, Im collecting a certain kind of "plumb" cleaver that was very popular between 1880-1920 For 17 years, I travelled to over 200 independent stores with meat departments and many, had been open since the late 1800's, and I'd find an old plumb cleaver hanging on the wall somewhere -sometimes with a wooden mallett- many of these stores have a very interesting history, and was the community centers for many towns.
Sadly, not many meatcutters use the stone as much as a belt grinder-the old-timers are really good with a stone and get a fine lasting edge,
Knife sharpness is a very relative thing. I've had people pick up knives of mine that I knew were ready for touch up and say wow like cutting through butter. It's all relative to what you're used to. There are sooooo many degrees of sharpness it's mind boggling. The fine stone on a Norton three-way if I'm not mistaken is 220 grit. A razor blade for shaving is somewhere between 15-60 thousand grit!(actually they're measured in microns 1/4 to 1micron)So how sharp do you need to cut meat? The answer.... that depends. I have found that the older I get the sharper I need my knife to be! LOL! So I'm trying to get an edge so sharp that the meat separates when it sees the edge commin'!lolHave'nt got there yet but they get through the day fairly easily. Dull knife = long day. And you're right jimhenery, that can put you in a foul mood. Some people don't think a belt grinder compares to a stone. I disagree. They both produce a flat edge but if you're stoning freehand I believe a belt sharpener with knife rest can produce a more true flatter edge with much less difficulty. The problem is they come with 80grit belts that are better suited for sharpening an ax! Many guys I've worked with who use stones (lets call em "stoners") do so every day and some even during the day. I have both but prefer belt grinder with 400 grit. The edge can last for days or longer.
I also preferred Forschner knives too. I never used a belt grinder; always a 3 sided stone/
My ace in the whole though was my diamond steel. Anyone else use them? It's a steel coated with industrial diamond dust and unlike a regular steel it actually sharpens the knife, not just folds the edge back up. I'd use a normal steel most of the time but when my knves needed a touch up I'd use my diamond steel as it was quicker than getting the stone out.
I have a diamond steel also but don't care for it much. It doesn't put that nice fine edge I need for denuding silver etc., that I can in about a minute or two with the grinder or even a few strokes on the strop either the plain leather strop or with a light spray of very find diamond (1 micron) Maybe my diamond steel is just too coarse. The meat manager at the last place I worked had a oval Dexter Russell diamond steel that was pretty popular with the crew though. Also I'd like to clarify when I said many guys use the stones "during the day" I meant having to go to the stone at least one or more times during the day to touch up after stoning before they begin. Which is fine with me but it bothers some people if guys are spending to much time sharpening and not enough time cutting. I guess it just depends how bad ass you are when you're done if you make up for that or not.
I have a diamond steel also but don't care for it much. It doesn't put that nice fine edge I need for denuding silver etc., that I can in about a minute or two with the grinder or even a few strokes on the strop either the plain leather strop or with a light spray of very find diamond (1 micron) Maybe my diamond steel is just too coarse. The meat manager at the last place I worked had a oval Dexter Russell diamond steel that was pretty popular with the crew though. Also I'd like to clarify when I said many guys use the stones "during the day" I meant having to go to the stone at least one or more times during the day to touch up after stoning before they begin. Which is fine with me but it bothers some people if guys are spending to much time sharpening and not enough time cutting. I guess it just depends how bad ass you are when you're done if you make up for that or not.
I use a fine ceramic "steel". Yes, they break sometimes. I did have an F. Dick Multi Cut Steel that I bought in 1980. I only used it for a year or so. I sold it to my boss about 4 years ago after his was stolen. They are popular, but I don't like them. Also, they're heavy to wear on your chain.
When I was in wholesale, the most popular steels were the super fine almost mirror finish chrome looking "slicks". A popular stone was the fine grit Arkansas. I have one, but never use it anymore since I love my Edge Pro so much. I also have a Norton Tri Stone that is obsolete (because of my Edge Pro)
I really dislike when people stop to put their knife or knives on the Norton Tri Stone knives while they are on duty. I even posted about it here before. Sometimes it's OK. But not if were busy and behind. It's not a problem now or lately, but I've had problems with people doing it in the past. I feel like you should arrive at work ready to work. As long as you don't do it at a stupid time, it's OK. And yes, I get to decide when it's right or not (just kidding)
I agree about too much steeling too. I know one guy who steels his knife about once every 5 minutes and it's about 20 or more strokes! I've even counted out loud once or twice to show him how silly he is. His steel is as rough as they come and you can hear him using it.
I sharpen most of my knives at 15° but I have a knife in my tool box that's done at 10°. I only use it for very special jobs. Not for heavy cutting.
I have some smooth steels they call them packing house steels. One that I like is the Forschner combination steel. It has both a smooth and grooved surface. My next steel will be ceramic. A steel will do no good unless it is harder that the steel of the knife. A ceramic steel solves that problem as it is the hardest. I don't know that my Forschner isn't harder that my knives but I sharpen "Buck" knives that are pretty damn hard and I'd like to try ceramic on them.
Burgermeister when I see someone steeling their knife like that I just think to myself man that thing must really be dull! Reminds me of when I first started in the business and couldn't get a satisfying edge so I'd be on the steel constantly lol! Unless you're sharpening with a diamond steel knifemakers will tell you about 5 strokes pr side max to straighten.
It would bother me too if my guys spent too much company time on the stone or steel, but in a union environment, which was my world, anythng job related could be done on company time. so while it was company policy that an employee must be "ready to work" at his starting time, in our world that meant he did not put his smock and apron on until his shift started, if his knives needed sharpening that was on company time, and they were given 5 minutes before their shift ended to wash up and remove their smock and apron. these were some of my challenges. In the end I feel these things just made me be sharper at my job......
