01-15-2018, 01:15 PM
It really depends on how you want to maintain your edges, and that depends on what type of steel you're using. You can't maintain hard steel as you would soft steel. I wouldn't use a rod on my Japanese knives, but they work for common stainless knives.
I wouldn't totally dismiss the idea of using a round spine in place of a steel, but it wouldn't work the way a rod does. It would be more like occasionally ironing out dents, as I might occasionally use a piece of ceramic tableware.
When I use a rod, I plant the tip on a cutting board and hold it vertically. That way I can be more accurate with the angle, which is even more important with ceramic. The M3 ceramic rod we passed around is a great example of that modern line of reasoning. An equal type of ceramic rod maintenance would be a ceramic rod holder IMHO.
Yes, ceramic rods are different than smooth steel, as they do abrade and leave something like a scratch pattern. Smooth steels don't leave any scratch pattern, but they maintain a polished edge very well. That's why they're common with butchers. Butchers also get enough practice to be able to suspend the rod and maintain an effective angle.
Mr. KG mentioned that there are three types of steels used at the slaughterhouse. I bet they use a grooved steel for slicing meat, and smooth for boning. I doubt they use ceramic, but perhaps he could elaborate.
Kitchen knives could be maintained similarly, for performing similar tasks, but I would rather use hard steel with an effective scratch pattern for the majority of household use. Boning meat or parting chickens takes a separate knife with a different edge IMHO.
I wouldn't totally dismiss the idea of using a round spine in place of a steel, but it wouldn't work the way a rod does. It would be more like occasionally ironing out dents, as I might occasionally use a piece of ceramic tableware.
When I use a rod, I plant the tip on a cutting board and hold it vertically. That way I can be more accurate with the angle, which is even more important with ceramic. The M3 ceramic rod we passed around is a great example of that modern line of reasoning. An equal type of ceramic rod maintenance would be a ceramic rod holder IMHO.
Yes, ceramic rods are different than smooth steel, as they do abrade and leave something like a scratch pattern. Smooth steels don't leave any scratch pattern, but they maintain a polished edge very well. That's why they're common with butchers. Butchers also get enough practice to be able to suspend the rod and maintain an effective angle.
Mr. KG mentioned that there are three types of steels used at the slaughterhouse. I bet they use a grooved steel for slicing meat, and smooth for boning. I doubt they use ceramic, but perhaps he could elaborate.
Kitchen knives could be maintained similarly, for performing similar tasks, but I would rather use hard steel with an effective scratch pattern for the majority of household use. Boning meat or parting chickens takes a separate knife with a different edge IMHO.