08-19-2018, 04:50 PM
Excellent observations Mr. Bud. I agree. Probably 99% of kitchen knives are used in some state of “working edge” and I suspect most of those continue to be used long after “working” is really not the proper word to describe what’s left of the edge. I’ve been given chef’s knives to sharpen that were actually in use, but would require a good smack on the spine with a mallet to cleave a carrot!
Your last paragraph takes words right from my mouth,
“I used to have a Sharp Pad in the kitchen and it definitely stretched the life of the edge but we both got lazy and it ended up in a drawer. Now it sits in my shop and I use it there sometimes for burr removal or just dinking around experimenting. There isn't much doubt in my mind that there is a place for a steel or a strop with knives that are being used daily. I think that everyone, including me, are just to lazy to use them. If you have a Kally or other good sharpening method it's just too easy to sharpen again. Who cares if you're wearing your knife away quicker than need be? A brand new Victoranox is only $30.00 or so.”
It’s funny. I know I should strop and maintain my edges but I don’t because I'm too lazy. I have a Sharp Pad and it resides in my shop for deburring and dinking around with. I have a Kally, actually enjoy sharpening and can do it so quickly I’m just too lazy to bother straightening edges. I guess I really don’t care if my knives wear more quickly than necessary considering I can usually find a blade at Salvation Army for only a few dollars, and a new Victorinox is only $30.00 or so.
We’re lucky. We know how to sharpen. Most folks don’t, and getting knives sharpened is at the least inconvenient so they simply don’t and continue to use the knife until it’s unusable. The solution is then to declare the knife used up, throw it in the ever growing too good to throw away but too dull to use knife box and purchase a new one. I guess that’s one way to go and works for a lot of folks. After all, a brand new Victorinox is only $30.00 or so.
Your last paragraph takes words right from my mouth,
“I used to have a Sharp Pad in the kitchen and it definitely stretched the life of the edge but we both got lazy and it ended up in a drawer. Now it sits in my shop and I use it there sometimes for burr removal or just dinking around experimenting. There isn't much doubt in my mind that there is a place for a steel or a strop with knives that are being used daily. I think that everyone, including me, are just to lazy to use them. If you have a Kally or other good sharpening method it's just too easy to sharpen again. Who cares if you're wearing your knife away quicker than need be? A brand new Victoranox is only $30.00 or so.”
It’s funny. I know I should strop and maintain my edges but I don’t because I'm too lazy. I have a Sharp Pad and it resides in my shop for deburring and dinking around with. I have a Kally, actually enjoy sharpening and can do it so quickly I’m just too lazy to bother straightening edges. I guess I really don’t care if my knives wear more quickly than necessary considering I can usually find a blade at Salvation Army for only a few dollars, and a new Victorinox is only $30.00 or so.
We’re lucky. We know how to sharpen. Most folks don’t, and getting knives sharpened is at the least inconvenient so they simply don’t and continue to use the knife until it’s unusable. The solution is then to declare the knife used up, throw it in the ever growing too good to throw away but too dull to use knife box and purchase a new one. I guess that’s one way to go and works for a lot of folks. After all, a brand new Victorinox is only $30.00 or so.