The Proof is in the Pudding or the Steel
Quote:
Originally Posted by
cudarunner
I'm glad to hear that it smoothed out, that patina will slowly return/unless you don't want it to and keep it polished.
A steel gives a knife the best 'Refresh' if the knife is held at the same angle it was sharpened at.
I sharpen knives at approximately 22 degs. My mentor used a lower angle but I could never get good results so I stuck to the 22 degs.
I just took possession of a Victorinox 14" Straight, Granton, with a Black Fibrox Pro Handle. I had a similar knife made by Dexter/Russel that I'd picked up during a store closure N/C and it's a decent knife but the handle was deteriorating to the point to where it would crumble so it was time for a new knife as I felt either making or having a new handle would cost more than the knife was worth.
Straight out of the package, I plucked the edge and it didn't feel sharp at all so I looked at it under my loupe and could see that the factory edge was turned a bit so I put some water on my thumbnail and ran the edge over the nail---it slid without ANY resistance.
I broke out my F. Dick Steel, ran the new knife over it a few times and retested the thumbnail test and it grabbed the entire edge. This time when I plucked the edge it felt sharp, :tu
While some might be happy with the corrected factory edge there's a reason I have a Norton Tri-Stone so I'm off to change what I think is a 'Good Edge' to an EXCELLENT EDGE--
Yes Virginia, Steels really do improve a knife's edge--:w