I got one for crimbo, and I think it’s ace, but chatting to a couple of guys at work, they thought that they were not as good as using a steel. Is this true, and how do you know how sharp a knife is? Is there a common test?

I run a sharp knife over the top of my hand/wrist against the hairs. If it removes them, then its sharp. Or I’ll run my finger along the edge, if I feel it cutting, its sharp. I have nearly 10 years of experience doing this, I no longer cut myself too much. lol

Steels are good if you can use them right if not then you’ll do more damage than good. The Global Knife sharpner is very good but struggles on short blades.

Global also do the roller sharpener, much better unless you really know what you are doing with the stone.

http://www.globalknives.uk.com/range/knife-sharpening-accessories

but then again, i use a similar thing from a petrol station, for fiver, on my Global knife, it does me fine.

To test for sharpness? either cut hairs on yer arm (filthy habit), see how easily it cus the washing up sponge (winds folks up) put it on your thumbnail at an angle and see if it will slide down

If it can cut a ripe tomato easily it’s as sharp as you’ll need.

If it can cut a ripe tomato easily it’s as sharp as you’ll need.

You want a tomato knife for that 😉

I think roller sharpener is another name for the water sharpener.

I’ve given up and use a bread knife for cutting tomatoes 😳

I think the steel is to keep the edge of the blade from curling over. The wet stone is to re-sharpen.

Not sure if these ceramic contraptions do both

I remember when an old boy used to come around with a handcart sharpening knives.

To test for sharpness run a fingertip at a right angle across the blade. If you feel the blade catching on the ridges of your fingerprints then the blade is sharp. On no account use milkie’s method of running your finger up or down the blade because if the knife is properly sharp you will cut yourself.

how do you know how sharp a knife is? Is there a common test?

If you don’t know then does it matter?

Surely cutting some thing tells you if the knife is sharp or not ?

I run the knife (sideways on, not cutting direction) across the top of my arm. If it judders it’s sharp, if it slides up its blunt.

I think roller sharpener is another name for the water sharpener.

Nope, the water sharpener is a double sided rectangular water stone which you sharpen by honing.

The roller sharpener is the one which you just drag the knife between two ceramic sharpening discs.

As a point of note, for Global knives they recommend using a ceramic ‘steel’ if you are going to sharpen your knives that way, as a normal steel could well be too soft for the hardened steel used in Global knives… although the Global one is eye-wateringly expensive, there are other cheaper versions about…

You sure?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shinkansen-Water-Sharpener-Black-Red/dp/B0000A33LJ

If I remember correctly ebay is your friend for the ceramic steels and the double roller water sharpeners. A knife is sharp when it removes (quite a lot) of skin with a delay before you notice. hmm where is that fingerprint?

good grief, a wet stone should the knife be bunt, for typical domestic use I doubt you’d need one. Even then once a year would be more than ample for a typical household. Unless of course you think stone is a good chopping surface, then you’re just a nutter and clearly live on a cheese only diet.

And if I’ve just been sharpening a knife I know its gonna be bloody sharp, no need for all this arm shaving or such!

I test the sharpness if a knife by running along my tongue.
It feels cold. It’s blunt. It starts to feel warm. Job done. Bosh.

lodious… oooh, they’ve changed the design since I bought my wet stone.

The water sharpers (as linked above) is, IMO, better than a steel.

I’ve used a steel for years and can sharpen a knife – but not as nicely or as consistently (along the blade) as I can with the water sharperner.

It did take a while to get the knives sharp mind. Years of abuse with a steel meant I didn’t have the perfect shape on the cutting edge, and getting them sharp to begin with was a pain.

But now they need a couple of drags through once a month to stay razer sharp.

Wow, two days and three serious debates on knives, maybe it’s seasonal affective disorder. Also, not many laydees making comments on here. are they too mature, or just put up with c..p knives, or don’t have hairy enough arms to test their Mk17 squirrel skinning hollow ground ninja death blades.

;0)

If I bother to use the roller sharpener frequently my Global knives can cut a tomato cleanly, no problem. Doesn’t take that much use without sharpening for that fine edge to vanish. I can’t imagine wanting to get a knife sharper than the roller sharpener can manage, much more and you could shave with it. I’ve never used a normal steel or stone on these knives.

I have owned 2 microsharps and they both broke after about 10 uses. Not recommended, though they do a good job!

I’ve just found out that we have previously supplied these to some poultry plants:

Although they are impressed with them as it saves a lot of time, you can get a better edge using a wet stone and some time. Apparently it can eat knives for breakfast if you don’t use it correctly or you have poor quality steel.

I’ve just found out that we have previously supplied these to some poultry plants:

Ah no, not getting me there, I’m pretty sure they burst out of eggs.