New Cooking Cartoon - Really Sharp Knives
“Hmmm. Maybe a little too sharp!”
If you get a chance, take a look at my latest cooking cartoon featuring the Reluctant Gourmet. You can see it on my home page at www.reluctantgourmet.com.
The idea came to me after sharpening some knives and thinking I need to do this more often. Some chef friends of mine have told me they sharpen their knives everyday or at least every other day. Yes, they use their knives more in a day than we may in a week, but still, when was the last time you sharpened your knives or even used a steel on them?
I find I can go weeks without sharpening them and then realize how much extra work I’m doing dicing a carrot or chopping an onion and I get to work on sharpening that blade. I’m not talking about just running it over a steel to clean it up a little. I mean get out your stone or Chef’s Choice and hone that blade.
You may think it is easier to cut yourself with a sharp knife (well actually it can be if you don’t know the knives were just sharpened. Just ask my wife) but in reality, it is easier to cut yourself with a dull knive.
Why? Because you have to work so much harder and use more force to cut through something and there is more of a chance to slip and cut yourself. Chef Ricco told me many times that with a sharp knife you let the knife do all the work. You don’t have to press hard on it so even if you do slip and cut yourself, it will be a shallow cut. On the other hand, if you are pushing down hard on a dull knife and you slip, the cut will be bad.
Be Careful
Like most kitchen utensils, knives can be dangerous. So when handling them, be careful and pay attention to what you are doing. If you are using really sharp knives, be extra careful to watch what you’re doing and let the knife do the work.
on March 14th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
What do you recommend for sharpening? I’ve got a ProEdge Sharpener, with 3 different grit stones and a bottle of oil, but I’ve been afraid to use it.
on March 15th, 2007 at 7:47 am
Viki, I would definitely recommend a sharpener you are not afraid to use. I don’t know the ProEdge Sharpener but there are some very good products on the market. My favorite at this time is Chef’s Choice. They have a bunch of selections to choose from. Check out Kitchen Universe.com.
I have an old Chef’s Choice 3-stage sharpener but if I were buying one now, I would probably go with their Pro model. And don’t bury it away in a cabinet. Have it readily accessible so you can give you blades a sharpening at least once a week. You may even want to think about leaving it out on the counter next to the toaster. This way if you see it, you’re more likely to use it. That’s not going to happen in our house. My wife thinks we already have too much “stuff” on the counter. Hey, there’s an idea for a Reluctant Gourmet cartoon!
on March 16th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
It’s not the sharpener itself I’m afraid of, more my lack of skill combined with expensive knives. Plus I’ve heard different people recommend different techniques, some say push the edge into the stone, some say drag the edge, etc. I think I may have to go modern and relatively idiot-proof. Thanks for the Chef’s Choice recommendation!
on March 20th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
First of all you can’t be afraid. So when some people tell you push the edge into the stone or even if they tell you to stand on one foot on the full moon and then and only then use your whet stone, don’t listen to them. Here’s a suggestion on learning how to sharpen your expensive knives with ruining them.
You buy a few different size knives from the good will or something cheap from wal-mart. I like the buying of used knives from the good will because you can find some good used metal knives. Try to find something with high carbon, that’s the metal that looks like it’s dirty or very dark to black. It’s a very soft metal so you can see right away if you are using the whet stone in the right way for you. Then after you get the right line use your expensive knifes.
If you own great knifes, it’s a must to learn the whet stone.
on March 21st, 2007 at 11:45 am
I hate when I help out cooking at a friend or family members house and there knives are soooo dull. Now I bring my knife set with me if I know I will be doing any food prep.
on April 13th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
I use a triangular, 3-sided, 3-grit oil stone(s), and I pull the knife towards me, using each grit successively. Then I use a diamond impregnated steel, then finally a normal steel for the finishing touch. Oh, very sharp.
The 3-grit system needs to be used less frequently, but the diamond steel followed by the regular steel more frequently.
Finally, use a sharpening steel each time you use your knife and it will last for a good while before needing to go back through a reconditioning.
Bob
on April 13th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
I am not a trained chef, but I have made it a practice to sharpen my knives each time that I pick one up to use it. I have always used the sharpening stone.
I recently purchased the Chef’s Choice model 130. It is their latest and best electric sharpener. I am amazed at the ease of use and how quickly one can sharpen a knife. Three stages make a keen edge possible in a flash. It is a little pricey at approximately $150 shipped, but well worth the cost!
Butch