Sharp Knives

[bainbrig]

I want to sharpen kitchen knives - is there a drill attachment that would help?

BB

[Kidas]

I use a set of these every six months or so, and then touch up with a steel every time I use the knives.

http://bestknives.co/6-x-2-coarse-150-grit-medium-300-grit-fine-400-grit-diamond/

A drill-based tool might be labour-saving, but the risk is that you create an uneven edge - taking more metal off at certain points of the blade.

[sunny-dave]

I'd spend a few quid on a purpose made sharpener :

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[woofgang]

Only if you want to grind your knives to nothing very quickly. Many people swear by an old fashioned steel which I never got the hang of....I have got one of these which I find very good and quick.
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[bainbrig]

I think I’ll try harder to master my steel.

[DTCwordfan]

the French had it down pat with the guillotine, sponsored by Sabatier apparently.

[Old_Geezer]

Many years ago, when I was new to eBay, I won an auction for a used electric knife sharpener. Darn thing was on it's last legs. Even jammed occasionally. Was very wary of bidding for non-new stuff after that.

[EcclesCake]

Depending on how blunt they are a steel isn’t going to help. Do you have a local butcher? If so they may take them in and sharpen them properly and then you maintain the edge with a steel.

[DTCwordfan]

exactly, your local butcher......

[gingejbee]

I love my ceramic knives....never need sharpening. And for the steel knives....a ceramic "steel" does a fantastic job of sharpening.

[Old_Geezer]

All these folk with local butchers. How quaint.
Ceramic chips more easily.
I'm sure I've a steel somewhere. Unsure where it's gone. An acquired skill though.

[gingejbee]

Ceramic chips more easily....than what?

[Kidas]

Traditional ceramics do chip more easily (think china cups).
Modern ceramics are much tougher.

A lot of knives are made from zirconium oxide. Sometimes called zirconia or Zircon (trade name)

Machine tools are made from industrial ceramics such as silicon nitride. That's so hard and tough it can cut metals like steel and still remain sharp.

The point about ceramics is that they are hard, so don't tend to wear.

A soft mild steel blade will blunt quite quickly. Slightly harder steels will take longer to become blunt, but can be more brittle. I seem to remember it is something to do with the crystal structure of the various iron-carbon compounds. Words like Austenite, Pearlite, Martensite come to mind, as well as other alloying ingredients such as vanadium and molybdenum.

As you move toward stainless steels, they are harder and retain their edge longer, but might need a diamond steel to sharpen them properly.

Next up is the lower-end ceramics like Zirconium. Then, right at the top end are the industrial ceramics like silicon carbide and silicon nitride.

[Old_Geezer]

More easily than steel.
I have ceramic knives with a chip in them, I've no steel knives with a chip.

[bainbrig]

Ceramic sounds great, but as you can’t chop potatoes with them, no good for us vegetarians!

[ummmm]

You can chop potatoes with them.

[bhg481]

///you can’t chop potatoes with them//

People have pointed out you get more chips in them, so they must chop potatoes.

[dannyk13]

Have tried numerous types of knife sharpener over the years, but found nothing that beats an oilstone and a steel just to maintain the edge( a steel does not sharpen knives)

[bainbrig]

umm. “You can chop potatoes with them.”

Is that personal knowledge? Searching on the www throws up many answers saying potato chopping is best done with steel knives.

[ummmm]

I have both. I don't know why you think, or anyone on the internet, that they can't cut spuds.

Me, I prefer standard steel knifes, ceramic is good for salad.

Actually, it's just lettuce, lettuce doesn't like steel.

[EcclesCake]

Hard vegetables such as potatoes, swede and squash can be difficult with ceramic.

Start off small with a paring knife and see how you get on with it.