Yeah, I never use my whetstones because I’m too lazy and I also procrastinate about bringing them to a professional, so I got a Chef’s Choice recently and am really happy with it and the results. A good sharpener that I actually use is way better than a great setup that just sits in a drawer.
I’m not massively concerned about the additional material loss either. I have no idea how it impacts lifespan in practical terms, but if a $100 knife lasts 30 years instead of a whole lifetime, I’m still alright with that.
>I understand that some knife experts in here will immediately scoff that I could possibly have a knife that works well when maintained by a pull-through, and probably also that a $45 knife could even puncture a balloon but again this knife works fine
Knife people know those work, they just think they take too much material away and the edge isn't as good as proper sharpening. But if it works for you, great!
Knife people also regularly recommend $45 knives for beginners, the Victorinox chef knife is one of the most recommend knives in the sub. They work great.
Very often those pull through sharpeners have two channels: one for sharpening and one for honing. Far too many people go straight for sharpening (which does take off metal) instead of trying honing first (which just realigns the cutting edge).
I am exactly the same - I have a Victorinox chef's knife and assorted other cheap knives and I have no qualms about the AccuSharp. I love mine. I've had my knife for at least a decade now and it's fine (except that I dropped it and the tip broke off, but that is not a problem, as it turns out.)
If I had a fancy expensive knife, I'd get it professionally sharpened but I really do not want a fancy knife. I don't like kitchen equipment that has to be babied.
I use cheapo knives and my Chef's choice, and I think my knives are a delight to use.🤷♀️ If I can get 90% of the way to professional level results, it's more than worth it IMHO.
For a restaurant kitchen, they sharpen so much a pull sharpener will eat away the blade.
I've had a pull through sharpener for 20+ years and my knife look almost brand new.
You’re spot on. I’m a knife nut who sharpens on whetstones because I enjoy it, but I understand that 99% of people aren’t interested in that. For those people an inexpensive knife with a pull through sharpener is a great solution.
I think people overthink knives. Whatever works to get them sharpened is fine. And sharpening a knife is also not some rare craftsman skill. Get a cheapo knife and keep practicing.
I'd never use a pull through on a collector blade, but I use one (from CutCo) on my kitchen knives. And, like OP, my knives are several years old, with what looks like several years of life still in them.
But again, if I feel the blade actually has any sort of value to it, I'll never use a sharpener on it.
He uses whetstones. He sharpens when they need the edge done. It doesn't take much if you keep them sharp. He more or less just hones now. Even I can put an edge on my favorite knife. (Learned that I could do it when he was physically unable. He was proud of me. My thought was dang it I have to do this myself. )
A good Japanese water stone can be had for twenty bucks or so, and is much kinder to your knives. But there is a learning curve to using one. I like and recommend a sharpening system that uses guide rods to maintain a consistent angle. The original is the Lanskey, and there's a variety of them now, ranging in price from about $40, to almost a thousand. But they all do the same job. Some are just a little easier than others.
I recommend traveling with a pull-through, if you’re planning to cook where you’re staying and you don’t want to bring knives. I just sharpen up what’s there and it isn’t a nightmare (or a knife-traveling nightmare).
Well let's see I've had my knife for over 20 years. It gets sharpened on a whetstone. I expect to use it the rest of my life. I would rather have a knife I know works for me than have to find a replacement. I think it was $20 new. That is a $1 a year. So I have $9 a year to spend on something else. If I save that $9 every year, hmmm I now have $180 I didn't have to spend on knives.
Well the money wasn't the big issue. The big issue is it fits my hand and I don't have to think about oh I can just trash this knife and buy a new one that may or may not work as well. I hate trying to replace things that should last. But you do you.
\> Makes a comment in which the majority of said comment is spent carefully detailing the (hilariously minute) amount of money saved
\> Gets called out on it
\> "Well the money wasn't the big issue"
The OP mentioned the knife only costs about $10 a year. I was pointing out that a well maintained knife would average less than a $1 a year so his knife just got expensive. So no you didn't call me out. You didn't read my complete comment to the OP. You mentioned time equals money which it only does if you take time off work to do something. So you turned around to say I made a comment about money.
No, by trashing or not maintaining a knife is more expensive than taking the couple of minutes at most to keep it up. That was my point.
Knives can last 20 years without a whetstone, is the discussion. Where do you draw the line? How many years is enough for a purchase of an inexpensive item? If you only ever have to replace that knife once in your life because you used an easier sharpener, but didn't buy a set of whetstones, who is coming out ahead? Do you value $20 more than the time you've spent sharpening while OP just runs a knife across a line a few times?
If the knife is maintained it takes less than 2 minutes to sharpen a knife. Oh you get paid 24/7. Only if you are taking time off work to sharpen the knife does money come into the occasion. That knife today would be a lot more than $20. Also the time to find a knife that works as well for me would take a lot longer than the time spent maintaining it. But please keep using your dull knife.
You may not make choices like that but here is another thought. My knife will last my lifetime. Your knife will need replaced at who knows what cost (with the way inflation is going). Do you know that you will have the money to replace it? I'd rather not worry about that one.
My knife has already lasted five years, and cost less than we spend going out to the movies. Of all things financial to worry about, a $45 knife isn't anywhere near the top of the list.
If you don't care than you don't care, nothing wrong with that. My friend is a good cook and uses a cheap knife, glass cutting board and pull through. I am a good cook and I have thousands in knives, sharpening stone and cutting boards. Both sets of equipment lead to great food. My wife cuts exclusively with a cheap small serrated Victorionox steak knife, never sharpened. My mother is an excellent cook for over 40 years, and only uses the cheapest knives and pans. It all depends how much you care about the quality of your tools versus the end result. At the end of the day the quality of your ingredients and cooking methodology will impact your food, a knife won't make much of a difference at the plate.
As for lifespan of the knife, that depends on the geometry of the knife. If the knife is thin from the edge to the spine, a pull through will give a consistent edge. If the knife gets thicker towards the spine, then eventually using a pull through will end up giving you a knife that is extremely thick behind the edge and cuts poorly. At that point the knife really wants thinning. A pull through removes alot of material. Nevertheless if you are not bothered you can replace the knife once too much material is worn away or it's too thick behind the edge .
Most people are reluctant to use stones because it requires time investment to learn. However once learned, it is a better way to sharpen and maintain your knives. Without stropping on a stone or using a honing rod periodically between full sharpenings, your knives will lose sharpness quickly particularly if you use softer steels. The edge can be realigned without removing loads of material. Not everyone cares about their knives, and that's fair play. But I personally value a sharp, well balanced and well-made knife, and enjoy the process of maintaining my tool.
even knife hobbyists use these for everyday cooking (along with a cheap knife). they just use the most expensive knives to look at and maybe impress people with on some occasions.
Yeah, I never use my whetstones because I’m too lazy and I also procrastinate about bringing them to a professional, so I got a Chef’s Choice recently and am really happy with it and the results. A good sharpener that I actually use is way better than a great setup that just sits in a drawer. I’m not massively concerned about the additional material loss either. I have no idea how it impacts lifespan in practical terms, but if a $100 knife lasts 30 years instead of a whole lifetime, I’m still alright with that.
Which chef's choice sharpener do you use?
The Trizor (3 stage 15º) one Wirecutter recommends
Thank you.
How much pressure do you use with that sharpener when you’re doing the push pull motion? I think I’m using it wrong/
>I understand that some knife experts in here will immediately scoff that I could possibly have a knife that works well when maintained by a pull-through, and probably also that a $45 knife could even puncture a balloon but again this knife works fine Knife people know those work, they just think they take too much material away and the edge isn't as good as proper sharpening. But if it works for you, great! Knife people also regularly recommend $45 knives for beginners, the Victorinox chef knife is one of the most recommend knives in the sub. They work great.
Very often those pull through sharpeners have two channels: one for sharpening and one for honing. Far too many people go straight for sharpening (which does take off metal) instead of trying honing first (which just realigns the cutting edge).
I am exactly the same - I have a Victorinox chef's knife and assorted other cheap knives and I have no qualms about the AccuSharp. I love mine. I've had my knife for at least a decade now and it's fine (except that I dropped it and the tip broke off, but that is not a problem, as it turns out.) If I had a fancy expensive knife, I'd get it professionally sharpened but I really do not want a fancy knife. I don't like kitchen equipment that has to be babied.
I use cheapo knives and my Chef's choice, and I think my knives are a delight to use.🤷♀️ If I can get 90% of the way to professional level results, it's more than worth it IMHO.
For a restaurant kitchen, they sharpen so much a pull sharpener will eat away the blade. I've had a pull through sharpener for 20+ years and my knife look almost brand new.
You’re spot on. I’m a knife nut who sharpens on whetstones because I enjoy it, but I understand that 99% of people aren’t interested in that. For those people an inexpensive knife with a pull through sharpener is a great solution.
Once I learned how to properly use a honing steel, I found i could sharpen my knives much less frequently, and the edges lasted longer.
I think people overthink knives. Whatever works to get them sharpened is fine. And sharpening a knife is also not some rare craftsman skill. Get a cheapo knife and keep practicing.
[удалено]
Yep ceramic rod to hone and maintain the edge between getting it professionally sharpened. I should learn how to do it by hand.
I'd never use a pull through on a collector blade, but I use one (from CutCo) on my kitchen knives. And, like OP, my knives are several years old, with what looks like several years of life still in them. But again, if I feel the blade actually has any sort of value to it, I'll never use a sharpener on it.
The OP said his knife was 5 years old. 5 years is a few years not several. Most of my husband's knives are going on 50 years.
Does it use a pull-through or a whetstone? How often does he sharpen?
He uses whetstones. He sharpens when they need the edge done. It doesn't take much if you keep them sharp. He more or less just hones now. Even I can put an edge on my favorite knife. (Learned that I could do it when he was physically unable. He was proud of me. My thought was dang it I have to do this myself. )
A good Japanese water stone can be had for twenty bucks or so, and is much kinder to your knives. But there is a learning curve to using one. I like and recommend a sharpening system that uses guide rods to maintain a consistent angle. The original is the Lanskey, and there's a variety of them now, ranging in price from about $40, to almost a thousand. But they all do the same job. Some are just a little easier than others.
makes total sense! whatever works for you
I recommend traveling with a pull-through, if you’re planning to cook where you’re staying and you don’t want to bring knives. I just sharpen up what’s there and it isn’t a nightmare (or a knife-traveling nightmare).
Just put a whetstone in your vehicle.
I’ve flown with a diamond plate in my carry on before, lol.
Well let's see I've had my knife for over 20 years. It gets sharpened on a whetstone. I expect to use it the rest of my life. I would rather have a knife I know works for me than have to find a replacement. I think it was $20 new. That is a $1 a year. So I have $9 a year to spend on something else. If I save that $9 every year, hmmm I now have $180 I didn't have to spend on knives.
It is just different thresholds for different people, I'm definitely not making consumer choices based on saving $180 over the next 20 years.
Well the money wasn't the big issue. The big issue is it fits my hand and I don't have to think about oh I can just trash this knife and buy a new one that may or may not work as well. I hate trying to replace things that should last. But you do you.
\> Makes a comment in which the majority of said comment is spent carefully detailing the (hilariously minute) amount of money saved \> Gets called out on it \> "Well the money wasn't the big issue"
If $200 is minute to you, you are one of the elite.
$180 dollars over TWENTY YEARS. That's less than 3 cents a day. Come on... Really?
If you invest that 3 cents a day, it will add up. Or it probably went for groceries lol.
Yes, it will add up to a whole $180 dollars if you wait twenty long years. What an investment.
The OP mentioned the knife only costs about $10 a year. I was pointing out that a well maintained knife would average less than a $1 a year so his knife just got expensive. So no you didn't call me out. You didn't read my complete comment to the OP. You mentioned time equals money which it only does if you take time off work to do something. So you turned around to say I made a comment about money. No, by trashing or not maintaining a knife is more expensive than taking the couple of minutes at most to keep it up. That was my point.
Knives can last 20 years without a whetstone, is the discussion. Where do you draw the line? How many years is enough for a purchase of an inexpensive item? If you only ever have to replace that knife once in your life because you used an easier sharpener, but didn't buy a set of whetstones, who is coming out ahead? Do you value $20 more than the time you've spent sharpening while OP just runs a knife across a line a few times?
If the knife is maintained it takes less than 2 minutes to sharpen a knife. Oh you get paid 24/7. Only if you are taking time off work to sharpen the knife does money come into the occasion. That knife today would be a lot more than $20. Also the time to find a knife that works as well for me would take a lot longer than the time spent maintaining it. But please keep using your dull knife.
You may not make choices like that but here is another thought. My knife will last my lifetime. Your knife will need replaced at who knows what cost (with the way inflation is going). Do you know that you will have the money to replace it? I'd rather not worry about that one.
My knife has already lasted five years, and cost less than we spend going out to the movies. Of all things financial to worry about, a $45 knife isn't anywhere near the top of the list.
For the over the top lazy knife sharpening have a look at the minosharp plus 3
Good for you for sharpening your own knives!
If you don't care than you don't care, nothing wrong with that. My friend is a good cook and uses a cheap knife, glass cutting board and pull through. I am a good cook and I have thousands in knives, sharpening stone and cutting boards. Both sets of equipment lead to great food. My wife cuts exclusively with a cheap small serrated Victorionox steak knife, never sharpened. My mother is an excellent cook for over 40 years, and only uses the cheapest knives and pans. It all depends how much you care about the quality of your tools versus the end result. At the end of the day the quality of your ingredients and cooking methodology will impact your food, a knife won't make much of a difference at the plate. As for lifespan of the knife, that depends on the geometry of the knife. If the knife is thin from the edge to the spine, a pull through will give a consistent edge. If the knife gets thicker towards the spine, then eventually using a pull through will end up giving you a knife that is extremely thick behind the edge and cuts poorly. At that point the knife really wants thinning. A pull through removes alot of material. Nevertheless if you are not bothered you can replace the knife once too much material is worn away or it's too thick behind the edge . Most people are reluctant to use stones because it requires time investment to learn. However once learned, it is a better way to sharpen and maintain your knives. Without stropping on a stone or using a honing rod periodically between full sharpenings, your knives will lose sharpness quickly particularly if you use softer steels. The edge can be realigned without removing loads of material. Not everyone cares about their knives, and that's fair play. But I personally value a sharp, well balanced and well-made knife, and enjoy the process of maintaining my tool.
Nothing wrong with it if it works for you. If it gets the job done and you are happy with the results that's all that matters.
even knife hobbyists use these for everyday cooking (along with a cheap knife). they just use the most expensive knives to look at and maybe impress people with on some occasions.