I would like to buy the best steel I can. In my business touching up a fillet knife needs doing often. I don’t want ceramic as they are breakable. I figure there are probably some older types and brands of steels that are fantastic, just like so many other metal products discussed here. I would not have any clue which to look for.

I’d appreciate any direction from you knowledgeable folks. I’ll hunt it down, but I want the best.

Osky

I’ve been use a couple case xx for years. The work perfect. Not sure you can still buy them?

All the major online auction sites sell older Case XX knife sharpeners still. They are nice.

Keith

I worked in a beef hide room where we bought fresh beef hides. We ran them in a salt brine raceway over night and ran them up a chain hoist and trimmed dew claws, lips, ears, tails, and anus off the hides and dropped them on a big wood skid to drain for a night before they were graded and rolled/tied. There was a old guy in there that had worked beef hides all his life and he had a steel he made out of a chain saw file. He worked it down with a stone, by hand until you could see teeth, but not feel them. He could tune a knife up on that thing. He ran a knife slow and deliberate. Not beat the knife against it like most people you see. He could take the ears off a bull hide that was a half inch thick like it was nothing. I made one, and it will tune a knife up. You can really tune up aa knife in the edge of a PU window. Roll it down 3/4s the way and run the knife across the top edge like you are trying to shave the edge off. About 20 swipes per side and you can shave hair off your arm easy unless you started with a piece of rebar. I alternate from the right to left side of the blade. Hunting and fishing there is pretty much always a PU around.

The better the knife steel you're using has a whole lot to do with how much time you'll spend touching up the edge. I'm a ceramic guy for touch up.

My father in law started working in packing houses when he was 14 and retired at 80. Cut up hogs, cattle, sheep, goats and horses until he retired.

He made his own steels out of round files with a stone (he called it a rock) too. I'm lucky enough to have one.

I'll however never get a knife as sharp as that man. Or bone out an animal as fast.

I worked in a fish cleaning operation. We finally found our answer F.Dicck makes a Hypersteel and a Rapid Steel. The Hypersteel is smooth and the Rapidsteel is textured a little. Both are excellent. I used the Hypersteel at work and the Rapidsteel at home. Hard to beat. Under $100 but will last a lifetime.

We used Dexter-Russel knives. They lasted several years each once we got the R.Dick steels and stopped using the sharpening machine.

Hello Osky. If you decide you want a case xx steel. I can get you one.

I am not sure if it is the best , it definitely gets really good results for me.

Dexter Diamond steel

they cut but are not breakable like ceramic

https://www.amazon.com/Dexter-Outdoors-Diamond-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B003EGRMUI?ref_=ast_sto_dp

That’s pretty neat! I think I’m going to try making myself one now.

https://www.knifemerchant.com/products.asp?categoryID=239

Go to this site. You will learn everything you want to know.

Ever since I was a butcher (chef prior) my mentors got me into an oval carbon and diamond steel I haven't looked back. Finer and more surface than a round steel.
I've had this Mundial about 20 years and still use it often.

Adam I have the same one in the back seat of my pickup right now.

PM Me your mailing address. I can help you out.

How far north are you, I might be able to hand deliver it,

I can teach you the way I was taught in the packing house.

Awesome! It's such a great steel

Nothing against anyone's suggestions but go with a F. Dick from Horn you can't beat the price or quality .

I prefer the smooth steel where others like the textured finish .
There's a reason they're used in most major butcher shop .

I just looked at a website that sells the F. Dick steels and there were about 50 different ones to buy ranging from $30-$220.
How do you choose one?

Throw a dart.

I use a 12inch regular cut, recommended by a guy that's skinned 10s of 1000s of fur bearers.

You really want a smooth steel. The point of steeling a knife is to realign the edge, not to remove metal. I do have a diamond steel for junk knives when l don't feel like breaking out my sharpening kit.