Sadly Boco that is where I’m at or was at before this thread. I used a steel for work as a late teen but I did not give it the attention many did here. I do know a bit on how to physically use one but I’m sure others know better on that.

There is an outfit near here that sharpens knives and does a fair job at the beginning of my season tho I’d like to polish that edge up a bit more. As summer and fish cleaning goes along in camps I’d like to be able to give the knives a few strokes and keep them tip top cutting shape every now and again as needed. 9-12” surface would work well for packing.
Great input guys.

Osky

at some point it becomes a little personal preference many ways to get to a cutting edge

I like the Dexter Diamond I am sure the Mundial and Victorinox Diamond cut very similar

as this guy points out it is the great efficiency of the diamonds and the oval that have people sold on it , but you do give up a little fine ness of edge for speed , that works for me , it may not be everyone's preference

I have a Victorinox conventional steel I got from horn and it works just not as fast as the diamond I also have a Chicago steel and It will clean up an edge also , the only one I don't really care for is an old smooth steel I have and it just doesn't have the speed want.

if I could have only one the Diamond would be it because it is light , efficient and can actually be used tp put a new edge on not just hone the edge you have left.

at some point you do need something to set back the primary bevel again that is a stone or grinder I use the Worksharp Ken onion blade grinder but could have gone paper wheel easily also , the paper wheel just wasn't as portable and I wanted to be able to take it to the farm , fish or hunting camp easily.
they give a convex grind on the worksharp with belts or a hollow grind on the paper wheel but both set that primary bevel back again so you have the room to work back the secondary bevel the cutting edge.

I agree with this statement about realigning the edge. I keep my knives razor sharp and when preparing to fillet I start by giving the blade one swipe on the steel to turn the edge slightly so that it will slide along the rib bones and not dig into them. Then when removing the skin I give the blade a swipe on the other side so that it will not dig into the skin.

Once you educate yourself to what a steel actually does to maintain or re align the edge then you will know what kind you want.
Smooth steels will not remove metal,the diamond ones and course ones are actually sharpeners.I have seen indian skinners steel their knives on the back of another knife.I have done it and it works in a pinch if the knife is a hard steel.
When cleanskinning beavers in the shed I will maintain my edge with a few strokes on the strop,a steel is handier for field work,but I prefer the strop for a really sharp polished edge knife.When stropping you have to learn to lift the knife at the end of each stroke,not turn it on the strop.If you turn the edge on the strop instead of lifting it,it is counterproductive.
After a while the technique becomes natural but you have to concentrate at first not to turn the blade on the strop.

As i mentioned before talk to Horn right here on T man and he will take care of you for sharpening steels or butcher shop boning knives all at quarter great price I've bought many sets for Christmas presents for friends and family who are still using them and will be still using them far into the future .

Do the same with the bottom circle of a ceramic dinner plate.

I've gotten several knives and steels from Horn myself, along with lots of great information too.

Some of the very high carbon knives that I own seem to do best with a very polished F. Dick steel. Like Boco says, you're not sharpening but just realigning the edge. A few strokes and you're right back where you want to be. Also, your knives will last a lot longer if you align the edge more than you sharpen.

What I have found, to add to the knowledge on this thread, is you need to be aware of the hardness of your knife steel. I am a knife steel nerd and try to get the best sharpening steel I can based on the hardest knife steel I own.

Aus-8 and "stainless" steel are somewhat hard but relatively easy to sharpen.

D2, any CPM and the like are hard steel knives and require a harder sharpening steel. Higher rockwell scale numbers mean harder knife steel.

Adjusting the amount of pressure you put on the sharpening steel considering the hardness of your knife steel can make a big difference. The pressure adjustments are slight.

I have a diamond oval for bad blades or soft knife steel and a ceramic for hard knife steel.

Understanding how to lock your wrist into the same angle and not roll you knife on the sharpening steel will help tremendously.

But to be honest, I have become lazy and use a Dunn sharpening system when the knives are bad. I then use the sharpening steel and a strop to achieve the hair popping edge. Leather shoes work very good in a pinch.

Anyone got a link for this Horn company?

That’s his handle on here. He has posted on this thread. Pm him

Horn is a member here , butcher knives and accessories is his side hustle

he is out of Iowa

I bought 3 sets of his base package gave some to friends who helped me butcher a cow kept the rest I have a tote with my butcher stuff in it so that when I get the call a cow needs to be put down I can load the truck and go.

The pickup window has edged knives for me for years. When field skinning coon, its handy , always there and quite honestly it is the best I have used.

I am working on an Informational and educational post, give me a little while and I can get something up.

Composition is not easy for me so it may take a few drafts to get it done to the point that I can post it.

I am not able to text pictures from my phone to my email anymore so cant post pictures until I get that solved. I think its a setting but...

I'm working on it. LOL

I am so much better explaining things in person than I am in Writing...Please forgive my rambling and grammar and punctuation or lack of, I'm going to trust spellcheck for the rest.

My supply of stuff is dried up at least for the time being. I still have boning and butcher knives and scabbards but skinners and steels are mostly gone; at least what I will sell are.

I will share my Opinions and what I know about keeping a knife.

It is important to know the difference between sharpening and using a steel.
....Perhaps an oversimplification is... Sharpening removes steel from the knife...Using a Steel straightens an exiting edge.

The diamond and Ceramic sticks are sharpeners not steels as they remove steel and will change the angle of the edge of the knife.

When a knife begins to "drag" or feel dull when you are using it the edge is no longer straight. If you were to look at the edge of the knife in good light and maybe with a magnifier of some sort you will see the edge is beginning to have a wave in it. The edge of a super sharp knife will almost be invisible when looked at down the edge.

Think of a piece of string as the edge of your knife and if the string is pulled tight and straight it is as sharp as it can be.
Using a steel is making that edge straight again.


OK>>>>

Things to make using a steel easy. There are many people who use different techniques and I am not saying they are wrong. I feel that this way is the easiest way to teach.

1. Be gentle and deliberate when you are learning. I suggest holding both Steel and knife lightly and with your thumb and index finger stabilized with your little finger. This helps to insure a genital pressure

2. point the sharp end of the steel at your nose. So that you see the end of the steel and then your index and thumb.

3. place the edge of your knife against the steel and choose an angle about 20-30 degrees but do pay attention so that you can match it on the other side of the steel with the other side of the knife.

4. slowly and gently draw the blade along the steel from the handle to the tip. starting from the point of the steel. Holding like I suggested above helps to insure that you are gentle. Be careful of your steel hand...

Listen to the sound the blade makes as you move it down the steel and it will help to insure the angle on the other side along with looking down the steel..

Steels are a tool and personal preference and confidence in yourself and the tool makes all of the difference in the world as to how they work for you.

Sharpening is also necessary and there is a bazillion ways to do that. but a steel can make the times between sharpening longer.
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This is likely going to cost me some business... .

Coarse Steels seem to work faster, for you they may, It is easier to hear and feel when your angles and pressure the same on each side of the knife.

Smooth Steels do the same job as a coarse steel maybe a slightly straighter edge (I'm not sure) Again personal preference comes into play. This is what I learned on at the packing house.

Longer steels are easier to use with longer knives, but a shorter will work just as well. 7-8 inch seems most common and work very well on most any knife you take to it.

A longer knife blade is easier for me to steel. I have a bit of trouble on blades shorter than a paring knife, I also have some problems with shorter thicker blades like a buck 110.

Garage sale/Thrift store steels work. I once talked to a guy who used a 3/8 snap on extension as a steel. the back of another knife also works in a jam.

Wipe your steel clean after use, use a green pad if real gunky, Store dry and clean.

You probably shouldn't have trusted your genitals to spell check.

LOL i guess i should fix that, Sharp knives an all.

Hows the information?

The info is good!

Thanks Horn!