Knife Sharpening - London

[Slim Slawson]

I am sooooooo fed up with my Globals being blunter than blunt. I've tried sharpening on a wetstone and a steel but obviously lack the touch. It's time to admit defeat and take them to an expert - anyone got a recommendation in London? (West preferably!)

[FaustianBargain]

I am sooooooo fed up with my Globals being blunter than blunt.  I've tried sharpening on a wetstone and a steel but obviously lack the touch. It's time to admit defeat and take them to an expert - anyone got a recommendation in London? (West preferably!)

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Every twice a week on Wednesday(or Tuesday, I might be wrong), a knife sharpener comes to Divertimenti, Marylebone. You have to drop it the day before and they will return it to you the next day. He comes quite early.

Although, I'd suggest you make friends with your butcher and ask him nicelike...

These are good too. I used something similar(read as 'cheaper')and I found that my knives became slightly serrated. It broke my heart. Finally, I had to 'fix' it by grinding the steel smooth, but I lost a lot of steel. I wasnt doing it right, apparently.

Butcher, thats the way to go.

[Charlie O]

It ain't central but I'd recommend Kooks Unlimited in Richmond. I had a Henckels utility knife where the tip of the blade had snapped and they were able to grind it down and create a sharp if shorter blade.

Find them here:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=51...p=newsearch.srf

Edited because I can't spell

Edited April 8, 2005 by Charlie O (log)

[PoppySeedBagel]

I was told that Global knives require a very different sharpening technique, as they are thinner than normal knives - you have to sharpen at a sharper angle.

We've got a special Global sharpener thing with round stones that you use once a quarter (you have to add water before using it), and we've got a ceramic 'steel' for use after every cutting session - this seems to keep them like razors.

[Gary Marshall]

i had issues with my globals but i have got them very sharp of late doing the following.....

my chefly friend says you should never let anyone else sharpen your knives, i assume it's similar to a fountain pen where it adapts to your style, anyway i use a global mid grade whetstone slightly damp. (or maybe he got bored of sharpening mine )

i sharpen the cutting edge, for me beinf right handed the left edge by pullingit across the stone with some pressure, 20x then flip the blade over and do it once or twice.

i then finish it off on an ordinary carbon steel held at about 42 degress.

before i use it every time i give it a quick whizz on the carbon steel.

seems to work for me, just as i thought they were needed a re-fresh i sliced my finger on them in the washing bowl.

if they are sharp they should cut a tomato without pressure, just dragging across the skin should be enough.

another tip, don't put then in the dishwasher, they get blunted by the abrasive particles in the powder.

cheers

gary

Edited April 8, 2005 by Gary Marshall (log)

[sandra]

There is a guy who comes around in a van, you call him and he will drive by, park by you and sharpen your knives while you wait -

His name was Bruno, and he used to come to Le Cordon Bleu once a month, that is how I met him - he left for Australia, but his cousin now runs the same business...

pm me if you want his number....

[jayt90]

I am sooooooo fed up with my Globals being blunter than blunt.  I've tried sharpening on a wetstone and a steel but obviously lack the touch.

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I found the wetstone/steel treatment slow and ineffective, until I got a diamond treated stone, and a diamond steel. The stone works so well, and quickly, that touch up can be done with my old steel, or ceramics.

[fisherman]

some good sharpening advice there, i thought i was keeping my globals sharp until last week i bought a couple of 'shun' knives and was stunned by how sharp they are (they are better knives than the global, with vg-10 blades, but still the difference shouldn't have been so apparent)

[Slim Slawson]

Thanks for the tips - I'll try the butchers first!

Cheers

S

[MobyP]

My experience with butchers and fishmongers is that they buy cheap knives, sharpen the life out of them, and then throw them away after a few years.

I wouldn't go handing your expensive blades to either. They might come back sharp, but they might also come back a few mil less broad.

[Gary Marshall]

i agree with moby,

i've never seen a decent knife in a butchers or a fishmongers yet and my friends butcher supplier once sharpened his knives and knackered them all.

it's better to learn yourself, by whatever method that works for you as modern knives lose their edge so quickly you'll constantly be without your knives unless you learn yourself.

cheers

gary

for those in the north peter maturi in leeds sharpen knives, the guy comes in on friday, i had one done before i saw the light - aka shaun hill's how to cook better

[Morfudd]

We have used 'Ital-Cutlery services' for some time www.italcutlery.com they either sharpen your own knives for you or they will hire out knives to you on a weekly rotation basis

[Akiko]

Every twice a week on Wednesday(or Tuesday, I might be wrong), a knife sharpener comes to Divertimenti, Marylebone. You have to drop it the day before and they will return it to you the next day. He comes quite early.

I had no idea, I might have to try that. I would trust a place like Divertimenti... and no, I'm not sure I'd trust my local butcher even though they have amazing meat and their knives always do an amazing job cutting... what they are cutting with are a far cry from Globals.

[Andy Lynes]

I took my knives to be sharpened at the local hardware shop and they came back even more blunt. I learnt to sharpern knives using a whetstone and steel from this eGCI course. There is a very specific technique which is covered in "Section Five: Sharpening Step by Step". It's easily mastered and works a treat once you have the hang of it.

[Matthew Grant]

I took my knives to be sharpened at the local hardware shop and they came back even more blunt. I learnt to sharpern knives using a whetstone and steel from this eGCI course. There is a very specific technique which is covered in "Section Five: Sharpening Step by Step". It's easily mastered and works a treat once you have the hang of it.

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After reading that excellent course I bought a rod and clamp system - the Gatco edge-mate, it cost around £40. It's easy to use and once you get the hang of it you can sharpen a knife perfectly in around 10 minutes. Incidentally in the past I asked my butchers about sharpening my knives, all they did was send them away to be ground on an electric wheel - I'd be very wary of giving a decent knife to a butcher.