Four Good Ways to Sharpen Kitchen Knives

[@aragusea]

Q: Isn't it bad to use a honing steel on blades made out of particularly hard steel? A: Yes. I made this video to speak to people who have the mass-market knives that are typical in the western countries where my audience is concentrated. As I understand it, there are high-end traditional Asian-style knives made out of very hard steel on which a honing steel (and probably a pull-through sharpener) would do more harm than good by breaking off the brittle edge. But the makers of all of the low-to-mid-market Asian-style knives that I can think of, like Shun and Calphalon (the maker of my knife), do recommend the use of honing steels with their products. You could argue I should have made this distinction in the video, but I figure if you're hardcore enough to own a very hard steel knife, then this video isn't for you anyway. Q: Why didn't Wurstner use water on her whetstone? A: Asian-style whetstones use water. Western-style whetstones use oil. I'm sure that's an over-simplification, but that's the gist of it. Q: Why didn't you talk about the ceramic mug technique? A: Indeed, it's possible to sharpen a knife on many household ceramics, including the bottom of a mug or plate. I've tried it; I felt I got a very uneven result, and it also seemed a little hazardous. I really think a high-quality manual pull-through, suited to the style of knife you have, is pretty effective, fool-proof, and cheap. I consider that the entry-level option. But if you want to try the mug method, there are many youtube tutorials. Q: Why didn't you mention that X type of pull-through sharpener is awful? A: Indeed, such sharpeners are highly variable in quality, but this is not a video about the merits of different sharpeners on the market. It's about the basic four methods that I would consider using. Once you've picked one, you'll need to do some more homework to pick the right tool for you. There are many great reviews online of different sharpeners - as I mentioned, America's Test Kitchen did some typically exhaustive testing, and the models I use are the ones they recommend. They've worked great for me.

[@dandanthedandan7558]

I Argue With People on KZbin no u

[@frog8220]

this video is very nicely done, and amazing for most people. I'm one of the "this video isn't for you"-people, and I like that you made clear what point your video was going to be making. Especially I like that you point people towards going to a professional sharpener. Many people want sharp knives but don't want the effort and risk of ruining their nice knives, and the straightforward solution of a professional service is good. Most videos about knife sharpening omit this point, thank you for including it! "ceramic mug" don't ever use a ceramic mug, it's too coarse and uneven for knives, and people grind a terribly wide angle on those, which will stay sharp for only a short time. Then they use it more and more often, making things worse and worse. Looking at you, past-me... "as I understand it, [...]brittle edge" exactly right, some knives are too brittle for a honing steel.

[@mydogskips2]

@I Argue With People on KZbin Then move on and don't waste your time watching them, or making needless comments.

[@mydogskips2]

@I Argue With People on KZbin Well, if you can do better, go create your own channel and make your own videos. I mean, do something positive and productive, for the sake of humanity.

[@petertardigrade4485]

I really like that you're reading critiques and putting these on your videos. Saves time for us cynical types ;-), and also might help someone make sure they're getting the whole picture.

[@DamnZodiak]

"I'm a recovering chef" I've never heard this phrase before, yet it still instantly paints a detailed picture in my head. That's some good use of language right there, I'll definitely steal this.

[@nathanielfarrugia]

If only you said steel instead you'd have won

[@growlingbull]

Brother?

[@midnightgear2616]

What does recovering chef mean?

[@DamnZodiak]

@@midnightgear2616 It means exactly that, you're recovering from being a chef. Professional cooking, especially in a fancy restaurant, is incredibly stressful and brings with it a fairly toxic lifestyle for a lot of people in the industry. It's also a profession that extends itself into your private life, wether you want it or not. Everybody needs to cook from time to time, in order to eat, including yourself.

[@DamnZodiak]

@@growlingbull At last! We have found each other!

[@kyo3714]

I WISH I had a santa looking dude with a double moustache in my town.

[@MercenaryBlackWaterz]

Don't lie, you jus' wanna look under that kilt dont cha? it'll cost ya $5 mr or miss....

[@robertsyrett1992]

The double mustache really blew my mind.

[@kosmicken]

I wish I had Katie as my teacher. 😈

[@hdihiiehei]

me too

[@ejej_shej7958]

Ikr

[@kmlkmljkl]

why I sharpen my cutting board, NOT my knife

[@pabloascencio7397]

why I sharpen my meat, not my knife

[@Gkokkinakis2]

Why I sharpen my food not my cutting board or why I sharpen my white wine not my knife

[@jacobkurtz9984]

Hey, you're that guy.

[@pigslayer275]

Why I sharpen my kitchen NOT my knife.

[@UNITC00K13D0UGH]

Oh shit I didn't expect to see you here.

[@aryasuri9421]

Finally confirmation of Adam's love for Alton Brown. Knew him calling cut onions half moons couldn't be a coincidence. Not to mention his stylistic similarities and scientific leaning. Wonder if he's been watching Good Eats: The Return.

[@yourmother3207]

And he mentioned he's recently become "disenchanted" with San Marzano tomatoes

[@aragusea]

My life has been so crazy I haven't watched TV in months. Hope to get to it at some point.

[@aragusea]

@@yourmother3207 Haven't seen that episode, but other people have told me about it. The reason both he and I have talked about it is because we're responding to the same lawsuits that have been happening.

[@aryasuri9421]

@@aragusea Any other shows on your list?

[@aragusea]

@@aryasuri9421 star trek discovery

[@KoalaAwad]

I swear this guy does enough research to convince a cat to eat dog food

[@Nullllus]

He teaches journalism after all.

[@deontoillogical]

@@Nullllus I was about to say

[@tom_something]

I can't even convince my cat to eat cat food.

[@26dollar]

alot of my cats prefer dogfood no blue buxzard no three eyed frog, just a feline canine little catdog

[@shxden1760]

Actually our dog eats cat food since we don't want to pay extra to feed our dog and cat. He likes it though.

[@FrightNFight]

"It's easy to neglect the tip.". - Adam Ragusea, 2019

[@Gkokkinakis2]

Karl marx where it the communist manifesto second edition ?

[@charlie_mario6292]

Circumcise

[@safir2241]

WalnutTime They don’t cut your entire dickhead off

[@Ichabod_Jericho]

Karl Marx sup bitch still think collective government management of national treasuries is a good idea?!?

[@lepistanuda]

TheSynysterVyrus it is

[@weixinong3877]

That's gotta be the smoothest transition into advertising the sponsor I've ever seen

[@lognature2428]

I saw it coming from a mile away though

[@heavens.sorrow]

Smooth? Just like his knives... and his face after shaving.

[@MarkARoutt]

Babish has a few damn fine ones.

[@rickpickle]

linus at ltt does this every single video

[@cesarfernandesilovepenguin298]

I think adam is using white wine less in videos so we dont make memes

[@guscox9651]

He can't stop memes he doesn't weild the power

[@Y.M...]

@@guscox9651 more to the point: WHY I SEASON MY WHETSTONE AND NOT MY KNIFE

[@cesarfernandesilovepenguin298]

True memes are just too powerful

[@guscox9651]

As far as we can see, looking at it by and large, taking one thing with another in terms of the average of successfulness, then in the final analysis it is probably true to say, that at the end of the day, in general terms, you would probably find that, not to put too fine a point on it, this meme will drive Adam insane, as far as one can see, at this stage.

[@cesarfernandesilovepenguin298]

I think Adam knows were just teasing him it all in good spirit

[@alwaleedalnafia4558]

This is why I love this channel. The content is ALWAYS useable in your home kitchen.

[@kevinharp2285]

I'm really pleased with this! It works like a charm kzbin.infoUgkxDcr-y2Pf6xdnrFHrSP7dl9kpKaCozcSQ Takes less time than my old electric sharpener because it can take more off the knife faster, and then it smooths out nicely with the finer grit polisher. I don't know how long it will last before the grit wears away, but I wouldn't mind having to replace it every once in a while.

[@freekear]

This is why i love adam. The information he provides is directly for your average cook

[@sirboi]

After watching "Polishing a rusty knife" from JunsKitchen I always craved for some mad sharpening tools

[@BloodSprite-tan]

i crave some sharpton ceramic whetstones personally, but i would never buy them myself. if you want something that works for cheap, all you need is a roughly 1000grit diamond stone and a leather strop with compound to sharpen a knife and some scotch brite pads for rust removal. cheap stuff works fine.

[@JBrander]

"I'm a recovering chef" is that something you say when Gordon Ramsay yells at you so hard that you slip into a coma?

[@Exarian]

It's something you say when you realize you might literally kill him if you have to work for him, or really in the industry as a whole, another day.

[@ch3xmix]

11:20 Finally, someone gets it. My mom was complaining the other day about the chicken I cooked being too salty and partially raw. Well, maybe I would've done better if our knives were sharper, MOM.

[@YtDay]

Can't tell if this is a joke

[@vexbanearamori7224]

@@YtDay deff is a joke

[@altereddogma]

Hahahaha

[@Merlmabase]

Oh, Adam. We are much alike you and I. The day I finally gave up on someday becoming a wetstone master and just bought an electric sharpener is the day my kitchen game truly changed. Couldn't agree more - do whatever you have to do to make sure you always have a sharp knife to reach for. In my case it was absolutely worth the expense of one of those gizmos, and big ups to my mother-in-law who got me her Sur La Table employee discount. Thanks Cindy!

[@JS_Dam]

Im disappointed you don’t season your knives in the meantime

[@oskarijormanainen]

I’m waiting for the ”Why i season my knives NOT my food”

[@888SpinR]

You season your whetstone, not your knife.

[@OldBaldDad]

You really should season your tongue, not your food.

[@driphank9705]

How original..

[@MnPfan]

I'm a huge knife nut but rather enjoyed your video. It's a great general reference for people who want sharpener knives but aren't sure where to start

[@TheAxlin]

I like this advice. If I'm using a $40 Victorinox chef's knife (because it's plenty sharp and I'm not a professional chef, so a $300 knife is out of the question), then I'm not going to bust out a whetstone and spend my evenings perfecting the craft of sharpening my knife the proper way. I already have a job which consumes plenty of my time as it is. I'm also not going to be concerned about shortening the life of a cheap blade, nor am I going to shell out for professional sharpening services which cost more than the knife itself. As far as I'm concerned, any knife sharp enough to pass the paper test is A-okay by me. I really wish other KZbin cooking channels held a similarly practical view. It's great watching people make food using nothing but the finest ingredients and the best tools, but most of us are just average people who want to make a nice dinner when we get home from work.

[@captainkev10]

This is becoming my favorite food channel. As a lifelong Georgian, who'd visit Macon on Thanksgiving, I take some pride in that representation. Lol Thanks Mr Ragusea!

[@andreww5138]

Your like Macon's best ambassador ever haha

[@LARKXHIN]

Right? this channel is cooking + tourism.

[@aragusea]

i try to be! i always think about how mr. rogers changed the world's view of pittsburgh through all his field trips. i want to do the same for my town.

[@a.h.tvideomapping4293]

Adam Ragusea I seriously hope you become the new Mr Rogers in a couple years

[@paulg8875]

this was actually a very helpful video for me i have used a pull through sharpener for a couple of years and i have had certain people criticize me for it yet i feel like it works on the other hand ive had a knife Professionally sharpened and i feel that they both work and its really a matter of how much money you have and i think this video just reinstated my belief that you can use whatever as long as it works for you.

[@etherdog]

Adam, I, too, started with Harry's from a podcast sponsorship (with your same rationale) and I have never been happier in my shaving. I forget which podcast it was, but it was the first year Harry's was in business. I use the Chef's Choice with the Asian bevel on my Henckels knives and use the coarse setting about once every 3 years, but run the chef's knive (about the only one I ever use) through the 2d and 3d channels about every couple of months and hone before almost every use. Your explanation was thorough and accurate, and your conclusion spot on. Now I gotta find someone to grind off my bolster.

[@dheisey1014]

Dear Adam, That good eats episode and a few other good eats eps have messed me up a little over the years. Your vids always feel aspirational and achievable and unlike a lot of Alton recipes have made it into my regular routine. Thanks!

[@BenedictGS]

which episode?

[@fb079]

My granddad is a blacksmith and also a knife sharpener he’s been doing it for 60 years and I can definitely say knife sharper’s are quirky people with weird stories and weirder personalities.

[@judyjohnson9610]

Thanks for this! I am afraid to use the whetstone even though I actually had it figured out a few years ago. I used to have guy friends who would help me out. I did find one of those pull-through models that sat in the drawer for a year before I got the nerve to try it out even on my budget set of knives. Works well. Now I need my sewing shears sharpened and can't find anyone in this town who does it and I don't have a car to drive into the city. If I had skates, I could get them done locally LOL So I broke down and ordered another pull through model from Amazon that had good reviews and does scissors. I could have bought it locally, but it's winter and I am not so young anymore to be tramping through icy parking lots. And thanks for the advice on honing

[@sweetshoez]

Sick segue into an ad and I’m not even kidding. Give this guy a raise

[@deontoillogical]

This IS his raise. He's basically quitting his real job next semester

[@supercooled]

10:03 I don't know why but this story got me laughing out loud, genuinely. Look, I haven't laughed in a good while due to depression and all that, but this genuinely just came out of left field and got me in stitches. Thank you, Adam and Santa Clause.

[@bubblewhip382]

A couple of alternatives are the Spyderco Sharpmaker or Edge Pro apex, some compromise between pull through and stones, but are machines and setups that help keep consistent angles while providing the sharpness of traditional stones.

[@kthfox]

i use one of those. inherited it from my dad. it makes shaving sharp edges every time.

[@sofiatgarcia3970]

I'm a retired cabinetmaker and for decades I've used diamond stones to sharpen my work tools. I also use then to sharpen my (expensive) kitchen knives. They come in various grits, which I find perfect. Then I hone and hone in between sharpening as well.

[@Passionforfoodrecipes]

Yeah Alton brown is awesome but he was way off base on that one!

[@vinstinct]

I've found that there have been a few things he has been off base with me personally. It seems people take his word as gospel. Sorry Alton, I love my meat claws.

[@taylormallory8705]

I've loved watching Alton Brown since I was a kid, and adore the guy, but the guy can be wrong every once in a while. I'm not sure if its a typo on the Food Network site, or if Alton actually calls for it, but his salmon smoking brine recipe calls for waaaaaay too much salt. Ruined filets on two separate occasions before realizing that I didn't mess up the recipe and that it's just overly salted.

[@TheDeathmail]

To be fair, if you talk about as many topics as Alton does, you're going to have a few misses. And in this case, Alton wasn't technically wrong... he just didn't factor in if people would actually do it. Professional sharpeners are the best if you want your knife to last the longest, but if you aren't trying to keep the knife forever, then the other methods work.

[@smspain09]

@@TheDeathmail This is good. It's also a price point thing -- pro knife sharpening is pretty expensive, even for lovely neighbourhood dudes in trucks (dudes sharpener lawnmower blades to chef's knives...way to go!) If you've got the spare cash, I think it's probably worth it, even if you know how to sharpen. A pro is almost certainly better than you, and as a home cook, if you're taking very good care of your knives, you don't need it often.

[@smspain09]

@@taylormallory8705 Good to know your experience, but maybe wash more thoroughly? Brine is wicked salty, and the first time I did it (for a non-smoked gravlax) it was way too salty, but then next time I actually used more salt in the cure, but washed way, way, way, more thoroughly and was very, very satisfied with my result (my approach used mid-grade salmon that I froze before the brining, btw...per...well, rec's from Brad Leone and Jet Tila. FWIW.)

[@erikiri]

I've actually been considering getting a new razor myself so this sponsor was perfect timing for me!

[@kuroyukikazekanade7557]

Transition to ad was so smooth I never expected it coming

[@par4par72]

I'm a Journeyman Toolmaker A1 w/35 years' experience. What your expert just said one thing and demonstrated another. If the cutting edge has micro serrations at the edge, you want to draw the said edge away from the sharpening implement, not towards the mass (edge). this will fold the serrations to the side making it seem duller. draw the edge away, then you can use an old piece of wood to take off the burr left behind (and take some of the over sharp off). because over sharp get dull real fast. (sorry this got kind of wordy)! P.S. when you see Chefs rapidly hone their edge, that's because the power stroke is going away from their body and the edge is always facing them!

[@clintondavis3363]

Adam, you are correct to "give permission" to the the home cook to use a manual or electric sharpener. I'm pretty sick of the knife fetish people. My father was really into cooking and he also was a large scale ranch manager who set up a small meat processing operation. He would sharpen his mostly carbon steel knives with an oil stone, before the days of extreme knife fetish growth. He later became frustrated with some of the new knives because he had to work so hard to get "an edge" on them. Me and my brothers all love to cook and all of us have tried to keep sharp knives. One of my brothers was a restaurant manager for a while. Fact is, ... we all struggled to get good with a stone. I got my knives sharpened professionally a time or two, but the cost was almost as much as the knives. I finally got advised to get a manual pull-through sharpener, and for years that worked fine, 'though the knives were never crazy sharp. It's only since YT started feeding the knife fetish that you see people worrying about whether or not their knives can slice through paper. Recently, ... I decided to take a chance on the Chef's Choice Trizor. I called my brother to tell him the news - all my knives were sharp as hell! He had been taking his in to get sharpened and was using a honing rod in between. When we the pandemic worries lessen, he's going to bring his knives over to get them professionally sharpened by me, ... on my Trizor. I can guarantee him a sharp 15 degree edge. I agree completely with you that you just buy a decent utilitarian knife that is a comfortable size, weight, balance and handle. for your need; then, ... get one of these Trizor machines and don't worry about a sharp knife until 20 years later, when you can treat yourself to new knives. Way before then, they'll have a machine that can be as gentle as necessary with knives to prolong their life, ... for your "heirlooms." I'm still using 40+ year-old knives, and I've been fixing meals for my family all those years. 'Course, I've lost or dropped and broken several knives, and replaced them with inexpensive knives that still work just fine. I'll probably be dead before I wear out any of my knives. Those Japanese knives are great, for what they are, but that steel is often very brittle, and I can't be bothered with worrying about chipping my knife - I'm not preparing fine sushi, worried about bursting the cells on produce. I get the Zen passion for using stones with a knife - if that's what you like, ... then do it. I now just pass my knife through the stropping wheels on the Trizor when I feel the edge isn't quite as sharp. I look forward to using my sharp knives, and I look forward to getting new ones, way on down the road. One thing I'd like to do is to get a finishing stone though, because I'd like to polish the edge once the Trizor has done most of the heavy lifting and alignment.

[@Shteeeeeeeve]

Adam your skin is GLOWING. So proud of you. I wish for all of your happiness and success!

[@maldivirdragonwitch]

"People think they're bad chefs when they only have bad knives" I realized this recently when I found an unused SHARP knife in my kitchen drawer... I swear, my cooking life changed that day.

[@pewstinky1]

I'm old enough to have seen every episode of Good Eats when they aired. You are my new Alton Brown. Thanks, Adam.

[@little_fox9695]

I love how Adam is so extremely well informed and on point in his videos, only to be memed to kingdom come in the comments :D

[@yonsix]

I can agree, any sharpening method is good if You use it. I had that dull knife which I was thinking to throw out, but then I got pull through sharpener from IKEA, nothing fancy, costed less than 5€, after using it I couldn't believe it's the same knife :D

[@nataliewitkowski913]

“Oh and knife nerds, I love you but this isn’t the video for you” ight imma head out But thank you for acknowledging that some of these methods might make us weirdo knife nerds cry inside

[@kappablanca5192]

Emilio Vicente the whetstone technique shown here is not the fastest/most effective method. If you want to go more in depth, check out Korin Knives and Japanese Knife Imports’ YT channels. Also, a knife nerd would NEVER use a pull-through sharpener

[@seronymus]

a girl???

[@smspain09]

@@kappablanca5192 I use a pull-through sharpener for basic maintenance. Like, hone frequently (maybe a few times a week). Sharpen on the pull through once or twice a month, depending on use. Whetstone when needed. Paper test to check. Also, I have very mid-priced (though, I'd argue, high-value) knives -- Mercer genesis series. Forged, high-carbon low-stain German steel, but at a comparatively low price point. There's good reason they're often used in (North American) culinary schools. Very sharp, hold a good edge, very comfortable handle. I have the full-bolster version (cheaper, but harder to traditionally sharpen). My neighbourhood also totally has a sharpening guy in a truck, so I'm use him when I need to. But, hone, pull-through, whetstone, all as needed totally works for me, and I cook almost every meal we eat and ...well, before the current mess, hosted a lot of complicated dinner parties. I doubt my approach is good for knives being put the the pro-kitchen ringer, but they're good for cutting a handful to a dozen veg and meat a day. (Also, I keep several cheap-ass knives around for the real dirty work, like scraping bone. I have a heavy, wicked cheap Sunbeam cleaver for just spatchcocking chicken and chopping bones). I sharpen those on the pull-through even more than my good knives, but, part of this is 'right knife for the job'.)

[@drdiscostu]

@@kappablanca5192 I've been finding "knife nerds" have been saying whetstone are "faster" lol that is quite clearly not true.

[@kappablanca5192]

@@drdiscostu If you have good stones and have practices a lot, using stones can be much, much faster than any other method

[@kylekelly1167]

I always called the stone she was using an Oil stone stones that use water wet stones or water stones. Though with oil stones you want to use more oil then that as the oil removes the metal from sharpening. I find that bacon grease is a very good oil to sharpen with it's easy to remove with soap and water. It doesn't dry out and cause metal to get logged into the pores of the stone. As most vintage treasure stones come loaded up with tons of metal and dried oils. Bacon grease is great for preventing this.

[@altereddogma]

Oil whetstones and water whetstones.

[@megaderp9442]

What I would recommend is that even if you have an high quality electric sharpener (or are pretty good with whetstones) is to send your knives to a professional every year or 2 for a repro filing because after a while of sharpening especially with the electric ones you'll get higher up the blade and then it becomes harder and harder to sharpen and at some point it becomes a fairly pointless effort and most (at least around here) professional knive sharpeners will offer a repro filing package

[@capnbarky2682]

I've been using the same 2 wusthoff knives for like 3 years because I hone it every time I clean it, and sometimes even while I'm cutting. You don't need to sharpen a good knife too often.

[@madthumbs1564]

Honing causes metal fatigue which is probably why you have to maintain so frequently.

[@capnbarky2682]

@@madthumbs1564 I mean, I won't pretend to know exactly what's going on at the edge of my knife, but if the edge was worn off from metal fatigue i probably would've had to send it out to an actual sharpener by now.

[@alvarobanegas5841]

Dislike because you didn’t show us how to sharpen it with a white wine bottle

[@lockmetal9785]

whine

[@lucariopokemon13]

Whine

[@Andre-lp5yh]

Whine

[@samfranco4641]

Álvaro Banegas WHINE

[@user-or1tp7cx8u]

Whine

[@Me-by8qi]

I used to use the bottom of a mug to sharpen my knives.. It works fine. Now that I have more money I use a whet stone.

[@AmeshaSpentaArmaiti]

Serious? I want to try that now.

[@kuyaleinad4195]

As a Uni Student, I can verify and my knife gets way easier to use after sharpening it... Just make sure you have a rough ceramic rim at the bottom of your mug since it would only work with that

[@marcschelz]

Dude the way you make your videos and how you integrate ads and whatnot is amazing.

[@kimbates6695]

That girl's shirt though ♥️♥️♥️ gotta love Macon, GA

[@nickoleary1760]

You apply your sponsors with so much finesse

[@MananaMan]

“Yes he wears a kilt but it’ll cost you to find out what’s underneath” *laughs in Santa Claus*

[@ciderandthorazine]

i would say pull-thru systems will give you a gnarly cutting edge briefly - much like how it's easy to cut yourself on the lid of a can you removed using your granny's opener; spiky, random bits of chewed-up metal. benchstones take serious practice to get good and powered systems will eat your knife right up, leaving you unknowingly cutting with the burr they leave (which falls off after a few cuts). i'd say the best middle-ground is an assisted, consistent-angle jig system - they can give benchstone-like results, take a bit of time and savoir-faire - but are much more foolproof than pure manual sharpening. examples of such systems include lansky system, gatco system, dmt aligner, edge-pro systems, kme system, wicked edge, madedge sharpener... they all just keep the knife and the abrasive at a fixed angle to each other, while you supply the elbow grease. the cheaper ones can give an edge that'll slice an eyebrow-hair in half lengthwise, while the expensive ones can produce an edge that'll whittle an arm-hair into fifths.

[@AdrijanPekovic]

Why I sharpen my shallots, NOT my kitchen knives

[@bdang67]

Omg this is amazing

[@hugosetiawan8928]

This joke is dead

[@memeymeemerson5426]

@@hugosetiawan8928 you're dead

[@Agorante]

There is another type of knife sharpener - the Work Sharp belt sharpener. If you watch "Forged in Fire" you know that after they have beaten the steel into rough shape they grind it sharp on a belt sander. Not a wheel. The belts are thin but long. The advantage of such a system is that the belts are quickly interchangeable. There are very coarse and very fine belts available - and everything in between. Apparently these are standard in machine shops. They do not use a stone wheel on a bench grinder. The Work Shark machine is a home sized version of this tool. I use mine on my moderately expensive Misen knives (one of your sponsors). I use the fine belt most of the time. Works great and doesn't remove a lot of metal.

[@christosbelibasakis2296]

Why I use white wine instead of water on my sharpening stones

[@videoguy640]

I think I needed to see this video. When I searched for knife sharpening few weeks back it seems like everyone's sentiment was: "whetstone or bust". And then they go on to mention how hard using whetstones are and how much practice it takes. But also that cheaper methods would definitely ruin your knife. It felt like there were no good options. Gonna get the pull through now probably. Thanks!

[@madthumbs1564]

You can simply do more with stones like change angles, thin the blade, use for all your knives, etc.

[@Mormodes]

I went the crazy route, water whetstones. 500, 1000, 5000, 10000. I also do woodworking, so it was for both. Nothing beats a razor sharp knife. Is it worth all the effort? Hell no, but it was fun to learn and is a new hobby.

[@RaindropsBleeding]

The best method for a home cook is the one you're actually going to use Well said, Adam. Well said.

[@philchia4764]

"Recovering chef." daym. People, appreciate how difficult the F&B industry is.

[@captainkev10]

We need an entire series on Neal, his stories, and his travels.

[@dr_outcast9385]

great video and all but can those methods beat the " *Edge of Glory™* " sharpener?? yeah I don't think so

[@TheAguydude]

Using a sharpener like that is one of the methods he lists in the video.

[@jonatanluna1061]

I learned this recently and it's become a quick favorite. Use the base of a ceramic plate. Or any ceramic dish. The bottom is rough and extremely effective at grinding down metal. It's also cheap since you probably already have a ceramic dish in your kitchen. The best dish i've used is actually the bottom of the pot from my crockpot since it is so wide and flat. But I most often use a random plate for quick sharpening.

[@channon3]

it doesnt grind down metal. It only corrects deformed metal on blade. Its only used in cases, if blade is still sharp enough.

[@jonatanluna1061]

@@channon3 Well, every time I've tried it i can very clearly see the metal dust left on the plate. And so far it hasn't failed me even once. So unless i'm greatly misunderstanding something, I'd say it's pretty effective. Ceramic sharpening stones exist too you know?

[@billyasrabilh.2658]

Well, if i am gonna do it, should i season my whetstone too?

[@Boyetto-san]

Interesting to note is that freehand sharpening on a stone also lets you control your cutting angle. It's true that the effect of angle on sharpness is more complicated than narrower=sharper, but when working with a cheap water stone and an entry-level Wusthof, I can attest from a few years of freehand sharpening that getting the angle as narrow as you can makes the biggest difference to sharpness. It was thanks to pushing the limits of how low I can angle the knife while sharpening that I went from mediocre but sufficiently sharp to being able to push cut on paper (ie, no back or forth motion, just pushing straight down against the paper). And yes, I know that's way sharper than any home cook would ever need and that the narrower the angle the sooner the edge will dull, especially on a relatively soft heat-treated Western knife. There's a reason why angles are kept usually at 15 degrees and I'm not suggesting anyone actually push their angles past that, unless it's really your hobby. But it does help understand a little better what does what when you're sharpening, because before I started really messing with angles, I tended to think that maybe the knife steel just wasn't high-end enough to get sharper or that I need an expensive brand of stone. It actually just takes a good grasp over sharpening angle and using any piece of leather, even just a belt laid on a flat surface, for stropping. Following up your honing with a stropping seriously does wonders. It's why traditional straight shaving razors are stropped on leather.

[@copywrite9396]

“You can’t hold even pressure” Violinists: laughs in bow

[@aragusea]

The number of student recitals I've suffered through in my life would seem to prove my point on this one..

[@semirrahge]

"If you're the kind of person who gets upset when the terms "bevel" and "facet" are used interchangeably - watch something else." I'm one of those people but I love your content. I wish I could sub again!

[@AaronTsuii]

10:59 is my parents, except they are completely adamant in not getting any of these options.

[@danedi2951]

I have no doubt Adam will hit 1mil subscribers before the end of the year.

[@mystic_thing785]

Great video Adam! Tho I have to say that the whetstone technique in the video isnt representative for most whetstones. Sure, you can use oil on some of them, but in your video you are missing the core point of soaking the stone in water. Of course you dont have to that for some, like a diamond stone, but for most of them you have to let them soke in water. That way, whil eyou are sharpening, you create a mixture/slurry from the water and the small steel particles from your knife. Thats the stuff responsible for sharpening your knife. I cant really tell what kind of stone is beeing used in the video, but you can see that the oil is imediately beeing absorbed into the stone. That indicates a stone that hasn´t been soaked in water, what in turn could make sharpening more difficult. Sharpening your knives with a whetsone is (in my opinion) the best way to get a really good edge. But if you want to buy one, watch out for what type of stone you are buying and how you need to use it. Cheers!

[@Wolfe-Gordon]

Depends on whether you have a water-stone or an oil-stone. Looked like an oil-stone in the video.

[@exhempknight]

The tiny metal chips created while using a stone is NOT what sharpens the knife. They stone itself is made of aluminum oxide grit, which is millions of tiny sharp grains. When you rub 2 things together, the harder thing will cut the softer thing. Aluminum oxide is harder than steel, so the stone cuts the knife. Further, if you get too much of that "slurry", as you call it, the stone will STOP cutting. The metal gets packed between the grits, which prevents the edge of the knife from contacting the sharp points of the aluminum oxide. Part of the function of the water or oil (depending on the stone), is to help wash away the metal shavings to prevent the stone from loading up.

[@mystic_thing785]

@@exhempknight thanks for the explenation! :) but why does everbody tell me i am not allowed to just Wash that stuff away? I'm a bit confused

[@exhempknight]

@@mystic_thing785 to be blunt, the people telling you that are wrong. You want to keep the stone as clean as you can. Think of it like a saw... If you pack the teeth of a saw with metal, it's not going to cut very well, if at all. A stone has thousands and thousands of tiny teeth.

[@veggie62a]

Honestly, I find whetstone sharpening to be relaxing. Plus when you're done you get to test it by shredding sheets of paper and feeling like a badass.

[@KingHalbatorix]

I use a mill bastard file, gets my knife a nice ragged edge that's almost more of a saw than a knife

[@CAIDMASTEROFPYRO]

i use a pair of nice japanese whetstones and a leather strop. btw your expert lady with the "whetstones" was using an oilstone. similar but different

[@jackieweaver3884]

Adam please try an Indian or a Mexican recipe next!

[@rustyexe9378]

Hello gasses.

[@taylormallory8705]

I'd like to see his take on pakora

[@jackieweaver3884]

@@pieromancer909 hell yeah!

[@jackieweaver3884]

@@taylormallory8705 same I'm sure he has a healthier version but without compromising on taste

[@geniuspharmacist]

Knife sharpening is a pleasure for the handy type of people. I know I like to sharpen my knives from time to time but some are OBSESSED 😂

[@And-sn7nt]

I sharpen with white wine and a sharpening stone

[@morganchilds9054]

Excellent, EXCELLENT video. Like working out... the best thing is whatever you will actually do.

[@alechorwitz3134]

I love having my tip rubbed in little circles

[@SquishySenpai]

Alton didn't say to ONLY have a pro sharpen it. That was just his recommendation. And frankly, if you have fancy knives and only do a real sharpening once a year, I'd agree with him. Personally, I have the cheap "Tomodachi" colorful knife set. It does the trick wonderfully for dirt cheap and I don't feel bad running it through the hand held sharpeners.

[@MasonMC]

“so what’s the angle of that triangle” “the _sharp_ angle”

[@SandersChicken]

I got a lansky sharpener for $40 and I love it

[@mellowsign]

You missed a pretty significant method, Adam. Sharpening systems like EdgePro or Lansky (which I use). It holds your knife in place and you have stones on guiding rods that fit through little holes marked with different angles. It doesn't take the skill of a whetstone (the rods force you to stay at an even angle) and removes less material than an electric sharpener. Basic sets are also less expensive than electric sharpeners and usually come with a selection of stones that should let you get a much finer edge. You could have also mentioned stropping, for those razor sharp freaks among us.

[@MadNumForce]

A lot of people think steels are just for honing and that it is intrinsically different from sharpening. But a steel is basically a 70HRC hard chromium file whose teeth run lengthwise. It does remove matter, especially western style knives who never use steels over 60HRC. And really not all steels are equal. The Fischer-Bargoin steel making factory is literally 500m from my workshop, and I've had the chance to discover their whole range. Rod can be round, oval or flat, but more importantly there are like 8 different teeth "grits", from the coarsest that basically ruins any edge but is designed for people who sharpen once every three years, to literally mirror polished rods, and in between there are two household grits and four pro grits. And you can totally use them to sharpen, provided you do it frequently enough.

[@views-dz7cg]

"Why I season my knife sharpener, not my knife"

[@yellowman5334]

Wow, so relatable about the Alton Brown knife care bit.

[@1Rod1ReelFishing]

Next vid: “Why I sharpen my raw iron ore instead of my knives”

[@knifeboi5589]

DUDE ITS YOU

[@SKCodesForFun]

In India every city has people who carry a manual grindstone and tell in the street offering knife sharpening services. The grindstone setup is similar to a sewing machine. You step on a pedal and move the wheel

[@philb7732]

Just spend the 30-70 bucks and buy a Japanese whetstone. Watch a couple sharpening tutorials and practice on some crappy knives that you can afford to possibly ruin. That’s what I did and I don’t regret it one bit because all of my knives are now razor sharp.

[@HeadCracker789]

My first sharpener was an electric pull through with adjustable angles from amazon. Removes a crazy amount of material but could not produce a consistent angle so it would grind off alot and never get them sharp. Second was a pull through pocket sharpener. Would get a knife decently sharp but not as sharp as the Victorinox knife I had just got. Then I got a 1000/6000 grit whet stone off of amazon for $36 and that thing has gotten my knives sharp enough to shave hair with a little practice.

[@micahtritscher951]

8:02 that's what she said?

[@mjohnsimon1337]

Here in Miami, we have an old Cuban guy who drives around in a truck similar to Neil's, but it plays this really super creepy jingle which's tune has been distorted over the years, so it sounds like a psycho truck or something. We call it "EL AFILADOR" (seriously, KZbin it) It's crazy because whenever he drives through a neighborhood, especially an old neighborhood with a lot of Cubans / Cuban-Americans, without fail you have people leaving their houses with their knives walking (or sometimes running) up to his truck. He's been doing it for 36 years! And yes... By far the sharpest my chef knife has got was thanks to him

[@paper6708]

Nobody: Not a single soul: Not a single atom: Adam Ragusa: 📌MACON

[@arcane3943]

Your videos are always satisfying to watch

[@theonlyvalerie]

Actually you can just use the ceramic bottom of a coffee mug as a substitution for a sharpening stone

[@Lakesworth]

thats more akin to a honing steel, there is no substitution for whetstones with specific grits

[@jinception01]

@@Lakesworth they're both ceramic materials that will shave away stainless steel, but it's better to use a whetstone in every way.

[@theonlyvalerie]

@@Lakesworth if ya got nothing else it's still serviceable

[@fxm5715]

I've been a professional woodworker for 30 years, and use lots of hand tools; I've sharpened thousands of cutting edges. But really, it does NOT take years of practice. It should only take two or three times to get the general hang of sharpening a knife by hand. To sharpen my kitchen knives, I just use a 3" wide strip of 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper stuck to the counter with water. A couple strokes on each side against the paper to keep the edge sharp, then I hone that edge with a few strokes across the un-glazed bottom rim of a fine grained porcelain plate or mug. I do it maybe once a week. This removes minimal material, and costs pennies a year for the paper. I probably have to replace the strip of sand paper once a year.

[@MadCyantist]

The real secret here is that Adam sharpens the honing steel, NOT the knife

[@comesahorseman]

So that's the image to keep in mind when using a honing steel! Many thanks!! 😄

[@kazama7086]

I sharpen my knife by buying a new knife

[@walterbrunswick]

Scrap metal guys must love you

[@mythicnoble]

I had the same experience watching good eats, but about a year ago I bought a whetstone and I've had sharp knives ever since.

[@kodzoph]

“Neglect the tip” 😂 Hodgetwins would hate that

[@aragusea]

Gotta keep that mushroom tip honed.

[@lostuser1094]

Adam Ragusea cooking + science + dick jokes = best channel

[@aragusea]

@@lostuser1094 + bodybuilding, don't forget. this entire foodtube thing is a ruse to get me commentating for someone's olympia stream, which is my only real goal in life.

[@edwardneuman6061]

I have a two stage manual pull -through sharpener, which works fine if you only have two or three knives to maintain. I think I'm going to be upgrading to an electric model because I have about a dozen different knives.

[@rin_etoware_2989]

ngl the vinegar leg meme's as dead as the bird itself

[@ckooijman6314]

can you explain? :)

[@michaelferguson1540]

@@ckooijman6314 watch his fried chicken video

[@kittylover3597]

+Cccc K Yeah at the end of the video there are some images and its a vinegar bottle, a chicken leg, and a finger pointing right "Vinegar leg is on the right" Matthew is saying that this ending to the videos is getting old