Sharpening stainless knives

[Mike(NEOhio)]

The wife asked me to sharpen her boning knife this morning. The blade is Vicorinox stainless like the Swiss army knives. It's really hard to get a keen edge on stainless. The knife was real bad and I worked a good while on it but it still could be better. Anybody have any techniques for putting a good edge on stainless blades?

 

[Russ from MN]

I have been carrying Victorinox pocket knives for over 20 years now, but I'm really careful what I cut with them, and I don't think I've ever had to sharpen one, they're incredible! I have an electric knife sharpener and a steel that I use on other knives, that works well for me. Hopefully you will get some more complete advice!

 

[kcm.MN]

I have no idea the best way to sharpen my blades until I sharpen them for the first time. Seems the blades are either very hard or rather soft. I actually prefer the softer blades. Easier to get a keen edge on, even if it has to be touched up more often.

I use mostly handheld sharpeners. Most of them have a V-shaped setup. This inevitably puts one hone in front of the other. So when pulling your blade through, you will find that one side of your blade will form a lip. You can easily feel the lip by running your thumb nail from the back edge to the cutting edge on both sides. A little bit of angle adjustment while drawing your blade through the hone will eliminate that lip and offer a nice edge.

Harder steel is not as likely to get a lip, as harder steel does not bend as easily. That said, it must be worked more in order to remove or reform material, depending on what your sharpener is designed to do.

As with everything else in life, you'll get better with practice.

 

[Steve@Advance]

The Swiss Army knife I carry, (a small 2 blade, not a folding toolbox) has very soft stainless blades. It doesn't keep a good edge, and I'm not careful how I use it. It's a tool, I use it until it breaks or gets lost and order another one.

Nor do I make a ritual of sharpening it, I hit it on the belt sander. A worn out belt is best, very light pressure where the belt is not against the back stop. Then I move to the back side of the belt for the final honing.

Only takes a few seconds and gets it plenty sharp for my needs.

 

[Goose]

I hold a DA sander against the side of the blade at the appropriate angle.

 

[300jk]

So I saw the replies which were good ! I recently got a sharpening kit for Christmas. Slik Slice. They are whet stones in a rather elaborate kit. Work great. All I will carry now are stainless knives. I really like Case knives. Any can be sharpened on a good set of whet stones. Start course to get the basics and move up till its like a razor. Angle is important and something youll have to mess with till you figure it out. I love whet stones over all other sharpening methods. Once you do it a few times and get the feel youll never use anything else.

 

[4play]

Most typical sharpening stones don't work great on most stainless, they are not hard enough. I found ceramic or even better diamond stones work great. Good quality sand paper or emery cloth or belt sander/grinder will work good too, and you can finish it on a finer stone or whatever. Sharpening techniques are the same or similar, it just might require more time.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I doubt you will ever get a sharp OR a long lasting an edge on a stainless steel knife.
Get her a knife made of carbon steel. It will take and hold a sharp edge much better.
It will leave rust spots in the dish rack but it will cut.

 

[Brian_J]

I have had a Chefs Choice model 120 sharpener for around 22 years. I love it. I'm kinda picky about my knifes and this does a great job and does it quickly. I've carried a Victorinox super tinker in my pocket for 35+ years. The sharpener does a fabulous job with it and also our rather high end kitchen knives. Everyone has their own opinion, this is mine. I have 3 friends who've bought a chefs choice sharpener after trying mine. I highly doubt you'll be disappointed.
Sorry if I sound like a commercial.

 

[Determined]

This is what I use, probably overkill if you only have a few knives to do but once you use one you will wonder why you didn't get one 20 years ago.
We do our own butchering, being able to touch up knives quickly and keep them razor sharp makes the job go a lot easier and safer.

 

[miangus]

My go to knife in the kitchen is my old carbon steel butcher knife. I accidently blued it canning tomatoes. I polished it with some steel wool to make sure I didn't get rust on the tomatoes and cutting blanched tomatoes while still hot it ended up blued.

 

[MJMJ]

Not calling anyone out, but there's some terrible info in this thread. Some just plain wrong. But anyways, the most likely problem is the angle on the knife is different from what you are used to. I've used Victorinox and other stainless knives for taxidermy for over 20 years, and when you get the angle right you can literally shave with them. I use either a good stone or one of the diamond sharpeners pictured below. Both work equally well. If you aren't getting the edge you want, adjust your angle and see what happens. But good stainless knives absolutely can be sharpened and hold their edge very well.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

So....what angle do you use?

 

[MJMJ]

I do mine by hand, and to be honest I have no idea what angle I use. I go more by the sound and feel. But sometimes I get it wrong and just have to adjust until I it's getting sharper. My Victorinox knives are mostly smaller knives, but they have a sharper angle than most of my kitchen knives.

 

[showcrop]

There is a common misconception that stainless steel is harder than other metals. While this can be true it can also be false. As UD posted, High carbon steel is going to be harder than pretty much any stainless steel. Victorinox uses carbon stainless steel in many of their blades but far from all of them. Some will be a softer grade. As with pretty much any steel if you have an application that requires high strength you need to check what you are buying.

 

[guido]

Mike (NEOhio),

I think the angle is about the thickness of two quarters. I do have a stainless butcher's knife that is scary sharp. I forgot last time I sharpened it. When it gets a bit dull, I use a butcher's steel, it them goes back to sharp enough to shave with.

Get one like MJMJ pictured, and you will keep them sharp a sharpening stone for a long time. You let them go too long then you WILL need the stones,

Guido.

 

[jimg.allentown]

Stainless steel.

There are many types and grades of stainless steel. First thing is what defines a steel as stainless.
In order to be called stainless steel, the steel must contain minimum amounts of nickel and chromium.

There are several series of stainless. There is the 300 series that includes 303, 304, 316, and 321 among others. There are also 400 series. Then there is 15-5 and 17-4. These are heat treatable and have many industrial uses.

300 series stainless is the most common consumer grade stainless. It is fairly free machining, but is not high on the Rockwell C scale for hardness. It has a tendency to work harden when drilled or sawed. It needs plenty of lubricant when machined. It is not the best for holding an edge.

400 series is much harder, and holds an edge better than 300 series. There are also surgical grades of stainless that can be made razor sharp and will hold their edge well.

Overall, stainless is a sort of a catch-all description that covers many different steels.

 

[rlp in Co.]

I have a can opener that has a power knife sharpener on the side. It's great for putting a good quick edge on a knife. I have some diamond stones from harbour freight that I use if I want to get them really sharp after using the power sharpener.

 

[Bob - MI]

Well said Jim.

I run an investment casting foundry that pours a LOT of stainless alloys for aircraft and weapons system components. The 300 series is what most people think they want when they ask for stainless steel but depending on strength requirements that may actually need 17-4 or 15-5 because of the ability of these to be precipitation hardened. These are considered corrosion resistant and classified as ultra-tough with property capabilities more than double that of 300 series.

We are currently involved in a project with one of the local universities where they are in a casting competition to make a small sword. They have been flipping back and forth on material calling out 410, 440C, and even 52100 (not stainless).

You may find our website interesting and here's a link:
Shellcast, Inc