Shoutout to the old guy who showed me a better way to sharpen in a Chicago kitchen

Three years ago, I was struggling with my knife on a busy Saturday, and the retired chef helping out just grabbed it and showed me the 15-degree angle on his personal stone. Anyone still using those pull-through sharpeners on their good blades?

3 comments

3 Comments

harperwright3mo agoMost Upvoted

The real problem is people treating all knives the same. German steel needs that 20 degree angle to hold up, but a thin Japanese blade will chip if you don't use the 15. A pull through wrecks both because it just hacks away metal. It's not about being fancy, it's about not ruining your tools.

xenarobinson1mo ago

Does anyone else get that feeling where you just want to hand someone a stone and save them years of bad edges? I've been there watching a new cook tear up a good blade with a pull through and it just hurts to see. Honestly I'm glad that old chef took the time to show you the right way, that kind of kindness sticks with you.

lopez.brooke3mo ago

Oh please, that old school stuff is overrated. My pull-through sharpener gets my knife plenty sharp for home cooking in under a minute. Most people don't need a perfect 15 degree edge, they just need a sharp knife without the hassle of soaking a stone and practicing for years.