Comments on: Maintaining Your Knives http://corduroyorange.com/?p=86 The only Food Blog written by Jesse Sharrard Sat, 11 Apr 2026 23:49:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Peter M. http://corduroyorange.com/?p=86#comment-42612 Peter M. Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:23:27 +0000 http://corduroyorange.com/?p=86#comment-42612 You wrote, "A common myth is that a steel sharpens the blade; actually, it maintains the blade so that it is straight and true. Properly used, it will help keep your blade sharper, longer; used improperly it will dull the blade." So my question is why most people suggest using a steel by pushing the blade down the steel. If the objective is to straighten, rather than sharpen, shouldn't the motion be the opposite? That is, pulling the blade up the steel, with the edge on the steel. You wrote, “A common myth is that a steel sharpens the blade; actually, it maintains the blade so that it is straight and true. Properly used, it will help keep your blade sharper, longer; used improperly it will dull the blade.”

So my question is why most people suggest using a steel by pushing the blade down the steel. If the objective is to straighten, rather than sharpen, shouldn’t the motion be the opposite? That is, pulling the blade up the steel, with the edge on the steel.

]]> By: Corduroy Orange » Blog Archive » Knife Skills Table of Contents http://corduroyorange.com/?p=86#comment-324 Corduroy Orange » Blog Archive » Knife Skills Table of Contents Tue, 05 Dec 2006 22:32:45 +0000 http://corduroyorange.com/?p=86#comment-324 [...] Maintaining Your Blade: Over time, your blade will grow dull. Here’s what you need to know to make sure that it constantly stays sharp. [...] [...] Maintaining Your Blade: Over time, your blade will grow dull. Here’s what you need to know to make sure that it constantly stays sharp. [...]

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