"Loren A. Coe" wrote in message news:45U0c.96296$Xp.428508@attbi_s54...
last year i bot a cheapie HF sharpening grinder (with slow water
cooled 2"x8" wheel) worked fine, restored many edges over several
weeks. then, after talking my brother, who worked in a slaughter
house as a youth, i bot a decent steel (steele?).

i have yet to use the grinder again (for kitchen knives). today
was the real test, a couple of _really_ dull 6" cleavers that i missed
last year. not wanting to set up the grinder for just two edges
i tried just the steele. it did the job just fine. i just sliced
some onion with each of them. go figure, too soon old, too late
smart. --Loren

p.s. just fyi, for newbies, i have "played" with steeles for years,
never appreciating the results. there is some technique, and a decent
steel is required. prior (dismal) attempts were with chrome plated
(cheapie) models.

The old style steels were meant to straighten a turned edge and were
not for metal removal.
The new diamond ones are abrasive and remove metal.
2 different ways of operating