Vortex3 wrote:
Hi,

My parents are hassling us for a Christmas present idea.

One thing we need is a kitchen knife sharpener.

I would be predisposed to suggest an old fashioned "steel" but brief
research reveals several different technologies are out there....and there
is no obvious technical advantage to any one:

Since there is no shortage of opinions in uk.d-i-y , I'd be interested in
opinions on the relative merits of:

"Whetstones"
"Steels"
Electric rotary sharpeners
Manual sharpeners that you draw the knife through.

All types are on this page:

http://www.cooks-knives.co.uk/acatal...harpeners.html

Thanks in advance.

David

pricey site

Steels are desiged to straighten the bent edge of old soft steel
knives , and are used between sharpenings. Theyr entirely untuited to
use as a sole sharpening device on modern blades.

Whether your chosen abrasive is hand or motor powered is a matter of
preference. I'd go for a bench grinder rather than that overpriced
consumer stuff.


NT