Your sharpening steel isn't actually sharpening your knife
In short: Most home cooks believe a sharpening steel restores a dull blade. In reality, the tool is incapable of sharpening. It serves a much more specific purpose: maintaining an edge that already exists. To keep your knives performing like professional cutlery, you have to understand the distinction between realignment and honing.
Expert Dan Delavan from Plaza Cutlery clarifies a common misconception: a sharpening steel is a re-aligner, not a sharper. If a knife has become truly dull due to months of neglect, using a steel will do nothing to restore its edge. The tool's primary function is to de-burr the metal and realign the blade's edge through consistent use. It is a maintenance tool designed for frequent interaction rather than a restorative one.
There are two primary techniques for using a steel effectively. The first, most common method, involves standing the steel upright on a wooden surface at a slight angle of 10 to 15 degrees—roughly the angle between bark and wood on a small branch. The user moves the knife in a forward motion from the heel to the tip, alternating sides. The key mechanical secret lies in the movement of the elbow and shoulder drawing back as the blade moves down.
The second method involves holding the knife horizontally while keeping it vertical, moving only the wrist to turn the blade from side to side. While some fear injury with this technique, Delavan notes that because the motion is controlled by the wrist, the hand remains out of reach. Regardless of the method chosen, consistency is paramount. To prevent a blade from wearing down and becoming thick enough to require a whetstone, the steel must be used regularly during normal kitchen tasks rather than as a last resort for a blunt knife.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: How to Use a Sharpening Steel | Knives
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