Sharpening a Butcher's Steel

[knots]

To what hardness should a Butchers Steel be treated. How, what tooling is used, to apply the sharpening texture to a Butcher's Steel .

[MattBower]

I've never made one, but I would assume you'd want it harder than any blade it's going to be used on, which would mean nearly full hard. Here's data on some commercial ones, which range from 60 to 63 HRC. http://www.cookingfo...topic.php?t=813

If you were careful, you could probably use the teeth on the edge of a file to cut those grooves (held square to the work, as if you were draw-filing). I'm sure the professional makers have a much slicker tool for the job. Of course there's nothing wrong with a smooth steel, and some folks say the grooves are bad for blades.

[knots]

I've never made one, but I would assume you'd want it harder than any blade it's going to be used on, which would mean nearly full hard. Here's data on some commercial ones, which range from 60 to 63 HRC. http://www.cookingfo...topic.php?t=813

If you were careful, you could probably use the teeth on the edge of a file to cut those grooves (held square to the work, as if you were draw-filing). I'm sure the professional makers have a much slicker tool for the job. Of course there's nothing wrong with a smooth steel, and some folks say the grooves are bad for blades.

Thanks for the reference Matt. I have used the drawn file edge method on an old Steel that came out of a resturant that my father owned back in the 1940's it was agood one but worn to the point that if will not remove the burr or polish the cutting edge. I had some success with using the file edge but since the steel is so hard it damaged the file and the fix had a short life.

I am thinling that the steel has to be hardened and treated before sharpening ( if the term sharpening can be applied) . The modern process probably involves grinding with course abrasives, however I am looking for low tech process such as might have been used back in the early part of the last century and before.

[Dave Budd]

i reckon you could make up a scraper that has the teeth cut into it and draw it down the length of your steel rod, kinda like the fullering tools some folk use to scrape fullers into blades.The steel could be 'sharpened' prior to heat treat as long as you protect the teeth with a thin clay slip I think you should be OK for quenching. Personally I'm not a fan of steels except for realining the edge when a strop won't do the trick

[Arbalist]

If I was making one I'd do it in my milling machine with a nice sharp endmill.

Vic.

[MattBower]

@Vic: Some guys have all the cool tools.

@knots: I agree with Dave. I think you could cut the grooves prior to hardening and use clay slip -- or just a good reducing atmosphere -- to keep them from decarb'ing. By the way, what part of Northern Virginia? I'm just a little south of the Beltway off 95. Are you a BGOP member?

[bigfootnampa]

I resharpen (regroove) old steels with a diamond dressing tool. It doesn't look as nice as original but works fine. The steel can keep it's original hardness that way as diamonds are still WAAY harder. I am sure that you could groove before hardening as that is the way files are made and I am pretty sure that steel manufacturers do it that way. I never make them though as there are many older ones around so I don't need to. I have made burnishers though (same thing but polished smooth). They are work but better than any I could buy!

[basher]

my favorite steels are smooth and work very well.

[knots]

@Vic: Some guys have all the cool tools. @knots: I agree with Dave. I think you could cut the grooves prior to hardening and use clay slip -- or just a good reducing atmosphere -- to keep them from decarb'ing. By the way, what part of Northern Virginia? I'm just a little south of the Beltway off 95. Are you a BGOP member?

Matt- BGOP ? Yes a lifer. Just moved my shop from Arlington out west of Strasburg.

Thank to all for your comments. I like the slip approach and I have the ingredients except for the sodium silicate. BTW, never having tried slip does it shock off when quenched ? If so I assume that the best material for a Steel would be water hardening steel to avoid fouling your quench oil.

[Justin Carnecchia]

Owen is right, a smooth steel will work well. My favorite are the oval section diamond steels, these of course actually sharpen. For a traditional steel meant just for aligning edges I would suggest a smooth surface, they just work better. If you think about what the steel is doing, it is just ever so slightly pushing the burrs on the edge back to straight, a flatter smooth surface will do this better than many little ridges. Remember these burrs are almost microscopic on a truly sharp knife so the pressure put against them should be as smooth and even as possible. The biggest mistake I see beginers make is applying to much pressure and going to fast. Oh, I'm a chef and use a knife on average five hours a day. If used properly a good steel can keep an edge sharp almost indefinately. Very intersting idea making one, please let us know how it turns out. -Justin

[pkrankow]

I suspect that something akin to hot filing, but along the length would get a nice grooved surface, if you want that. A straight knurler is another choice and turn it on a lathe.

I have used smooth steels and they work just fine on a knife that is already fairly sharp. A dull knife needs a hone, using a steel won't really help it any. A steel is similar to a strop in function in that manner.

Phil