# Touching up knives at work



## Keith Sinclair (Dec 20, 2013)

Wondering what pro's here do for touch up during long cutting sessions.Here alot cooks use steels.I found fr. trail & error non invasive steels & ceramics work best for J- Gyuto's.

Never saw strops at work,but a piece of leather makes since.Used a 5K polishing stone to touch up my Yanagi's,but I had to soak it ahead of time.

Japanese & Chinese do not use steels,when I watched Jon's video on steels,I partially agreed,but since had success with polishing steels,somewhat still in the steel camp.

Word of mouth been getting a fair # of cooks coming over my house with their knives to get sharpened & learn freehand.They bring beer.Almost all have been using Diamond steels & their edges are all buggered up.I do not see how they even cut wt. them.

Never used splash & goes,that seems like a good option as well.


----------



## panda (Dec 20, 2013)

felt strop before shift, ceramic rod mid shift. touch ups at home with a natural stone.

for house knives i keep a king 1000 soaked under the sink.


----------



## aser (Dec 20, 2013)

leather strop or 6000 grit stone.

If I'm juiced and there're no recourse, a mac unbreakable ceramic rod. I feel guilty busting a cowboy move like that so I rarely do it.


----------



## crunchy (Dec 20, 2013)

I use ceramic coffee mugs when I'm in a pinch!


----------



## charles222 (Dec 20, 2013)

Mostly, i just swap out for a different knife. If thats not an option i use steel if it's near by, if not I grab the closest ceramic plate and use the bottom side.


----------



## Chuckles (Dec 20, 2013)

I just switch knives. I keep a green brick soaking at work for the crew and I use that if I have to.


----------



## tomsch (Dec 20, 2013)

There is a popular sushi place in my area and the chefs have a water stone that they spray and use for touch-ups right there on the bar. Not sure what grit but it's pretty big and sees quite a bit of use during the night. It's great to see the sushi chefs walk to the stone, make a few very measured passes, look and feel the edge, a few more passes, and then back on the line.


----------



## Keith Sinclair (Dec 21, 2013)

You are right thats all it takes with a Japan SB a few measured passes.Misting the stone with a spray bottle,learned it fr. Dave.One of the many great tips he has in his sharpening DVD.


----------



## Von blewitt (Dec 21, 2013)

I use 8k DMT, and a diamond loaded felt strop from Marko, fits perfectly in my station,


----------



## Miles (Dec 21, 2013)

I keep a ceramic rod in my kit. That handles most daily touch ups. I also carry a strop loaded with diamond paste and some diamond paste to refresh it if needed. That's what I use when I feel like the rod isn't getting me where I need to be. When the rod and the strop start to fail to deliver, it's time to hit the stones. 
I discovered that some of that mesh shelf liner makes for an amazing non skid surface to hold the strop in place on the counter. I keep a piece in a small zippered bag with the strop and paste. It's amazing just how heavy the HA strop base is and how very light a single small piece of that shelf liner is in comparison. The HA base now stays at home and the backpack that carries my knife roll and my extended work "kit" is considerably lighter, which makes my back happier.


----------



## Geo87 (Dec 21, 2013)

I've found stropping on finishing stones followed by newspaper at the start of every shift and my gyuto doesn't need "touching up" mid shift 
Even during heavy prep days. Sharpening about every 3-4 weeks.


----------



## NO ChoP! (Dec 21, 2013)

I keep one of Marko's hard felt strops loaded with diamond spray in my knife box. It really has made a difference in the longevity of my knife edges.


----------



## Keith Sinclair (Dec 21, 2013)

Miles I use that mesh liner too.Keeps plates or stones from sliding on stainless steel counter tops.

Geo stropping on finishing stones,little learning curve,but very effective technique.

Seems like Diamond loaded felt is popular here.Never used it.Maybe time to get a pad & spray try it out.

Someone here don't remember who turned me on to Star Shaving Supplies.They sell a 3" X 10" leather strop,wood base ,rubber type feet(nice portable size)If you buy 10 of them it's even cheaper less than 11.00 each..That's what I did, only have one left.Teach strop tech. so they don't round edges.

I have seen so much damage wt. guys trying to use diamond steels as a sharpening tool.Appreciate your imputs good stuff

So no splash & Go stones yet?Never used one of these either.S&G wt. a spray bottle?


----------



## Miles (Dec 22, 2013)

That mesh liner is fantastic stuff. When I sharpen with my Shaptons I use a spray bottle with H2O.


----------



## Scrap (Apr 26, 2014)

I typically just switch between knives, and keep a diamond stone on me to fix up my Chinese cleaver if need be, though some of my supervisors don't like it when I sharpen at work and I'm often stuck with no choice but to switch.


----------



## jai (Apr 26, 2014)

At my current job nobody is able to sharpen during shift... it sucks but I dont mind I always have 2 gyutos at one time and each has specific jobs it gets used for so in then end my edges last much longer and I sharpen basicly 1 time per week.


----------



## Salty dog (Apr 26, 2014)

Four sided strop.


----------



## jgraeff (Apr 27, 2014)

I keep my felt strop from Marko loaded with 1k diamond. Works damn well on most steels. 

Sometimes il take a jnat to work just to replenish and edge but rarely


----------



## BeerChef (Apr 27, 2014)

Felt loaded with diamond works great for me mid shift.


----------

