# Steel/HT for compatibility with 'honing' steel



## woyuskinny (Mar 13, 2017)

Looking to make either a traditional/western or other boning/butcher knife. I hope to take some butchery courses in a few months, and in at least most of the online demos I've watched, the butchers all do the zipzipzip thing with their honing rods/steels. All of my experience has been with 52100 in the hyper-60HRC realm. What to do to make one in the softer range? Any reason not to drop HRC in the 52100 via temper? Should I use the 52100 with a different pre-temper HT? Should I use 52100 at all? I have some 1/16'' S35VN sitting around too, and would have no issues with buying other stock either stainless or not. I'm happy to use my stones for myself, but want to feel 'part of the club' during the course/instruction day. 

Perhaps I should use my standard HT, and make sure nobody tries to whittle of bits of honing steel with it?

Cheers,

WYS


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Mar 13, 2017)

I'm as far from a butcher as one could be, but... I do remember reading some opinions coming down to "knives are lifetime tools for chefs, but consumables for butchers"....


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## jessf (Mar 13, 2017)

The ritual of honing before use could be replaced with stropping i suppose. Hygene may become a concern. I'd stick with stainless and bring the temper down.


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## cheflivengood (Mar 13, 2017)

LifeByA1000Cuts said:


> I'm as far from a butcher as one could be, but... I do remember reading some opinions coming down to "knives are lifetime tools for chefs, but consumables for butchers"....



+1 . Depends on the steel too, If it's a polished steel rod then any hardness will be fine as long as you are gentle. I like my breaking/boning to be significantly more dull than my other knives so I guess it would make sense for the knives to be less than or equal to the hardness of the honing rod?


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Mar 13, 2017)

@jessf I could imagine hygiene problems indeed... and... what strop will work on a bone-proof thick edge?


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## woyuskinny (Mar 13, 2017)

Thanks for that. I was about to order a $20 f.dick, but somehow thought that silly with all my knife making tools within easy reach in the garage. Knife doesn't HAVE to be stainless, as the destination for the product isn't public sale or restaurant, but I'm not adverse to it either. So, tempering a little warmer to bring the HRC down to, say, 57? Good plan? I was going to make the handle out of G10 or something similar, and a little fatter than normal perhaps.


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## cheflivengood (Mar 13, 2017)

Just make sure the handle is comfortable in all the butchers grips.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Mar 14, 2017)

Depending on locality, tools for such operations could be bound to the requirement of being not only dishwasher but autoclave proof if needed....


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## woyuskinny (Mar 16, 2017)

This is just for me to use during a demo class, and for me personally thereafter. So, no need for ss or autoclave proof handles.


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## woyuskinny (Mar 17, 2017)

Also, if anyone has a link to a couple of good videos that demonstrate proper use of a steel, I be very appreciative. I can imagine there are a bunch of junkers out there, just as there are for stones....

Thanks!


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## Benuser (Mar 17, 2017)

LifeByA1000Cuts said:


> @jessf I could imagine hygiene problems indeed... and... what strop will work on a bone-proof thick edge?



Just for the record: leather stropping works wonderfully with thick, convexed i.e. rounded carbon edges. I've a yo-deba and a few vintages I maintain that way. With carbon cleavers it should work as well.


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## Jovidah (Mar 17, 2017)

A lot more hassle though. You'd have to clean the blade everytime before you strop. It's a lot easier to clean / sanatize a steel, so you can just use it while dirty. 
It's really the only reason I keep them around for use with my cheap butchers / filleting knives. It's a dirty crutch, but it's a lot faster than cleaning the blade and touching-up on a stone or stropping.


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## Benuser (Mar 17, 2017)

You better keep at least the edge clean as much as possible, and not only with carbons. Dirty edges get dull.
And cross-contamination trough the rod is a new option to me.


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