# It pains me to ask but advice on sharpening Cutco knives



## gic

After talking too much to a friend about how much fun I have had learning to sharpen knives he asked me to sharpen his knives. I said yes not knowing they were cutco knives, horrible knives to sharpen but if anyone has any tips on what stones to use (stop at 1000?) only use atomas (I have the 140, 600 and 1,000) etc to make this unpleasant task go faster, some of the knives have serrations so I suppose I would have to use something like a DMT stick (which luckily I have). 

or should I just tell him to send them back to the factory cause I'll never be able to get them as sharp as a $8 tramontina chef I bought at Costco and give away to friends including him 

Anyway TIA...


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## daveb

I've never actually seen a Cutco. (Maybe I've been blessed?) My understanding is that they are micro-serrated along the edge and that there's nothing much a sharpener can do for them. Again it's my understandnig that Cutco offers a lifetime warranty/sharpening. Help friend box them and send them off (and hope they get lost....).


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## Mucho Bocho

Gic, My knife fascination started thirty years ago selling Cutco knives. I rocked the Homemaker to everyone I knew. Good old Vector Marketing Group. They're a very strong cult. 

So their knives are made of very soft stainless some sort of 440. RC might be 53. The edges come in both Double D (serrated) and smooth edges. Several of their smooth edge knives are actually wide double beveled. The have a very flat profile (for an American knife) too. 

You cannot sharpen the double D edge by hand. They don't sharpen them either, they jut send a replacement.

You right on, stop at 1000, else you'll end up rounding and losing any bite to the edge. Their not the worse knives ever made, but the handle reminds me of an early Ken Onion abomination.


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## bkdc

What daveb said. Have your friend send them back to Cutco. And tell him never to buy another Cutco again. 

I can't imagine the amount of tears I would shed if I had to plow through onions using a serrated knife.


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## Mrmnms

There are still non knife nuts that like Cutcos. I've done plenty if them. They are not a huge deal, particularly based on the average users expectations of them. Finish them at 600 to a 1000 grit. Deburr, lightly strop. 15 degrees per side. The serrateds are a pita but your logic us correct with the Dmt file. Watch your angle. Make sure you de burr both sides.


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## gic

Thanks everyone, I'll explain that the "double d" should go back and he might as well send them all back and I'll give him a bunch more tramontina pro's I bought from costco to give as gifts to "tide him over"


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## Dave Martell

http://www.cutco.com/customer/guarantee.jsp#the-guarantee


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## Keith Sinclair

Mucho Bocho said:


> Gic, My knife fascination started thirty years ago selling Cutco knives. I rocked the Homemaker to everyone I knew. Good old Vector Marketing Group. They're a very strong cult.
> 
> So their knives are made of very soft stainless some sort of 440. RC might be 53. The edges come in both Double D (serrated) and smooth edges. Several of their smooth edge knives are actually wide double beveled. The have a very flat profile (for an American knife) too.
> 
> You cannot sharpen the double D edge by hand. They don't sharpen them either, they jut send a replacement.
> 
> You right on, stop at 1000, else you'll end up rounding and losing any bite to the edge. Their not the worse knives ever made, but the handle reminds me of an early Ken Onion abomination.



Selling Cutco knives starting knife fascination can totally see that. My sister had a few Cutco's. You are right the early ones had terrible handles they improved them some more user friendly. I rehandled my sisters Cutco's. You can put a decent edge on them with a medium stone with the smooth edge knives.


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