How to Get the Most Out of Your Victorinox Knife with a Steel Sharpener: A UK Butcher’s Guide
July 30, 2024
Not that your Victorinox knife won’t hold up – it absolutely will – but the clear benefit of sharpening your Victorinox knife regularly is a sharper edge. This helps to preserve the longevity of your Victorinox knife over time.
A Victorinox steel sharpener, a rod of specially tempered alloyed steel with a rounded tip, helps to sharpen your knife by simply drawing the blade across the length of the steel until it runs against the rounded tip. It’s a long way from being dull. We will discuss sharpening tools that work alongside steels.
We will discuss sharpening our knives, such as honing or tempering. Read on to understand how a steel knife sharpener works and why you would want to use one.
Why Every UK Butcher Needs a Steel Knife Sharpener
- A Keener Edge: Honing regularly with a steel sharpener realigns the microscopic teeth on the blade’s edge, preventing them from bending and blunting. It restores the edge, slicing easier and safer, too, because when a knife’s not keen, it’s more likely to slip.
- Extending Lifespan: When you keep your Victorinox knives smooth and sharp, whether cutting veggies or boning chicken, they last much longer, and you’ll delay the need for sharpening by a professional.
- Better Efficiency: If you have a sharp knife, you can cut through foods, such as meat, more efficiently and with less physical effort.
- Cost-Saving: A steel sharpener represents a minimal investment to keep your Victorinox knives in good condition, sparing you the cost of replacement.
Choosing the Right Steel Sharpener for Your Victorinox Knives
- Great Material: You should choose a sharpener that is made of fine steel, such as carbon steel or ceramic-coated steel. These materials are ideal because they will provide the best durability and sharpening strength.
- Length: Make sure the sharpener is long enough to accommodate your longest Victorinox knife. A 10-inch model is usually sufficient for most kitchen knives.
- Shape: Shape is another important feature to consider. Sharpeners can be round, oval, or flat; round sharpeners will be easier for beginners, while flat ones will provide greater precision.
- Handle: The handle should be comfortable, have good ergonomics, and have enough gripping surface.
Honing Your Victorinox Knife Like a Pro
- Hold the Sharpener: Hold the sharpener firmly in your non-dominant hand, with the tip pointing downwards.
- Position the Knife: Hold the Victorinox knife at a 15-20 degree angle to the sharpener.
- Swipe Down: Swipe downwards, making even, gentle downward strokes from the heel to the tip.
- Repeat: Repeat on the other side of the blade, alternating sides with each stroke.
- Clean: Wipe the blade clean with a damp cloth to remove any metal filings.
Sharpening Your Victorinox Knife: The Key to a Butcher’s Precision
A sharp knife is the cornerstone of a butcher’s craft. It ensures clean, precise cuts, reduces the risk of accidents, and enhances the overall efficiency of your work. Sharpening your Victorinox knives isn’t just about restoring their edge; it’s about maintaining their optimal performance and extending their lifespan. By using the correct steel knife sharpener, you’ll give quality blades an extended lifespan.
How Sharpening Works
Knife sharpening involves two key processes:
- Honing: This is the knife’s daily maintenance; it keeps the edge realigned. A honing steel (also called a sharpening steel) realigns the microscopic teeth on the edge that get misaligned with use. You do this quickly and easily, as often as daily if you are a professional butcher, or as rarely as weekly, monthly, or as needed if you’re a home cook.
- Sharpening: More aggressive than honing, sharpening usually removes metal from the edge of the knife in order to create a new, sharp edge. Different from honing, sharpening is usually performed less frequently (depending on how often the knife is used and the type of steel that the knife is made from).
The Angle of Attack: Finding the Sweet Spot
This is a key point because you have to hold your Victorinox knife against the honing steel at the correct angle in order to make it sharper. Victorinox knives are typically sharpened at a 15-20 degree angle; this is a good compromise between sharpness and durability and will make your knife keep an edge for longer.
Knife Sharpening Tools for Victorinox Knives
- Honing Steel: The best thing to use on a regular basis is to maintain your Victorinox knives. Get a high-end steel honing rod, even one with a ceramic or diamond coating.
- Sharpening Stone: A sharpening stone is used for more intense sharpening. These stones are available in a range of grits, from coarse to very fine. Use a coarse one to rebuild the edge, then work your way down to the finer grits for a polished edge.
- Electric Sharpeners: Easy to use. Just insert the knife, and turn the device on. Electric sharpeners can give Victorinox knives a nice sharp edge, but they probably remove too much metal. Best used sparingly.
The Quality Advantage: Less Sharpening, More Precision
While high-quality Victorinox knives cost more initially, their superior steel composition still holds an edge longer between sharpenings. When knives do need to be restored, it’s important that the tools and techniques used honour their edge and performance.
Honing Your Victorinox Knife with a Steel Sharpener
- Hold the steel sharpener firmly in your non-dominant hand, pointing the tip downwards.
- Hold the heel of your Victorinox knife against the top of the sharpener at a 15-20 degree angle.
- Draw the knife gently and evenly across the sharpener with light pressure at a steady angle.
- Do it on each side of the knife, alternating sides with each stroke. Do 5-10 strokes per side.
- Wipe the blade clean with a damp cloth to remove any metal filings.
Remember: Honing is about maintenance, not replacement. If your knife is very dull, it needs to be sharpened using a stone or an electric sharpener.
SUMMARY
If you learn how to sharpen a knife, you will never have to buy another Victorinox knife. – Victorinox knives are a great addition to your butcher’s kit when they are kept at the perfect sharpness when using the right steel knife sharpener so your Victorinox and butchers knives can slice for years to come.