Knife Sharpening service

sayanora

Silver
Feb 22, 2012
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Has anyone seen one in the DR, I have a set of knives that I bought about 12 months ago and they recommend professional sharpening every 12-18 months.. thanks.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
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we have a set of global knives too. since they are not cheap and require good care we also invested in a sharpening stone: water stone from messermeister, 400/1000 grit:
Messermeister: Culinary Tools

we are happy so far.
 
Oct 13, 2003
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Any good knife set is fine, as long as you maintain it well...

Get yourself a water ceramic whetstone (I use one of those hand-held semi-automatic grinders myself) and you'll do fine..
 

pauleast

*** I love DR1 ***
Jan 29, 2012
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I usually wait until my in-laws visit. For some strange reason this makes me want to sharpen every cutting tool razor sharp.
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
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In Capira Panama outside of the hardware store in town sat a man with a pedal operated 5' grindstone. He sat there all day and always seemed busy with people dropping off knives scissors and machetes to sharpen.

Is Capira on the North Coast of DR, I can't seem to find it on the map?
 
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southwardbound2

New member
Jun 5, 2008
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I asked the maid about a sharpening service and she looked at me as if I were daft....but I get that look a lot.

But in the USA I have known of several such services, so maybe in the Capital? Restaurants use them in the USA; a guy would do in his van, travelled all over doing this. So ask at high end restaurant maybe?

If you find, please post. When I sharpen a knife, it seems to be worse than when I started. The gadgets do better, but a professional is what I want too.
 

CaptnGlenn

Silver
Mar 29, 2010
2,321
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In Capira Panama outside of the hardware store in town sat a man with a pedal operated 5' grindstone. He sat there all day and always seemed busy with people dropping off knives scissors and machetes to sharpen.

I'm not sure I'd trust my Wusthof Classics to be sharpened by the same guy sharpening machetes.
 

jafo

New member
Dec 16, 2006
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I use something very similair to the one William Webster uses .
It can be picked up at any Home Depot for a couple dollars .

Then I use my steel , from the knife set on the knives.
They come out extremely sharp.

I do my own butchering on a number of animals and filet a lot of fish.

It works just as well as a wet stone.

Wash and dry knives by hand . Always use the steel on them when done using.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
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Haven't been there yet, but a neighbor just told me that the little shop in Puerto Plata where one gets keys made right next to Metro bus station sharpens knives. Be worth checking out if you are in POP.

i know the place, i got keys made there. we have some normal cheap knives too. and a machete :) maybe i should check it out.
 
May 29, 2006
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I know how to sharpen knives professionally. I've used the Japanese wet stone techniques, diamond steels and other methods. On my last cooking job, I'd often cut up to 100 pounds of veggies as just part of my day's work. NEVER have a good knife sharpened on a grinder, unless they are using a buffing wheel and polishing compound. It will ruin the knife.

I learned my current technique from a YouTube Video. It's great because not only is it effective, it's also very cheap. I now keep a $3 piece of green polishing compound in my kitchen tool kit. It looks like a waxy piece of sidewalk chalk. I rub the compound on a piece of cardboard(always around in commercial kitchens), then I strop the knife on the cardboard to tone the edge. I do it anytime I do more than about 10 pounds of vegetables at a time and i keep my knives very sharp.

As for knife choice, Global knives have a good rep and were all the rage 10 years ago, but the chefs with plenty of money to blow now all use Shun knives(which were not around when Antony Bourdain was cooking). My main gripe with Global knives is their handle design, which I don't find very comfortable when doing bulk work. I also prefer knives with wider blades. Shuns are very nice, but oh so pricey.

I use this Korean made knife I got on Ebay for $48, including shipping. As I've mentioned, it takes a very good edge, and it also has excellent balance. I got it in part because of it's powdered steel composition. In comparison, a 6" Shun knife retails for around $100..

Yongho Clad Steel Kitchen Santoku Chef's Knife Clever Made by Korea Masterhands | eBay

When I cut up chicken wings or do other boning, I use a $12 Faberware Santoku knife I got at Bed Bath and Beyond. Paula Dean actually has a very nice economy 3 piece knife set you can get at any Wal~Mart for under $20. It's a knock-off of Wustoff designs.

This is one of the best video series I've seen on sharpening, esp the end, though the hair shaving is a bit icky:
Knife Sharpening How To Use A Sharpening Steel Part 3 - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=ReUEjNJ5PSA&feature=fvwp
And here is a Shun knife. The price is very low for a knife of this size and quality:
New Shun Classic 7" Hollow Ground Santoku Knife H G HG DM0718 Steel Japan | eBay

Finding the No. 5 green polishing compound can be tricky. If a hardware store has it, it will be with the buffing wheels. Porter Cable is the brand I've seen. In the video, he also uses spray metal polish that he gets at dollar stores.

Half of knife sharpening is not taking off more blade than you need to. When I see a cook spend more time sharpening than cutting, their technique is usually bad and they are doing more harm than good to the knife.
 
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cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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Learning how to use a good sharpening rod is easy. On my good knives-hopefully coming down in my container shortly-I just spend a few seconds with the rod before using the knife. Works well.