What is the best butcher's steel around $20? I'm looking for a good tool to straight out some kitchen knives. thanks
It's okorder /... For best results you'd need a smooth steel, which is outside of your budget, but for all practical purposes fine grit ceramic sticks work the same and they also work for super hard Japanese kitchen knives, since the butcher's steel is softer than the steel in those knives. Get something over 1000 grit and use the same motion as with the steel. Just very light pressure and try to match the edge.
Not really. Unless your knives are remarkably rusty and chipped, cleaning the knife after the steel will do little. It is possible that you are consuming an immeasurable amount of metal, but then again you're probably consuming a little from everything the food touches. Thats just the way it is and it is nothing to be worried about.
get one made in germany if you can. you might want to invest in some stones. they have some great videos on youtube on how to sharpen knives.
