Thread: NOT A WOODWORKING TOOL BUT A HAND TOOL -A KNIFE SHARPENING STEEL

A sharpening steel is essentially a very fine file;it sounds like it is beyond its "use by" date.
They are pretty common second hand as many folk have gone over to "pull through" carbide sharpeners.
Cheers
Tony

You might clean it up and save it for a kitchen knife sharpening tool.
If the burrs are rusted off, hang in on the wall and move on.
The edges are rusted off = you can't replace them = game, set and match.

I used to buy crappy files in garage/yard sales, rusty as hello.
Beyond sharpening pencils, do good to anyone.

But, we might find somebody who wants the steel for making wood carving blades/edges.
I have maybe 5kg of such stuff.

OK, thanks for the replies.
Didn't spend much so no great loss.
Might clean it up a bit more and hang it in the shed for curiosity.
When asked what it is I'll have to come up with a technical sounding title for it....

I believe a steel is more of a honing device than a sharpening device.
It is used to remove the burr from sharpening so the grooves are pretty redundant anyway.
Use a stone to get you knife sharp. Clean up up your steel and hone away!

Read here for a similar view: http://askville.amazon.com/refurbish...uestId=4685013

As for cleaning up the steel, try citric acid. It's cheap, safe on hands and simple to dispose of. Plenty of info online.

Did the steel have lines originaly many don't depends on your preference and to a degree your sharpening skill
I allways use a smoothe steel

I'll post some pics later, but yes it does have lines.
I'll probably just clean it up free of rust and use it as is.
I know it is to 'stand up an edge' not to reshape remove metal etc.
I just liked the style and price. (who can refuse a bargain!)
Anyone know how to get them apart?