On Oct 1, 2014, at 7:38 PM, Kermit Perlmutter  wrote:

> I have never seen a truly smooth knife steel. Anyone have a photo? I love
older steels for their fine teeth.
> 

I had seen them - http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Honing-10-Inch-
Smooth-Plastic/dp/B000UFV9SC">http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Honing-10-Inch-
Smooth-Plastic/dp/B000UFV9SC -  and wanted one. I had an old knife steel
that my father had given me (he died two years ago @ 93) w/ a bone handle that
had worn rather smooth over the years. I took it to a belt sander, the kind you
use for metal, and sanded it smooth. See -- https://www.flickr.com/phot
os/77280442@N.../sets/72157647851454897/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/77280442
@N.../sets/72157647851454897/

It works great, just like a burnisher for a scraper. I use it to reconstitute an
edge on the kitchen knives. Its like a wire edge that gets folded over and the
steel just sets it upright again. When the steel no longer fixes the edge I give
them 8 - 10 strokes on a ceramic "steel" (i.e., round and about 10 inches long
of unknown grit, but rather fine). If that is not enough, the knife will get 2
or 3 strokes on a diamond "steel" then the ceramic and when the edge glints with
reflected light, back to the smooth steel. Works for me.

Bill

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