Old timer at the meat counter taught me a lesson about knife sharpening

Was at a local shop last Tuesday picking up some primal cuts and this guy in his 70s watches me test the edge on a store knife. He just shakes his head and says, ‘You’re pushing the steel, not pulling it right, kid.’ Took ten seconds to show me the correct angle and stroke, and my blades at home have been scary sharp for three weeks now. Anyone else picked up a random tip from a stranger that totally changed your routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

alice_hart4d ago

Learned the same thing from a butcher at my local farmer's market, the guy could slice a tomato with his thumbs if he wanted to. He told me most people wreck their edges by pushing too hard on the off stroke, and once I slowed down and focused on consistent pressure my knives stayed sharp for way longer. That one little fix totally changed how I prep anything in the kitchen, it's wild how a random person can just drop a lifetime of experience on you like that.

mila_harris3d ago

That "lifetime of experience dropped on you like that" line hits hard. I read this thing once where a chef said most people treat their knife like a saw instead of a slicer, and that's where all the damage comes from. It's funny how something so simple like not pushing down on the backstroke can save you hours of sharpening. That farmer's market butcher sounds like a real legend for sharing that little nugget.