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Random Quote: I feel dumber now than I did before you said that!
Has anyone had any experence using the Tormek to sharpen the flexible fillet knives?
I believe that I have tried every knife sharpening gadget that has ever been manufactured except the Tormek and my results to this point have been less than stellar.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Jim
Wow, that Tormek is quite a machine! In that price range you have a lot of options. I have never been proficient at knife sharpening, so I have mine professionally sharpened every two or three years. Between sharpenings, I keep them up with a steel and a ceramic rod.
Maintaining an edge is much easier than replacing one. If you only use nylon or wooden cutting boards and always touch up the knife edge with a steel, constant stone honing should not be necessary. This works for everything from my best Wusthof kitchen knifes to my Dexter Russell fillet and butchering knives. Purchase and learn to use a good medium steel (not a diamond one) and you will find your knife sharpening needs will greatly diminish.
Petrel is right on target.
My dad taught me to sharpen a knife right. After you get the edge bevel that suits you and the fish you clean, maintain an edge with a steel and crock stick.
The surface you clean fish on is very important. You don't want to dull your knife on a stainless table.
Keep a loaner knife and never let anybody else use your favorite knife. Most of all, never let anybody else sharpen your knife. I clean lots of fish and a good knife lasts me a long time.
Forstner, KaiKut, and Dexter Russell all work well for me. I have several Dexter Russells that will out last me.
Clean your knife careully and wipe with a little Olive oil. My knives, fish cleaning gloves and cleaning board all go through the dish washer.
My vote is for the Smith's sharpening kit. My stepdad orginally gave it to me, and after using many different types (including electric models), I get better feedback from using this one. In fact, a lot of my friends tell me that I have the sharpest fillet knives they've used in a while. Its not expensive, so give it a shot. Plus very useful on kitchen knives. For reference, I'm using the sharpener on Dexter Russel knives, in either 7 or 9" fillet or 8" serrated
I have a Tormek...very expensive but bad-ass. Everything from pen knives to axes are sharp at my house. The problem is now I want one to leave at the coast! After all, I am lazy!
THE ABSOLUTE BEST KNIFE SHARPENER IS MADE BY MIKE CLOSTERMAN. HIS COMPANY IS KLAWHORN INDUSTIRES. I HAVE TRIED EVERY SHARPENER OUT THERE AND FOR FILLET KNIVES, POCKET KNIVES, ICE SKATES, SCISSORS, LAWN MOWERS... YOU WILL NEVER FIND A BETTER EASIER KNIFE SHARPENER THAN THIS. GOOGLE KLAWHORN.
After a while my fillet knifes get chips and gouges in the blades. What is the best sharpener to take a good bit of metal off and get a straight edge back? Electric?
Being a chef by trade, and having spent the last three years as a Meat Cutter for a Beef Packing plant. The best thing would be to get a Tri stone, one of the large ones made for Restaurants and learn to use it properly. After making a good edge, the only honing you need is a couple swipes on a steel, and maybe occasionally on ceramic.
Knife choice is always an important decision, straight stainless steel (cheaper cutlery) doesn't hold an edge as well or as long as high carbon (but turns black) The higher grade knives such as Wustoff (my personal favorite) have a high amount of high carbon steel with just enough stainless stell to prevent tarnishing and a few other alloys thrown in there for durability. Well taken care of, and properly sharpened, you should only have to put your knife on a stone, maybe twice a year.
Don't wash them in the dishwasher, and don't cut on anything other than a Starboard Plastic type cutting board. If you learn to do it yourself, you can out sharpen any machine on the market!
I keep my knives shaving sharp with a Spyderco Sharpmaker. http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=77
Once you get the correct back bevel set, all it takes is a few swipes on the fine ceramic stones to put a razor sharp micro bevel on the blade. Simple to use and not extremely expensive.
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2005 Sea Hunt 202, Honda BF150 2009 Toyota Tundra
Knife Sharpener 
