STEELING

[eddosedge]

I'll be interested in hearing how often your butcher steels.  I was very surprised to read Mr. KG's report that the meat plant guys steeled every 10 cuts.  That amount of steeling seems extremely excessive to me.  

I wonder if your butcher can "quick draw" his steel from his holster.

I've reread my notes on steeling from the plant assessment - operators follow the routine of using the flicker after every 2-3 pieces, and the steel rod every 5-6 pieces.

They call "Flicker" the smooth spring-loaded twin steeling rods/wires, wall-mounted.
"Steel rod" - is the F.Dick combi steel smooth/fine-cut, and they are instructed to steel on the smooth (polished) steel as long as it works, and only then use the fine-cut, and continue with the smooth.

Each piece on the conveyer requires 2-4 cuts.

So, last weekend I sharpened six of his boning knives and one 8" butcher knife.  When I brought them back I asked about his steeling method and what type steel he uses.

He goes by feel not a "number of cuts" but he guessed around 4-8 cuts depending on the knife at hand.  He uses a combination steel like KG referenced above.  Didn't think to ask the maker.  He tried a ceramic steel but found it too fragile for his use.  He had never heard of the spring loaded spring steel a.k.a "Flicker" style.  I have one that came with the Razor's Edge kit I bought 12 years ago that still sits in my cabinet.  I'm going to bring it to the shop and see what he thinks about it.

To Grepper's question about quick draw, I've never seen him in action.  He does his cutting before the shop opens and when he processes a deer it is in a back room.  I might ask him to let me watch him work one of these weekends.

Ed K.