What's the correct way to use a steel to sharpen a kitchen knife?

[Nagel]

Do you run the blade along the steel with the blade angled into the steel as if you would if you were sharpening a pencil, or do you run it along so that it wouldn't cut into the steel, in other words in the opposite direction?

 

Or does it work both ways?

[barleycorn]

A steel is just for honing the blade. If it is quite blunt you'll need to sharpen it on a whetstone first otherwise you'll be there all day.

 

Hold the steel point down, with the point resting on a chopping board. Hold the knife with the cutting edge down and place the back of the blade (the bit by the handle) at the top of the steel. Run the knife down the steel while pulling it towards you so that you finish with the tip of the blade at the tip of the steel, the blade wants to be angled at about 22º (quarter of a right angle). Repeat on the other side of the blade. Then repeat some more until finished.

 

jb

[Gazza58]

Do you run the blade along the steel with the blade angled into the steel as if you would if you were sharpening a pencil, or do you run it along so that it wouldn't cut into the steel, in other words in the opposite direction?

 

Or does it work both ways?

 

Yes,but you need to get the angle right,also be careful you dont have your thumb sticking above the handle.It would be safer at first to have the tip of the steel resting on some non slippy surface ,then run the knife downwards on both sides at an angle.

[Alcoblog]

Do you run the blade along the steel with the blade angled into the steel as if you would if you were sharpening a pencil, or do you run it along so that it wouldn't cut into the steel, in other words in the opposite direction?

 

Or does it work both ways?

 

The correct way to sharpen a pencil is with a knife toward the point, pencil sharpeners being useless ... a (very) sharp kitchen knife would do quite well.