[cjb762]

Originally Posted by EME_Bounce

Yes, always look for made in Germany (for German knives) or made in Japan for the Japanese knives.

I've noticed Henkels has gone down in quality.

If you're not sure what to do, there's always this starter knife from Wustof that I use daily still!

https://www.cutleryandmore.com/wusth...-knife-p114959

I know I'll get mocked but I love this sharpener.

https://www.cutleryandmore.com/wusth...rpener-p120329

No mocking here! As you know, those carbide sharpeners basically scrape metal off of the blade, and while they may leave the edge sharp, it is jagged and introduces a bevel that good kitchen knives generally don't have. They definitely have their uses, but I personally wouldn't use them on a good knife - like the Shuns I mentioned above.

For what it's worth, I find it far easier to keep an edge sharp than to sharpen it after it becomes dull. I use a leather strop and sharpening compound every week or so, and the knives are always razor sharp. (https://www.dlttrading.com/dlt-xl-do...sharpening-kit)

The blades will develop micro-chipping over time with normal use. Chips have to be removed through sharpening, for example with a water stone. Some knives (like Shun) offer free sharpening. Unless you are good at it, I think it's best to leave that kind of sharpening to a professional.

Some good videos...

Carbide sharpeners:

Stropping:

Convex sharpening: