Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for November 05, 2013

Just sharpening his tools…

It’s a guy thing, a point of pride….Knives have to be sharp…..No excuses……

Johnson is a shrewd observer of our foibles, ya gotta give him that…

Flat stone, so much better than an electric sharpener for those who still know how to use one.

First things first.

Just counted my kitchen knives…I have 19, plus 2 sharpening steels and a set of good steak knives. Go, Arlo!

Lordy, but this is The Squire! I make his wash his own knives. I have too many scars on my fingers from “not being careful” when I take them out of the dishwasher.

You should see Arlo sharpening the cheddar.

He’s preparing to operate!

For someone who loves cooking, this is foreplay.

Sharpen knives? Does anyone do that any more? Or even know how to do it, other than with an electric gizmo?

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Abraham Lincoln

Depends on the stone. Diamond stones can be used dry, but the use of water as a lubricant is okay. Arkansas stones should be used with oil.

If you can touch the blade without getting cut, the knife is not sharp enough.

The abrasive in the dishwasher detergent can dull both the edge and the blade’s finish. And I don’t even like to think about what it can do to the wooden handles. Your good knives do have wooden handles, don’t they? Wood provides a firm, safe grip, even when wet. The alternative to honing knives is to get a set of good ceramic ones, but they are pricy.

Yeah, well, OK, it is kind of like foreplay.