Tom Douglas by Pinzon Wenger 12-Inch Oval Sharpening Steel
by Tom Douglas
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Our Price: $44.99
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Category: Kitchen
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: Tom DouglasBrand: Tom Douglas
Model: 2 83 30
Color: Brown
Product features:
- 12-inch oval sharpening steel keeps knives in cutting shape
- Designed for serious home cooks and working chefs
- Magnetic steel attracts metal fibers; synthetic, nonslip handle
- Loop on handle for hanging
- Dishwasher-safe; total length is 17-13/4 inches; made in Switzerland
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Tom Douglas by Pinzon Wenger 12-Inch Oval Sharpening Steel
Customer Review: Serious steel for serious cooks
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Any good cook will tell you that besides hands, good sharp knives are their most important kitchen tools. Hard chopping surfaces, improper storage and other abuse will dull knives, making them dangerous to use. A good steel is essential to keeping knives operating at peak performance, and this steel is the best I've ever used. (Just for the record, I've owned and regularly used a Chicago Cutlery steel for years, a generic steel that came with a knife set and a cheap one from the hardware store bargain bin. The CC one worked better than the hardware store example, but no better than the generic one. All three of these are round and fit in a knife block and when I use them, I'm never sure I'm getting the right results. The steels themselves are slippery, and using them is more of a ritual than a procedure.
I chose this steel to review because the holidays were approaching and there's never a better time to review a kitchen tool than at a time when heavy use is on the agenda. I was expecting a steel the same size as the one that came with my knife set. Au contraire, mes amis; this thing is HUGE! It arrived in an enormous box and my jaw dropped when I unpacked it--just a little longer and wider and you'd have a nice cricket bat. It came in a rather flimsy protective case that secures with a snap just above the handle. The snap parted company from the rest of the case, but that's not a huge deal; it was one of those cases that you can't figure out if you're supposed to keep it, anyway. Initially, I was disappointed in the handle. It's brown plastic and I thought the heft and quality of the steel itself deserved wood, but now I appreciate the plastic. It's easier to clean and seems to be durable.
As far as the steel itself goes, I tried it first on a dullish chef's knife before dicing a large onion. Three swipes per side made an enormous difference. The oval steel gives a nice broad surface and much more control while sharpening than does the standard round steel. The knife sliced quickly and cleanly without snagging, which was a level of performance I haven't gotten from that particular knife in a long time. Inspired, I immediately went to work on my other knives with equally impressive results. The steel's extra breadth and length is perfect for large butcher's knives as well as for tiny paring knives. This steel has made it possible to resurrect several knives I'd pretty much given up on because they'd gotten dangerously inaccurate. The oval shape is so lovely and satisfying to work with, I've thrown away my other steels. They feel downright cheesy and I'll never go back.
This steel is brilliantly efficient at what it's supposed to do, the only downside is that storage might be an issue in an average kitchen. It won't fit in a knife block or a drawer. I hung it on my pot rack and it's fine there. Mine is more of utilitarian kitchen than a model home type--I don't mind things showing, but House Beautiful types might not be pleased. I highly, highly recommend this steel.
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