Dexter-Russell14" Butcher Steel - Dexter-Russell

I'm giving this Dexter-Russell Butchers Steel a five star rating because it deserves it. I worked as teenager in my Dads Grocery store meat market in the 1950's. In the fall, farmers slaughtered their hogs, brought them to our walk-in cooler to be butchered and packaged. We did a lot of meat cutting so you had to have good knives, a good stone and most of all you had to have a real good steel. I have been looking for a good steel for years and now I've found one. This Dexter-Russell is a near spitting image of the one Dad had and that one was made, if I remember correctly, in the 1930's. I love the heft and feel of this steel. I played with it for a bit using some of my wife's cheap-o kitchen knives and in short time it all began coming back to me. I went to work on her good knives, first a little stone work, then to the steel. What a pleasure to have an edge that quickly slices through a crusty smoked brisket, and it's still sharp as ever when you finish. If your knives are in decent condition, all it takes is few alternating strokes on this steel to keep your blades sharp. Would I recommend this Steel? You darn tootin'! Don't waste time or money on the litle shorty kitchen steels, they will never do the job you want. If you're not experienced in the use of a real butchers steel you can go Dexter-Russells web site and view a video on the proper use. Dexter-Russell is an old USA company, makers of knives and steels for years. This steel is made in the USA. Take care of it and it will undoubtedly last for years and years if you'll take care of it. Best way to store it is place a screw hook in a handy spot and hang it, as I did. For heavens sake, don't throw into a drawer with other kitchen stuff. It'll end up full of dings and become useless. It is well worth the money.

Real quick and easy honing of our kitchen knives. Gets ‘um real sharp. Made in the USA. Love it!!!

This rod is beautiful. It was a lot bigger than I thought it would be, but it works perfectly. The grooves are pretty fine, and it definitely can put a sharp edge on any knife.

Sheerness, easy to use, and easy to hold.

It quickly puts a razor edge on knives if properly used

There is going to be some technique to learn and lots of practice before you can use a tool like this quickly and effectively, but it is a great steel. Coarse enought to do some reshaping, but not so much that it cannot generate a fine razor edge with light strokes.The longer the steel, the faster and easier these are to use, and the 14" is highly recommended.

This the third steel in 20 years plus. The second Dexter Russel. Simple and works better than the many other sharpeners I've used. Right up there with a good stone.

A steel is meant to remove imperfections in a knife's edge. This steel does exactly that. Steels don't sharpen or hone an edge, they just smooth out spots where the knife has developed a flaw. This steel works well!