Vent: That guy who told me to sharpen my boning knife with a 15 degree angle was dead wrong

Met this old timer at a swap meet in Omaha, swore up and down a 15 degree edge was the only way to go for breaking down primals. Tried it on a whole ribeye yesterday and that edge folded like a cheap tent after three cuts. Lost a solid 45 minutes fixing the burr and resetting the bevel back to 20 degrees. Anyone else get burned by some know-it-all's secret trick that just trashed your blade?

2 comments

2 Comments

brians2727d ago

Honestly, I've seen this exact thing happen more times than I can count at the butcher shops I've worked in. That 15 degree angle is way too fragile for anything but maybe fish or boneless chicken breasts. I mean, a whole ribeye primals got connective tissue and fat that'll just wreck a thin edge like that. Sounds like the old timer was just stuck in his ways and never tested it on real heavy beef. You're better off sticking with a 20 degree bevel for breaking down those bigger cuts. Ngl, some people just love to act like they discovered the secret knife trick.

jones.grace26d ago

Oh man, you nailed it! I've been saying the same thing for years after ruining more than a few good knives trying that 15 degree angle hack on beef. That thin edge just crumbles on anything with serious marbling or silver skin. I remember one time I tried it on a whole brisket and the edge was chipped and rolling over before I even got through the fat cap. 20 degrees all the way for heavy work, it's not even a debate once you've actually done it. Always feels good to hear someone else call out that "secret trick" nonsense for what it is.