Just use your wrist for changing the angle of the knife on the steel and use your elbow for the movement of the knife along the steel.Sounds double dutch but don't bend your wrist as you drag the knife along the steel.
Look at what angle the knife has been sharpened at and add about another 5-10deg on that,so that you're only polishing the tip of the edge not the full edge.
Untill you are happy with using it keep your fingers toward the back of the steel handle otherwise the skin on your fingers will leak and it will hurt!!

If it hasn't got decent protection where you hold it cut hole in a piece of rubber or similar and push it on the steel. Stops the leaking and hurting.

GO BLUES.

John,
A steel will not put an edge on a knife. The only way to put a good even edge on a knife is by using a sharpenening stone. The purpose of a steel is to straighten the edge of the knife after use and remove minor burrs after using the sharpening stone. The steel should be used very frequently....e.g. if you are filleting 5 average snapper, use the steel after each fish. Because the purpose of the steel is to correct the blade, one or 2 even strokes at a 30 degree angle on each side is sufficient.
The way to think with knives is, 'use your stone occasionally, and use your steel often'
When you see guys flashing a blade up and down a steel repeatedely, it might look immpressive, but they are in effect reducing the life of the knife and not improving the edge at all.

G'Day John, Hey John I'm a qualified Butcher, follow Seansurfy's tips what he says is right on the money.

Kev

FISHING IS MY ADDICTION

Cheers guys. The edge is still there Sean but you when you look down directly at it there are a few dull parts that are reflecting light.

John

I head a little FURTHER NORTH each year,
Leave the cities behind, out of sight of mind,
.......

when you look at the edge of a correctly sharpened knife under an electron microscope(I know, doesn't everyone have one of these lying around), you'll find the cutting edge is actually more serrated, jagged and quite uneven in consistency....it is very, very thin and also extremely delicate...even after light use, parts of the cutting edge roll over, break off and become damaged....which all results in a blade being less effective. Uneven use of the steel can lead to the edge being bent over to one side, so when the knife is used, the edge keeps folding away in that direction.....this is all on a tiny scale, but you get the point.....when you test the edge by running your thumb across the blade, try on both sides and feel which side has a rougher feel.....that will tell you which way the edge is leaning...which you correct with a light stroke of the steel on that side...

 The stone is the only way,

 The steel only takes the burr off the edge of the knife after its been on the stone

steve

Born to fish forced to work

Well done Seansurfy. You are right on the money mate. A few rubs is all that is required on a regular basis. I agree that stones are essential and it's a matter of getting the right stone/s and understanding how the cutting edge is formed and maintained. This is NOT an easy skill. Those who have expensive knives (like me) should have them sharpened at a shop from time-to-time. You can also buy sharpenig kits but they are quite expensive.

Bear in mind that an unevenly sharpened knife will run off to one side just like a chainsaw with a poor edge and bad bar. This can be dangerous and certainly doesn't do your presentation any good at all.

Cheers, Vince

http://vinceholt.spaces.live.com/

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Work Smart - Fish Often