Comments on: How to Professionally Sharpen a Knife http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/ Specialization is for Insects. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:08:57 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Luke http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-50961 Luke Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:40:46 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-50961 A thinner angle is sharper but it will become dull very fast. I would go with the recommended 22 degrees, a sharp durable edge. A thinner angle is sharper but it will become dull very fast. I would go with the recommended 22 degrees, a sharp durable edge.

]]> By: Bryan http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-36900 Bryan Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:01:27 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-36900 Great article. Thanks. That Edge Pro looks awesome. Great article. Thanks. That Edge Pro looks awesome.

]]> By: Brandon http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-35292 Brandon Mon, 11 Feb 2008 02:25:20 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-35292 for under 100$, I could see myself buying one of those.. I'll try and check one out next time we're at the mall. for under 100$, I could see myself buying one of those..
I’ll try and check one out next time we’re at the mall.

]]> By: RHB http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-35060 RHB Sun, 03 Feb 2008 08:46:07 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-35060 Having worked with high end wood chisels, cabinet scrapers, and European hand planes for 25 years, the two most dependent factors in sharpening, (really grinding then honing), are steel quality and its thickness, And after that its intended use will dictate the angle in combination with the thickness. High carbon steel is best and most easily sharpened using Japanese water stones. 800- 1200 coarseness.Tools or knives with nicks or which are very dull will need dressing on a course stone or grinding wheel. When I finished sharpening chisels you could literally see your reflection inthe polished face. Water stones are cheap, technique is time invested. You don't need 200 dollar "machines", unless you like machines, or just don't want to take the time to mess with water stones. Not everyones cup of tea I realize. Having worked with high end wood chisels, cabinet scrapers, and European hand planes for 25 years, the two most dependent factors in sharpening, (really grinding then honing), are steel quality and its thickness, And after that its intended use will dictate the angle in combination with the thickness.

High carbon steel is best and most easily sharpened using Japanese water stones. 800- 1200 coarseness.Tools or knives with nicks or which are very dull will need dressing on a course stone or grinding wheel. When I finished sharpening chisels you could literally see your reflection inthe polished face.
Water stones are cheap, technique is time invested. You don’t need 200 dollar “machines”, unless you like machines, or just don’t want to take the time to mess with water stones. Not everyones cup of tea I realize.

]]> By: Edward http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-35026 Edward Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:58:18 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-35026 Good article but thats a lot of trouble. But maybe that’s because I’ve never used an amazing knife. Good article
but thats a lot of trouble. But maybe that’s because I’ve never used an amazing knife.

]]> By: patmanpato http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-35022 patmanpato Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:45:32 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-35022 Hmm, good luck sharpening such high quality blades. Seems like more trouble than it's worth, unless you are have some sort of professional need for them? Just take them to a professional to sharpen them. There's quite a few shops here in australia that will sharpen up most fairly high end blades (not sure about the more exotic ones.. lol take a pilgrimage back to japan or something). I'm a collector of fixed blade combat knives, which luckily don't take as much effort to sharpen, but I'd buy more exotic knives and swords if I had your kind of money. hehe. Hmm, good luck sharpening such high quality blades. Seems like more trouble than it’s worth, unless you are have some sort of professional need for them? Just take them to a professional to sharpen them. There’s quite a few shops here in australia that will sharpen up most fairly high end blades (not sure about the more exotic ones.. lol take a pilgrimage back to japan or something).

I’m a collector of fixed blade combat knives, which luckily don’t take as much effort to sharpen, but I’d buy more exotic knives and swords if I had your kind of money. hehe.

]]> By: FrankenPC http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-35003 FrankenPC Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:15:57 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-35003 When you sharpen and shape a TRUE Japanese Katana, you are "polishing" it. Not polish, as in chrome polish. Rather, you are going through a multi-stage manual grinding process using wet stones of varying grain at varying angles. After getting the metal to the shape you want, you need to use small pieces of fine grained stones and rub them along the blade to bring out the folded steel grain. This also add's the final razor sharp sheen. Polishing a Katana is a major effort and masters spend many years practicing that art. Now, if you have a crappy Katana simulation...then ram that sucker into a regular knife sharpening machine. When you sharpen and shape a TRUE Japanese Katana, you are “polishing” it. Not polish, as in chrome polish. Rather, you are going through a multi-stage manual grinding process using wet stones of varying grain at varying angles.

After getting the metal to the shape you want, you need to use small pieces of fine grained stones and rub them along the blade to bring out the folded steel grain. This also add’s the final razor sharp sheen.

Polishing a Katana is a major effort and masters spend many years practicing that art.

Now, if you have a crappy Katana simulation…then ram that sucker into a regular knife sharpening machine.

]]> By: Rhoody http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-34987 Rhoody Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:22:32 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-34987 very interesting post. I had a few weeks ago a great disussion with a austrian chef. While he would never work with other than his own very heavy knifes (and he is sharpening them himself with a stone) his partner in the kitchen has a set of japanese knifes. They are very light with a very thin but hard blade. According to him he is using them as a Pro longer then a year now and never sharpened them so far... but we also talk about 4.000 US$ for 7 knifes in that case... I stick to the system of Nicole... Rhoody very interesting post. I had a few weeks ago a great disussion with a austrian chef. While he would never work with other than his own very heavy knifes (and he is sharpening them himself with a stone) his partner in the kitchen has a set of japanese knifes. They are very light with a very thin but hard blade. According to him he is using them as a Pro longer then a year now and never sharpened them so far… but we also talk about 4.000 US$ for 7 knifes in that case… I stick to the system of Nicole…

Rhoody

]]> By: John B http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-34973 John B Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:59:45 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-34973 That's funny, I just watched that very same Alton Brown video a couple days ago and thought the same thing when he said price isn't important. I usually find him highly informative, but sometimes he really misses the mark (as any homebrewer will tell you about his episode on homebrewing beer). That’s funny, I just watched that very same Alton Brown video a couple days ago and thought the same thing when he said price isn’t important. I usually find him highly informative, but sometimes he really misses the mark (as any homebrewer will tell you about his episode on homebrewing beer).

]]> By: Derek Wong http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-34967 Derek Wong Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:26:32 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-34967 I really didn't know hardly any of this information. I, perhaps similar to other people, actually thought that the sharpening steel would sharpen. Silly me. In any case, thanks for the videos! Honestly I will probably not be getting my knives professionally sharpened anytime soon, although that might be a good idea considering how long it's been since they've been sharpened. Someday, maybe, I'll try to learn to do it on my own. To me, though, it seems like quite a bit of time to invest without a whole lot of reward. But maybe that's because I've never used an amazing knife. I really didn’t know hardly any of this information. I, perhaps similar to other people, actually thought that the sharpening steel would sharpen. Silly me. In any case, thanks for the videos!

Honestly I will probably not be getting my knives professionally sharpened anytime soon, although that might be a good idea considering how long it’s been since they’ve been sharpened. Someday, maybe, I’ll try to learn to do it on my own. To me, though, it seems like quite a bit of time to invest without a whole lot of reward. But maybe that’s because I’ve never used an amazing knife.

]]> By: Mistergin http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-34966 Mistergin Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:51:00 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-34966 Good article.. I love knives. Just yesterday I was elated to use a new knife I bought for slicing potatoes.. the little things in life :) Good article.. I love knives. Just yesterday I was elated to use a new knife I bought for slicing potatoes.. the little things in life :)

]]> By: Kirk Mango http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-34964 Kirk Mango Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:32:13 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2008/01/30/how-to-professionally-sharpen-a-knife/#comment-34964 John, Thanks for this blog it was very helpful. Two last questions. I have been using the diamond steel that came with my Katana set. It seems to leave more of a toothy edge on the blade instead of the polished edge that came with the knife and I am not sure it is as sharp as it was out of the box. I am strying to keep it at the recomended 22 degrees that the manufacturer states when drawing the blade across the steel but since I am doing it by eye I am not sure how close to 22 degrees I am. Is it good or OK to use this steel to maintain the knife edge? Second question, I would probably bring these knives in to a professional here in Chicago to have them sharpened. Same people that sharpen knives at high level restaraunts in our area. Should I tell them to sharpen them at the 22 degrees or would it be best, and recomended, if I want an absolutely razor sharp edge on these knives to have them sharpened at 15 degrees? Thanks Kirk John,

Thanks for this blog it was very helpful. Two last questions. I have been using the diamond steel that came with my Katana set. It seems to leave more of a toothy edge on the blade instead of the polished edge that came with the knife and I am not sure it is as sharp as it was out of the box. I am strying to keep it at the recomended 22 degrees that the manufacturer states when drawing the blade across the steel but since I am doing it by eye I am not sure how close to 22 degrees I am. Is it good or OK to use this steel to maintain the knife edge?

Second question, I would probably bring these knives in to a professional here in Chicago to have them sharpened. Same people that sharpen knives at high level restaraunts in our area. Should I tell them to sharpen them at the 22 degrees or would it be best, and recomended, if I want an absolutely razor sharp edge on these knives to have them sharpened at 15 degrees? Thanks

Kirk

]]>