Thread: Kitchen knives...

If you use Jp knives the best board is made from Jp Paulownia but we've drifted from the original sharpening question.

Is that a light wood, similar to Basswood?

I have seen some, in a local Japanese store, Daiso and was wondering about them. They are not expensive. Looks similar to the pics I Googled.

Yea, love that green brick for a knife edge, great bevel setter for razors too. It is impressive how much difference the stria pattern is between 1 and 2k, yet not that much difference in cutting power.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Is that a light wood, similar to Basswood?

I have seen some, in a local Japanese store, Daiso and was wondering about them. They are not expensive. Looks similar to the pics I Googled.

In Japanese they are called manaita. There are different Paulownias so can't say they are all the same in character but I also seem to remember someone making a surfboard out of it. Odd as it also absorbs moisture which makes it great for making scabbards for carbon steel blades.

Not familiar with Basswood to compare but it's light like Balsa, almost but not as soft. You can imagine why it would work for super hard sharp Jp knives.

again today......why do i torture myself with my friends kitchen/chef knives. at least it was mid level henckel,unfortunately abused. i think i wore out a harbor freight diamond sharpening block on the last set of crappy knives i worked on. i'm looking into some lower grit stone/hones..... as suggested earlier

any suggestions on inexpensive hones / stones in the lower range. the 140 atoma is nice but cant justify the cost and will only use it occasionally

I use a belt sander for my neighbors abused knives.

ive got a couple of Norton crystolon coarse/fine from a ebay purchase that will be getting boxes and then going into the car and truck for away from the shop work, its really tough to beat those for abused knives away from the shop, and they are oil stones, so no worries about them freezing while in the car.

here at the shop, if they are really bad, one of the belt grinders will rough them in quick and then finish on a stone.

Originally Posted by caltoncutlery

ive got a couple of Norton crystolon coarse/fine from a ebay purchase that will be getting boxes and then going into the car and truck for away from the shop work, its really tough to beat those for abused knives away from the shop, and they are oil stones, so no worries about them freezing while in the car.

here at the shop, if they are really bad, one of the belt grinders will rough them in quick and then finish on a stone.

You ever try paper wheels? I have a bench grinder and use a speed control. I'm running around half speed (1700 or so)

Bill,

I have not tried the paper wheels. I hear that some folks swear by them. I will say that I have 3 2x72 grinders {one is variable speed and will run down to where you can read the print on the back of the belt as it is moving}, with belts from 36 to 800, plus felt belts, cork belts, buffers, a couple dozen compounds. I use that sort of stuff to rough in edges, grind the blades, regrinds, ect…. but every single knife, razor, chopper, axe, everything that has ever left my shop has left with a edge created on a simple stone by my hand. sure it takes a couple minutes more, but im good with that.

Although I don't use one on my fine knives, you can get a very good edge,quickly on a belt sander. Takes out chips almost as fast. Personally, I only use it on my rough butchering knives and my daily user Dexter-Russel paring knife.

I don't have the hours that it take to repair the damage that friends and family do to their kitchen knives. The belt sander gets them shaving sharp and leaves a strong convex edge on them.