Japanese kitchen knives...sharpening?

[woodbloke]

I'll shortly be having the opportunity to get hold of a nice set of Japanese kitchen knives. I'm not too concerned about the knives I eventually get hold of as there's going to be a vast selection, but it's sharpening them that's causing a bit of concern at the moment. I'd be interested to see how others with decent kitchen knives (and I'm after carbon steel blades, not stainless) go about getting and maintaining the edge.

No rounded edge bevels please Jacob :-" :lol: - Rob

 

[Steve Maskery]

I do mine by hand on a waterstone. V.expensive but a delight to use.
S

 

[Racers]

I do Steve's on waterstones, then strop them for a very sharp edge.

Pete

 

[Steve Maskery]

Er, yes, when I say that I do mine on waterstones, I should really have said that most recently, Pete did mine on his waterstones as I don't know where mine are.
I'm glad that's cleared up

S
Edit - You've got to admit, they are nice knives, aren't they, Pete?

 

[Racers]

Hi, Steve



Very nice.

Pete

 

[Harbo]

Traditionally the Japanese use Waterstones but do not be tempted to use the wheeled devices where you drag the blade across - they do sharpen but also scratch the sides.
The problem with Waterstones is maintaining the correct angle over the long length of the blade.
This is where my Edge Pro Apex system scores - it uses Waterstones but also controls the honing angle and very easy to use.
Not cheap but I managed to find one on the bay at a vastly reduced price.

http://www.edgeproinc.com/

Rod

 

[paulm]

Yep, a decent double grit waterstone is the tool of choice for the better quality knives.

I've also got a Fallkniven diamond rod and ceramic rod for the more mundane kitchen knives and they are great and very effective for everyday use, but not fine enough for the top end knives.

I've got a few Kin Shun knives which are scalpel sharp and fantastic slicers, but there are lots more increasingly esoteric choices available at the upper end. There are lots of very impressive more modest traditional knives around too, one of my sharpest and most used ones is a simple, reasonably priced, single bevel carbon steel blade with a simple wooden handle, very satisfying to use and quick and easy to sharpen.

Cheers, Paul

 

[paulm]

Or...., the Spyderco Sharpmaker is highly regarded by knife enthusiasts and suitable for giving a very fine polished edge and very easy to use.

Just happens to be one available here at a very good price http://www.britishblades.com/forums/sho ... amond-Rods :lol:

Cheers, Paul

 

[woodbloke]

Or...., the Spyderco Sharpmaker is highly regarded by knife enthusiasts and suitable for giving a very fine polished edge and very easy to use.

Just happens to be one available here at a very good price http://www.britishblades.com/forums/sho ... amond-Rods :lol:

Cheers, Paul

I do recollect you showing me that system Paul a couple of years ago at one of the Bash's and being impressed with it at the time. I've done a bit of Googleisationing and it seems that it's available for a reasonable price(?) on Amazon. From watching a few Utube clips the system seems to be very highly regarded by the knife guru's, so I've got it bookmarked now...just need to convince SWIMBO. The KShun knives you mention are also round about the sort of price level I'll be looking at...but I won't be getting them in the UK :wink: - Rob

 

[promhandicam]

You mean to say that they won't fit in a Krell Jig! I thought they were supposed to be the ultimate sharpening jig with the addition of the right wedges / spacers.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I haven't any Jap. knives (my daughter goes to Hiroshima in Oct.- so I may get lucky!) but I have Wusthoffs and J.J.Henckels, and I use a diamond plate -- the downside being that if you are not careful you you get long straight edges.
One of my finest car boot moments was seeing two knives, one 10" one 6" taped together - I asked what the guy was asking for them and was informed that thet were very good ones , so he wanted £1. They were blunt , but virtually unused, so I took a chance. As I walked away I peeled the tape off, and engraved down both blades was the legend "hand forged by Sabatier for Elizabeth David ltd"

 

[woodbloke]

You mean to say that they won't fit in a Krell Jig! I thought they were supposed to be the ultimate sharpening jig with the addition of the right wedges / spacers.

Steve, I just knew that was coming :lol: but I've got myself sorted out now through Paulm - Rob

 

[promhandicam]

Glad to be of service!

 

[newt]

Ron I assume there is no problem with carrying knives on a plane as long as they go in the hold, worth a check

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Ron I assume there is no problem with carrying knives on a plane as long as they go in the hold, worth a check

There's no problem - put the knives in your case, not your hand luggage. There's a shop that sells beautiful knives in Changi airport!

 

[bugbear]

I'll shortly be having the opportunity to get hold of a nice set of Japanese kitchen knives. I'm not too concerned about the knives I eventually get hold of as there's going to be a vast selection, but it's sharpening them that's causing a bit of concern at the moment. I'd be interested to see how others with decent kitchen knives (and I'm after carbon steel blades, not stainless) go about getting and maintaining the edge.

No rounded edge bevels please Jacob :-" :lol: - Rob

You'll find that the sharpening threads on knife forums are even more heated than on woodworking forums, but cover many of the same themes...

BugBear

 

[Harbo]

And some of the "Master Blacksmith" made knives command phenomenal prices! - another slippery slope?

Rod

 

[bugbear]

Here in the UK, it's quite difficult to get "real" Japanese knives at fair prices (the real deal is made from pretty exotic steel, tempered hard and is ground very thin).

Many of the cheap marketed products, even the ones made in Japan, aren't "the real deal", just cheaper look-a-likes.

I would include many of these in that catagory:

http://www.grunwerg.co.uk/products/kitchen-knives/

And the "real" Japanese knives available in this country are much more expensive than else where, e.g. "Kin"

http://www.kinknives.com/

Where I've been able to find other sources of these (difficult, since Kin use their own tradename on them...) the alternative sources have been a good deal cheaper.

My knives have come from here:

http://www.nipponkitchen.com/acatalog/T ... Range.html

and here:

http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/KAGAY ... eries.html

I would also recommend (but haven't yet used)

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/

Slippery slopes await...

BugBear

 

[Harbo]

The first Japanese knives I bought were some "Artisan" from the Japanese Kife Company based in London:

http://www.japaneseknifecompany.com...MULTIPURPOSECOOKS180MM/tabid/164/Default.aspx

I bought them many years ago after they were featured in the STimes - no where near the prices they cost now!! :shock:

I also have a few custom made ones from this maker:

http://www.watanabeblade.com/english/

Rod

 

[Racers]

Hi, Chaps

The knives I made have been loosely based on this blokes ones http://cutbrooklyn.com/home.html I sort of copied the curve between the handle and blade.

I want to make some more now we have a new barbque to do the heat treating in :shock:

Pete