Sharpening Support

[designdog]

I received my ebay Ichimonji-Kichikuni knives yesterday - really got them to improve my sharpening techniques more than anything else. And I see that I need some help:

1. the spines of these knives are very sharp. What is the best way to round them off?

2. I am done with my Shapton Pro 5K. Done with it. No matter how I try to flatten the thing, after a half dozen or so strokes I get back to this "riding the rails" sensation.

I am thinking of 1K, 2K, 4K and 8K glasstones to compliment my Naniwa 10K, Bester 700, and DMC XX 220. Maybe I will just try the 4K first.

Help!

-ddog

[jonowee]

A quick one... sandpaper will easily take care of sharp spines or choils.

But do miss being able to peel off onion skins with the knives' spines, instead of trying with my non-existent fingernails.

[thombrogan]

A hobby belt sander with a 1" x 30" 600 grit silicon carbide grit belt works well, too.

If you sharpen symmetrically, try setting a bevel by grinding almost to the edge with your Bester 700, setting a slightly steeper microbevel with your Shapton Pro 2000, and finish another slightly steeper microbevel with your Naniwa 10K. You may not spend as much money as you would buying all of those awesome Glasstones, but you'll get a sharp, durable edge very quickly.

[DocNightfall]

Your Shapton 5k problem is quite unusual. Do you have the Japanese or the American version? The stone may be glazing because you aren't using enough water.

[watercrawl]

2. I am done with my Shapton Pro 5K. Done with it. No matter how I try to flatten the thing, after a half dozen or so strokes I get back to this "riding the rails" sensation.

Throw it in the trash, it's a piece of junk. By trash, of course, I mean the USPS mail service trash addressed to Omaha, NE.

I'm very puzzled about why you're having so much trouble with it. Sorry, I have no idea's without being with the stone.

I really do like the GlassStones, you'll be happy with them if you go that route.

[sudsy9977]

dd....one very important thing i learned from dave in regards to sharpening was about stones....i too had a similar riding the rails problem.....and i did what dave told me to do....i softened the dges of the stone....so i don't have high spots.....when i finally saw him in person and saw his stones i quickly realized i hadn't understood....his stones are rounded on the edges and corners....i mean rounded...i was using my dmt plate to flatten and i kind of took off the cornrs but still had an angle......what you have to do is round them completely....try it it works great....if not get rid of it by sending t to omaha....wherever the heck that is!.....ryan

[Q_Egg]

Pro 5K issues do seem a bit anomalous. Mine (from JWW) is guaranteed and perhaps yours is as well. Sounds as though the edges are harder than the center?? I would see if an exchange is a possiblity. No such problems here.

Why wouldn't a few passes (longitudinal), working up through your stones, do a fine job with the sharp spines?

Tom B

[Zeasor]

...1. the spines of these knives are very sharp. What is the best way to round them off?

Clamp the blade in a vise and use a strip of sandpaper on the spine like you were buffing a shoe. This makes short work of rounding the corners of the spine.

[DocNightfall]

You may be forgetting to bevel the edges of the stone after flattening, or you may be applying too much pressure on the blade, causing it to flex over edges of the stone. The 5k feels very smooth in use. It doesn't feel like it's doing much, although the amount of black swarf on the stone tells a different story. It's very tempting to try to "speed things along" by pressing harder, but that just doesn't help.

The Shapton Pro 5k is actually my honing stone of choice. I have tried a couple of the Glass Stones and while they offer some nifty features such as the all-white abrasive that gives better visual feedback and the glass backing that allows you to keep using the stone until it is all gone, I don't consider the GS series abrasive to be an upgrade over the Professional series. The pro stones last longer, for sure. kcma and his kitchen wore out a GS 1k in three or so months. I've never heard of anyone wearing out a Shapton pro 1k.

[Q_Egg]

You may be forgetting to bevel the edges of the stone after flattening, or you may be applying too much pressure on the blade, causing it to flex over edges of the stone. The 5k feels very smooth in use. It doesn't feel like it's doing much, although the amount of black swarf on the stone tells a different story. It's very tempting to try to "speed things along" by pressing harder, but that just doesn't help.

The Shapton Pro 5k is actually my honing stone of choice. I have tried a couple of the Glass Stones and while they offer some nifty features such as the all-white abrasive that gives better visual feedback and the glass backing that allows you to keep using the stone until it is all gone, I don't consider the GS series abrasive to be an upgrade over the Professional series. The pro stones last longer, for sure. kcma and his kitchen wore out a GS 1k in three or so months. I've never heard of anyone wearing out a Shapton pro 1k.

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Sure a 'feel good' post for me !! I like the consistency I get using four Shap Pros and 8K should be fine enough for anything I need to do. I also was feeling a tendency to apply more pressure and will now slow down, lighten up, and enjoy the process.

Tom B