Anyone here interested in Japanese kitchen knives?

[JASinIL2006]

We only have one, family heirloom, carbon but it is ONLY used for cutting cornbread so I've never used it on it.

That's a first for me; never heard of a dedicated cornbread knife.

 

[CuddyLicious]

Below is my sharpening fixture for my Norton water stones. Surprisingly the keener angle is for roughing, the wider angle for finishing. The theory is the more acute rough angle will result in a very sharp, but also very fragile edge. So the finish side puts a slightly wider included angle on the finished edge for strength. The little loose block on top of the right stone helps me orient the knife vertically before stroking the stones.
...wasn't planning it, but since it's a gloomy boring day, and the stuff is out I'll go ahead and tune up a few edges.
View attachment 331575

This is so cool. Great idea, I love it. May I ask what your determined angles are? I have a whetstone set I use for small repairs and such. Never got any good with the freehand stuff for sharpening. I do however have a Wicked Edge guided precision sharpening system and run a little garage hustle sharpening business to help finance my boating needs.

 

[redneck joe]

That's a first for me; never heard of a dedicated cornbread knife.

my wife's family takes their cornbread very, very seriously as do many Southern ladies. When we first combined households I was going thru the knives and had put that one in the donate section. When she got home that changed quickly...

Her mamaw used it only for cornbread as well so it will be handed down to one of the boys someday.

Speaking of combining households, I brought two jiffy cornbread jiffy mix to the relationship and she had me throw them out.

 

[harringtondav]

This is so cool. Great idea, I love it. May I ask what your determined angles are? I have a whetstone set I use for small repairs and such. Never got any good with the freehand stuff for sharpening. I do however have a Wicked Edge guided precision sharpening system and run a little garage hustle sharpening business to help finance my boating needs.

I don't recall the specific angles. If you Google the question you'll find 15 to 22 degrees per side for kitchen knives. Thinner angles are sharper, but are very fragile and susceptible to nicks and damage. ....I think my guide is 17 and 12 degrees. But I fuss over my knives. I only cut on polycarb boards and store them in a block to protect the edges. Also the high quality SS is tough and holds an edge, even at these thin angles.

Work, pocket, camping knives need a wider angle to survive. ...guessing at least 25 deg/side.

 

[redneck joe]

i use end grain boards.

 

[CuddyLicious]

I don't recall the specific angles. If you Google the question you'll find 15 to 22 degrees per side for kitchen knives. Thinner angles are sharper, but are very fragile and susceptible to nicks and damage. ....I think my guide is 17 and 12 degrees. But I fuss over my knives. I only cut on polycarb boards and store them in a block to protect the edges. Also the high quality SS is tough and holds an edge, even at these thin angles.

Work, pocket, camping knives need a wider angle to survive. ...guessing at least 25 deg/side.

Agreed on all the angles was just wondering what you built it to thanks.

 

[JASinIL2006]

my wife's family takes their cornbread very, very seriously as do many Southern ladies. When we first combined households I was going thru the knives and had put that one in the donate section. When she got home that changed quickly...

Her mamaw used it only for cornbread as well so it will be handed down to one of the boys someday.

Speaking of combining households, I brought two jiffy cornbread jiffy mix to the relationship and she had me throw them out.

I would throw out the Jiffy mixes, too...

 

[JASinIL2006]

I don't recall the specific angles. If you Google the question you'll find 15 to 22 degrees per side for kitchen knives. Thinner angles are sharper, but are very fragile and susceptible to nicks and damage. ....I think my guide is 17 and 12 degrees. But I fuss over my knives. I only cut on polycarb boards and store them in a block to protect the edges. Also the high quality SS is tough and holds an edge, even at these thin angles.

Work, pocket, camping knives need a wider angle to survive. ...guessing at least 25 deg/side.

I think my J-knives are all between 12-15 degrees; the German stainless stuff is a bit higher, maybe 15-18.

I think I need to find an old crummy carbon steel knife, buy some stones, and start practicing...

 

[harringtondav]

I think my J-knives are all between 12-15 degrees; the German stainless stuff is a bit higher, maybe 15-18.

I think I need to find an old crummy carbon steel knife, buy some stones, and start practicing...

Carbon is OK. I have a couple for cheese etc. ...actually better for cheese. The slices don't stick to the blade like with SS.

Also a good practicing metal. It will take a fine edge quickly. But the edge fades faster than SS. But don't worry about effing up a good knife's edge. ...practice, practice.... (Knute Rockne). Once you get it down with carbon, SS will follow. But good J or German SS is tough stuff, probably taking at least twice the stone strokes. And if you don't like the results, start over. There is more steel in that blade than you'll ever worry away.

Maybe consider cutting some wood angle guide blocks to get the starting angle correct on your stones. Good cutting stones and a steady hand are the key.

 

[JASinIL2006]

From what I've read, carbon (i.e., non-stainless) knives sharpen easier and can be given a sharper edge (due to finer grain structure) while modern stainless knives tend not to get as sharp but hold the edge long, in part because the geometry of stainless knives tends to make them beefier and with a less narrow edge.

You can still find many places that claim carbon steel will hold an edge longer than stainless, but it seems those are holdouts from 1970s and prior, when stainless steel was much softer. (Probably still true of some inexpensive mass-produced knives.) I know my parents have some stainless knives from when they were married and the don't hold an edge very well at all.

 

[aspeck]

My wife loves her ceramic knives. They are okay and do seem to hold an edge, but where I like them is cutting apples ... if you cut an apple with a ceramic blade it doesn't turn brown like a steel blade. I have tested her theory several times, and it is true. So I will use my steel blades for everything but apples. It is nice, because when she is using her ceramic blades she is leaving my steel alone!

 

[gm280]

Well I am surprised that no one is using that famous "Miracle Blade" set. You know, the one the "chief" takes and cuts through a nail and then cuts a tomato. How can you all miss such quality knifes... lol

Seems we have a variety of knifes including ceramic blades. Since my wife will cut her fingers off when I do a little sharpening efforts, I have to watch how sharp I make them. I use a ceramic rod to do the final on the edges and amazingly they cut very well...even cheap knifes. But since she had her stroke, her feelings in her left hand are not 100%. And she has cut herself a few times after I do a cursory sharpening and even warn her about them. SO I have to be careful how sharp I make them.

Now my hunting and fish filet knifes seem to be able to cut time in half, I know how to sharpen knifes. Even my own shop-made knifes for hunting are extremely sharp...

 

[JASinIL2006]

Ceramic can get wicked sharp, but it isn't so durable. Not good if you drop it on the floor by accident...