Knife Sharpener

[70chevelle]

This is something that I just don't get. I have a great deal of respect for Ben Dale, but in his video he FINISHES with a 1200 grit Idahone fine ceramic steel. What's with that? The 600 stone used in the video is 2000 grit Japanese and then he goes backwards. The new 800 stones are about 3500 grit. Don't do it. You can screw up up your edge. Use the knife without steeling and when the edge starts to go away renew it with the ceramic steel. Three light passes per side is all you need, and you can do it several times before the knife will have to be resharpened. This applies to both German and Japanese knives.

I was under the impression (ASSumed) that the ceramic hone was graded the same way the stones were? I am going to research for sure if this is right or wrong. It get me thinking that what I percieved as sharpness, may have been toothiness? I'll check & report back.

 

[buzzard767]

I'll check & report back.

You don't have to. Check out this chart I posted recently.

 

[70chevelle]

Buzzard - I went to that post. I've actually seen it before with the chart. That was one of the deciding factors for me ordering the Apex. But, I didn't see the ceramic rod mentioned or part of the chart? Anyway, it got me to thinking. Does this also mean that the 3000g tapes that I got with my kit are actually 500 grit less than the 800 stone???? If so, what purpose to they serve?

 

[buzzard767]

Buzzard - I went to that post. I've actually seen it before with the chart. That was one of the deciding factors for me ordering the Apex. But, I didn't see the ceramic rod mentioned or part of the chart? Anyway, it got me to thinking. Does this also mean that the 3000g tapes that I got with my kit are actually 500 grit less than the 800 stone???? If so, what purpose to they serve?

No. Go back to the chart and you will see that the 3k tapes are about Japanese 7k. Also, the Idahone fine ceramic is 1200 grit Japanese. I've never seen it represented any other way. But, of course, ya never know.....

 

[RobsanX]

Well, I bit the bullet and ordered an EP Apex 3... It looked like it was not much more than the Apex 2 + a coarse stone.

 

[buzzard767]

Well, I bit the bullet and ordered an EP Apex 3... It looked like it was not much more than the Apex 2 + a coarse stone.

Congratulations. I'm sure you will be very happy with it. The "3" adds a 120 stone, an 800 stone, and some 3k tapes. You'll be happy with the 800 stone as it polishes quite well, and you'll definitely need the 120 for cutting new profiles and that is what you need to do to make your knives sharper.

After friends and neighbors see my edges they get the urge for something better in their kitchens. Most aren't ready to free up a couple hundred bucks for a Chef's knife so I give them a boost by redoing their present knives. Virtually all of their knives are soft and won't take too acute an edge so I generally give them something like 15 or 18 degrees per side. I'm not very good at judging angles while freehanding, especially wider blades like Santokus so this is where my EP really shines. Because I do so much profiling, the 120 stone wears down and needs replacing. Lately, in place of the 120, I've been using 80 grit Ruby stones from Congress Tools. It's the 6x1x1/8 size. They cut quite well and only cost about half what EP charges for stones.

 

[buzzard767]

RobsanX - what part of Wisconsin?

Buzz

 

[RobsanX]

Thanks!

I live just north of Madison. I work in Madison and go to school at UW...

 

[buzzard767]

Thanks!

I live just north of Madison. I work in Madison and go to school at UW...

I'm a Florida resident but I have a summer place in Wausau. If you're ever up that way between about mid May and mid October call my cell and I'll show you my stuff.

The UW is my Alma Mater. I turned down a full ride scholarship (skiing) at Colorado because I had a girlfriend still in HS in Wausau. How stupid was that??????

Buzz
239-248-5069

 

[70chevelle]

Well, I bit the bullet and ordered an EP Apex 3... It looked like it was not much more than the Apex 2 + a coarse stone.

Good call. I've been using mine pretty regular. I sharpened my Henckle paring & santuko last nite. Took my time and went from the 220 thru the 800, visually ensuring, as best I could, that I removed the previous grind marks. Not sharp enough to split a hair, but much sharper than any knife that's been in the house (prior to my Japanese knives). I cautioned my daughters & wife about their sharpness, but the santuko got my oldest while she was washing it. I'm a few sharpenings away from getting the Pro M & Hattori truely scary sharp.

Buzzard - thanks for the info on the tapes. Good to know that they will give a good polish after the 800 stone.

 

[buzzard767]

Buzzard - thanks for the info on the tapes. Good to know that they will give a good polish after the 800 stone.

I don't use the tapes at all anymore - too easy to cut by accident and they wear. The 600 and 800 stones both polish fairly well after which I go directly to a 3"x11" leather strop and get the job done in a tenth of the time.

Buzz

 

[RobsanX]

I'm a Florida resident but I have a summer place in Wausau. If you're ever up that way between about mid May and mid October call my cell and I'll show you my stuff.

The UW is my Alma Mater. I turned down a full ride scholarship (skiing) at Colorado because I had a girlfriend still in HS in Wausau. How stupid was that??????

Buzz
239-248-5069

Cool! I'm originally from Tulsa, OK, and I moved here in 2003 to go to grad school. My wife is from Sauk City which is where we live now. Will definitely give a call during the summer!

 

[buzzard767]

Cool! I'm originally from Tulsa, OK, and I moved here in 2003 to go to grad school. My wife is from Sauk City which is where we live now. Will definitely give a call during the summer!

Small world, Dude. My sister lives on the lake at Merrimac. I was there for a couple of days over Christmas. Not only that, less than a year ago we moved my almost 96 year old mother to a spot about a mile from you, the Pine Villa nursing home in Prairie Du Sac. Small world indeed.

 

[sketch182]

The knife and sharpening discussion comes up quite often. I was fortunate enough to attend a cooking class recently and we had a representative from Whustoff give us a lesson on knives. It could be a bit biased. Essentially we were told, "The best knives are from Germany or Japan. The German steel is softer and the Japanese is harder. German steel sharpens easier, but dulls faster. Japanese is harder, but is tougher to sharpen. According to the Whustoff representative, use a sharpening wheel for German knives and a honing stone for Japanese. A "steel" or "ceramic" tool isn't good at sharpening. What is actually does is to re-allign the fibres in the edge, therefore making it seem sharper.