Note to self: stop volunteering to sharpen stuff...

[Rob Babcock]

Ha haaaa haa haaaaaa. Oh man I hear you. Even the less expensive lines from Wustof, Henckels, and Forschner will fairly well handle a 15* edge, so if the friend's/neighbor's knife is going to be used strictly for veggies and boneless meats, that's what I give it.

I know for a fact that Anthony & his wife don't really know much about sharpening or maintainance, so I left the bevel around 22-23* per side, and no crazy polishing. I figured a sturdy, somewhat toothy edge would probably serve them better. I'll probably give him a quick lesson in the care & feeding of a knife but who knows what his wife will do with 'em, so I don't wanna push the metal to the limit.

The first time I do one of these for them I go (after reprofiling) EP 800 stone, 10k Naniwa, .5 micron CrO. When they get the knife back I first do a paper push cut demo and then give them a little lecture about knife handling, paying attention, etc.... You know the drill.

They all cut themselves within two days. No exceptions.

I love it.

I'm probably gonna get a 700 Bester and maybe a Naniwa before long, but I'm starting to get desperate enough to buy a Shapton GlassStone and take it up the the school and see if the Machine Tool guys can figure out how to cut it. I keep dropping hints at KF but nothing's come of it so far!

Yeah, I'll definately make sure to have him tell his wife to keep fingers & toes out from in front of my new edges. They're not screaming sharp compared to my personal knives (well, one of 'em wouldn't be out of place in my roll) but they're sharp enough that they'd better show them some respect!

 

[expatgirl]

whatever you're saying in your own knifelingo...if you can sharpen my scissors I will be forever grateful and will definitely pay you

 

[Rob Babcock]

I can sharpen them but I'm not very comfortable nor very experienced. Buzzard is right- Chico is your man, one of the best of the best. I'll hunt up his contact info soon as I get a chance.

 

[expatgirl]

thanks, Bob, whenever you have the time.....I know that you're busy with school

 

[buzzard767]

I'm probably gonna get a 700 Bester and maybe a Naniwa before long, but I'm starting to get desperate enough to buy a Shapton GlassStone and take it up the the school and see if the Machine Tool guys can figure out how to cut it. I keep dropping hints at KF but nothing's come of it so far!

I enjoy using Ben Dale's EP stones, but I would pay the price to have 6X1" GlassStones mounted on the blanks. They would cut faster, last much longer, and polish better, and all with merely spritzing, no soaking required.

Ben and Shapton would have to get together on this one. The relatively low volume, at least at first, would be a tad pricey but I'd be glad to be a test monkey.

 

[Rob Babcock]

I enjoy using Ben Dale's EP stones, but I would pay the price to have 6X1" GlassStones mounted on the blanks. They would cut faster, last much longer, and polish better, and all with merely spritzing, no soaking required.

Ben and Shapton would have to get together on this one. The relatively low volume, at least at first, would be a tad pricey but I'd be glad to be a test monkey.

Yeah, I'm getting a bit frustrated/impatient with the lack of progress. I have no complaint about the stone selection of the EP nor the performance, but it's in the nature of a knife geek to want to tinker with other stones. I'd love to be able to buy Shapton GlassStones for the EP for the wide array of grits available. And the fact that they don't need to be flattened very often is icing on the cake.

 

[Rob Babcock]

BTW, Buzz- the class I'm hoping to get squeezed in is by Steve Bottorff. Everything I've heard about him is positive and Dave Martell has a link to him on his DR Sharpening site, iirc. There isn't much higher endorsment than that!

BTW, forget to mention- I just talked to Dad tonite and he reserved our spot in the class for late July. I'm stoked!

 

[expatgirl]

I don't know what the heck you're saying but it sounds like it needs a high five!!! High five coming at you

 

[Rob Babcock]

I don't know what the heck you're saying but it sounds like it needs a high five!!! High five coming at you

There's a sharpening wizard & author named Steve Bottorff that gives sharpening classes. It's just him and the student, one-on-one. He has an option for two people to study with him and that's what my dad & I signed up for. He teaches you how to sharpen on a variety of different equipment, some of which I've never used.

I'm pretty proficient but you can never know too much. I expect to learn a lot in those two days.

Then I've gotta track Dave Martell down at a bladecon or something- his Kung Fu is strong indeed!

I'm tentatively considering throwing my hat in the ring and sharpening professionally. Not as a livelihood, more of a part time job while I'm in school. Obviously I don't view myself as competition to guys like Chico or Dave, just a guy who can work with local restaurants and foodies.

 

[expatgirl]

!well, I'll throw you some knives, figuratively, and pay you......

 

[Rob Babcock]

!well, I'll throw you some knives, figuratively, and pay you......

Well, maybe... But I can hook you up with some guys that are much better than I am. They aren't even all that expensive. Dave is arguably the best freehand sharpener in America, certainly one of the best, and charges only $20-30 per knife. I would charge less but he's the better value- he is simply enough better to merit the extra fee. And Chico Buller also does mail-order sharpening and makes me look like a nOOb!

I can sharpen with a high degree of technical competance, and I'll get your knives screaming sharp. But those guys are artists- I just rub steel on a rock!

 

[buzzard767]

There's a sharpening wizard & author named Steve Bottorff that gives sharpening classes. It's just him and the student, one-on-one. He has an option for two people to study with him and that's what my dad & I signed up for. He teaches you how to sharpen on a variety of different equipment, some of which I've never used.

I hadn't been on Steve's site in some time. The school looks quite interesting. You and your father will have a great time.

I guess he doesn't consider freehanding suitable for a commercial business as it is not mentioned. Shhhh, don't tell Martell.

From Steve's site: "In one day you can learn my method of combining wet grinding with paper wheel honing and stropping, and become able to sharpen most household knives; or you can focus on scissor and garden tool sharpening."

My guess is he's recommending the Tormek for edge formation and his own paper wheels for polishing. That ought to work although many have said the Tormek is not very versatile. Each to his own. Chico = EdgePro, and Dave M = freehanding, but most use a belt sander for both speed and versatility.

If I was to sharpen for money the belt sander would be my primary method. For my own kitchen, however, a combination of the EP and freehanding is my forte'. I don't want to screw up those delicate Japanese edges with whirling wheels or belts..... - yet.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Yeah, I once wanted a Tormek but have long since gotten over it. Not very versatile, IMO. I haven't had time to do much with my HF 30x1" grinder yet...I mainly wanted it to use a charged leather belt to polish edges. But I suspect it will be good for basic sharpening, too.

He probably pushes the stuff he sells, which is certainly understandable. He probably sells the stuff he considers the most effective. Nice thing is I'll be able to use some gear I wouldn't even see otherwise (eg the $2000 F. Dick commercial). I can try out several different methods and see which ones I might want to incorporate into my own routine.

I am considering getting into sharpening semi-professionally. While I'm nowhere near Dave M. or Chico those aren't even my goals- they're in a leauge of their own! I just want to keep learning and improving. If anyone gave me a Hattori KD to sharpen I'd probably give 'em Daves number! No, I just want to be able to put good edges on kitchen knives. Of course, that said, I love "the wet rock" as Chico would call it! I intend to keep learning as I have for the last few years.

Where does Dave do his demos/workshops? Mostly at knife shows? I'd love to get a pick his brain- it'd be like having Einstein explaining General Relativity!

 

[Rob Babcock]

I
I guess he doesn't consider freehanding suitable for a commercial business as it is not mentioned. Shhhh, don't tell Martell.

For most people it's probably not. How many guys have you ever seen that can get a knife that sharp even half as fast as Dave? The guy's a freakin' wizard!

 

[buzzard767]

Where does Dave do his demos/workshops? Mostly at knife shows? I'd love to get a pick his brain- it'd be like having Einstein explaining General Relativity!

East Coast Gathering 2008 - Knifeforums.com - Intelligent Discussion for the Knife Enthusiast - Powered by FusionBB

 

[expatgirl]

Where is this Naples?? Might want to avoid it................Isn't there a Naples in Florida???

 

[buzzard767]

Where is this Naples?? Might want to avoid it................Isn't there a Naples in Florida???

Uh, yeah. That's sort of what the "FL" stands for under my avatar.

No, it's not a place you want to avoid. In fact, it's a huge tourist area in the winter because the micro climate sports the best weather in all 50 States November through April.

San Diego, too cold

Miami, daily tropical showers unwanted while fishing or on the golf course, Naples doesn't have those

Honolulu, too windy

Anchorage......

Buzz

 

[plumies]

San Diego, too cold

Ha! The next time some NE transplant calls me a wussy when I say it's cold in San Diego, I'll tell him to go pound sand because Captain Buzz said it IS cold here in San Diego.

 

[expatgirl]

Uh, yeah. That's sort of what the "FL" stands for under my avatar.

No, it's not a place you want to avoid. In fact, it's a huge tourist area in the winter because the micro climate sports the best weather in all 50 States November through April.

San Diego, too cold

Miami, daily tropical showers unwanted while fishing or on the golf course, Naples doesn't have those

Honolulu, too windy

Anchorage......

Buzz

sorry I'm not always the sharpest knife in the computer drawer speaking of sharp knives.......

 

[buzzard767]

Ha! The next time some NE transplant calls me a wussy when I say it's cold in San Diego, I'll tell him to go pound sand because Captain Buzz said it IS cold here in San Diego.

Well plumies, not really cold. I lived in North Dakota when I was young. Now
*that* place is cold. Not that San Diego is considered cold by most people's standards, I just prefer it to be 70+ degrees when standing on the first tee at 7:45 AM December through February. South Florida is the only place in the contiguous US that offers that condition regularily.

Buzz