Chef Knife Challenges for new user

[Derek]

Sorry for all the posts today!  Unpacked new Gen 3 pro last night and worked a few knives.  Wanted to try my Chef Knife.  So put it in, set digital angle to 14 degrees and started with the 100 grit.  The knife is a Wustoff Classic.  14 degrees seemed to allow me to get most of the sharpie off with 1,000 grit in a few swipes.  There were some sections where it didnt get to the edge.  So I figured id just work the 100 grit until I drew a Burr  and go from there as I suspected some damage from someone sharpening the knives for me a few years ago.  I can get a very distinct burr on either sides for all of the level part of the blade.  But where it starts to drop to the tip – i cant detect a burr.  If I keep using the 100 grit – eventually it will draw a burr right?  I mean it cant not eventually draw a burr across the apex?  Should I just keep working it?  Lost confidence on it last night so went to bed…..  but want to finish it when I get home from work!!

[wickededge]

Derek – can you upload a picture of how you have the knife mounted?

-Clay

[Derek]

will do when I get home…

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wickededge

[Derek]

Hope this helps.  Had my wife send a pic

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[Pinkfloyd]

Derek,

I’ve always used my highest grit hones {.6u ceramics) to match existing angle with a sharpie. I think 100 is grit too coarse a hone to use to find existing angle. But let others more experienced chime in to see what they say.

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wickededge

[wickededge]

Thanks Derek,

That does help. At a guess, I’m thinking it might be mounted too far forward. Did you use the “Finding the Sweet Spot” method to mount it? If you already did that and the knife is in the correct spot, then yes, you probably just want to spend more time along the belly until you apex the edge there and get a burr.

-Clay

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SalisburySam

[Josh]

Yes it will eventually draw a burr (once it’s apexed) , you can keep going or adjust it to the rear like Clay suggested which will increase the angle at the tip and allow it to apex sooner.

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Organic, wickededge

[Marc H]

I concur with my fellow forum participants…Looks like a clamping issue.  Take the time to find the sweet spot.  For me I’d have the tip tilted higher.  I suggest you don’t jump on a perfectly good knife with that low a grit.  Take your time.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

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wickededge

[sksharp]

Hello Derek,

 

First the sharpening, most people who sharpen by hand or with a belt can’t maintain a constant angle along the length of the blade so it’s possible that the tip was sharpened at a more obtuse angle that the flat. This would mean that it will take more time to reprofile the blade toward the tip.

Second clamping, a gen rule is the closer the tip is to the clamp the more obtuse the angle and the further from the clamp the tip is the more acute the angle when the edge drops below the measured plane(ie… curving down to the tip). If your sharpening and you notice that the bevel is becoming wider toward the tip, narrower at the heel, the knife is to far forward in the clamp, moving it back so the tip is closer to the clamp will even the bevels out and keep the angle the closest to the same the full length of the blade. Until a knife sees your WE for the first time the bevels are most likely not close to even or symmetric.

When I’m looking for the sweet spot for a blade in the clamp, I set a stone against the edge where I will measure my angle and mark the stone where the apex meets the stone. Then I move the stone, WITHOUT SLIDING THE STONE ON THE ROD,  keep the stone the same height on the rod and move the stone with the blade. By moving the knife back or forward in the clamp you will find a spot that the mark on your stone stays as constant as possible in relation with the curvature of your knife as it goes down to the tip, doesn’t fall below or rise above the edge. What I’m doing is setting the knife so that the curve of the blade matches the arc of the arms as close as possible. This keeps the angle as consistent as possible the length of the blade.

 

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AlieN, SalisburySam, wickededge, Marc H

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