Nashiji – Santoku (170mm)

[Steven N. Bolin]

I’m about to get crackin’ on my buddy’s beautiful Nashiji made from Blue #2 carbon steel, which is definitely one of my favorite steels for kitchen knives.

Like me, and I’m sure all of you guys, he can’t stand chips in his knives and wants this one completely removed. Thankfully, he understands what removing it means – removing a lot of material. The width behind the edge is already super thin so thinning it back out after the chip is removed should be a breeze.

It should be fun and I can’t wait to get it where it deserves to be.

I’ll keep you guys updated!

~Steven

[Mark76]

Success!

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Steven N. Bolin]

Images of edge at 1000 grit. 15dps.
$NOTE* I used a piece of leather on the knife between the vise jaws while sharpening. I did some food prep to test performance at 1000 grit then re-mounted the knife for photos. Still working on things 🙂

~Steven

[tcmeyer]

I know that removing deep chips like that require removing a lot of steel, and that the shallower the angle, the more steel you’ll need to remove. Looks like you did a great job. Can you fill us in on how it went? Like did you flatten the edge first? What grit did you start with, etc.

[Leo Barr]

Well done the chip didn’t look too bad just bad enough to spoil cutting lovely knife by the way.

[Steven N. Bolin]

TC,

I’d be happy to fill you guys in!

1) I checked the current bevel angle using a Sharpie and angle cube. I discovered it was about 11dps, which in my opinion is way too steel and why it chipped so deep/easily. There simply wasn’t enough steel to support such a steep edge.

2) I then took my 200 grit diamond perpendicular the blade using Josh’s method to de-stress the edge (I’m sure you’ve all seen the video) from heel to tip until the chip was completely removed.

3) I began thinning and reshaping the new bevels with the 200 grit diamonds using alternating strokes, but stopped shy of apexing the edge.

4) From here I simply continued to work in new grind lines with the 400 and 600 grit diamonds using alternating strokes, but again stopped before apexing the edge.

5) I moved to the 800 grit diamonds using alternating strokes to work out the previous grit/grind lines. I then picked on each side until I apexed the edge and used a 16X loupe to check for a burr on both sides. I probably could’ve done this at 600 grit given blue #2 high carbon steel can definitely take it, but decided not to in order to avoid any micro-chipping… Perhaps that was unnecessary? 🙂

6) At this point I simply began polishing the bevels with the 1000 grit diamonds using alternating strokes. I don’t have the ceramics so I taped 1.5k and 2k grit sandpaper to the 800/1000 plates and continued to polish using alternating strokes.

7) I used some 3000 grit Wusthof wet stones I retrofitted to work on my WEPS and kept on polishing.

8 ) I then finished the polishing with the 3.5um, 1um, and .5um strops.

End result: Probably one of the cleanest and quietest cuts through phonebook paper I’ve done. And a very happy customer. Yay!

Thanks for allowing me to share! I had a blast with this knife!

[Gib Curry]

Beautiful knife beautifully sharpened…. at what angle? Did you keep 11dps? Or ??

~~~~
For Now,

Gib

Φ

"Everyday edge for the bevel headed"

"Things work out best for those who make the best out of the way things work out."

[Steven N. Bolin]

Beautiful knife beautifully sharpened…. at what angle? Did you keep 11dps? Or ??

Thank you, Gib!

Oops, failed to mention that important detail :pinch: 15dps.

[Author]

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