I usually sharpen by hand, but have been looking into different options recently.  This looked kind of cool...

http://www.wickededgeusa.com/demo.html

I used to forge my own knives as I fancy myself a Smithy   Then...

I picked up this KYOCERA ceramic knife in Tokyo for $35.00
They used to be crazy expensive.
It's basically a freaking razor. It drops through a ripe tomato almost like it wasn't there.
No way you can get steel this sharp, and stay this sharp.

Here's way too much info:

Ceramic is not as durable if dropped onto let's say cement. Don't do that. And don't whack bones with it, or pry open paint cans either. However, it's way more durable against most food as it's far harder than steel.

Hardness = sharpness. However Hardness also = Brittle. So commercially made knives compromise and are tempered at a little less than "spring steel" hardness, so your average dumbass doesn't shatter them using them as a screwdriver or hammer.

We really want steel knives to be this hard and springy but no one makes them that way because, A) Stainless steel isn't capable of that, and B) they would break if not taken good care of like a samurai sword and you couldn't put them in a dishwasher.

The best steel knife you could hope for would be made out of tool steel typical of a very high-speed spinning tool like a drill bit.
There you will find metallurgy with a character able to both flex and obtain a temper that's quite hard. Nickel-chromium (the stainless aspect) is pretty soft. Carbon is very hard. Molybdenum adds ductility and extra tensile strength.  You want that sort of combo to make a good knife.

(Molybdenum is the "Moly" and chromium is the Chrome, in "Chrome-Moly" that Ducati uses in it's frame steel tubes. )

Damascus steel is basically the same idea low tech version. It's a soft steel and a very hard steel folded together in very thin layers to create an alloy. There's a lot of fake Damascus steel knives at kitchen stores these days. If you can put it in the dishwasher, it's not really a Damascus steel knife. A real one would rust very quickly.

Basically, the better the steel, the harder, more exotic the alloy, the more unstable molecule it is and the faster it will decay into it's natural state, Iron-Oxide (rust). That's why you can't touch a Samurai sword with your hands without then cleaning it for 7 hours after.

Quote from: JBubble on November 04, 2010, 12:50:27 PM
Mother and I have a small set of these Shun's:



I'm not really allowed to use them since I always manage to injure myself but he really likes them.

We also got a set of Hinckels as a gift and I love them.

That is a gawwdam beautiful knife IMO btw. lust.  It has too much of everything and should be loved dearly.

Quote from: Vindingo on December 29, 2010, 08:14:35 PM
I usually sharpen by hand, but have been looking into different options recently.  This looked kind of cool...

http://www.wickededgeusa.com/demo.html

Here's one that is popular on the knife forums
http://edgeproinc204.corecommerce.com/Apex-Model-Edge-Pro-System-c3/

And here's one that is bound to be really popular on the Ducati Monster forums.  Rat, what is your shipping address?  I have a gift card I want to pay forward...
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/57145296

Anybody ever try one of the Furi sharpeners?

For father's day, I asked for a Chinese cleaver.  Continuing in my tradition of getting exactly the tool to fit my needs and skills, and then replacing it with something more expensive that I don't really need, I got this $40 knife* (link), with a $60 handle*.  It looks fantastic, but works exactly the same as the one with the less fancy handle.
This may be my new general-purpose knife since it is a good slicer, but also an unrivaled scooper of recently sliced things.  I have come to appreciate big/long knives with my increasing comfort with the pinch grip, and so much more blade real estate was not really an impediment in adjusting.  It it actually nice to have a bit more knife in my hand.

Anyways, I wanted to update this thread to recommend this $40 knife* (but not necessarily this $100 knife*, unless you like knife bling).  It is great, and cheap, and made of high carbon steel...what's not to like?

I liked this thread, glad you bump'd it.

I have read good things about those CCK cleavers, and I think the custom handle looks much nicer than the stock handle.  I probably would have made it myself, but only because that kind of stuff floats my boat. 


I picked up the Wicked Edge sharpener.  Its nice, gives me a super sharp edge but it was too expensive.  I got buyers remorse the second I clicked "Purchase."  I have used it to sharpen about 25 knives (my mother's, sisters's and mine) and it works well.  I could never get a perfectly consistent edge when free hand sharpening, but this allows me to.

Much like your $60 maple handle, its hard to justify other than "I wanted it"     

I have the Global GS 5 and the G 48 as my everyday kitchen knives. The waterwheel sharpener,  keeps a great edge.
http://www.globalknives.com.au/knife-sharpening

Thanks Vindingo The more I use it (and look at it for that matter) the more I like it...

Where do you stand with the buyers remorse at this point with the WE?  I have been debating buying that or the Apex system - I think in either case, I am going to spend more than I want to, but will likely have a sharpening system I can use for many years.  Do you use the diamond stuff or have you tried any of the new stones?

I ended up paying $200 for the WE b/c I got it 20% off on back-order.  That special seems to be never ending though. The thing that bothers me about the price is that it is made over seas.  If it was made in the USA, I would say it was worth $200.  I'm sure that sounds silly, but I just doesn't feel like a $200 tool.  

The standard kit comes with 100, 200, 400 and 600 grits.  100 & 200 grits are good if your knives are REALLY bad and want to put a new edge on them, but otherwise a waste.  600 does get your knives sharp, but it leaves some to be desired.  I would have preferred if the kit came with the 800 & 1000 stones instead.  I haven't purchased the extra fine/ultra fine (800&1000) stones because they are $60, and I don't know if I want to sink more cash into this system.  It annoys me a bit that they weren't included or at least an option to switch for the 100&200 stones.  I feel like the kit is incomplete without them.    

I saw the water stones they offer, but they are $$$.    

2:22 is impressive
Doing Some Cutting with the CCK 1303 

I do about 90% of my knife work the kitchen ith an 8" chef's knife. The two I have are terrible. After a long search I've narrowed it down to two:

$150 - http://www.cutleryandmore.com/mac-professional/chefs-knife-p18061

$100 - http://korin.com/High-Carbon-Steel-Gyutou?sc=22&category=52095

The criteria were: No stainless, 8-9" length, small wood or composite handle (to fit hobbit hands), very thin blade with no hollowing and not super hard for easy sharpening.

I'm leaning toward the MAC because of the european profile. I'm not really familiar ith the more gradual taper of the gyutou.

Anyone have any insight, experience or bullshit conjecture to add?

In the meantime Bacon Junkie got me a rather nice knife that will certainly replace the crappy ones I have.

Thanks dude!   

sac

Water Stones do a real great job of sharpening and polishing but there is a whole other level of BS maintaining and using Water Stones.  The stones are very soft and wear rapidly, requiring frequent flattening, (which requires yet another special stone - or a coarse round grinding wheel from harbor freight), etc, etc.

Be aware also that the grit ratings from Western stones and abrasives do not coincide with the grit ratings on Japanese waterstones.  I have an 8000 grit waterstone, that when you bow to the East and burn some incense, and do a special little dance, it will put a polish on a blade that hurts the eyes to look at it, but it is the most contrary, unpredictable stone I have ever used.

I just use a medium fine diamond stone and a steel and my knives shave, slice paper thin tomatos etc.   

I have a couple hand forged, laminated Japanese kitchen knives and they are great but for day in and day out use, those inexpensive Forschner professional knives work and work. 

You've come to the right place for bullshit conjecture, my friend    

I got a MAC petty (fat paring knife) along with the cleaver - it is the sharpest factory edge of any of the knives I have so far.  My experience so far has been good, I have actually done a lot of small knife work now that have something to do it with. I looked at the MAC gyutos early on, but was distracted by shinier objects.  I've not read a bad thing about them.

This is a new knife designed by the owner of the site - I would personally take a close look at this before I would circle back around to the MAC
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/riaddshha1.html

From the looks of the video, it is shaped more like my Forschner (fat and European) and less my like my Kikuichi (skinny and Japanese).  It is actually looks pretty fat for a 240mm, which I would recommend over the 210. 

And adding on to Warren J's comment, I still love using my Forschner, especially when I do stuff like cut bone away from a pork shoulder - I don't like the handle as much as the Wa (traditional octagonal) handle on my new cleaver or the Euro-style on my other chef knife but it does every job I ask it to do, admirably.

Before I picked up the WE system, I used the red and green DMT stones. They are quick and easy and should last for a long time. I still use them for my chisels.  I don't really have the patience for waterstones.  The mess and the flattening turned me off as well as having mostly SS knives.  The diamond stones seem to cut the SS faster  
 
I enjoy using sharp knives as much as the next guy, but after reading some of those knife forums...     The level of craziness some of the guys go through... it's almost as if the sharpening itself is the hobby and not cutting up food to eat!  

This thread needs more photos:

My latest obsession is this Tanaka petty

The Forschner knives are like a Honda Nighthawk.  They are real reliable, do their job and have no soul.  You don't need anything more but what has "need" got to do with this stuff anyway.  We ride Ducatis for heavens sakes. 

This is the website for the guy who made my Japanese Kitchen Knives.  He was at the Chicago Custom Knife show several years ago - It was interesting talking to him.

http://shop.niimi.okayama.jp/kajiya/en/index_e.html

Cool video

Made by Hand / No 2 The Knife Maker