Does this knife tip chip need much work?

Hi all. Just spotted a chip on my virtually brand new Itinomonn knife. I know it's small but how much work is involved?? I've got JNS 1000 and 6000 stones and an 8000 (can't remember brand). Is this something I can fix myself or am I better off aendinf it back to Maksim for repair??

You might just as well learn how to fix a broken tip now, so you'll be able to do it in the future.

To preserve the edge profile, grind only the spine until the tip is restored. If you grind the edge, the tip will be blunted instead of pointed and will not have the same cutting performance that a properly shaped tip has.

Because of the shadows in your pic, it's hard to tell exactly how far back the broken tip goes, but this should give you an idea of how much spine you need to grind:



You really need a lower grit stone than the 1000 grit you have. An Atoma plate would be ideal, but if you are on a budget, some low grit automotive wet/dry sandpaper on a smooth, hard surface will do.

If you do try to fix it with your 1000 grit stone, use the side of the stone, not the face, or you will drastically shorten the life of your stone.

Great advice thanks very much. I do have a cheap but coarse stone. Think around 400 grit so could try that or the sandpaper like you suggested. Don't really fancy risking damaging my best stones in the process.

Grinding the spine is going to cut a groove in whatever stone you use; that's why I suggested using the side of the stone, where it doesn't matter.

Yeah. Exactly. I'll try and get a better pic of the chip. It's really quite small, but it's enough to niggle me. It would have to be my best knife too eh?!

You could also try some coarse sandpaper. I did a similar repair (didn't remove as much material, though) with some stuff I got at an auto parts store. It actually wasn't that hard.

I'm just wary of changing the 'shape' of the knife?

That's why people are telling you to work from the spine...a perfect learning opportunity

Prize78 said:

I'm just wary of changing the 'shape' of the knife?

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While the overall shape of the blade may change, the important part - the edge profile - will remain the same if you grind the spine. If you want, you may grind more of the spine, gradually tapering it as you go, to make the change in the spine less abrupt. It's a lot more work, though.

Pensacola Tiger said:

While the overall shape of the blade may change, the important part - the edge profile - will remain the same if you grind the spine. If you want, you may grind more of the spine, gradually tapering it as you go, to make the change in the spine less abrupt. It's a lot more work, though.

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Just grind it out like the picture out on a cement sidewalk or curb then polish the spine with sandpaper.

ThEoRy said:

Just grind it out like the picture out on a cement sidewalk or curb then polish the spine with sandpaper.

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+1. No need to trouble a waterstone with this type of repair.

Not hard to do at all! Go for it. A diamond plate would be best for this, and the side of a coarse stone is good too, and sandpaper is a good, cheap idea, which I'd lay flat and just rub the spine along with the blade sticking up (would want to avoid the tip getting caught and tearing the paper of course). I've not yet tried doing this on the sidewalk outside, but it might entertain the neighbours.

If you're hesitant to go too far on the spine, then you could just do some of this and leave a portion of the chip, then just be patient as through use and future thinning/sharpening that the chip disappears over time, unless you're like me and will probably end up chipping it again.

ThEoRy said:

Just grind it out like the picture out on a cement sidewalk or curb then polish the spine with sandpaper.

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Great idea. I shall give this a go I reckon.

ThEoRy said:

Just grind it out like the picture out on a cement sidewalk or curb then polish the spine with sandpaper.

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Great idea. I shall give this a go I reckon.

I'm the sidewalk master, even though I probably look like a nut to the neighbors, i don't care haha

Prize78 said:

I'm just wary of changing the 'shape' of the knife?

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The original shape of the knife was effectively gone when the damage occurred. You are restoring the knife to have a usable tip, and the only way to do that is to change the shape by grinding off some material. It won't be that long until you totally forget about the change, and get used to the knife in its new form.
In its current state, the tip chip is a glaring issue that is very difficult or impossible to ignore. (When I've done that, it's been a reminder of my screwing up until fixed.) Fix it and the memory will start to fade away.

ThEoRy said:

Just grind it out like the picture out on a cement sidewalk or curb then polish the spine with sandpaper.

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haha I love this! I may have to try it for my chip...

Asteger said:

Not hard to do at all! Go for it. A diamond plate would be best for this, and the side of a coarse stone is good too, and sandpaper is a good, cheap idea, which I'd lay flat and just rub the spine along with the blade sticking up (would want to avoid the tip getting caught and tearing the paper of course). I've not yet tried doing this on the sidewalk outside, but it might entertain the neighbours.

If you're hesitant to go too far on the spine, then you could just do some of this and leave a portion of the chip, then just be patient as through use and future thinning/sharpening that the chip disappears over time, unless you're like me and will probably end up chipping it again.

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see and this is my problem with mine, I Have to use crappy plastic NSF cutting boards at work and the boards catch the sharp thin blade from my japanese carbon blade. I just know that when I do Fix it, it will just happen again.

But I guess the question is, is it going to be easier to get worse when the chip is still there? or when it is shaped down? The tip still cuts just fine, its not noticeable in use, unless you Look at it directly.

How do you cut? Push-cuts / pull-cuts? Or rock chop?

Jovidah said:

How do you cut? Push-cuts / pull-cuts? Or rock chop?

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ahhhh! you solved it! thanks for saying that, I just realized that's what caused it.

So I always Rocked the knife, especially because all I ever used before was Western knives. And once I got my first cheap stainless knife and sharpened it I learned how to I guess you could say Raise Chop/Slice. I didn't Push it or pull it really, I just raise up the knife and brought it down straight. But sometimes when I get to a certain point I will have to (well I am used to and fall back to it) Rock Chop. Like if i'm cutting a pepper, at first I can easily Raise Chop but then when I get down to the bits I end up rocking it so not to slice my finger off.

With all that being said, i'm pretty sure it's when I do the rock chop that I feel it catch sometimes... me and my amateur skills... i'm learning though. I am great with meat cutting and stuff, and even with the western style rock chop, but for the precise fast Asian method I am but a wee lad.