masamoto ks--just a project knife nowadays?

[brainsausage]

Makes me think dropping 50 bucks on a Forgecraft is a steal. Heh!

 

[geezr]

Geezr, sorry for the confusion/ignorance on my part, but not quite sure what you are saying about Honba Duke finished--did you request special finishing on your blade? Very good looking knife btw.

My bad - thought those were spine shots, used to seeing choil with some ferrule in the frame. Yes I requested the service. Also checked what info remains for this purchase and it seems there were no additional charges.
This from the vendor:
"Honba-duke Sharpening Service.
Experienced Master craftsman makes final sharp blade edge with hand sharpening process by whetstone. You can enjoy outstanding cutting performance ready to use out of the box when received."
Not sure re. availability of this service today.
On the Bevel Question thread, Post #4 Zwiefel describes what I was told about Japanese kitchen knives. May be different today.

 

[tk59]

charles scored a nice ks. ive seen several and none of them looked that nice.

+1

 

[chinacats]

Trying to do this slowly and smartly...oh well. Anyway, decided to start with my new 600 Gesshin from Jon instead of my 220 that I would usually use. Criticism welcomed as I'm sure there is a much better way, but here goes. I spent a total of maybe 30 minutes using light pressure; depending on how much this helps or hurts I will likely go back for a bit more.

Front to be convexed and thinned:

Rear side to be convexed and thinned (on this side I thinned to top to help the asymmetry):

Not too much removed but I think this should be better...heading to the store now for something to cut:

Still looks a bit chubby, but imo this is an improvement at least visually.

 

[EdipisReks]

Looks better, but I'd do more!

 

[chinacats]

OK, release was good, now better. Eases through food much better--and that's with a 600 grit edge. Already like a new knife and a much better performing one at that.:knife:

Looks better, but I'd do more!

Agreed, I am going to go back at it for a touch more (maybe another 50%), but really wanted to make sure I hadn't made any bad decisions first. Looks like I need to go at it a bit 'right behind' the edge.
:newhere:

Really was a pleasure using the 600 Gesshin...able to thin pretty quickly. Finished by using it to put an edge on and it was a very nice edge for that grit--quite amazing actually.

 

[EdipisReks]

I would put the blade flat to the stone, on both sides, for a while, then build some convexity above that flat plane.

 

[chinacats]

I would put the blade flat to the stone, on both sides, for a while, then build some convexity above that flat plane.

Thanks, I did that on the back side, but thought I may lose a bit of the convexity potential on the front if I did too much there? I wound up going about 1.5cm on the front.

 

[EdipisReks]

Thanks, I did that on the back side, but thought I may lose a bit of the convexity potential on the front if I did too much there? I wound up going about 1.5cm on the front.

You'll gain more in cutting ease than you'll lose in sticktion, as long as you don't do it too much. Thin, cut some food, thin, cut, thin, cut, and you'll know when you hit the right balance.

 

[labor of love]

i bet a low grit splash n go is a great choice for a 30 minute thinning session. you dont have to constantly stop to resoak/refresh the stone with water.

 

[chinacats]

i bet a low grit splash n go is a great choice for a 30 minute thinning session. you dont have to constantly stop to resoak/refresh the stone with water.

I'm really digging that stone. The first use it's had, but it was very easy to use, cut fast but didn't make huge scratches--kind of confusing. Didn't dish bad at all. Finished thinning and put a very useable edge on the blade--did make a huge burr initially but was easy to remove. I kept it wet, but it was much nicer than using a soaker. I've pretty much decided that I'm working my way to an all Gesshin splash and go lineup. I've got the 600, and 5k already, likely going to fill that gap with the 1200. That will have everything except my most coarse stone (pink brick) as splash and go.

 

[panda]

man, i feel even a 400 takes too long to thin, lol.

 

[EdipisReks]

i bet a low grit splash n go is a great choice for a 30 minute thinning session. you dont have to constantly stop to resoak/refresh the stone with water.

using water stones is the wrong strategy. this is where diamond really comes into its own. the main work would likely take 10 minutes on an XC DMT, followed by a 320 Shapton Pro and a 1k Chosera, to clean it up. Then redo the finish it as you want. I use sandpaper, usually.

 

[don]

chinacats,

Here's my Masamoto KS carbon 240mm from Korin (sharpened by Korin):

And your old Shig 240mm (my photo of it):

And for comparison, a Sakai Yusuke flat carbon 240mm (had a hard time taking this photo):

 

[labor of love]

using water stones is the wrong strategy. this is where diamond really comes into its own. the main work would likely take 10 minutes on an XC DMT, followed by a 320 Shapton Pro and a 1k Chosera, to clean it up. Then redo the finish it as you want. I use sandpaper, usually.

i destroyed my dmt xc. i think flattening my 5k and 8k with it ruined the teeth perhaps? until i can figure out how i screwed my dmt up im just sticking with another thinning technique.

 

[EdipisReks]

i destroyed my dmt xc. i think flattening my 5k and 8k with it ruined the teeth perhaps? until i can figure out how i screwed my dmt up im just sticking with another thinning technique.

I guess that's possible. I have ruined many by thinning the **** out of steel knives, but never by flattening stones.

All of those knives could be thinner, Don. I mean, shoot, my Heijis are way thinner, and they are like 5-6mm at the spine, mostly.

 

[chinacats]

using water stones is the wrong strategy. this is where diamond really comes into its own. the main work would likely take 10 minutes on an XC DMT, followed by a 320 Shapton Pro and a 1k Chosera, to clean it up. Then redo the finish it as you want. I use sandpaper, usually.

I too usually use sandpaper. This was really just an opportunity to see how the 600 responded. When thinning with sharpening I would often use a 220, but when just thinning I think sandpaper works great.

chinacats,

Here's my Masamoto KS carbon 240mm from Korin (sharpened by Korin):

And your old Shig 240mm (my photo of it):

And for comparison, a Sakai Yusuke flat carbon 240mm (had a hard time taking this photo):

Thanks Don, that's helpful. I'll add a pic of the Heiji as well for comparison:

Obviously very thin behind the edge, but more of a monster through the blade.

Overall, what I'm looking for here is to improve performance while keeping/improving food release. I really do not want a super thin knife. I probably use more force in general than finesse when cutting so stiction is my main enemy. That said, I will still wind up thinning this knife a bit more, but not very much.

Cheers to everyone for their input, Jacob I hope your thumb gets better.

 

[tk59]

Nice choil shots, fellows! It's a shame a lot of folks don't keep their choil shots looking like this. :thumbsup:

 

[chinacats]

Thought I'd do a quick update on the thinning. I decided to take it to a more coarse stone tonight so I hit it on a 220 (pink brick from ee). I think it's getting a bit better, but it is getting late tonight and I'm heading to the mountains tomorrow so it won't get an edge until I get back. If everything is good I will then proceed to the stuff I don't like so much--making it look nice again. Again, I'm sure I could take it down thinner, but I'm just hoping it retained the way it released food after the 600.

So...original shot:

after 600:

after 220:

oddity at very edge is just because it doesn't have one...