A Small TF Project... Round 2

[tostadas]

Preface
It's been about a little over a year since my original TF project where I learned quite a bit. For that knife, there was some thinning, some comfort improvements, and a little bit of polishing. This time around I wanted to test out some new ideas. I'll try to keep the text to a minimum.

The Knife
Morihei Hisamoto iron clad 214x50. The best way to describe this knife when it arrived to me... absolutely the worst fit and finish I've ever seen for a new knife. Ever.
Significant surface rust, signature TF grind, and handle scales with gaps so big, that a bug literally crawled out from inside when I was inspecting the knife for the first time. So yea, that knife got a bath in boiling water in case anything else decided to make its home inside that thing.

The Plan
Custom handle, grind a TF finger notch, round and polish spine/choil, remove low spots, remove rust, thin/flatten bevels, polish

New Handle
Stabilized koa, black g10 spacers, and hidden brass pins

 

[tostadas]

Onto the stones
Thinned, hand flattened bevels and natural stone polish

Some Patina

Yea I like it now. TFTFTF

 

[Boynutman]

Er.... so you took a Morihei and but the TF back in?

Looking great, beautiful finish!

 

[Bear]

Nice job, that looks really good

 

[jedy617]

I need to know what stones you used! Looks fantastic

 

[miggus]

Great work! If my Denka reworking turns out half as good, I'll be really happy.
How did you do the thinning so the shinogi line came out so crisply?

 

[ZeeVee]

Good lord, you turned that into a piece of art.

And I'm with Jedy on this one. If you could outline your polishing progression, I would appreciate it greatly!

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Always impressive to see you work!

 

[More_Gyutos]

Wow! That’s great. What a transformation! Did you do this entirely with hand tools? Dremel for the notch? That’s inspiring either way.

 

[tostadas]

I need to know what stones you used! Looks fantastic

Good lord, you turned that into a piece of art.

And I'm with Jedy on this one. If you could outline your polishing progression, I would appreciate it greatly!

Great work! If my Denka reworking turns out half as good, I'll be really happy.
How did you do the thinning so the shinogi line came out so crisply?

My progression began with SG220/JNS 300 for most of the thinning. I got both around the same time, so wanted to test them against each other. To me, they seemed pretty similar in speed, but I ended up using the JNS 300 more simply because it was larger. The bulk of the work was done on this stone. I recall I did push the shinogi up a fair amount to reach the thinness I wanted, and to remove all the low spots. Getting the knife to a good state on the coarse stones I think is essential to save on work with subsequent stones.

Progression continued with synthetics SG500, SP1k, SP2k, Arashiyama 6k to remove scratches before kasumi polishing. Then switched stones for doing the kasumi. I don't remember the exact stones I used, but I think I experimented with stuff including king800, tanba aoto, a suita or two, and uchigumori. The final clean up with fingerstones and powders. And finally put on an edge with my Belgian blue, which is now currently one of my favorites.

 

[deltaplex]

Really great work all around!

 

[tostadas]

Wow! That’s great. What a transformation! Did you do this entirely with hand tools? Dremel for the notch? That’s inspiring either way.

Yea mostly hand tools. The power tools I have are a hand drill, dremel for notch, and a cheap belt sander for bulk wood removal (it's really uneven so I still need to finish by hand).

 

[Corradobrit1]

Great work! If my Denka reworking turns out half as good, I'll be really happy.
How did you do the thinning so the shinogi line came out so crisply?

Denka's are SS clad. This work of art is iron clad, and soft iron reacts much better on the stones. If the Denka looks half as good as this you will have performed miracles.

 

[jedy617]

My progression began with SG220/JNS 300 for most of the thinning. I got both around the same time, so wanted to test them against each other. To me, they seemed pretty similar in speed, but I ended up using the JNS 300 more simply because it was larger. The bulk of the work was done on this stone. I recall I did push the shinogi up a fair amount to reach the thinness I wanted, and to remove all the low spots. Getting the knife to a good state on the coarse stones I think is essential to save on work with subsequent stones.

Progression continued with synthetics SG500, SP1k, SP2k, Arashiyama 6k to remove scratches before kasumi polishing. Then switched stones for doing the kasumi. I don't remember the exact stones I used, but I think I experimented with stuff including king800, tanba aoto, a suita or two, and uchigumori. The final clean up with fingerstones and powders. And finally put on an edge with my Belgian blue, which is now currently one of my favorites.

next stone I think I'm grabbing is a suita or uchi to help with my kasumi

 

[ethompson]

My progression began with SG220/JNS 300 for most of the thinning. I got both around the same time, so wanted to test them against each other. To me, they seemed pretty similar in speed, but I ended up using the JNS 300 more simply because it was larger. The bulk of the work was done on this stone. I recall I did push the shinogi up a fair amount to reach the thinness I wanted, and to remove all the low spots. Getting the knife to a good state on the coarse stones I think is essential to save on work with subsequent stones.

Progression continued with synthetics SG500, SP1k, SP2k, Arashiyama 6k to remove scratches before kasumi polishing. Then switched stones for doing the kasumi. I don't remember the exact stones I used, but I think I experimented with stuff including king800, tanba aoto, a suita or two, and uchigumori. The final clean up with fingerstones and powders. And finally put on an edge with my Belgian blue, which is now currently one of my favorites.

All the best polishes come from throwing all manner of stone at it in a haphazard order then just finishing on one you like.

Really nice work there!

 

[tostadas]

All the best polishes come from throwing all manner of stone at it in a haphazard order then just finishing on one you like.

Really nice work there!

Exactly!
"Which stones should I use for polishing?"
"Yes."

 

[ethompson]

I bought all the rocks, I’ll use all the rocks. Smooth rocks, smooth brain - it’s a lifestyle

 

[blokey]

Now thats a pearl castle.

 

[Carl Kotte]

What a great job!

 

[Keith Sinclair]

What a transformation! Nice figured piece of Koa. Blade looks great. Esp. Work below the black iron brings out clad line so nice. Softer carbon blending into harder carbon core.
Good job mate

 

[mmiinngg]

Nice work ! Wish I could change the handle as well, and finger notch seems like a good idea. But so far mine still gets every day use so can not miss one day out of board

 

[tostadas]

Nice work ! Wish I could change the handle as well, and finger notch seems like a good idea. But so far mine still gets every day use so can not miss one day out of board

Ez, just buy a second one. So you have one to use while you upgrade the other.

 

[mmiinngg]

Wife will definitely not understand the logic behind this brilliant thought .
Was it a fine finish one (if we can say so) ?

 

[tostadas]

Wife will definitely not understand the logic behind this brilliant thought .
Was it a fine finish one (if we can say so) ?

I don't think this was sold as a "fine finish."

 

[daddy yo yo]

Startup idea: offer that kind of (paid) service for any TF knife out there.

 

[M1k3]

Startup idea: offer that kind of (paid) service for any TF knife out there.

https://www.districtcutlery.com/teruyasu-fujiwara-regrind-service/

 

[Joshmonop]

Sick handle choice! Love the combo! Nicely done

 

[labor of love]

By the end of the week I’ll be the proud owner of 3 TFs (Mab Denka Hisamoto trilogy).
As the saying goes, it’s ridiculous to pick up a TF and not also pick up a good low grit thinning stone to go with it to make the new knife usable.
Shapton glass 220 you say? I’ll have to check it out.

 

[Bear]

I have the same three TF's, buy two 220's you'll need them.

 

[labor of love]

$39 on Amazon. First merchandise I bought this holiday season lol