I want to bring one of my 52100 knives to a high polish finish. Does anyone know if any places in the NYC area would do that and how much it might cost? I suppose I can ship it to somewhere as well if there is a reliable shop people can recommend.
Knife Polishing Service
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yummycrackers
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You could enquire at Korin or MTC.
Thanks. I know MTC definitely doesn't do it and wouldn't even recommend anyone. I plan to ask Vincent at Korin. Was curious if there are any recommendations or places that I don't know about.
It always struck me as odd that for a city our size there are so few choices.
Exactly this.
Totally agree. That’s why I posted this question lol I can’t imagine there aren’t more places considering the number of restaurants we have in the city and the general purchasing power. I was wondering if there were more pro orientated shops that I didn’t know about.
yummycrackers
Well-Known Member
That's true—both Korin and MTC (back in the day) seemed to be more focused on just offering basic sharpening services. I will say that it's quite a rewarding (if time-consuming) activity to do oneself, and one does learn a fair bit in the process. Something like micromesh makes life much easier compared with just using stones.
tostadas
Hobbyist / Craftsman
What do you mean by "high polish"? If you mean high grit belt finish, thats what I get back from District Cutlery from their service. Cost would be minimal in this case.
If you're talking about like a kasumi stone finish, that's a lot more specialized, and often is priced by the hour. You can check with @Runner_up who does this out of Boston area.
https://www.sharpknivesrock.com/
If you're talking about like a kasumi stone finish, that's a lot more specialized, and often is priced by the hour. You can check with @Runner_up who does this out of Boston area.
https://www.sharpknivesrock.com/
PappaG
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yeah - I'm not sure there is a huge market for "high polish" with people willing to pay what it really costs to achieve a "high polish" with JNATS and finger stones etc etc (not saying that is your definition). But I do agree its reasonable to wonder why not in the tri-state area.
Hypothetically, if someone were a power tools geek the way some people here are j-nat nerds, what would they use to achieve a mirror finish with drill attachments you could easily buy at a Home Depot?
I'd think a sandpaper progression then a buffing wheel dipped in polishing paste? A flap wheel of varying grits would likely be your best bet as they're less likely to carve a divot like a sandpaper drum would.
I've toyed with the idea of doing that with my Dremel buff wheel to expedite patina removal.
PappaG
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he he. I think all of that is possible, but without a really good track record, I'm not sending my Milan to you for a "high polish" with that set up 
....which takes us back up to the original poster's question. There are not many options out there. Only a few names come to mind for these services and and none located in NY or the surrounding area. Hope I'm wrong about this.
....which takes us back up to the original poster's question. There are not many options out there. Only a few names come to mind for these services and and none located in NY or the surrounding area. Hope I'm wrong about this.
Is there a reason people don't thin with a belt sander to a nice polish then go to the stones for final polish. Just saw this crazy thing too and made me think twice.
https://www.harborfreight.com/9-amp-surface-conditioning-tool-58079.html
https://www.harborfreight.com/9-amp-surface-conditioning-tool-58079.html
This is exactly the issue. I don’t need Jnats polish. I want something mirror or near mirror. The knife I am thinking to get polished is not cheap and not easily replaceable. I’m not confident with my own ability to not make a deadly mistake if I do it myself and I don’t have enough time to take on a project like that myself given my efficiency will be very low…I can’t imagine sitting there in the middle of the night by myself after my kids go to sleep and polish a blade with 14k diamond paste to death…he he. I think all of that is possible, but without a really good track record, I'm not sending my Milan to you for a "high polish" with that set up
....which takes us back up to the original poster's question. There are not many options out there. Only a few names come to mind for these services and and none located in NY or the surrounding area. Hope I'm wrong about this.
PappaG
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Several reasons, but the primary IMO is heat - the risk of overheating and damaging your knife is significant with cheap belt sanders. Why risk damaging your "high end knife with a "harbor freight $150 conditioning tool". Sorry I'm feeling a little preachy today. I'll STFU now.... . Experiment away and let the forum know how you make out. We can all learn something new!
OkayMode
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Oh look you just described @ethompson
Thanks. I’ll check with DC and see what they can do.
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Do you have a couple of before and after pictures you can share?
tostadas
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The only person I know doing mirror polishes regularly is @KasumiJLA
There is a reason you don't see polishing, especially stone polishing, offered as a readily available service. I know of one person in Europe who sometimes takes on honyaki projects (never san mai) and a few North American stores that will maybe do it if they like you, if they trust you have patience for a very long project, and they know you aren't gonna be miffed by it being hundreds of dollars. Even then the people doing it at those shops seem to be doing it cause they enjoy that kind of project from time to time, not because it's a money maker.
I did a Kato for someone here relatively recently. Didn't charge because I don't want polishing to be a "job" and because I don't think the quality of my work is such that it justifies payment. I probably had 40 hours in that knife. At $20/hr that'd be a $800 polish job just in labor. Sure having a proper shop would get me setup to work faster, but then I'd have a ton of overhead. We could dance around the numbers, efficiency, etc. but it's tough to make that work as a service because there just wouldn't be that much demand for it at the cost required to make it profitable.
There is a reason you don't see polishing, especially stone polishing, offered as a readily available service. I know of one person in Europe who sometimes takes on honyaki projects (never san mai) and a few North American stores that will maybe do it if they like you, if they trust you have patience for a very long project, and they know you aren't gonna be miffed by it being hundreds of dollars. Even then the people doing it at those shops seem to be doing it cause they enjoy that kind of project from time to time, not because it's a money maker.
I did a Kato for someone here relatively recently. Didn't charge because I don't want polishing to be a "job" and because I don't think the quality of my work is such that it justifies payment. I probably had 40 hours in that knife. At $20/hr that'd be a $800 polish job just in labor. Sure having a proper shop would get me setup to work faster, but then I'd have a ton of overhead. We could dance around the numbers, efficiency, etc. but it's tough to make that work as a service because there just wouldn't be that much demand for it at the cost required to make it profitable.
Makes sense. I wonder how mirror polish is done at the knife makers’ shops. A different and more efficient process? For example, this is a $450 knife that has a full mirror polish.
https://strataportland.com/products...ully-mirror-polished-210mm-gyuto-ebony-handle
What’s the knife in question? Mirror polishing flat or convex mono-steel is actually an easier thing in terms of technique than a good stone polish on a low bevel. Mirror polishing with sand paper and diamond pastes is more a test of willpower than one’s understanding of geometry etc.
Shops are definitely using buffing belts or wheels and compounds - which I imagine could make it relatively quick if you know what you’re doing and have a process down pat
Shops are definitely using buffing belts or wheels and compounds - which I imagine could make it relatively quick if you know what you’re doing and have a process down pat
Probably this. I want to do it to a Marko 52100 mono.
That sounds rad
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Send to @KasumiJLA for sure
Well, I have been trying, but have not figured out a good solution for the Canadian custom duty / processing fee / GST / PST / HST / god knows what other STs issue…but definitely want to send it to Julien if he’s happy to take on a project like this…
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Back to my question tho…does Julien want to move to Brooklyn or is there someone here I don’t know about?
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It also depends on how consistent you want the polish . . . All coarse scratches removed? Are stray scratches acceptable? How much of a mirror -- or just glossy? How hard and wear resistant is the steel? How consistent is the grind that's there?
It's easier to mirror polish clad knives . . . To an extent haha. I've done 3 mirror polishes and I've hatttteeeeeed doing it. It's a willpower and obsession thing, methodical in cleanliness.
Mirror polish is a ... Hobbiest thing more so. There are buffer shops set up for non knife things but they don't have to worry about temperature control or rounding edges as much
IF you're willing to have your knife soften slightly if they overheat it, edge rounded, there are probably polishing shops around, but don't expect them to take the job, or do a good job haha
Also, uh, post a starting picture of the scratch pattern, it might help
It's easier to mirror polish clad knives . . . To an extent haha. I've done 3 mirror polishes and I've hatttteeeeeed doing it. It's a willpower and obsession thing, methodical in cleanliness.
Mirror polish is a ... Hobbiest thing more so. There are buffer shops set up for non knife things but they don't have to worry about temperature control or rounding edges as much
IF you're willing to have your knife soften slightly if they overheat it, edge rounded, there are probably polishing shops around, but don't expect them to take the job, or do a good job haha
Also, uh, post a starting picture of the scratch pattern, it might help
