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Halvor

Halvor

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Jun 7, 2019
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Location
Norway
Hi all,

Stopped by here mostly to learn about sharpening, but as I have a tendency to fall into rabbit holes, who knows what might happen :rolleyes:

Knives at home include Shun and a few Masahiros, plus some Germans. Masa gets the most use - good grip and balance, and it's easily kept and sharpened. Stonewise, we are talking whetstones from Japan, but only cheaper ones. One Naniwa super, one unbranded double sided, but I have to get back to you on the grits. Plus, I have a hard time believing the given grits, as it's basically only one of the three I can get to really have an effect (and the jumps shouldn't be too high either).

Looking forward to learning and posting and am glad you'll have me.
 
Welcome.

What characterizes the knives of Norway?
 
Halvor said:
Hi all,

Stopped by here mostly to learn about sharpening, but as I have a tendency to fall into rabbit holes, who knows what might happen :rolleyes:

Knives at home include Shun and a few Masahiros, plus some Germans. Masa gets the most use - good grip and balance, and it's easily kept and sharpened. Stonewise, we are talking whetstones from Japan, but only cheaper ones. One Naniwa super, one unbranded double sided, but I have to get back to you on the grits. Plus, I have a hard time believing the given grits, as it's basically only one of the three I can get to really have an effect (and the jumps shouldn't be too high either).

Looking forward to learning and posting and am glad you'll have me.
Click to expand...
Well, welcome!!
We need to balance out this forum a bit with more guys from the Nordic countries.

Med vänlig hälsning / Best regards
Niclas Gudmundsson
 
Michi said:
That's because they are wormholes. Space-time is warped such that the hole loops back onto itself, so you can follow it down forever… ;)
Click to expand...
I don't think we are talking about space-time here. It's apparently the dimensionally distinct money-time [emoji16]
 
Välkommen!
Always fun to see more Scandinavians here :)
Cheers
Jonas
 
Thanks kindly for the welcomes, and tjenare to my neighbours ;)

I've just splurged and ordered a few additional whetstones to get my inventory up to standards: 'splash and go' 1000 and 2000 grits Kuromaku/Shapton Pro, then took a different course and went with Suehiro Rika 5000 based on recommendations. Had a look at the ones I have and found that the Naniwa Super I have is 400. So that should have me well covered (and will be interesting to compare now to the double sided 1000/3000 I have, which I can't get to work with and for me). Edit: Had a looksee now and the double seems to be a Naniwa as well, though not a Super. Similar to this one. So the question is, jump from 400 to 1000 too much, or the actual grits on this higher than reported?

@Qapla' Knives and Norway: What can I say, there's a tradition for making short bladed outdoors utility and hunting knives with single, long and flat bevel/s (usually on both sides). There are also Sami knives around, obviously, of a much larger size. Not much tradition for kitchen knives, but the major producers do all kinds.
 
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Michi said:
400 to 1000 is no problem at all.
Click to expand...
Thanks. No, I figured it shouldn't be. So that leaves either the reported grit being off -- or my technique. Is it more difficult to use harder stones in that they provide less feedback? Or could it perhaps be a matter of the quality (difference) of the stones?
 
The stones you have should be pretty much true to grit. If you don't get a good edge, chances are it's your technique. The stones are almost never to blame. (You can get a knife razor sharp with pretty much any paving stone or common brick.)

If your knives are blunt, establish a new edge first with your 400. Once you have done that, you shouldn't need that stone ever again, unless you damage your knives or don't re-sharpen them when you should. After the 400, you should have a really sharp edge that cuts paper easily. (The edge will have some teeth and not be perfectly smooth, but it should be very sharp.)

Then use the 1000 to refine the edge. With your soft-steel German knives, you can stop there. There really isn't any point in going beyond 1000 grit for those. For harder Japanese steels, you can refine the edge with the 5000 once you are happy with what you can get with the 1000.

When the knives start showing signs of blunting, maintain with the 1000 grit (or, if you catch them early enough, the 5000 grit).

Check out Jon's videos at https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/blogs/media as well as Peter Nowlan's videos at https://www.knifeplanet.net/knife-sharpening-school-online-course/

For a no-nonsense and very well presented introduction, I also recommend this one:

 
Welcome. I’m not a full blooded but my family is from there about 3 generations ago. I’d love to hear more about traditional Norwegian styles and manufactures though, as I think both my Dad and I would be interested.

Thanks,
Nicholas Erickson
 
erickso1 said:
Welcome. I’m not a full blooded but my family is from there about 3 generations ago. I’d love to hear more about traditional Norwegian styles and manufactures though, as I think both my Dad and I would be interested.

Thanks,
Nicholas Erickson
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My knowledge is limited, I’m afraid. Granddad and my uncle both made knives and sheaths themselves, but have both passed and with them the craft skills in the family..

Ever been over here, then, to walk in the paths of your ancestors? Do you know where exactly in the country they lived before migrating?
 
Michi said:
The stones you have should be pretty much true to grit. If you don't get a good edge, chances are it's your technique. The stones are almost never to blame. (You can get a knife razor sharp with pretty much any paving stone or common brick.)

If your knives are blunt, establish a new edge first with your 400. Once you have done that, you shouldn't need that stone ever again, unless you damage your knives or don't re-sharpen them when you should. After the 400, you should have a really sharp edge that cuts paper easily. (The edge will have some teeth and not be perfectly smooth, but it should be very sharp.)

Then use the 1000 to refine the edge. With your soft-steel German knives, you can stop there. There really isn't any point in going beyond 1000 grit for those. For harder Japanese steels, you can refine the edge with the 5000 once you are happy with what you can get with the 1000.

When the knives start showing signs of blunting, maintain with the 1000 grit (or, if you catch them early enough, the 5000 grit).

Check out Jon's videos at https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/blogs/media as well as Peter Nowlan's videos at https://www.knifeplanet.net/knife-sharpening-school-online-course/

For a no-nonsense and very well presented introduction, I also recommend this one:

Click to expand...

Brilliant, many thanks! So would you say that technique matters more the higher up in grit one comes? Ie that it’s easier on low grit, and that this is why I’ve struggled? Will watch videos.

I do have to note, though, that I did get a few of the knives to a rather decent condition edgewise — while also getting the blade a little scratched up:
image.jpg


Is there a good resource on the angles and bevels of different kinds of knife makes anywhere btw? Or do you guys usually just set a new one to your liking? The Masa above, IIRC, is 80/20.
 
When I first started, I found that I had a good edge after a 1000 stone, and a worse edge after a 5000 stone. Two reasons: poor angle control (wobbling too much), and I was using too much pressure on the 5000 stone, in effect destroying the edge I had established with the 1000 stone.

So, yes, I'd say that technique probably does get more important on the finer grit stones.

I recommend watching Peter Nowlan's videos. He pays a lot of attention to pressure and explains why it's important to get that right. Those videos are definitely worth your time.

I'll let other members comment on asymmetric bevels; I don't have enough experience with them to say anything meaningful.
 
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