Noticing some micro chipping on a new knife, help?!

[Jcookgurl]

Hey all!

I'm new here, so forgive me if this has been discussed a bunch...I just started using a brand new takamura R2 gyuto this week at work. It's been two days. I only use it on a boos block, and have been working with kind to Japanese knife ingredients...nothing crazy hard that might be damaging to the knife, yet I've noticed very small micro chipping on one side of the blade. It's something the untrained eye likely wouldn't see, but of course I've noticed it and it's making me crazy. This is the first knife I've owned that has done this...I'm curious if other people have run into this issue with this particular knife (it's a laser)...and a what can I do about it to correct it?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks everyone!

JL

 

[labor of love]

Are you still using the out of the box edge? Initial sharpening might do the trick.

 

[Jcookgurl]

I am! I have a set of shapton stones at home, I suppose I should give it a shot on those and see how it goes.

 

[Benuser]

Very common with brand new knives. It may be broken burr remainings, or, indeed, micro-chipping, due to the weak factory edge, likely to be caused by buffering.
Start with a medium-coarse a bit behind the edge and don't be afraid to abrade a bit of steel.

 

[labor of love]

Where are the chips on the edge? By the tip or heel? Or all over the place?

 

[Jcookgurl]

They're on the edge. Kinda all over. But only on one side of the knife, specifically the side without the kanji etching on the knife. I'll give it a sharpen and see what happens. I will report back. Thanks so much everyone.

 

[richard]

Most likely weak factory edge. A short session on the stones should do the trick

 

[Jovidah]

They're known for having a bit too steep of a factory edge. I think it's 9 degrees per side on the Takamura? So most people find it to be a little chippy without either putting a microbevel on or making it a little bit more robust.

 

[Eloh]

They're known for having a bit too steep of a factory edge. I think it's 9 degrees per side on the Takamura? So most people find it to be a little chippy without either putting a microbevel on or making it a little bit more robust.

+1
A small microbevel should solve your problem :thumbsup:

 

[guari]

I have the same knife and came from new with the same issue.

Take it to the stones and bring some fresh steel to the edge. Then you should be good to go.

 

[TheCaptain]

As someone learning a.picture is worth a thousand words...

 

[HPoirot]

Wait, you mean this isn't normal?

My knife (that only cuts on wooden board from ikea) develops very small chips after a period of cutting. Always attributed it to normal wear and tear.

Does this mean my sharpening skill isn't up to standard? Though i do admit i need lots more practice

 

[Nemo]

Wait, you mean this isn't normal?

My knife (that only cuts on wooden board from ikea) develops very small chips after a period of cutting. Always attributed it to normal wear and tear.

Does this mean my sharpening skill isn't up to standard? Though i do admit i need lots more practice

I'm no sharpening guru so take this with a grain of salt. All of the R2 knives that I have used have very long edge retntion in home use, with negligible micro chipping. The two possibilities that I can think of are:
1) The burr has not been fully removed , leaving a foil edge which is fragile and snaps off after a short period, looking like a small chip.
2) The knife is encountering something for which the edge is too acute for. A microbevel should help here. IME, R2 will easily hold an edge of under 15 dps in general home kitchen use (no bones, hard or frozen stuff, obviously). Takamura red handle is apparently much more acute than that and most reports are of good edge retention on these as well.

 

[Benuser]

Have you removed the factory edge and do you still encounter the problem?