Rehabilitating an abused honesuki

[Rangen]

Welcome to my personal hell. Or I guess you could call it just my latest project.



Yes, it's a honesuki, my least-favorite shape of Japanese knife. If I'm taking apart a chicken, I want a flexible boning knife. I accept the possibility that I've never learned what I would need to learn to prefer a honesuki for that task.

This knife was abused, in that it was sharpened by someone who was incompetent at understanding single-bevel knives. He gave up and put a bevel on the flat side, ruining the flatness. That incompetent person was me, 20 years ago.

It's not a bad make, but it's not exactly an artisan heirloom. It's a stainless Misono UX10. A sensible person might have thrown it away. But I cannot bear to do anything but restore it to what it should have been. That means I have a lot of flattening to do.

I've already done a lot of flattening. I got the back "flat" with a monstrously coarse SC stone (Baronyx Manticore), but what you see is when I took it from that 60-grit stone to a Shapton Glass 220 that I've been flattening with a diamond plate after every 200 passes. I think I'm up to 800 so far. Still a lot of work to do. I'm surprised by how shiny the SG220 got the middle. I'm also surprised that the work on the flat raises a burr on the bevel side, despite appearances.

Any tips or advice for this rehabilitation? My plan is to keep plugging away with the SG220 for another 1000 passes or so, flattening every 200 passes, but any shortcuts will be welcome.

 

[M1k3]

Sandpaper can be your friend. Especially when used like someone else is paying for it. Use Windex or WD-40 and avoid heavy pressure, it'll help keep the sandpaper working longer.

 

[inferno]

i would simply go with the 220 until satisfied, then the 500 if you have one, then double the grit each jump.
maybe its better if you simply flattened that whole side??

also when the stone starts dishing use the ends and do 1/3 strokes to spread the wear. then you dont have to flatten as often. also the 220 likes some slurry on there for speed imo. so dont flush it too often. ymmv.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

If you're happy with the flatness and are just polishing out scratches, then I agree with the sandpaper at lower grits.

If you're still unhappy with the flatness, then I'd go back to the mighty Manticore until you are. That's a beast of a stone.

 

[mikemac]

I have the sister knife - The Misono Sweden Steel Boning knife, or Honesuki. My recall from conversations years ago is, and per Dave M, this is NOT a single bevel knife, but has a small, maybe 5* bevel on the 'flat side'. Beyond that, restore over trash, and I'd agree...it's the exact opposite of what you'd think was a poultry boning knife.

 

[Jovidah]

^
What he said. Honesukis are normally not single bevel knives. It's a very asymmetric double bevel. Don't think turning it into a single bevel makes sense either considering its intended purpose.
There are some exceptions to that but they're pretty rare.

 

[Rangen]

Thanks for all the great responses. My path is now clear. I'm also pleased that my long-ago self actually saw a bevel to sharpen, rather than putting one where one was not.

 

[29palms]

Yes, it's a honesuki, my least-favorite shape of Japanese knife. If I'm taking apart a chicken, I want a flexible boning knife. I accept the possibility that I've never learned what I would need to learn to prefer a honesuki for that task.

If you watch some videos of chef break down chickens for Yakitori it might make more sense. Watching a chef skinning wing tips blew my mind.

 

[Rangen]

If you watch some videos of chef break down chickens for Yakitori it might make more sense. Watching a chef skinning wing tips blew my mind.

OK, yeah, that's amazing. But the chef knows exactly, precisely where the bones are not. I have to feel around for some of the joints, and the flexible, thin knife helps with that. Still, this is inspiring, and once I am done with the rehab, I will try this. I want this skill. (If you've seen the movie The Hidden, you will fully understand that sentence).