Knife Sharpening - Fixing chip and rounded tip

Knife Used
Chicago Cutlery Insignia 2 - 8" chef's knife
Stones used
DMT Diamond Extra-Coarse
Shapton Pro 120 grit
Shapton Pro 320 grit
Shapton Pro 1000 grit
Shapton Pro 5000 grit
Stropman Strop with white and green compound
Answers on the Amazon link state:
"...hardness spec of HRc 53 +/- 2 and it is 440 grade steel."
#waterstones #knifesharpening #kitchenknife

[@KemAMP]

I know i'm late to this and since this video went online you might have reconsidered, but... I have checked the comments and I have found nothing that lights up the elephant in the room. So here I am with my bold comment. This knife is unusable as it is. It could be as sharp as a razor blade, it's no good for kitchen work. That bolster still sticking out means the edge will not touch the cutting board and the food will be left uncut. As a least expensive option, the bolster could have been grinded off with a drummel tool.

[@Jef]

Indeed. Knives like this are shit. Better off with a different design, than deal with the hassle of that bolster. I thought i mentioned that it really needed to be ground down. Perhaps not. It’s been years since i made this one. Regardless, it is still useable. Just not in the hands of someone who is fluent in knife skills. How many home cooks you think really perform on that level? Not a single one in my family (or friends) that i have ever seen. Your point is solid however. Cheers 🍻

[@ArikGST]

Hey Jef, thanks for the video, It`ll help me fix my knives :) and I don`t mind the longer videos at all, I love em :D Btw, I got another video idea: How to sharpen a Tanto blade. My approach to sharpening Tanto`s so far has been "Don`t buy a Tanto" xD

[@Jef]

I have a video for that. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kH-umn2mqcaKa5Y

[@ArikGST]

@@Jef thanks a lot ✌️

[@mtu-engineer3220]

Just going back to someold vidios on repairing knives I file down the bolsters to flush with the blade, or slight relief to allow 23:54 23:57 23:59 full contact of the cutting edge all the way to the bolster for chopping and slicing. I polish the grind to match the original finish.

[@Jef]

Yea that seems to be the most common way people deal with this type of bolster. Honestly, we got rid of all these knives. I now mainly use customs, and a few Henckels we purchased.

[@silleywilley]

Lol, you rounded that tip right off. Good stuff Jef, keep em comin!

[@Jef]

😂 Cheers!

[@JohnStriling]

in theory the benefit of a bolster is that the blade can be ground much thinner than it otherwise would while still maintain structural rigidity in the knife. this design is indeed outdated. these days the way it's done is with a compound grind and often blended together which hides the geometry changes at the heel, and sometimes also the tip of the knife. many kitchen knives are ground like that these days with hidden bolsters if you want to call it that, compound grinds. I have an old chicago cutlery knife that is somewhat similar, it also has an old school bolster like that and that thing is an absolute laser beam straight out of the box. I didn't need to do anything to do the knife to make it cut well but I have ground that bolster into into the edge where they meet. Forgot I had that thing and got into higher end stuff along the way then I found it in my garage and I was surprised to see such a cheap old had such an excellent geometry on it. I also have other knives like a Miyabi Koh, which is a monosteel AEBL steel at 61 rc, it's got a faux chisel grind and has hidden bolster with that compound grind and blended together from the factory. I also have a 210 mm Sukenari k-gyoto in HAP40 and it also has a subtle compound grind that's blended together with that migaki finish. Subtle but it's there, you can see it if you reflect it in the light or measure it with something like a micrometer.

[@Jef]

Thanks for the comment. Lots of good info in here. I was unaware the booster actually served a design purpose. Thought it was just aesthetic. Hopefully makers continue to move away from such a poor choice and grind em to be used/sharpened.

[@andrewedlund3578]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the way you have ground the blade next to the bolster leaves the bolster too high. It would come in contact with your cutting surface before the edge of the knife comes fully in contact rendering a chefs knife like that nearly useless.

[@Jef]

🤷‍♂️ i duno. I dont use this knife

[@MidNiteR32]

How do you sharpening the tip like that without getting any scratches above the edge or ruining the finish. Every time I freehand the tip of the edge like that I ruin the finish and the bevel. That’s with keeping a consistent angle. It’s only with the tip so I have this issue.

[@Jef]

Knife Sharpening - Basic Technique and Demonstration kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnW7hWuwhNNofLM Sharpening stones I recommend kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJTTo4h-hJmNndU How do you hold consistency, in knife sharpening? kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5STnp13nrt5qrc

[@spencercoots]

That was pretty helpful. Thanks, man.

[@Jef]

Glad it helped!

[@brandong1443]

I am now sold on a belt sharpening system. Thank You.

[@Jef]

😂 They do make intense work quick and efficient. My buddy just got a belt grinder and I’ll be going to learn how to grind hopefully soon. He raves about it. My only issue would be getting it water cooled so it doesnt damage temper

[@brandong1443]

@@Jef I’m gonna work on my technique some more. The stones produce a beautiful edge.

[@Mikey1951ful]

First! And, thanks Jef, for the educational upload.

[@Jef]

Cheers

[@TylrVncnt]

I’ll buy that DMT off ya if it’s not your thing! Cheers

[@Jef]

I still use it to lap stones

[@paddyspotatopeelers2154]

Another good lesson sir. As always i enjoyed. Atb paddy 👍😊☘️

[@TylrVncnt]

Is that the DMT lapping plate?

[@Jef]

No. I should have it in the video description what brand it is.

[@mikelikesknives428]

Excellent video. You covered many common problems in one video. Thank you. You are a wealth of knowledge. By the way, those DMT plates make a terrible sound.😂

[@Jef]

Once they break in, they aren't so bad. They always have "ring" to em

[@knifesharpeningnorway]

Good video as always mate and good tips and nice reflection 😉

[@Jef]

Thanks!

[@NORTHWESTKNIFEGUY]

That came out really well, very nice work!

[@Jef]

Thanks!

[@jamesmiller360]

I think that's the first time I've seen you use diamonds. Nicely done, every tomato in the area should be trembling in fear. Enjoyed the video.

[@Jef]

Rofl. I deleted most of my diamond videos due to the vitriol of fan boys. I dissed diamonds, and they came outta the wood work to diss me.😂 😂

[@Jef]

It is regrettable. I don't have a thick skin either, so that kinda stuff really bothered me. Almost shut my channel down. Criticism I can deal with, if said respectfully.

[@1tsMichael]

My dad rounded my tip... Lets teach him a lesson...

[@park3y]

Hey Jef. Big fan of your videos and the information you provide. Odd question here. Have gained any benefit, in terms of your sharpening ability, from watching yourself sharpen on video? I say that with the understanding that you had already achieved a high degree of mastery prior to ever recording.

[@Jef]

Thank you for the kind words. That is actually what prompted me to record KZbin videos. I started mainly to watch myself, and see where i was making mistakes. I used to have tons of videos from when i first started. They are terribly long and piss poor lighting so i ended up “hiding” them from my channel. Regardless, to answer, yes. Watching myself sharpen is extremely helpful. It shows when i make mistakes, and what i was doing prior to it. Very helpful even now. 👌

[@park3y]

@@Jef Man, that is awesome and thanks for the reply! I was hoping for such a response. Do you have any videos out on your setup, basically just describing tripod/camera, etc?

[@Jef]

No i dont. Im not really using anything special. Just an iphone and a halo light with a built in camera holder. I used to just use a halo light and one of those cheap octupus tripods they sell on amazon for $15. I think i even bought one locally at a cvs. Occasionally i will put extra lamps around behind me to light things better. That is the biggest tip i could give you. Light light light. It is everything. Get as much white light as you can. Avoid yellow and natural type lights. Fluorescent, blueish, and halo type lights work best.

[@park3y]

@@Jef Much appreciated, sir. Will do. I realized a while back from your IG we’re from the same area. Have you found or is there much of a knife/sharpening community in town?

[@Jef]

Oh yeah? That’s awesome! Not much in terms of communtiy. Tate over at knives and more does some in house sharpening but for the most part, there isn’t much to see. Esp when trying to purchase stones or anything else related.

[@tbone541]

Not rounded

[@christophergoking]

That took skill. I ruined my knife. Bought those table top sharpeners to fix my rounded edge. Then I went back to my whetstone and rounded my edge again. I've decided to buy those sharpeners like the samurai shark. Soothing video, I enjoyed it regardless

[@Jef]

oooo those things are terrible. I sharpen for free. just send em to me before you ruin them on that. just costs ya shipping fees have ya watched my beginners tutorial? Also 'how to hold consistency"?

[@christophergoking]

@@Jef Yo, you actually replied. Thanks Jef. Yea, but my go to knife is just worth 1.10usd, about the same price of my whetstone at home haha. My pocket knife though, that I think I might have ruined. I'll check out how to hold consistency. Apparently, I watched your videos twice without knowing it was you the last time haha.

[@NotTodayJezus]

😵😵😵😵😵😵😵😵no warning you just went right at that stone!! holy shet man!!!!! Haha the beauty of sharpening though. Great repair 👍

[@Jef]

😂 yea i kinda went at it This one Became more involved than I predicted at the start. Having a swap between different stones and changing angles was more than I planned to do

[@NotTodayJezus]

@@Jef thanks for the tips man👍 I actually used my ken onion blade grinding attachment to fix a chipped knife yesterday and changing the angles helped out dramatically and saved me some time.

[@markmuhle7773]

Absolutely love your Channel was turned on to it by Paddy's potato peelers. Been going too many medical issues over the last 4 years. But cannot do the work I used to do so was hoping to open my own sharpening company love your Channel if you ever are looking to get rid of any stones or equipment please let me know I would be very interested

[@Jef]

Thank you! Paddy rocks. Such a genuine person. Love his channel. Thanks for the sub

[@markmuhle7773]

@@Jef what stones would you recommend I keep leaning to the Sharpton ceramic stone. I own a 200 to 600 dmt, and a Arkansas stone medium and transparent, and some ceramic rods. But love sharpening, it's been what I do for therapy and when I can't sleep i listen to shapening videos.

[@Jef]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJTTo4h-hJmNndU A quick video I did on my recommendations

[@seff2318]

Dagum good vid bud :D I hit another big milestone last night. Got my first blistering edge off a 6k. Sliced toilet paper, paper towel was a joke, and wouldn’t let hair get near it. Still haven’t been able to whittle though. Have you used BRK white compound? if so how does it compare to stropman?

[@Jef]

Not yet. I'll go order some now so I don't forget, and get back to you

[@seff2318]

Jef Jewell ahhhh you don’t have to do that!

[@seff2318]

I’m actually really happy with it.

[@Jef]

@@seff2318 S'all good. I've actually been asked by several people how I feel about BRK compound. I'm actually gonna wait till Friday to pick some up. Grab a new DLT XL strop while I'm at it.

[@ka-powUSA]

That diamond stone sound is brutal.

[@Jef]

Yea its brutal to use as well

[@JDStone20]

What stone did you use to round the tip? It looked like a very coarse SiC stone

[@Jef]

It is the Gritomatic 120 Sic. I haven't really shown it off in video

[@JDStone20]

@@Jef Looks awesome, there is nothing like a good xxc stone. I have been using garden/scythe stones, a trick a learned from Cliff Stamp. You just have to be careful with them and not apex fully with them, otherwise you have a large number of deep scratches to get out of your apex. I usually use a Norton Crystolon, Norton Economy, Craftsman Combo, Norton IB6 coarse side for heavy work if I am forming a burr. I also like to use diamond XC stones, I have a Lansky XC and a EZE-Lap XC which I like, they don't leave very deep scratches, which is just the opposite of what you would think would happen, as diamond stones do leave deeper scratches in the finer grits.

[@shanefreeman4103]

Hi mate great video as always. I'm interested to know how important it is to go through the lower grit progression after using the xc DMT plate? I'm assuming smaller grit steps help get the deeper more aggressive diamond scratches out? I currently use an atoma 400 to repair and reprofile blades mainly because any diamond grit lower I find the scratches stubborn and time consuming trying to remove the scratch pattern afterwards. I'm currently thinking of getting the Shapton Glass 220 and 500. Do you think this combo will be a decent alternative to using my atoma 400?

[@Jef]

You don't have to go so aggressive as I did, but I was still repairing that tip, after the DMT stone. I didn't quite have it shaped entirely the way I wanted, so instead of stripping away more metal on the diamond, I swapped over to the Shapton. If I had done everything on the DMT, I could have jumped over to the 320, or even the 1k. I've never used the Atoma 400, but the Shapton Glass are not my favorite set. They work well enough for what they are, but I am more partial to Shapton Pro. Is it a good alternative? Most likely, but diamonds can be more aggressive, therefore faster, than water stones.

[@shanefreeman4103]

@@Jef OK thanks I'll consider the pro stones do some more research on those. Ive never felt @ ease with using diamond plates. A combo of how they feel and the constant worry I'm eating through far to much steel. It's weird but diamonds seem to aggressive and way to fast for me. Ideally I'd like to leave my atoma just for flattening my other stones... Cheers

[@Jef]

Yea I don't like diamonds either. Have you considered the Gritomatic Sic stones?

[@shanefreeman4103]

@@Jef yes I've considered ordering from them a set. What puts me off is the last time I ordered something from Russia it took over 13weeks to get to me. They definitely have some interesting products though. Cheers

[@Jef]

@@shanefreeman4103 Ordering from the main website they ship from the U.S. You have to special order stuff, to get it from Russia

[@marioz8132]

How much time it takes to sharp a knife?

[@Jef]

each knife is different and also depends how fine you want to go. generally speaking, using a coarse stone, it takes 8-15 min to get it sharp. Every stone after takes approx 7-10 min.

[@marioz8132]

@@Jef do you think that free hand sharpening is faster than sharpenig with a sharpening system?

[@Jef]

Tough question. I think in touch ups, absolutely. Free hand is faster. Doing a full reprofile, or removing damage, they may be neck and neck. Esp if you have to adjust your system between stones, for thickness. I'm sure there are exceptions, of course. I made a full video sharpening a Socom Elite, on the edge pro. It took me approx 20 minutes? I just followed the factory edge. About the same for my free hand sessions, give or take.