#10 in Tools & Home Improvement
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Reddit mentions of KING KW65 1000/6000 Grit Combination Whetstone with Plastic Base
Sentiment score: 55
Reddit mentions: 107
We found 107 Reddit mentions of KING KW65 1000/6000 Grit Combination Whetstone with Plastic Base. Here are the top ones.
or
- King 01096 1000/6000 Grit Deluxe Combination Stone
- King brand known for quality and affordability
- Includes sturdy plastic base
- 8" x 2 1/2" x 1" thick
Features:
Specs:
| Color | Brown |
| Height | 1 Inches |
| Length | 7.25 Inches |
| Number of items | 2 |
| Size | One Size |
| Weight | 1 Pounds |
| Width | 2.5 Inches |
So your whetstone isn't going to actually sharpen much of anything. The grit is way too coarse to actually get an edge. It's good for repairing a chipped edge and such or reprofiling a knife if you want to change the blade angle. Then you need something finer to finish the job and get it actually sharp.
This is the stone I use. It does a pretty good job. Although the one I got was pretty far off of being flat and I had to flatten it. It's probably not a common issue since the reviews didn't mention it.
https://www.amazon.com/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O
(Had to repost this because I used link shorteners to stay under char limit and it got auto-deleted, so this one is finally fixed)
I'm a native New Yorker, and I'll chime in as someone who was able to buy a place in NYC (brooklyn) before turning 30. Now, the prices have exploded in my area since I bought (2010), but there are other areas that are still in the "reasonable" range.
I was by no means rich. I'm not rich, but I technically own property that has appreciated so I "have" money on paper. I can't spend that money. I am the type of person subbed to r/frugal, /r/personalfinance, and /r/churning. I grew up somewhat poor, and I think that has shaped my complete fear of going broke. For some, it may also fuel the desire to buy nice things. You have to be careful with that second one. I pay off my credit cards every month, but I also take advantage of any "no interest for 12 months" type deals on a Best Buy store card when I need a big purchase. I'm going to talk about buying, and then I'm going to talk about what I generally do financially.
"Avocado toast" really seems to be an example of a bigger underlying problem, which is that people have too many things that they spend too much money on. $14 for avocado on toast is obscene given how cheap it would be to make it yourself. And yes, I understand that they restaurant pays the rent, the servers, etc, but the point is that avocado toast and expensive coffee shouldn't really be a regular luxury. The thing is, how many other places are you basically throwing away excess money, like GrubHub and bars?
I'm not saying don't have fun. I'm saying that you should meter that stuff a bit. If you have the funds and you want to buy a Nintendo Switch, go ahead. That's a one time cost for the system, and it provides ongoing fun. But that's gotta be your thing. Your thing can't be bars AND dining out AND traveling AND expensive jeans AND tattoos AND...
Here are my personal tips for finance that may make life a bit easier. This may not lead to you buying a place, but it can lead to you getting some financial freedom. It's the same theory when it came to packing a ruck: ounces make pounds. In this case that extra money you save (or spend) adds up over time.
First off you need to plan.
I like Quicken. I used to love MS Money more, but that's gone and mint wasn't doing it for me at the time and I haven't tried it since. Don't get the new version every year. Maybe every 4 years IF you feel the new features will help you.
Quicken works best if you have steady income, but if you have income that fluctuates due to hours or tips, you should just estimate a basic income that you typically get and you can always adjust upward for actual. Better to underestimate income. So now you have an estimate of money in.
Now, you need to take control of your bills and calculate money out. Personally, I pay most of my bills weekly so they can't sneak up on me. For example, I went to the electric company website and looked at my bills for the past year, added that up, and divided by 52. That's my weekly average energy spend. It goes up in summer and down in winter. Then, for one bill I paid it off, and then the following week, I had my bank start automatic payments of that weekly amount. This does three things. First, the bills don't surprise me all at once. Second, should anything happen, I'm a month ahead of my bills, so I have some time to think. Third, with the payments going automatically, I don't have to waste time paying bills or trying to figure out what needs to be paid. And your bank send it, so you can't forget, they track it, and you don't need a stamp (if you mail it to someone).
Remember that thing I mentioned about "12 months no interest" on a store card. Don't wait 12 months and get screwed. Again, take the amount, divide by 50, send that much to the card each week for 52 weeks. So if you need a new laptop, and it's going to cost $1,300, that might really hurt your budget. However, at $25 a week, it becomes easy to manage. That's like not eating out once.
I pay for everything possible with a credit card. I could try to figure out a budget, but I'm lazy, and my spending can go all over the place. However, with the card, I just estimate what I usually spend each week and have the bank auto-pay that. This also makes it easy to track the real money in my checking account in Quicken because the output is stabilized. Just like with the other bills. Also, I get cool points and stuff that I will later use for travel or whatever, and I pay no interest.
So, in Quicken, with your general income and spending put in, you can see what your money is doing over time. And you can see if your lifestyle is going to slowly drive you to being broke. When I first got my place and needed a roommate, the area sucked. However, I could see in quicken what the minimum that I needed to charge was in order for me to not go broke. My roommate paid less than a third of the total costs were, but I was at least financially stable for the time being. Now that the area is better, it's closer to them paying half.
Save money
So let's say that you're one of the lucky people that have excess money when you look at your plan. Don't plan how to spend it. I recommend opening another bank account, setting up a regular automatic transfer, and then acting like the money isn't there.
I started doing this when I was in the military and used to get blindsided by holiday shopping. I figured out that if I could put $25 a month into another account, I would have $300 at the end of the year for gifts. That's a big chunk of money when you're semi-broke and it hits you all at once. So having that in reserve was useful.
Again, using quicken, you can see what you can put aside without completely depleting your checking account.
Also, any pay raise you get, just don't increase your standard of living, and set that money aside. It will be a great emergency fund.
Buying stuff.
I was STUPID when I got out of the military. I lived in a place that was furnished when I was in, so when I got out and had money, I bought some nice furniture. I think I blew around $8K thanks to Raymour & Flanigan. It was basically Afghanistan deployment money. I bought a nice table, chairs, a mattress and some other stuff, all for way too much.
You know where you can also get some nice stuff? Craigslist, which is where I'm currently trying to sell that nice table for a lot less than I bought it for. $200 Ikea bed frames in very good condition are going for $50. $150 for a solid table and 4 chairs that someone else paid 800 for, and they may be in great condition.
Unless there is no way to get it cheaper, I don't by anything that's not on sale, and even then it's usually what I need.
There are some places where you usually don't want to go cheap, like shoes or a mattress, or tires if you own a car.
Buy things that will last but you don't need to do it all at once. You can always upgrade stuff later, but just make sure that you don't spend a lot on the placeholder stuff.
Eating
We all need food. And we all feel like there's no time. Cooking is not that hard. Yeah, you may screw up a recipe at first, but you will get better. Most meals you can make in 30 minutes, and if you want to get really efficient, you can do things like taking a day for weekly meal prep (I don't. I should but I haven't really gotten to it).
You can cook scrambled eggs like Gordon Ramsey in under 5 minutes. Your cost: 40 cents. The cost of a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich is maybe $1.25 if you do it yourself.
Buy cookbooks geared toward simplicity.
This was my first cookbook: Cooking Outside the Pizza Box. For many of us, it's aptly named. Other ones that I have and would recommend: Healthy Cooking for Two (or Just You) and Easy Menus for Dining In.
If you want to be really cheap, just go to http://allrecipes.com/ or some similar website.
I also invested in a good chef's knife (over $100), but a mediocre one for $30 will be okay, just realize that you will need to sharpen it a little more frequently (like every 3 months), so maybe invest in a whetstone and learn a skill. Sharp knives make cutting so much easier.. A dull knife means you use more force, and are more likely to cut yourself if it slips.
Most of your meals you can make for a fraction of the cost that you pay for it outside. Coffee is the easiest. Yes a coffee maker is pricey, but if you get one that has something like an automatic function, you can get one that you can set up to make you coffee in the morning so you can save time on your prep.
Something like this and a thermos will be invaluable.
Hanging out with friends
I like to be social. Unfortunately, there are few places in NYC that you can hang out, and most of them serve food and drinks, and it's going to cost you. Bars are just convenient. Also, you can meet new people there.
However, if you or a friend have a nice space, maybe try hosting gatherings. You could even do a potluck. The drinks are cheaper, people can bring food, and if it's your place, when the night ends everyone leaves and you're right next to your bed.
Get a decent Japanese knife, and sharpen it often using one of [these] (http://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O).
Source: I have a few of them.
Edit: I should add that the knife in the link is carbon steel, which means it will rust very quickly if not properly taken care of, especially when cutting any acidic vegetables. Not wiping the knife after cutting a lemon will make it rust in a few minutes. Of course it can all be fixed with one of these, a necessity if you own a carbon steel knife.
I spent nearly 20 years as a cook-then-sous-then-exec in fine dining kitchens. I've bought cheap knives, and I've bought expensive knives. I finally found my sweet spot split between Misono Swedish Carbon and Misono UX10s. I have a few different styles of knives in each, and they each have their ups and downs. The downside to either of those is that they're not exactly cheap (but you can spend way more if you're so inclined).
On the cheap side of things, this series of knives form Victorinox is probably the best value out there. For a home cook, these are absolutely bifl, but they're not exactly sexy.
My recommendation when anyone asks me a question like this is to go for the Mac Professional Series. They're fancy enough to be a little special, but not so special that you're afraid to use them. Full disclosure, I still use a Chef Series Mac 5.5" utility knife. In a professional kitchen, your utility knife gets so much more use than you'd imagine, so having a cheap one without the bolster is nice in case someone drops it in the fryer and kills the temper, or kicks it under the dish station etc. For home, I'd get the nice (pro series) version.
Anyway, for a first investment in nice knives, I'd go for an 8" chef's knife, dimples or not, it makes no real difference, and a 5.5" utility knife. The second addition would be 10-12" carving knife. Of course, a serrated bread knife and a small paring knife are necessary, but that's where those Victorinox knives I linked above are perfect.
I'm sure the bifl crowd here will crucify me for recommending stainless, but unless you're using your knives every day for hours a day, it's way too easy to get lazy and you end up with pitting and rust on all those fancy carbon knives, and that makes you less likely to use them.
For sharpening, get a 1000/6000 grit whetstone. When I was cheffing for a living, I hit the 6000 every day, and the 1000 once a week. Now, I cook dinner maybe 4 times a week, and I hit the 6000 once a month, and the 1000 like once or twice a year. Keeping the knives in cases helps with this. Drawers will kill the edge. Youtube has plenty of tutorials on how to use a whetstone and keep everything straight.
As far as "sharpening" steels go, it's nice having one around if you're doing a ton of knife work and need a quick touch up, but slapping a knife on a steel is not the same as sharpening it, and if you let the edge get truly dull (by hitting the steel instead of sharpening it), you'll have a bear of a time getting the edge true again.
Anyway, if you buy something made by an ancient Japanese craftsman who's older than the volcano he forges in, sure, it'll be cool and have fancy wavy lines. If you buy garbage it'll be garbage. Whatever you do, just know that nothing screams recent culinary school graduate than a Shun santoku.
note: I've written "you" a bunch in here. It's less pretentious than saying "one may sharpen..." and less clumsy than referring to your partner at all times . I hope you'll forgive me.
edit: tl;dr get the Macs
No, fuck that advice. Get a stone and learn how to use it. Those knife sharpening devices are ass and any chef worth his salt will tell you that.
Here's a good stone.
For anyone looking to get into whetstone sharpening, just know that it's really not all that difficult.
A good starter stone is the Shapton Pro 1k which can be found on Amazon for just $36. It's a splash and go stone that doesn't require any soaking and it's a hard stone that doesn't dish fast.
While the 1k is a good starting point for any knife that isn't already a butter knife, the 320 grit would be necessary for turning that butter knife into a real knife again.
If you want something with more polish and a higher level of sharpness, the 5000 grit will offer a good deal of edge refinement without going too crazy. However, this is pretty much pointless for any knife under 60 HRC (a Wusthof is at 58 HRC which is pushing it) since that softer steel won't hold a 5k edge for very long at all.
These Kuromaku stones are real Shapton Pros, but those manufactured for the Japanese market. The versions for the western market have differently labeling printed on the stones, but are otherwise identical. Prices for Kuromaku Shaptons vary widly on Amazon so it's worth waiting for a deal, and only a few are actually available at these lower prices.
An even cheaper option is the King 1k/6k combination stone which is viable, but not something I usually recommend. It dishes fast, the 6k side is overkill for most home cooks, and from what I've heard using the stone isn't a particularly good experience.
If you would like to learn about sharpening in general, or how to do it, start here: https://www.reddit.com/r/chefknives/wiki/sharpening
And if you're looking for a knife or how to care for it, consider stopping by /r/chefknives!
Mine is 1000 grit on one side and 6000 grit on the other. This is stone I have and it will get any knife you have plenty sharp. It does take a while to get the technique down though, but it's well worth it once you do. I used youtube to teach myself how to do it correctly.
https://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480522993&sr=8-1&keywords=king+sharpening+stone
Professional Chef here.
First off, you really only need the chef knife. Butcher knife can do pretty much everything that the chef knife can do besides the detail work. It's going to come down to preference.
Second, BIFL quality of a knife is going to depend on what you're using it for. If you're just using a chef knife for your everyday knife in your own personal kitchen, then it could potentially last you for the rest of your life. If you're using it for commercial purposes then it's only going to last as long as 3-10 years depending on the quality of the knife due to sharpening.
Third, as for sharpening is concerned depending on what kind of metal you are working with and how often you use the knife, you're probably going to need to sharpen every month-3 months. I work in a commercial kitchen and I sharpen my knife every week at least, sometimes twice a week.
Most people will tell you that something like this works just fine for sharpening your knife, but I find that they don't hold an edge for very long and the quality of the edge is sub par. Personally I use this and it gets me a RAZOR sharp edge every time. If you can shave your arm with one pass then you did it right. Just watch some youtube videos on how to sharpen a knife using wet stones and you'll be a pro in no time.
Keep your knives sharp! A sharp knife may cut you easier, but it is safer than a dull knife. The reason being is the amount of PRESSURE you apply to the object your cutting. A sharp knife will give little resistance and wont need as much pressure as a dull knife. So if you do cut yourself it will be with very little pressure as opposed to SMASHING a dull knife into your flesh. It's a bad time, trust me.
Anyway, stay stafe, have fun, and enjoy your knives.
I recommend going slow with hand tools. Buy them one or two at a time, and then learn to use, sharpen, and care for those before buying more. This will help you get the best stuff for you while spending as little as possible. Let your projects guide your tool purchases.
Amazon isn't a great place to buy hand tools. Most people shop at either Lee Valley, Lie-Nielsen, or eBay for planes, chisels, saws, rasps, etc. That said, there's a surprising amount of stuff you'll need that's not the tools themselves. Personally, I wouldn't want to saddle myself with an inferior tool just to use a gift certificate.
Anyways. Stuff you SHOULD buy on amazon:
Hand Tools
Clamps
Measuring/Marking
Sharpening Gear
Consumables
Safety Gear
I use this one.
You're new to the industry, and new to cooking. Quite frankly, your skills are at the point where you won't really have a huge preference one way or the other, and you won't perform any differently with a 50 dollars knife versus a 5000 dollar knife. Similarly, fancy whetstones, glass stones, sharpening systems, etc won't make a difference either.
Right now, get the basics. Good solid stuff that's relatively cheap so that you can figure out what you like, and don't like. You have 1300-1500 to spend-- Good. Save it for now. Industry doesn't pay much. Here's the basics to start you out that has the best bang for buck, and gives you some different styles and feels to try out, so that you can figure out what you'll eventually enjoy the most. If you want more information on any of the knives, let me know.
https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS
This is a knife that's full tang, VG-10 steel(same as Shun), and has decent heat treat. Western style handle, with a westernized santoku Japanese style blade. At 60 bucks, it's a steal.
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-45520-Frustration-Packaging/dp/B008M5U1C2
Ubiquitous western style knife. Steel is the same as the more expensive Wustofs, Mercers, and anything that claims to use "German Stainless Steel". It's all x50crmov15, with slightly different heat treats. Victorinox does it right.
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/kohawagy21.html
HAP40 high speed tool steel. This is the high tech stuff used in blade competitions. Japanese style handle, maintains a really sharp edge for a really long time. A little more expensive, but that kind of steel for that price is really, really worth it.
https://www.amazon.com/Winco-Chinese-Cleaver-Wooden-Handle/dp/B001CDVXUK/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485154695&sr=1-7&keywords=cleaver
Look, a cleaver's a cleaver. You don't need fancy steels or anything-- You just need a whole lotta force behind a whole lotta steel. Hone and sharpen often, and this'll do great for you.
Speaking of cleavers, though...
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/cckcleaver2.html
Chinese cleavers are awesome. They're not actually cleavers though, don't use them on bones and the like-- They're the Chinese version of the all purpose chef knife or gyuto knife. Chinese chefs are expected to be able to do everything with this knife, from fileting to tourne to peeling to chopping to brunoise, so they're actually quite versatile. Speaking of which-- This also fills in for the Japanese Nakiri role. Tons of fun to use.
https://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485154779&sr=1-1&keywords=king+1000+6000
This is a fantastic stone, one that Master Bladesmith Murray Carter uses. I ran a knife sharpening service, and this is the one I used for most knives as well. Since you won't have to deal with weird recurves and tantos and nightmare grinds and the like that can show up on folding knives, this will serve you very well.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004WFU8/ref=twister_B010SQ9IXK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
This is in case you get some gnarly chips on any knives. This'll get it out quick and easy. Bonus-- Use it to flatten and maintain your King stone. This and the King stone is all you really need for sharpening. You can easily get a shaving edge with it.
Besides those, stick with what you got in the Mercer kit for the specialty knives. You really don't need fancy versions of those. You also really don't need a serrated utility knife at all. In the professional kitchen, the three knives that saw the most work were the overall chef knife(even for fileting and some light butchering), the 4 dollar Victorinox paring knife(quick and easy to sharpen), and the Mercer tourne knife.
Buying all this will amount to 431.31, giving you a combination sharpening stone, a flattening/reprofiling stone, and 5 fun knives of all different kinds to play with, at a fraction of the cost. You'll notice I didn't put any Super Blue or White #1 steels in there-- That's because A) They're more difficult to take care of, and B) They're really overpriced for what they are, simply because their "japanese" moniker makes people think they're super laser swords from a land of secret steels(they're not). The HAP40 steel beats these steels in pretty much every category.
Hope you found it helpful! Have fun with whatever you decide to choose.
Start by carefully inspecting the sharpener. Then take it off of your keychain. Lastly you can toss it into the trashcan and go onto Amazon for a whetstone like this combination 1000/6000 grit waterstone. Make sure to do a bit of research on sharpening technique as well.
Those pull-through sharpeners remove an excess of metal and provide a subpar edge.
Amazon has a stone for 30 bucks. It's perfect. It comes with a stand and a case, is great for sharpening both western and Japanese steel, looks beautiful and doesn't break the bank. The brand is called a king stone or something like that. It stands up really well to professional use. My sous even dropped his and one side cracked in half but it still works beautifully.
http://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O
Alright I'll bite. Hand tool shop
Narex Chisels 48.99
stanley Jack plane 59.99
stanley Smoother 45.00
Stanley low angle Block plane 31.25
HF combo square 6.99
HF Mallet 5.99
Stanley jointer 150
Sharpening stone (water) 33
Panel saw 1 (cross) 19.50
Panel saw 2 (rip) 16.99
Marking gage 20
Dovetail saw 26.82
Vise 26.46
marking knife 9
Total cost so far: 500.97
shipping from ebay depends on where you are but shouldn't be more than $60 so we factor that in:
560.97
build your own bench (not going to take the time to go into details but it shouldn't cost more than $500 for materials
so now you have
999.03 left to get whever else you want (more marking gages? switch some of the above for better stuff? spoke shave? cabinet scraper? router plane? brace and bit?)
You could get better prices for the ebay stuff above if you were patient that's just what's out there right now. the above is more than enough to do 90% of handtool projects though. Just watch those compound curves ;)
For your money, there's nothing better to start with than a King 1k/6k combo stone. I personally hate long soaking stones (splash and go is the way to do it imo), but it has fantastic feedback and lets you practice/develop your muscle memory on the cheap.
I think the general consensus on those sharpeners is that they don't work really well. From other knife sharpening posts, the products I've heard most about are the swing arm type of sharpeners, like this, stationary angled sharpening stones like this or getting fancy whetstones, like this.
Don't waste time with those sharpening systems. Buy two good quality whetstones, a 1000 grit and a 6000 grit and learn to use them. It's not difficult and the result is so much better. While not the best around, this is a really good start and even cheaper than the Lansky system.
For $120 and two knives, there is the omnipresent starter option - the Tojiro DP line.
I'd start with the gyuto or the santoku. They overlap for the larger tasks and its really more preference on the shape. They both are too thin and the steel is too brittle to cut bones or hard vegetables (pumpkin/squash) with (which your Wusthof can take care of) but will go through veg and protein pretty easily.
Then you have budget left over for the petty, which is kind of like a long thin paring knife. Good for smaller tasks or things that need delicate tip work.
you might even have some budget left over to pick up a stone. This is a popular beginner option.
Edit: The other option is MAC knives. Same shapes apply
waterstones for sharpening and a honing rod for western knives (guessing that's what you have).
Something cheap but good for value like a King 1k/6k to get you going first.
Once you get better, you can always upgrade to nicer stones like Shapton, Naniwa, Suehiro, etc.
I use Japanese knives so I don't have a honing rod and can't recommend you one.
​
Gist of it
Soak stone 10 mins
Start 1k grit side, run each side 5 - 10 times (look up what a burr is)
Start 6k grit side, run each side 5 - 10 times (polishing)
optional - you can also strop it to make it sharper using newspaper, cardboard, leather
hone the knife (5-10 passes) end of every week after use
​
There are really good playlists like Korin or JKI but they can get pretty serious, detailed and sometimes overwhelming.
I like to watch Burrfection where it's more casual content.
I would recommend a diamond stone over a traditional waterstone. They cost more money, but they cut faster, don't require water, are less messy and they never have to be flattened like waterstones.
DMT is a very good brand and comes in many different sizes and grits. I own this one and it makes for a very good general purpose sharpening stone.. It's double sided with coarse and fine sides. Unless you're sharpening knives daily it should last decades, if not the rest of your life.
If you're on a tighter budget I would recommend this traditional waterstone. It's basically the traditional version of the diamond stone I linked. This is the stone I started out with, but I hardly use if anymore after getting my DMT.
This is exactly what you are NOT looking for but I'll say it anyway... just to hear myself talk:
I just bought a Whetstone from amazon and am amazed how easy it is with the right equipment. I was using a diamond stone and gave up. This was cheap and I get a perfect edge in minutes. The edge lasts longer than using the diamond. Don't forget to use a steel everytime you use the knife anyway.
https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Sharpening-Stone-Whetstone-Combination/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1496761905&sr=8-4&keywords=wet+stones+for+sharpening+knives
You need a honing rod for a German steel knife like this. The one thing to watch out for though, and which is why you usually by a branded honing rod is that you need the steel of the rod to be harder than the knife. There are lots of cheap shitty honing rods out there with steel that's softer than the knife. You could throw on a King 1k/6k combination whetstone for any real sharpening needs. You really don't need anything lower than 1k grit unless you're regularly sharpening up a knife/cleaver that's going through a lot of bones or the aforementioned coconuts and gets serious edge damage often.
This is a link to the whetstone:
https://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473210353&sr=8-1&keywords=whetstone
In terms of honing versus sharpening:
Even though the knife's edge looks smooth, it is in fact a ton of micro-sized teeth (think of a serrated knife, but with teeth that are muuuch smaller). As you cut, sometimes the teeth will become misaligned -- that is, instead of them all being pointed in the same, specific direction and angle, they might start "bending" or "blunting." When you hone the edge of a knife, you straighten out these teeth and realign them in one direction. Boom, it's cutting more smoothly now.
But sometimes, instead of the teeth simply bending in a different direction, the tip of the tooth might get chipped or broken due to use. Think of a sharp pencil tip that has accidentally snapped. Not so good at writing in a sharp line -- and the knife is not so good at cutting cleanly (it will blunt foods instead). At this point, you need to sharpen the knife by shaving off bits of steel, as you would the lead and wood from a pencil. Once it's sharpened, and you've scrapped off a microscopic thin layer of steel, the knife's teeth are all sharp and ready to go again.
Edit: And a link to a machine knife sharpener https://www.amazon.com/KitchenIQ-50009-Stage-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B001CQTLJM/ref=zg_bs_289867_1
Just buy a Japanese waterstone. They're really easy to use, and will sharpen anything to a razor edge. You don't need any kind of stand, just put it on a wet towel. 'King' brand are really good:
http://www.amazon.com/King-47506-1000-Combination-Waterstone/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1409343939&sr=8-3&keywords=waterstone
Hey dude.
First of all, congratulations on picking up a good nakiri. Tojiro's whole line of knives and cleavers are solid as hell and a great bang for your buck. The first knife I ever picked up for my wife when she started working in restaurants was a Tojiro, and it still gets used all the time.
If I were you, I'd do as /u/mangoforfeit said and get a King Stone. They're under $30 on Amazon right now, which is a steal, and it'll be all you need for a while.
I don't know who put the idea that using "German" vs "Japanese" steel on a stone is going to make a difference, but it won't. You can sharpen low HRC steel on the same stones you sharpen high HRC steel, but the higher the hardness of the blade, the longer it'll take you. I have an Aritsugu gyuto that I sharpen once a week, and that shit is a fucking work out 65 HRC and 11 inches. For that one, I go 1000 grit, 3000 grit, and then 6000 grit.
Korin has a great video series on how to use whetstones. If you want to practice before you start trying to get the angles right on your real knives, that's fine. But bear in mind that sharpening is a process, and you're not going to fuck up one of your knives with one or two errant strokes.
Basically, buy the stones, watch a few videos, and then get to it.
Shapton stones are awesome but expensive. Check out this brand King Two Sided Sharpening Stone with Base - #1000 & #6000 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_PP19ub0HEMA24
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_PP19ub0HEMA24
I have a Suisin 10.5" High-Carbon Steel Gyotou and a 5.9" Petty from the same line. I use a very basic 2-sided King Stone, and it sharpens soooooooo easily. High carbon steel, to be fair, sharpens way easier than stainless. It also holds an edge pretty damn well for how easy it is to get them so sharp!
I usually use Nano-Oil but on some knives (ones that will be used on food) I just use mineral oil.
Check this and this out, a good progression of grits for less than $100 and they are good stones, not absolute top of the line but certainly useable and serviceable.
Here ya go. My understanding is that for all intents and purposes, a stone is a stone. A better quality one may be more durable but won't necessarily hone a blade better than a cheap one.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Japanese-whetstone-Combination-Grit-1000/dp/B001DT1X9O
Stones jki or king 1000/6000 double. Like this. https://www.amazon.com/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=king+1000%2F6000+whetstone&qid=1574593937&sprefix=king+1000&sr=8-3
Can’t really get a good knife for 50$. They really start at 80min. But he can improve his existing stock immensely and learn how to care for better knives before purchasing
The only piece of equipment you need is a dual side wet stone with a medium grit on one side and high grit on the other. Stone sharpening has a bit of a learning curve, but it is an indispensable skill to acquire if you plan on keeping up with knives in general.
Edit: A bit down the line you'll want to invest in a flattening stone or something of the like to help keep your stone from dishing with use.
Thanks for the response!
I know cheaper knives can last a long time and it isn't necessary to spend so much (especially when you aren't working in a restaurant). It's something I really enjoy and have a strong interest in though! I was looking at wet-stones like this, but if that isn't the right style would love the feedback!
Thank you for the links as well!
EDIT: Formatting error
Don't bother. 1000/6000 double sided is cheaper on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Sharpening-Stone-Whetstone-Combination/dp/B001DT1X9O
...and you won't have to wait a month or more to get it.
I would say the go-to beginner stone that is recommended is the King 1k/6k.
Not the best stone in the world, but it's cheap and does a decent job. If you end up enjoying sharpening you will upgrade before too long, but as a utility this guy does fine.
Sure you can send them off to shun, but then you are without your knives for a few days. And realistically, after a month of use without sharpening, any knife is going to be less than spectacular.
Does this help?
What's a good basic setup for sharpening/maintaining kitchen knives? I've seen a couple recommendations for the king 1000/6000; are there other options I should be aware of?
This. For sharpening stones, buy a 1k and 6k stone, brand isn't a super big factor. King is apparently pretty good, but I use nawima or something. Edit: These stones.
What size is your whetstone and how did you modify it? I bought a King 1000/6000 stone, this is the one. If our stones are the same size (haha, just realized how that sounded), can you share your modified file?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT1X9O/
A 1000/6000 King stone could be an awesome option.
These are great for beginners and made in Japan.
Could also get him an angle guide to practice until he learns how to sharpen freehand.
There's a king 1000/6000 stone on amazon for $45 that would work well.
http://www.amazon.com/King-47506-1000-Combination-Waterstone/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407216065&sr=8-1&keywords=king+1000+6000
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001DT1X9O
This is the stone I've used, recommended in the wiki for this sub (which you should read as well)
I have a King water stone, and have used it to put new edges on blades that have been neglected for years. IMO once you have the right tools, technique is where you should be spending your time. You might want to take a look a Global's knife sharpening technique video. The technique in the video tends to work best on knives with relatively flat blade profiles (Global makes Japanese knives), but I've adapted it to work with my western knives relatively easily.
Edit: Wow, downvotes? Great job people
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001DT1X9O?vs=1
This is the whet stone you want. The 1000 grit is rough enough to significantly shape your knife while the 6000 grit is easily fine enough to give you that perfect edge.
Maintain the edge with a ceramic honer. I bought this one cheap on amazon and it works fantastically
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000B8FW0O/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1449894385&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=ceramic+honing+rod&dpPl=1&dpID=210frq6ZrKL&ref=plSrch
These are what I use, I've got the 400, 1000, 5000
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/superstones.html
If those are too expensive Amazon has a pretty decent 1000/6000 stone for beginners
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001DT1X9O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1418823082&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40
https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/collections/stone-sets-and-combo-stones/products/king-1000-6000-combo-stone
https://www.amazon.com/d/Sharpening-Stones/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/B001DT1X9O
Hey I was wondering if you can clarify why these 2 same stones are priced differently and if the Amazon one is fake.
The amazon one says to soak the stone for 2 min on 1000 grit side and spash water on the finishing stone. The JKI one says to soak for 15 minutes before use.
I'm getting mixed answers on how often I should sharpen a knife. How often should one sharpen a knife if they only cook for themselves 2 meals a day?
Thanks man!
Here's the link to the best seller on Amazon
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B001DT1X9O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473204965&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=whetstone&dpPl=1&dpID=31Qk1WY1gnL&ref=plSrch
I really like this one. It's the best I've had and it works great. It's a water stone, so don't use oils on it!
Do you know what they currently have at all?
A really coarse stone with another side for finishing on would be this - useful for fixing chipped blades and overall getting a very sharp edge. It's diamond so it does not need maintained. It's quite heavy so it can be set down on something and used anywhere with a splash of water, or even without water. But better with..sorry it exceeds your budget a bit. It was 7$ cheaper a few months ago: Sk11-sided Diamond Whetstone # 150 / # 600 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EIE8LC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_K765Ab44NE259
A good at home stone in your price range would be this one, you have to soak it in water for 5-20min before using (each time, until it stops bubbling in the water) but it's a great stone that is widely used: KING KW65 1000/6000 Grit Combination Whetstone with Plastic Base https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_n565AbSFCV7EG
Anything 'bearmoo' or 'sharp pebble' or anything looking like those ones honestly is not going to be enjoyable or comparable in quality to the above.
Another great stone worth mentioning: Shapton Ha No Kuromaku Ceramic Whetstone Medium Grit #1000 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TPFT0G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_o-65AbB1PMZ8B
If they already have some bench stones, maybe they can use a holder - super useful!: POWERTEC 71013 Sharpening Stone Holder, 5-1/2-Inch to 9-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NFB2MTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_h.65AbP2HAJ5W
Get yourself a King 1000/6000 stone. and a King 300 stone these are pretty much considered some of the best bang for your buck out there and will give you everything you need in whetstones.
Junk, junk, junk and junk. This one from the page doesn't suck.
https://www.amazon.com/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=pd_sbs_79_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001DT1X9O&pd_rd_r=RWVXF0N46TA78NWWX6Q5&pd_rd_w=eKRiY&pd_rd_wg=K0lOu&psc=1&refRID=RWVXF0N46TA78NWWX6Q5
So, it's not hard for a knife to be BIFL. In fact, I have some $10 knives that probably are. What you pay for with a knife is edge quality, geometry, balance, and handle. In a lot of ways, having something to sharpen said knives with is the most important thing, as otherwise your knives will inevitably end up just as dull as your grandmother's.
How much time and effort are you interested in putting into your knives? There are a variety of options. Purists tend to prefer a sharpening stone, as it offers the greatest control. If you want to nerd about your knives, this allows you to control the edge angle and exactly how much material you remove from the knife. It's also the hardest though, and the one you're most likely to slack off from. The Lansky System offers nearly as much control and greater ease of use, and many people like this option.
If you know that both of those options are realistically not going to happen, get a pull through. It'll take a bit more metal from the edge when you sharpen it, but it's worth it if it's what you'll use. I got my parents one, actually. If you get a Western knife, you can pretty much get any pull through. If you get at least one Asian knife, get this pull through so that you can control the angle, as Asian knives are generally sharpened to a more acute angle.
As for knives? You can get really nice ones like Tojiro and Shun, you can get well reviewed ones like Victorinox, and as long as you don't get the super cheapo micro serrated knives, you'll probably be fine. I've got some Tramontina knives from Costco that are quite reasonable, and some Kom Kom knives which I adore and which are stupid cheap. Don't stick wood handled knives in the dishwasher (in general, the dishwasher dulls knives, but it also really is not kind to wood handles), and full tang knives are much better when you're talking wood handles, because they add extra stability.
Don't bother spending a ton of money on bread knives: they're incredibly difficult to sharpen, so it's really not worth it.
Typically you store planes either on their side or just make a little shelf with a lip at the back so that when you set it down the back of the plane is raised up a bit keeping the blade from contacting the shelf.
A simple honing guide, a combination stone, and a basic strop is all you really need to sharpen plane irons. You can use sandpaper instead of the stone if you are really on a budget, but a decent combo stone is worth having in the shop. You can spend hundreds of dollars on diamond stones, higher end waterstones, sharpening jigs, grinder wheels, etc, but with proper technique, a bit of practice, and about 10 minutes work improving the honing guide the 3 items above will get any plane iron or chisel razor sharp. Grinder is mostly used for lathe tools and to speed up major regrinding or damage repair in a wood shop.
Here's a video on how to properly sharpen a plane iron with the guide.
I like to apply paste wax to the sole and other exposed steel surfaces of my planes (and most other tools in the shop) to prevent rust. I like johnson's paste wax.
Get yourself a whetstone
Would something like this King whetstone be good enough to get shaving sharp? I was thinking about getting it but then I read reviews for the sharpmaker and now I'm conflicted.
Detrimental propably not but they are mostly much softer than even the king stones and the 6k rating is closer to 2-3k.
You will propably be better of even with a single ~1k stone or another king.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Naniwa-Sharpening-Stone-System-Multicoloured/dp/B000Z2P3IC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1540570772&sr=8-4&keywords=naniwa
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0016VE6D4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1_1_1?smid=A3I6JEDMMCCBQE&psc=1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001DT1X9O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1_1_1?smid=A2X6P1DRYHU8NR&psc=1
Congrats on getting a new knife! Regarding sharpening it, it depends on your budget mostly among some other factors.
At the entry level, https://www.amazon.com/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O/ is a classic advisement. Very affordable at $25, and great to practice technique with (use less fancy knives the first few times!).
Moving up a little bit, a 1000/6000 stone should still work fine, and i'd consider the Cerax or Imanishi https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ce1kcost.html and https://www.chefknivestogo.com/imtwosi1kst.html. These are $55-65.
From one of those stones, i'd expand up and down a little bit, if you want to reshape or fix gouges, grab the lower grit stone first, if you want to further polish, grab the high grit. Take a look in the Shapton Kuromaku series, which for a Gyuto they recommend the 220 Moss, 1500 Blue and 12000 Yellow. they can all be bought via this Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Shapton-Sharpening-Ceramic-whetstone-wirepuller/dp/B002LW76OS The full set of the 3 would be a bit under $150 before tax/shipping.
At the high end, is Shapton Glass, Choosera or Naniwa stones but i'd advise against spending $300+ on a set of stones right now if you don't have much experience.
An inexpensive stone or two will be worth a shot. There is a lot of evidence that shows its not about the stone but the technique. Without knowing what the local shop by you sells, or the current condition of knives you are using, I typically recommend 3000 and 6000 for a two stone set. That is enough to set a bevel (with a lot of time and energy) and enough to polish most knives. Throw a 1000 grit stone and you would be set.
That being said, you can get more consistently good results easier with higher quality stones. I would recommend the combo king stone. They are around $25 and hit the mark in terms of quality and price. A lot of experienced sharpeners recommend king, Murry Carter being the biggest proponent. With whatever stone you get, remember, it's about angle and pressure. Keep both consistent and proper for the tool and steel you are using.
p.s. you don't 'need' any accessories. but like every hobby, people love them.
edit: the ps
okay, so... as far as cheap sharpening goes, stay away from pull thru sharpeners they give a mediocre edge and take years off the steel.
a cheap-ish way is to get a stone but learning to free hand sharpen is a pain and can take years to truly get the hang of. also chosing grits and a good stone that wont crumble and scratch the shit out of your knife.
you can get a lansky for 35-40$
or you can get a spyderco sharpmaker for 50-60$
i use one of these for rough stuff, really bad edges and reprofiling. i would recommend this because if you arent going to be sharpening often and dont need a razor edge itll be fine.
a good strop can get expensive but honestly you can just pick one for 15-20$ and some buffing compound for 3-10$
you can also use one of these to get a mirror edge, closer to finishing, freehand sharpening again has a larger learning curve, practice on a crappy knife. seriously. you will fuck up at first. you should see my first knife, gross...
if you decide in the freedom of freehand sharpening, check out atomedges guide in the sidebar. pretty helpful.
Of course man! This is a very helpful sub, so keep coming back for help if you need on your knife journey whether it be sharpening or other suggestions.
And if you have the want, and know you’re gonna get something in the future anyways, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a new one! You’d definitely have every right lol... Just imo proper care comes first. You don’t want to sharpen it yourself before you know how because you don’t want to scuff or scratch it, but at the same time it’s pretty much impossible to ruin a knife beyond repair...
As for whetstones, you have a couple options. The King 1k/6k is probably one of the most popular and recommended, but I would recommend spending a bit more and going with the Imanishi combo 1k/6k. I think it’s a much better stone and I can more comfortably sharpen any of my knives, whether it be my cheap Tojiro DP, “hard to sharpen” Misono UX10, or some carbon knives. People have said the King is “slow and sloppy” and doesn’t work as well on higher end steels. Never used one, but I love my Imanishi. You should be able to sharpen anything to arm-hair-shaving sharpness with that.
You can also guy with a solo 1k, as 1,000 grit is really all you need to keep your knives sharp... This would obviously open a lot more doors as well. I love my splash and go Shapton pro, very good stone that you would have good use for when you upgraded and got better with other stones. Instead of listing off a bunch of 1k stones, I’ll leave it with just the one and you can let me know if you have other questions. I’d suggest going with the combo still.
This will do everything you need from sharpening to repair work, also will never need flattening and has a 10 year warrenty
https://www.amazon.ca/DMT-D6FC-6-Inch-Dia-Sharp-Double-Sided/dp/B000GD8WHY/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1511205763&sr=8-15&keywords=DMT+diamond+stone
If your looking for something a little cheaper this works great
https://www.amazon.ca/King-47506-Combination-Waterstone-japan/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511205917&sr=8-1&keywords=sharpening+stone
Alternatively agian you could also get replacement stones for the edge pro knife sharpening system they are going to be even cheaper and still work very well. BUT They are small 1 inch by 6 inches or about 2.5 x 15cm in non freedom units
Gyuto / Chef's Knife (210mm-270mm)
Splurge - Gessin Ginga - Japanese Knife Imports
http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/kitchen-knives-13/kitchen-knives/gesshin-ginga/gesshin-ginga-240mm-white-2-wa-gyuto.html
Wa Handle - Gessin Uraku - Japanese Knife Imports
http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/kitchen-knives-13/kitchen-knives/gesshin-uraku/gesshin-uraku-240mm-stainless-wa-gyuto.html
Western Handles (Asymetric) - Fujiwara
http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/FKMSeries.html#FKM
Western Handle (Carbon Steel) Hiromoto AS
http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/TenmiJyurakuSeries.html
Western Handles - CarboNext
http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/KAGAYAKICarboNextSeries.html
Petty / Utility Knife (140-210mm)
Wa Handle - Zakuri
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/zabl1pe15.html
Western Handle (Stainless) - Tojiro DP
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/todppe12.html
Western Handle (Single Bevel Carbon) - Misono Swedish
http://korin.com/Misono-Swedish-Carbon-Steel-Petty
Tiny Petty Wa-Handle - Masakage
http://shop.knifewear.com/masakage-yuki-ko-bunka-130mm/dp/1371
Other Knives / Fun Stuff
Chinese Cleaver (Veggies) - http://www.chefknivestogo.com/cckcleaver2.html
Take a look at some Suji slicers as well
Stones / Hones
King 1000/6000 combo stone
http://www.amazon.com/King-47506-1000-Combination-Waterstone/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410201558&sr=8-1&keywords=king+1000%2F6000
What do you think of this? It's only a little more than the stones you suggested, it's finer and free 2 day shipping (aliexpress wants $6 for shipping). I'd still get the pastes you linked.
I already one this set
Look at the bigger picture.
Do you also have a big enough end-grain cutting board in good condition? Cutting on a crap surface will more quickly dull the blade, no matter the quality or properties of the knife.
Do you have a sharpening setup? When you're looking at very hard knives (HRC60+) those steel honing rods won't be nearly as effective. Look into sharpening stones, not motorized or "pull through" sharpeners. The King 1000/6000 for around $30 is a popular choice. There are 100's of videos on youtube to learn how to use it if you're unfamiliar.
Where are you going to store this knife? Do you have a block, magnetic strip, or does it need a case/sheath if you're putting it in a drawer?
I think a good budget entry would be sandpaper on a marble tile for rough stuff (e.g. 320 grit to establish a bevel) and then a combination water stone. Finish with a leather strop with compound. If you can scrounge a very flat tile and a scrap of leather and scrap of wood, that whole setup is $40. You should only need to break out the sandpaper occasionally. Your regular resharpening would be a few strokes at 1000 grit, a few more at 6000 grit, and a few on the strop. (Use the sandpaper-on-marble to flatten the waterstone occasionally.)
That waterstone won't last you forever, but it will be a good cheap introduction. And it's 2.5" wide, so plane irons are easier.
Okay here's my suggestion. You can get the King 1k6k Combo off Amazon. This is not the best stone (without bogging you down with details) but it does the trick just fine and is a small investment to take care of sharpening needs. Now for the knife; I like this guy from JKI. It's fully stainless, comes with a saya (great for storage or travel), and the handle is a little different than most knives you're probably used to so will make it easy to recognize at home or if she takes it anywhere.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001DT1X9O/ref=s9u_simh_gw_i1?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001DT1X9O&pd_rd_r=R44ZXWX7MFVVPYQ97801&pd_rd_w=r40fT&pd_rd_wg=P4kld&pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=SD3WKM8WHE2DWJSH4182&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=b06971ce-9992-44c1-9ee0-eb9792e71b5e&pf_rd_i=desktop is this the one??
Is this a good choice?
https://www.amazon.com/d/Sharpening-Stones/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/B001DT1X9O
https://www.amazon.com/d/Sharpening-Stones/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/B001DT1X9O
I was thinking something like this. But I really need as low as 220 to repair that chip damage?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DT1X9O/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=japan0b2-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B001DT1X9O&linkId=67afd85ea9d2ec5af41ff7bba746357d
Edit: sorry for monsterlink
Whoops I knew that.
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B00NFB2MTI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A4XRJ8S0WXSO0&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B001DT1X9O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A3DVML5LANE1W2&psc=1
King's generic 1000/3000 dual stone is a great buy for the price. I had one that lasted for years before it was too dished/clogged to put an edge on anything. Then I needed a flattening stone to bring it back to fighting condition.
Though, if you have the spare cash, Kramer's waterstone set is amazing. You can get a very good edge with the King stones, but that Kramer set has a very different feel.
Also, you'll want a nagura (if you don't get the Kramer set that comes with one). A lot of the king stones offered on Amazon come with one. It's used to clean/condition the stone, flatten out smaller imperfections (over the heavy cleaning stone above), and make a slurry to really polish on your high grit stones.
Also Also, one shout out to Upon Leather on Amazon. I picked up a strop from them that is very good quality leather, with more polishing compound than I will ever need, and a no-shit handwritten thank you note in the box. Just need to mount it to a piece of scrap wood and you're good to go.
Ok so I have never seen a knife like this and a quick google search shows that knives like that are for dressing deer (specifically draining the blood before skinning etc). I have no experience in that area really so I can't really recommend anything. However using your example of chicken cutlets I would recommend one of these knives. They are called gyutos (which translates to cow-sword) and I use one for 95% of the cutting I need to do. I think it would be a better choice for chicken cutlets and some other butchering than that sticking knife imho. Tojiro or Fibrox The tojiro will stay sharper longer, but is more delicate and cannot be steeled or used to cut bone and the fibrox is tougher but will need to be steeled often and sharpened frequently. For either knife I recommend getting a sharpening stone like the King 1000/6000 combo stone and learning to sharpen. I know this isn't exactly what you were looking for but it is the best I've got. I have done much whole animal butchery where a knife like you mentioned would be used. Let me know if you have more questions.
I have a benchmade pocketknife (I think barrage 580) as well as a $50 Henkels chefs knife and I would like to be able to sharpen both of them. I was thinking of grabbing an 1000/6000 whetstone off of amazon to do so. Is that a good idea? I've never really tried my hand at sharpening with a stone before.
I have the Lansky 5 stone system and it has worked wonders for my kitchen knives. However, this system is frustrating to use with a chefs knife because of the blade length. I am looking to get into whetstones. I need something that will work well for not only chef knives but plane irons and chisels.
My price point is ~$100. So far my research has led me to a king combination stone and then a DMT course plate for major work and stone flattening. Does this sound like a good setup for my needs? Also, what is the difference between the King KDS and the King KW65?
I'm looking for some sharpening stones in Canada on a budget, I found this Japanese stone on Amazon, is it recommended or can I just get something from HomeHardware. On a student budget so price is a factor. Thanks!
Would you recommend this? http://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451504141
Paired with this? http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-8-Ceramic-Sharp-Stick/dp/B000B8FW0O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1451504260
I think Larry's set would be great for touching up a razor that has been already honed, with the bevel set. I feel that circles on a 1/4 norton stone with the 4K, followed by 8K will keep a razor in service for a long time (the so-called twice a year honing).
If you do this, be sure you maintain the geometry that was used to set the bevel by using the same number (or lack of) tape layer. If you don't you'll be in for a very long, confusing and frustrating hone session.
IMO, this is like a modern, improved version of a swatty hone.
I would not recommend shortened stones for restoring razors, or setting bevels. I say this because I feel a vintage razor needs the extra space for unusual strokes (rolling x is an example). Also, if you do more than a few restores, you will probably create some weird wear on the stone, limiting its functionality.
If you plan to get a few junker razor's bevel set, I love this hone by henkles. Also, this king comes highly recommended.
Haha np!
I've found these two models that seem to be right for my intended purposes:
https://www.amazon.ca/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1519951696&sr=1-1&keywords=king+stone
https://www.amazon.ca/BearMoo-Sharpening-Whetstone-Combination-Sharpener/dp/B01FXK7XF6/ref=sr_1_6?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1519951696&sr=1-6&keywords=king+stone
https://www.amazon.ca/Norton-614636855653-8-Inch-Combination-Oilstone/dp/B000XK5ZDY/ref=sr_1_5?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1519951656&sr=1-5&keywords=fine+india+stone&dpID=41epHsuXYbL&preST=_SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Any comments on them? Do you have any model suggestions for those budget diamond stones you have in your edit? I don't know much anything about whetstones so I'm not sure what to look for.
edit: I've heard people state that 8Cr steels are good with rough edges and others who polish as high as possible...
http://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O
This will handle most knife sharpening needs for anyone but the most discerning person.
yep the kw65, and KDS. Both are 1000/6000
https://www.amazon.com/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O
https://www.amazon.com/Fuji-Merchandise-K-032-STONE-Brown/dp/B0034YR016
Second king combo stone. There's 800/4000 and 1000/6000 for roughly $30 at amazon, former is slightly larger.
Flatten waterstones on drywall screen, it'll last much longer than sandpaper. For a flat reference you could use float glass or grab a straight edge and find the flattest granite tile in stock at a big box store. Cheaper flat reference is hit up a granite shop for sink cutout that's destined for the trash. Absolute cheapest method for flattening stones is skip drywall screen and use nearest cinderblock or sidewalk.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000248XEY/ref=psdc_553346_t3_B001DT1X9O
https://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=pd_bxgy_469_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=K0Y773G0NS34CDNXTKZD
https://www.amazon.com/3M-99436-Drywall-Sanding-220-Grit/dp/B000CP0QWU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1478494107&sr=8-3&keywords=drywall+screen
LINKS TO STONES:
2000/#5000 Kota Japan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079RB1X2N?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
3000/#8000 Kota Japan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01APVFFRG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
1000/#6000 King https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT1X9O?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Yeah I looked around, knifewearer seems great, they have $15 shipping to US and Canada. But I don't think they have the stones. D:
Unfortunate I wasn't able to find the stones anywhere.
Currently I'm looking at this, and this. I think these are the pretty much the same as the King 1000/6000 that you mentioned earlier, just with a 250/1000 and a 6000 separately.
I saw this one and was a bit confused when I found this, do you know why there's a price difference, or is it just how they're selling it?
In what ways specifically are the Norton stones inferior?
Do you think these King stones are a good alternative?
Are these actually King stones, and do you think these prices are reasonable?
Still quite bummed about that $41 shipping, that set looked perfect.
Thanks again
That is not a terrible starter, but you can find a better quality King comb stone.
https://www.amazon.com/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=whetstone+knife+sharpener+king&qid=1551396328&s=gateway&sr=8-5.
A Shapton 1500 can be had for around $40usd, & will produce a very fine edge & will not dish as quickly. I have sharpened half a dozen knives and there is no visible dishing. Plus it is a splash & go, no soaking needed.
https://www.amazon.com/Whetstone-Sharpening-Shapton-Ceramic-KUROMAKU/dp/B001TPJARE/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=shapton+1500&qid=1551396805&s=gateway&sr=8-1
The thing with that Pebble is the 1000 grit side will dish pretty easily and fast. We have one at work. One of my cooks bought it. It will produce a nice edge, and the 6000 side will polish pretty nicely. The base is actually pretty nice.
A whetstone sharpens by creating a slurry of abrasive material and water. Diamond sharpeners use the hardness of the manufactured stone to sharpen.
In my experience whetstones are far superior in sharpening, getting some good ones might bring you out of budget though, as they are about $30 for a 1000 grit and up to $80 for 6000 or 8000 grit.
They do sell two sided stones for about for $45 on Amazon
What are you going to use the #4 plane for? Planing without a solid workbench and vise/hold downs is a chore. Perhaps a block plane or even sandpaper would be enough to get you started?
Square - get the Irwin combo, it's accurate enough for casual use. https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-Combination-Square-Metal-Body-1794469/dp/B005XUHIBG
That stone is too coarse for woodworking tools. Either use sandpaper like others have suggested, or get the King 1000/6000 https://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O
I would argue that the chisels, while crappy, will make good sharpening practice. Or get the $5 Harbor Freight ones and sharpen them every 5 minutes - at least you'll become a sharpening expert fast.
If you're just beginning then you can get away with a 1000/6000 combo stone from King. They're like $30 on Amazon. If you're buying a new knife, then it's unlikely that you'll have any major chips to fix with a sub-1000 stone. The 1000 grit is fine to set the edge on a knife that you take care of.
At some point you'll want to add a low grit (and probably upgrade from that King stone), but for now I think you're better off getting a budget stone and learning how to use it. If you've never sharpened before you're probably gonna gouge the shit out of it at first...
From all the recommendations im getting im deciding between the king post above or the shapton 1000
​
Ha No Kuromaku by shapton
KING KW65 1000/6000 Grit
​
I'm a sharpening newbie. I bought a King 1000/6000 combination stone months ago. I've only used it twice since I bought it but so far so good. It's less than $50 CAD. https://www.amazon.ca/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_5?crid=13ZPKVBIYDWZ&keywords=king+1000+6000+whetstone&qid=1550542504&s=gateway&sprefix=king+1000%2Ctools%2C153&sr=8-5
If you talking kitchen knives, Sur la Table, https://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-504761/Shun+Whetstone+Grit
But you can get a similar stone on Amazon for half the price and straight from Japan, https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Sharpening-Stone-Whetstone-Combination/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1493870283&sr=8-2&keywords=Whetstone
would a stone like this work?
https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Sharpening-Stone-Whetstone-Combination/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1494560417&sr=1-3&keywords=6000+grit+stone
How often will I need to use the stone if I do not purchase a rod?
Bought this a few days ago. Gonna try it tomorrow but I heard its a staple.
https://www.amazon.ca/King-47506-Combination-Waterstone-japan/dp/B001DT1X9O
> Knife sharpening. I've tried searching this sub for knife sharpening suggestions and while the most common suggestion is to pay someone to do it once or twice a year, I've read horror stories and I'd like to learn myself either with a sharpening stone or a system made to guarantee the angle. Any suggestions here?
Lot of options here. You can find places that will do knife sharpening. There's one near me that's just a small storefront but they do work for local restaurants and regular Joe walk-ins for a flat rate of $6 a blade.
However, it's really pretty easy to get into doing your own sharpening. Can find decent starter stones on Amazon, for example, as well as good online tutorials that'll give you the process. From there it's just hands-on time.
Doesn't matter if you're not perfect the first time you do it - can always go back and put a better edge on a knife later when you get better at it. Probably most important thing is to know how to hold and maintain an angle - conveniently you can come up with good rules of thumb using trig. For a typical western angle of 22.5 degrees per side, you need to hold the spine up off the stone 3/8" per inch of blade height. For a more typical Japanese angle of 15 degrees it's 1/4" per inch of blade height. Just have to take a look at what that is with a ruler, then you can put your thumb up against it and find where you need to "lock in" and hold it.
I enjoy doing it myself, picked it up pretty quickly over the summer, and I'd say my knives tend to have a better-than-new edge on them. 1-2 times per year seems sufficient, maybe 3 - really depends on type of steel and use.
I just checked. It's still $28. I think you're looking at the one with the flattening stone for $48. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT1X9O/
I have a set of DMTs. They're OK. I've had em for about 4 years and the super fine is starting to wear out.
If I had to do it again I'd get this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DT1X9O/ref=s9_simh_gw_g469_i1_r?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=KJ3KHD9VSF4GC8R1K6DF&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=6aad23bd-3035-4a40-b691-0eefb1a18396&pf_rd_i=desktop ( I have the king 6000 grit and it's awesome)
As well as one of these: https://www.amazon.com/HTS-131A0-Double-Diamond-Sharpening/dp/B00U1T2ZVM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1474301532&sr=8-7&keywords=diamond+stone
The second one I realize is finer grit than a norton, but diamond stones with good lubrication tend to cut way faster than a norton stone.
Also, it will only set you back like $30 for the pair.
I've heard people say good things about these:
https://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O
1000 should be fine for maintenance.
https://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473635049&sr=8-1&keywords=king+whetstone
I personally use a bench grinder with a 120 grit aluminum oxide wheel, and a paper wheel for stropping, but if you're looking for something lower profile, you could use sandpaper taped into a countertop for lower grits, and a Whetstone like this for keeping them sharp
As for a strop, I would recommend looking for a local leather supplier. I bought a roll of vegetable tanned double butt leather that will probably last until I'm 60 years old for a reasonable price.
Then get some green honing compound from Amazon
All that said, I'm seriously looking at going old school, and swapping my bench grinder for a treadle powered grind stone
I have a Harbor Freight stone for getting my edge down
http://harborfreight.com/combination-sharpening-stone-7345.html
And this stone for finer sharpening
King Two Sided Sharpening Stone with Base - #1000 & #6000 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TKNoxbVETSYKV
Looking to buy a real sharpener for my cheap knives. Is this work sharp a good option to start with or should I go with a King stone that was recommended on a different thread
i dont want/need anything professional/industrial but i hear the pull through sharpeners are crap and frowned upon
edit - nevermind yall im reading the wiki
I've bought several things from Amazon for the shop, and they're just the sorts of things that /u/abnormal_human suggests; Woodcraft also sells through Amazon, so you can get some decent hand tools that way, but that's not really "amazon" per se. For a recent birthday my wife went a little nuts on my Amazon wishlist and I received two waterstones, a lapping plate, and this shoulder plane - very extravagant gifts.
Amazon is also a pretty good place to shop for some woodworking machinery if you want to buy new and especially if you happen to have Amazon prime; free delivery on a drill press or a band saw can be kind of a big deal. Those are on my "dream shop" wish list...not going to happen any time soon, but if I can't dream on the Internet...where can I?
Another neat thing that I didn't know about until recently is camelcamelcamel which is an amazon price tracker. Companies adjust their retail price on amazon all the time, and you can set thresholds at which you would like to be notified. For example, here is the price history for the drill press I linked above. Helps to see if it's a good time to buy, or if you should maybe wait.
Have fun!
I've only got a cheap (but I love it) santoku that I've had for years and have never sharpened because I've never had a stone. Besides that I've only got a set of Cuisnart knives in a block and using a steel wand for sharpening.
I've gotten into more experimental cooking and would like to get a good set of knives.
I'm looking at gyutou knives as my next one and my budget is what you see in the link. Amazon Prime Day sale brings this one down to $100 CAD (about 76 US). I'd like to stick with Amazon for this purchase, for 'reasons'.
thoughts and what kind of stone should I look for?
This is the stone it recommends with the knife.
https://www.amazon.ca/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O
That’s kind of a nasty scratch if it’s not a reflection so I don’t know how much luck you’ll have with that probably have to sandpaper/ dremel or something like that but just sharpening the edge I used a 400 grit Norton stone and a king 1000 Grit and 6000 grit combo it gave it a nice edge surprisingly.
KING KW65 1000/6000 Grit Combination Whetstone with Plastic Base https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_..QlDb54NE6TS
Despite owning over $300 worth of sharpening gadgets, it turns out that all I need to get a mirror edge is a king 1000/6000 whetstone and a DMT aligner clamp to use as a knife guide, no need for a strop or anything else
https://www.amazon.com/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O
https://www.amazon.com/DMT-ABG-Aligner-Blade-Guide/dp/B00004WFUR
Amazon has a few ceramic stones as well. There's this two sided one but I've never heard of King:
King Two Sided Sharpening Stone with Base - #1000 & #6000
They also have some Shaptons which I have seen mentioned on here, something like this:
Whetstone Sharpening stone SHAPTON Ceramic KUROMAKU #5000
Buy a 40$ water stone from amazon and follow this guide :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXMYoOp4IZw
http://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457284491&sr=8-1&keywords=water+stone
Do not send it to a sharpening shop.
Do not use a honing steel.
Do not use a hard cutting board.
That's about it.
edit:
Also, no dishwasher, always hand wash, never leave them dirty or wet, or they will rust. Do not scrape the food with the edge of the knife.