Chefknivestogo Forums

Flitz or Simichrome both work well for me.

I’d try a little Simichrome or Flitz polish - I use both for a wide range of spots, marks, stains on all kinds of metal products and they work well.
Tom

I find the hi-soft is not only easier on the knives but also seems to have a texture that holds the food and prevents it from wanting to slip/slide. And it is easy to put on top of my regular walnut board, then move to the sink to wipe it down well.
Tom

They don't work well on a Tojiro sink bridge without a shim of some sort, due to their thin profile.. And if you go the popsicle stick route, be sure you put one in the middle to prevent excessive flex of the glass backer. Personally, I would find a piece of thin plywood and cut a piece the size of ...

Wonder if they chop onions with a can opener?

In shipbuilding and other heavy industry, it used to be quite common to tap steel weldments, especially those with large plate surfaces, with a small hammer to check for possible laminations. There is a noticeable difference between sound steel and that with too many inclusions, impurities, holidays...

Mark - If this is your thought process while in the midst of a move, I suggest Sue find a few more things to keep you occupied!
Tom

I'm with Ken on the fish and ginger slices. And cutting carrots brunois is cool because it involves a variety of cuts and skills ...
Tom

As long as you remember that a knife is made for slicing, not chopping, none of the objects you mention should faze a sharp J-knife. In my experience, one of the greatest risks is not the material being cut, but the action taken after the blade has passed through and is in contact with the board; av...

Joe - As a guy who started out years ago with custom outdoor knives made via stock removal, I seldom saw the unevenness to which you refer. But since starting with Japanese kitchen knives a few years ago, I've come to realize that all the hand work leaves them only "more or less" flat when...

Nice post, Kit! Just to clarify a bit - your photo shows "shellac" but you refer to it as lacquer. They are two different products, with two different solvents, ventilation/safety issues, resistance to water, times to re-coat, etc. Polyurethane is yet a third option and I have deployed it ...

Ken - a fine job as always! I concur with the kasumi finish - any blue or other tones are far more likely caused by poor lighting and/or incorrect white balance settings. And I can tell you that no matter how good/poor my kasumi finishes may be, they all still go south as soon as I use the knife. Th...

I too was trying to understand the relationship between the Catholic Church and J-knives - Taxachusetts would be easier for those of us in NH to understand!
Tom

I commend "The Art of Japanese Sword Polishing" to your attention, if you really want to get a feel for all that is involved in arriving at the finish one desires. I have three Kono Fujis and work them across the stones almost parallel to the blade edge. From what I have seen in various vi...

Having spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out ways to "take it with me", I have finally accepted that it can't be done. So I USE ALL my knives, regardless of what was spent on them. I've never had the merchant mentality of "buying to sell"; I love fine tools for the cra...

As others have said, laying the blade flat sharpens and thins at the same time. I have two Takeda gyutos and found that both needed considerable thinning OOTB, especially around the tip area. And since I despise a kurouchi finish anyway, the fact that it is rapidly disappearing is a real plus! As I ...

I have two pieces of stainless-lined copper by Matfer Bourgeat - a 9-1/2" evassee and an 11" rondeau. I use them both all the time. They are not inexpensive nor are they lightweight; the heavier weight I love because they stay put on the stove when stirring, adding ingredients, etc. Their ...

If you are truly using 500 strokes on one knife, then my guess would be that you are varying the angle enough over that duration that everything you have achieved in the first 20-30 strokes gets undone, whether by fatigue or random or random chance. I can't think of any knife that I've ever sharpene...

I use an end-grain walnut board that sits permanently on my counter for quick meal prep, but have a hi-soft nearby for two reasons: 1) Protein; easier to take to the sink and wash throughly; or, 2) where I need/want to do lots of veg prep with Konos or some of my other thinner blades. The Hi-Soft is...

On topic, I have had no problems with PP over the last few years, both paying and collecting. Remember that the seller pays the PP fee - include it in your selling price.
Tom