Blade Finish on Kitchen Cutlery?

[Moxy]

 

[zzyzzogeton]

I've always preferred smooth/polished finishes on my kitchen knives. Just my preference/experience, but it seems to me that a knife "sticks" less or has less friction drag, especially when working "wet" foods.

I'll readily admit I may be wrong about less sticking, but that's the way it seems to me when I use them - "rough" finish knives seem to take more effort. Again, truth in advertising - most of my rough finish knives have been "really used" users, such as vintage Old Hickory knives that I rescue from garage/estate sales that I get in rusty conditions that I clean up, but do NOT return to a "slick as snot" factory finish. Sharp as I can get them, but not mirrored.

 

[Luis G.]

Jimping costs extra.



Many chefs and makers say that "wet" foods tend to stick to high-polish/mirror blades more than those with a slightly coarser finish. Any thoughts on that?

Regardless, this is all very interesting to me as a knifemaker... some of the more popular options are exactly what I expected, and some are a bit surprising. There's definitely a lot of food for thought (pardon the pun) here, and I appreciate it.

Again, thank you all for your input!

Convex primary bevel leading to an edge would fix that, and add to the complexity/cost. Also proper geometry should help and using the right knife for the task.

 

[james terrio]

Convex primary bevel leading to an edge would fix that, and add to the complexity/cost. Also proper geometry should help and using the right knife for the task.

I agree. Part of the purpose is this thread is to see how many people are willing to pay extra for a specific custom vs. just wanting one basic chef's knife that cuts very well (handmade or not), without caring overmuch about the finish.

Only about a week and a half left on this poll... let's hear it.

 

[pnsxyr]

I agree. Part of the purpose is this thread is to see how many people are willing to pay extra for a specific custom vs. just wanting one basic chef's knife that cuts very well (handmade or not), without caring overmuch about the finish.

Only about a week and a half left on this poll... let's hear it.

I recently spent about $450 on a single 240mm Gyuto, so I am more than willing to pay a lot for a single knife, but finish isn't something that has much impact on which knives I will or will not pay more for. The finish was initially brushed stainless, but it's Aogami 2 steel so after a few times of usage, a natural patina is well on the way.

My larger kitchen knives in White and Blue steel are my favorites. However, they are really limited in terms of practical finish because they are so reactive. A natural patina is almost impossible to stop without significant work, and sometimes forcing a patina is just easier (what I generally do to protect the knife). So when it comes to finishes, it's really not something I factor into the decision much because the knives I am willing to pay extra for are generally in steels that are extremely reactive.

 

[sweet_hitch-hiker]

I think for most chefs, blade finish is one of the least important things. A few may be picky but blade profile, blade thickness, handle type/shape/size and blade material are more important.

 

[james terrio]

A few may be picky but blade profile, blade thickness, handle type/shape/size and blade material are more important.

Absolutely, there's no question about that in my mind - no matter what style of knife it is. :thumbup:

It's nearly impossible to draw accurate conclusions from a respondent pool of 63 people with 96 votes, but it has been interesting...

 

[Ken44]

Lots of chefs swear by Forschner and F. Dick for industrial kitchen use and both companies fully polish their blades.

Forschner is all I used as a butcher, and I use the same knives in the kitchen. I use an F.Dick steel.

It doesn't have to be mirror polished, but it must be polished to be very smooth(IMO).


edit- I voted hand polish.
I prefer hand satin, machine, or ScotchBright on all other knives, but not on kitchen knives.

 

[Clang!]

Mirror polish: IME easier to clean and harder to rust.

 

[pnsxyr]

Absolutely, there's no question about that in my mind - no matter what style of knife it is. :thumbup:

It's nearly impossible to draw accurate conclusions from a respondent pool of 63 people with 96 votes, but it has been interesting...

Have you ever considered a 'brushed-stonewashed' finish? It's more or less a finish in which the brush lines are very pronounced and the lines a little more spread out, and then the entire blade is lightly stonewashed so that you have the brush as the dominant pattern, and the stonewash as secondary to help hide love marks. I've never seen it used on a kitchen knife but I think it captures the best of both worlds.

 

[james terrio]

Have you ever considered a 'brushed-stonewashed' finish? It's more or less a finish in which the brush lines are very pronounced and the lines a little more spread out, and then the entire blade is lightly stonewashed so that you have the brush as the dominant pattern, and the stonewash as secondary to help hide love marks. I've never seen it used on a kitchen knife but I think it captures the best of both worlds.

In short, no.

Blasting or tumbling a half-vast coarse grind is a cheap and easy way to "hide" a poor level of craftsmanship, and adds nothing to the performance or corrosion resistance of the blade. I'm adamantly against it. Blasting or tumbling a blade that's properly ground and finished to start with is a valid option.

"Hiding" shoddy work is a direct insult to craftsmen and their customers.

 

[tchapman414]

I enjoy something around a high polish and a mirror polish.

 

[Zidfeldts]

I always prefer a fairly high polish on handmade knives.

 

[pnsxyr]

In short, no.

Blasting or tumbling a half-vast coarse grind is a cheap and easy way to "hide" a poor level of craftsmanship, and adds nothing to the performance or corrosion resistance of the blade. I'm adamantly against it. Blasting or tumbling a blade that's properly ground and finished to start with is a valid option.

"Hiding" shoddy work is a direct insult to craftsmen and their customers.

I guess we see it a little differently.

I don't really have the knifemaker's perspective and I do not doubt what you are saying at all. My perspective is as the guy who buys knives...and while I appreciate customs with attention to detail, I do not have a technical understanding of them. But I absolutely love the tumbled or stonewashed finish because I find it is fantastic at hiding cosmetic markings that a blade finish without texture will show more. I also like it because it can hide water stains, oil marking, and fingerprinting very well.

While that applies more to a folder or non-kitchen knife, to apply it to kitchen knives, I like to use a pinch grip with gyutos 210mm and larger. This sort of grip on something with a polished or non-textured (and non-patina'd) finish will show printing pretty significantly. While it isn't a performance issue, I do like how such textured finishes do not show the finger printing nearly as much.