Carbon Question

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P_A_S_1

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Feb 17, 2021
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Been using a K Sabatier Au Carbon for about a year now and find everything sticks to the steel much more so then my zwillings. The steel itself doesn't feel smooth to the touch like the stainless knives. is this just an attribute of carbon steel?
 
No, its the surface finish and grind, not the steel.
 
Could the finish be improved with a polish like fitz(?) or would it require abrasives?
 
Possibly? You may be able to use non woven abrasive pads (ie scotchbrite) to smooth out the surface. They will also remove any patina/discoloration as well. They come in a variety of grits from fairly coarse to super fine. Hardware stores usually sell the green and maroon ones (coarse and medium usually), and you can get grey (usually fine) and white ones (super fine) online that work really well. I think I use the Norton ones? You can strop the whole side of the blade and get a satin finish, or go lengthwise for more of a hand rubbed finish.
 
OK. I clean it with the abrasive side of a blue pad with bar keepers friend and when cleaned of all, pantina included, its still not as smooth to the touch as my other knives. I actually find the grey patina gummy making stiction worse Thanks for the suggestion, maybe a coarser pad is needed.
 
Yes, you may need to work a coarser pad and work your way up the grits. Another option is to use sandpaper on a hard rubber backer to smooth out the surface. Sponge abrasives are designed for dishes, not hardened steel, so they may scratch the surface, but won't really do much refining. Bar keepers Friend is a very fine abrasive, so it won't do much either. Where are you located?
 
A local hardware store usually carries 2 grades of non woven abrasive pads (green and maroon). Woodworking stores often carry the whole line and finer grits. Amazon, WoodCraft, etc, all carry them. I use them a lot for removing patina or cleaning up acid etching. They do leave a satin finish on the blade and have some give, so they will conform to the blade, may round out crisp grind lines, may remove printing on the blade. You will probably need to touch up the edge after using too since they are abrasive and will often scuff up the edge.
 
I use them dry. You could try some BKF or Flitz abrasive on them if you wanted, but I never needed to. I use them on Japanese kitchen knives where they bead blast the blade road to give it a kasumi finish. Makes that area much less sticky and smoother very quickly, but that is on softer mild carbon or stainless steels. It may take a little longer on a harder mono steel blade.
 
You're welcome! Mirka Mirlon and Norton Bear Tex are 2 other names besides ScotchBrite.
 
if it doesn't feel smooth it's probably finished to around 120 grit. get some wet and dry sandpaper and start polishing, fitz and the like will probably be too fine. you can go as shiny as you feel like.
 
Alex Topfer said:
if it doesn't feel smooth it's probably finished to around 120 grit. get some wet and dry sandpaper and start polishing, fitz and the like will probably be too fine. you can go as shiny as you feel like.
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It doesn't feel smooth compared to my other knives yet it doesn't feel coarse either nor does it look like its finished much differently The finish looks refined actually which is why i thought it might be a character of the steel. Looking more into it some suggestions is its the grind, flat and thin vs thicker and convexed (spl?). Idk, think ill try the above suggestions eventually and see it it helps. Thanks.
 
A flat grind will have more surface area in contact with the food being cut, so it will stick to the blade easier than a hollow or convex ground blade.
 
I would polish that on a buffer or other powered abrasive, doing it by hand will take you for-freaking-ever. Just my humble opinion.

Here they fine you for using a carbon steel knife in a commercial kitchen (if that’s where you work).

Parker
 
I don't have access to them and must do it by hand. I actually just received some abrasive pads (grey, white, dk red) so Ill see soon how much work it is and whether it was worth it. As for carbons I wouldn't do it again, I get just as good of an edge on my stainless without the extra care, food reactivity, and gummy patina. The advantages I see is quite minimal.
 
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