Well, I bought a Sharpmaker today! You know, the "one that will sharpen anything with a blade." Before touching up my L'il Temperance, I thought I would take the advice offered by some on the Spyderco forum and practice with some more mediocre knives first. To preface, I happen to be staying with my father before going on an extended journey. I remembered using a seemingly inexpensive, rather dull kitchen knife a few nights. I thought this would be a good first candidate to practice on. As you have probably figured out by now this knife is a Cutco (plain edge). As I frantically searched the posts on Bladeforums I found that Cutcos are not inexpensive and are to be sharpened only by Cutco! WTF! Basically, the blade appears as though there are very small fragments that have chipped off. The blade appears very brittle. Does anyone have any ideas on what I should do? Will Cutco resharpen this if I send it back? Is it ruined?Thanks.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Cutco, Cutco, What have I done?!?
- Thread starter sovereign
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 4, 1999
- Messages
- 3,000
Not too brittle. The Cutco knives are made from 440A stainless which is similar to most steels commonly used in kitchen cutlery. Yes, if you send it to them, they will sharpen it for free.
More importantly, you should understand that, if the edge is truly dull, V sharpeners (the Spyderco included) aren't the best choice for regrinding a new bevel. They are very good for maintaining edges that are in reasonable shape but poor for grinding new ones. You may want to look into another product for regrinding bevels and keep your sharpmaker for maintenance, something it does very well. Take care.
More importantly, you should understand that, if the edge is truly dull, V sharpeners (the Spyderco included) aren't the best choice for regrinding a new bevel. They are very good for maintaining edges that are in reasonable shape but poor for grinding new ones. You may want to look into another product for regrinding bevels and keep your sharpmaker for maintenance, something it does very well. Take care.
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2001
- Messages
- 378
Cutco knives have a wierd edge on them. The "chips" you call are part of a unique serration patten were the bottom part (that touches the plate) is dull but the inside of the "notch" is sharp to cut food. Regular serrations quickly dull at the "tips" but the inside curves stay sharper longer. Cutco simply forgoes the tip nonsence and made a notch patten that is easy to sharpen given the right machines. In other words, only the part that does the cutting is sharp.
So tell me, what part did you try to sharpen?
So tell me, what part did you try to sharpen?
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2001
- Messages
- 887
I dunno. I got a Cutco knife (plain edge) that I sharpen all the time with a Sharpmaker 204, works fine for me.
S.
S.
This model is plain edge. I looked at one that has not been sharpened and the edge has some rough/fragmenting spots also, just not as many. After sharpening the one with the Sharpmaker it appears upon real close inspection that the edge is not smooth. Looks nothing like the 440 steel on my Spyderco L'il Temeparance. You have to look for it, though. Does anyone know how Cutco sharpens the plain edge? Is is it just a special bevel? Thanks.
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2000
- Messages
- 54
Something doesn't make sense. If it is a plain edge, it must have been used to split cinder blocks. If serrated, impossible to mistake for a plain edge. If really plain edge that hasn't been trashed(which it sounds like it has), just sharpen like any other knife on the Sharpmaker. That's how I do mine.
- Joined
- Sep 23, 1999
- Messages
- 3,831
If the plain edge is trashed like that, you get to learn yourself a new lesson. Go to a store and get any coarse hone. Norton makes great ones, but it doesn't matter that much for you and that Cutco knife right now.
Take the cutco and re-establish the bevels on the coarse hone. Fasten the hone somehow (place on a piece fo rubber, secure in a vice, whatever) and start scrubbing. I like to use 2 hands (one on handle, other hand with fingers on the back of the tip area) and do circular motions. One tip is to use a magic marker and coat the current edge becel with the black ink. Take a few swipes on the coarse hone, and if you have matched the original bevel, all of the black shoudl be removes 9or mostly removed) evenly. If you are too obtuse, the black will be gone from the very edge but not further back. If too shallow, the edge will be black but further back will be shiny.
You can either match the current bevel, or go a bit shallow, which will improve cutting ability. Scrub away on oen side until you get a burr ont he whole length of the other side of the edge. When you ahev done this, flip the knife over and scrub away again, gettign a strong burr. THERE! You've now fixed the bevels. Take your knife to the sharpmaker and "sharpen" using the coarser stones. First, sharpen only on the side that has the burr on it, doing as many strokes as it takes to raise the burr ont he other side. then, just do strokes on the opposite side until a burr appears again. Then, follow the regular sharpmaker instructions.
Good luck!
Take the cutco and re-establish the bevels on the coarse hone. Fasten the hone somehow (place on a piece fo rubber, secure in a vice, whatever) and start scrubbing. I like to use 2 hands (one on handle, other hand with fingers on the back of the tip area) and do circular motions. One tip is to use a magic marker and coat the current edge becel with the black ink. Take a few swipes on the coarse hone, and if you have matched the original bevel, all of the black shoudl be removes 9or mostly removed) evenly. If you are too obtuse, the black will be gone from the very edge but not further back. If too shallow, the edge will be black but further back will be shiny.
You can either match the current bevel, or go a bit shallow, which will improve cutting ability. Scrub away on oen side until you get a burr ont he whole length of the other side of the edge. When you ahev done this, flip the knife over and scrub away again, gettign a strong burr. THERE! You've now fixed the bevels. Take your knife to the sharpmaker and "sharpen" using the coarser stones. First, sharpen only on the side that has the burr on it, doing as many strokes as it takes to raise the burr ont he other side. then, just do strokes on the opposite side until a burr appears again. Then, follow the regular sharpmaker instructions.
Good luck!
I have a 1985 date on mine , My nephew was in college
and pushing them .. they are the SH!T if i ever had to part with spreader knife , my hours might be short ! they
look bran new .. what after 17 yrs ( the way i took care of them)
they still need no sharpening .
and pushing them .. they are the SH!T if i ever had to part with spreader knife , my hours might be short ! they
look bran new .. what after 17 yrs ( the way i took care of them)
they still need no sharpening .
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2001
- Messages
- 20,978
Do a search in the forums for Cutco. You will find many threads on this very subject. Plus, a few others you can read just for fun.