Edgepro question

Splat · Jul 17, 2009

Ok folks, would someone please explain to me why my Edgepro eats up the edge closest to the handle of my Boker Trance, yet doesn't on my other knives? I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about. I know I read about this somewhere but cannot find it. Thanks.

fulloflead · Jul 17, 2009

Splat said:
Ok folks, would someone please explain to me why my Edgepro eats up the edge closest to the handle of my Boker Trance, yet doesn't on my other knives? I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about. I know I read about this somewhere but cannot find it. Thanks.

I have an EdgePro but I'm not sure I know what you mean. Got a photo or something? Please explain better and we'll see if we can help.

.

Ben Dover · Jul 19, 2009

Splat said:
Ok folks, would someone please explain to me why my Edgepro eats up the edge closest to the handle of my Boker Trance, yet doesn't on my other knives? I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about. I know I read about this somewhere but cannot find it. Thanks.

Technique! You'll need to adjust the way you use it.

Splat · Jul 19, 2009

I emailed Ben/Edgepro about this and he replied quickly. I don't know if he'd mind so I won't reproduce his reply here. For the answer consult the EP manual. He writes about it there about chef's knives. I totally forgot it was in the manual, but I am one of those guys who never reads manuals anyway.

gary jp4 · Jul 20, 2009

I have asked him before. He doesn't care. Post it here or just explain the answer in your words, otherwise it makes this thread a waste of time.

I think you are talking about the tendency to take more off near the choil or ricasso (near the handle) then the rest of the knife, but go ahead and spell it out to help anyone reading this later.

Gary

Splat · Jul 22, 2009

Ben said I could post his reply so here it be:

"I was able to find some really close up pictures of the Trance and I can see exactly why it is happening. When you get any new knife it is a good idea to look and see if it sharpened all the way to the spot where the edge ends. If you were to look at a new Trance I am sure you would see that the last 1/4 or 3/8" of the blade is not sharpened. This is because there is slope in the blade, from the face to the flat in front of the handle. This transition area can not be sharpened and if you try to sharpen it, all the while you are sharpening, the area in front of the slop is being cut away. So when you are sharpening a knife like this, you run the stone all the way to the end of the edge but the second the knife gets sharp about 3/4" down the blade, that's it. In fact when I do a blades like this I try not to get a burr at all until I am about 1/3rd of the way down the blade. You will never notice that this area is not all the way to sharp but it will keep the edge straight 10 times longer than it would if you burr it all the time. If you use the knife all the time and sharpen it often, no matter how careful you are it is going to dish out eventually because every time you sharpen the knife it gets narrower, top to bottom and the heel area stays the same. If you look at the instructions for sharpening a chefs knife on the inside cover of you manual you will find the same instructions for all forged German chefs knives. They all have this same problem and this one of the main reasons I do not use this type of knife. I use a Forschner Victornox, which is sharpened all the way through the heel so it does not have the problem."

gary jp4 · Jul 22, 2009

Very nice Splat. Thanks for posted that.

I don't like the bolster on German Chef's knives much. That is why I have Japanese (albeit Western style) Chef's knives. They don't have the bolster at the end of the blade. Sharpening is easier and I like the feel better. As an example look at a Global or a MAC knife.

Some knives have a little relief notch (choil) to define the end of the sharpened part of the blade between the edge and the handle or bolster which will also help avoid this problem.

Gary

Splat · Jul 23, 2009

gary jp4 said:
Very nice Splat. Thanks for posted that.
Some knives have a little relief notch (choil) to define the end of the sharpened part of the blade between the edge and the handle or bolster which will also help avoid this problem.

There's is only a slight upward curve in my Boker Trance's heel bevel. I guess it's enough to have the effect it's having on my Edgepro. I've stopped attempting to sharpen it. As long as the other 98% of the blade is sharpened I'm happy. So, all is well.