My evil sense of humor may get me in trouble after all...

M

MacTech

Joined
Jan 7, 2006
Messages
611
my local outfitter, Kittery Trading Post is gearing up for their annual "Septemberfest" celebration, i was looking over the flyer, and one presentation caught my eye...

"Custom Knife Sharpening"
Presented by Klawhorn
Bring in your hunting, cooking, or utility knives, broadhead arrows (or even fish hooks) and let the team from Klawhorn put a shaving edge on them

Og knows that i've always wanted a shaving-sharp fish hook.... ;)

thing is, the picture next to the ad shows one of those horrible little carbide "pull through" sharpeners with the Klawhorn logo on it, why do i have this horrible feeling all they'll be doing is running unsuspecting users knives through their horrid little "metal-peeler" and handing the user back a knife with an absolutely *destroyed* edge

I may show up there with some....."challenges" for them, *IF* they use normal, accepted knife sharpening methods (freehanding on stones, a crock-stick style sharpener, the Sharpmaker, stropping, etc...), i'll bring my Harpy and Dodo, see how they tolerate a curvy SpyderEdge.....

if they use a carbide scraper, there's no way in hell they're even *looking* at my knives, heck, i may be tempted to set up a booth next to them, offer to sharpen knives with *real* sharpening tools and techniques.....
 
I'd say go for it, too.

I've seen too many knives butchered by "professionals" using all manner of gadgets. Though by far, the various power tools (grinders, belt-sanders, etc.) are the worse offenders.
 
I've seen too many knives butchered by "professionals" using all manner of gadgets.
Click to expand...
We need to remember that to be a "professional" you don't necessarily need to know what you are doing......






.......only that you make money doing what you are doing. ;)
 
Grinders work just fine for sharpening. You just have to know what your doing and have the right wheels.
 
Okay, considering that i'm an amateur at sharpening (i can put a hair-popping edge on my knives with the use of the Sharpmaker and my 3-stage strop), what questions should i ask these "professionals", i figure if i can't discredit them outright, i can at least make people think twice about letting these quacks run people's valuable knives through one of those carbide peelers

maybe i should pick up an inexpensive knife (or just use my Byrd Meadowlark beater), put a Scary-Sharp edge on it, hand it to the butcher....errr..."professional sharpening team" and see how badly they frak up the edge, maybe pick up a Radio Shack pocket microscope, inspect their "handiwork" and complain loudly how they destroyed the edge

so, if i go to their booth, what questions should i ask before letting them "sharpen" one of my knives, assuming that they're quacks, i want to discredit them....
 
Actually, trying to discredit anyone is an iffy proposition.

However, if they are legit, they usually have examples and references of who the sharpen for.

That, and asking Cliff-type questions as to how they handle different steels, profiles (do they reprofile?), etc.

I'm sure some of the professionals on the forum may chime in.

It might make a nice tutorial for all of us.
 
"Hair popping sharp" is a step up from "shaving sharp."

This level allows one to glide the knife over ones arm (for example), and any hair encountered is cut. You don't angle the edge into the skin, just parallel to it.

That's my take, anyway.
 
I would probably give them a cheapie to sharpen. If they use real methods and put a nice edge on your test knife then feel free to let them have the good stuff. If they are quacks then do what you think is best.
 
Of course they'll be using the carbide sharpener - that's what they sell. Why would they have anything else? Attempting to discredit one of the store's vendors will likely get you a fairly quick escort out of the store but it would be interesting to hear the "carbide scrapers" answers to your sharpening questions. :D
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
http://www.klawhorn.com/houston.htm

Pure Crap.
Click to expand...


True, but they come in purple. My wife would like that.;)

You should consider that most people (Sheeple) would not know what a sharp knife is. If you checked the knives in the average kitchen, if they aren't serrated they would have a rough time cutting butter. Those little carbide scrapers at least give them an edge that will cut a something.

I have to admit that I use one those Firestone sharpeners to touch up my kitchen knives sometimes. It doesn't do a great job, but it produces an edge that will slice tomatoes without squashing them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top