Problem sharpening Aogami Higonokami with Sharpmaker

[Goosey]

I will try it Goosey as i'm putting the Higo on the ceramic yesterday and it has the chippy edge on it.

It really took some work, but it's very sharp now. :thumbup: A portion of the blade was always hair-popping sharp, but the rest just wouldn't shave.

 

[Javelin]

I've had the problem before. I love japanese knife blade styles and san-mai steel so I bought a couple only to run into these problems. Anyways, my solutions:

1. Water stones, you pretty much have this one down.
2. Thin the grind, but have the edge at a steep convex or steep (like 40-60 incl.) microbevel
3. Grind steel back until the hard spot is gone.

I think the issues come not with the heat treatment process, but due to inattentive grinding and overheating the blade on cheaper knives (higo, and some kanetsunes which really are budget knives if you compare it to some higher end japanese knives).

 

[jon_slider]

In 2005 a guy using ceramic rods notices his higonokami edge chips from using ceramic

> so I decide to sharpen them using Sharpmaker. nfortunately Edge start chipping

he then finds that Water Stones work perfectly!

> Today I bougt Ice Bear waterstone 1000/6000 combination - Harima Enterprises from Miki City (same city where higonokami from). I tryed to sharpen Higonokami with 1000 first - all chips goes away

8 years later another guy tries the ceramic rods, and again, no good luck:

> I tried to sharpen it on ceramic rods (crock sticks + UF Sharpmaker rod) and I can't get it to shave

then ANOTHER guy comes along and does the same thing:

> i'm putting the Higo on the ceramic yesterday and it has the chippy edge on it.

So, it seems you guys missed the part where he says Japanese Water Stones work!

this is the key post:

"I bougt Ice Bear waterstone 1000/6000… I tryed to sharpen Higonokami with 1000 first - all chips goes away

So, I hope you guys get some waterstones

also, here is a bit of info about getting a sheath for your higonokami:
"In order to improve the grip I have bought a traditional Japanese leather sheath for my higo no kami Dai, which looks like a traditional sheath for folders but is open on the back an spots a lanyard hole. You put the higo no kami Dai in this sheath, then put a leather strap through the lanyard holes both of the sheath and the knife (thereby also securing the knife to the sheath). To open the knife, pull it up and out by the protruding tang, open it and then push it back into the leather sheath with now serves as a kind of leather scales to the handle. The grip is greatly improved by this and I am told that many Japanese carry their higo no kamis this way."

"it is really not a pocket knife at all. If you put it in your pocket, everyday jingles and movement will open the blade with disastrous results to your pocket and maybe your leg. My advice is to make or get a small leather pouch for it"

and a picture of both a leather sheath,

and a very unusual bone one
from this site http://www.teshima-hp.com/custumhigo.html

 

[RebelSon]

Ordered 3 of these things. One I scandi sharpened on 1000/6000 Water stones for over an hour and meh, i dont think i even apexed the microbevel.

So I took the other two to sand paper layer on my strop. 400 grit AO back and forth until a burr formed then 10 - 1 edge trailing strokes on 600, 800, 1.5k and 2k SiC paper finished with the strop underneath loaded with green compound.

Then I shaved all my arm and leg hair off with them.

 

[RebelSon]

Trimmed the old sideburns too.

 

[Charlie Mike]