Sabetier 10 " chef knive

G

Grizz299

Joined
Feb 15, 2018
Messages
23
I'm trying to sharpen a Sabetier (professional) ten inch chef's knive. Only it doesn't have the classic shape for rocking the blade that I associate with my Wustof's / Hanckels. The inch or so before the bolster (I.E. the heel of the blade) appears long - as if the rest of the blade had been worn by sharpening.
If I set the blade down on a flat surface light would shine underneath the two inches before this heel.
I was thinking of taking the heel down and reprofiling but I was sure that I'd seen other Sabetier blades with the same shape. The picture is NOT MY blade but from a picture of another similar knive on sale on Ebay. Mine is even more exaggerated.
So is this particular to this style knive and to a purpose or should I slave at reducing the heel and setting up a profile in accordance to what I (a newbie to this) think the profile should be.?
s-l1600.jpg


xxxxxxxxx
 
I have that same knife (30+ years) and it is still my primary kitchen knife.
The knife in the picture is so bad I wouldn't waste time and effort on regrinding.
If you were to fix the grind it would end up a different knife.
 
grizz, if it is Mother in Law's just sharpen it. She's probably used to it. If it's someone you'll charge, I think I'd do the same and not lecture them about how to sharpen. I have seen worse. DM
 
nice job, I have a dremel but didn't think of it. I have a nice bench grinder and brought that upstairs and cut back the offending heel. I had to grind the bolster too. I will go over that with some automotive abrasive and the stones. Should be decent.
When I lay the cutting part of the blade on a flat service I still see light underneath in an uneven pattern and I did not restore the roll in the blade for rocking it. I think if I started on that (though a sharpie would help) I'd wind up takin too much blade off and it would tax my limited skills too much.
How about a grindstone in that situation, too much heat? does it take some temper out of the steel? Or is it an acceptable alternative.? Note the fine stone was virtually new and realtively smooth..
 
Better to do it by hand, a bench grinder can ruin a blade in seconds. I'm
lucky enough to have a Belt Sander with a variable speed controller.
Use a new belt & still have a bucket of cold water close for frequent dips
 
You guys can come up with some sad looking sabatiers.
For me they are the easiest knife to sharpen. I don't see how people can mess them up so badly. DM
 
Last edited:
Grizz299 said:
I'm trying to sharpen a Sabetier (professional) ten inch chef's knive. Only it doesn't have the classic shape for rocking the blade that I associate with my Wustof's / Hanckels. The inch or so before the bolster (I.E. the heel of the blade) appears long - as if the rest of the blade had been worn by sharpening.
If I set the blade down on a flat surface light would shine underneath the two inches before this heel.
I was thinking of taking the heel down and reprofiling but I was sure that I'd seen other Sabetier blades with the same shape. The picture is NOT MY blade but from a picture of another similar knive on sale on Ebay. Mine is even more exaggerated.
So is this particular to this style knive and to a purpose or should I slave at reducing the heel and setting up a profile in accordance to what I (a newbie to this) think the profile should be.?
s-l1600.jpg


xxxxxxxxx
Click to expand...


I'd grind out that hollow or replace the knife. It did not leave the factory like that, makes it nearly useless for dicing, mincing, chopping. No better for those tasks than a slightly recurve boning or slicing knife.
 
I did use the grinder (before I read your post).
I was very careful and I think got away with it, but I can see the potential
for one slip ruining the knive.
I worked to a degree. I took out the worse of the heel but the blade is still
not well curved. I am tempted to take a sharpie and mark the spots where there's excess material and return it to a shape where it can be rocked on a cutting board.
But I think one spot removed will reveal another and by the time I'm through I'll have eaten into the basic material or heart of the blade.
I have seen attachments for my type of bench grinder (8" wheels). A blue softer wheel, an extension with a buffing wheel on the end and even a belt sander. But I can't find information on them or availability in spite of wasting time on the web.
PS. To take the heel down by hand with my stones would have taken too long and wasn't an option. I am going to resurrect my dremel and see it there's away to attach that in a vice and run the knive over that.
Fact is, though, I don't expect to be doing many knives that bad and it's probably silly to be setting up for it.
 
I've done a few on belt grinders, not a wheel. I reset the curve on a bench stone, grinding straight on the edge. After that pick a sharpening angle and reset the cutting bevel. The bolster will need to be ground back and reshaped as well. I usually taper it to the edge and grind it a little back from the new edge line.

I agree that not many will pay to have a cheaper knife reset, but for family and some of the vintage ones with sentimental value it is worth the effort.

- re establish the correct profile by hand on a benchstone
- fix the bolster on a belt grinder if applicable (the worst offenders do seem to be ones with integral bolster)
- reset the edge
- collect the extra 15-20$ :)

Edit to add: the good news when this crops up, is a lot of these knives do not use wear resistant steel nor is it run to a high Rockwell. I've done a couple of them using only benchstones and it still didn't take very long. Is a rewarding fix.
 
Last edited:
I'll post a picture..I'm just worried that I don't have the skill to re-profile the entire length of the blade.

It's not what it should be but the Satetier never seems to have the same rocking motion
you get with other chef's knives. So I'm considering leaving it as it is, only use stones and
hand method to refine the grind on the bolster.
I'll post the picture, but hope the results don't aspire boos and hisses.
 
Yes, they are not hard to do on a bench stone. But if your not confident or lack the experience,--- we'll let you off easy. Forschner & Victorinox
are the ones I normally see. DM
 
Grizz299 said:
I'll post a picture..I'm just worried that I don't have the skill to re-profile the entire length of the blade.

It's not what it should be but the Satetier never seems to have the same rocking motion
you get with other chef's knives. So I'm considering leaving it as it is, only use stones and
hand method to refine the grind on the bolster.
I'll post the picture, but hope the results don't aspire boos and hisses.
Click to expand...

An honest question asking for help with the effort deserves praises, IMHO.
 
French profiles don't rock chop like German. They are more flat.

Any bolstered knife can get like that and redoing all the geometry gets tricky. If you have a good one to compare it is easier. The pictured one is really ugly and may not be realistic to fix as a chef knife. The reduction may make that more of a carver.

Jim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top