I took the suggestion of several posters and checked my local thrift store for some cheap knives on which to practice sharpening.
Most of the knives there were POS grade-D, with blades being nothing more than a piece of stainless sheet metal with a serrated edge between cheap molded plastic handles.
But I found at least two gems... a non-descript utility knive with a thick stainless blade and wood handle ($.25), and a set of 5 Chicago Cutlery steak knives that look like they'd spent the best years of their lives in the dishwasher (handles bleached and dry, but cost was $.99 and included a knife block).
I practiced on the utility knife using a cheap Norton stone and took off the broken tip and damaged serrations, then cleaned the gunk off the handles and blade and can now see "Utica Tungsten" etched on it. Finished the edge to shaving sharp on a fine stone and the result was a very functional and sharp 4" plain-edged, full tanged knife costing only $.25 and a lot of elbow grease.
The Chicago Cutlery steak knives only needed work on the handles which I soaked in olive oil before working on the blades. The edges all had a slight burr to them which, to my surprise, when taken off with a few light strokes of the stone left all of them with fairly sharp edges. No real practice there, but my wife's impressed with the addition of six sharp knives for the price of $1.25.
These were knives bought with the intention of practicing and likely destroying them.
Gotta find more challenges out there. Clearly, a homemaker's POS can turn out to be a KK's (knife-knut) treasure. What's interesting now is the knife perspective I think we all bring with us when we go thru that bin of cheap cutlery... pre-KK saw only a tangle of dirty blades and handles and likely the cleanest was the best. Post-KK sees only the steel in the pile and how firmly it's set in the handle.
In the meantime, anyone know what kind of steel goes into Utica/Tungsten and Chicago Cutlery (103 series)? Thanks.
Most of the knives there were POS grade-D, with blades being nothing more than a piece of stainless sheet metal with a serrated edge between cheap molded plastic handles.
But I found at least two gems... a non-descript utility knive with a thick stainless blade and wood handle ($.25), and a set of 5 Chicago Cutlery steak knives that look like they'd spent the best years of their lives in the dishwasher (handles bleached and dry, but cost was $.99 and included a knife block).
I practiced on the utility knife using a cheap Norton stone and took off the broken tip and damaged serrations, then cleaned the gunk off the handles and blade and can now see "Utica Tungsten" etched on it. Finished the edge to shaving sharp on a fine stone and the result was a very functional and sharp 4" plain-edged, full tanged knife costing only $.25 and a lot of elbow grease.
The Chicago Cutlery steak knives only needed work on the handles which I soaked in olive oil before working on the blades. The edges all had a slight burr to them which, to my surprise, when taken off with a few light strokes of the stone left all of them with fairly sharp edges. No real practice there, but my wife's impressed with the addition of six sharp knives for the price of $1.25.
These were knives bought with the intention of practicing and likely destroying them.
Gotta find more challenges out there. Clearly, a homemaker's POS can turn out to be a KK's (knife-knut) treasure. What's interesting now is the knife perspective I think we all bring with us when we go thru that bin of cheap cutlery... pre-KK saw only a tangle of dirty blades and handles and likely the cleanest was the best. Post-KK sees only the steel in the pile and how firmly it's set in the handle.
In the meantime, anyone know what kind of steel goes into Utica/Tungsten and Chicago Cutlery (103 series)? Thanks.