Small local Dealer

[JohnnyRockets]

There is a local Dealer with a small store who can get me any kind of knife in addition to what he displays in cases. He also sharpens knives. I'd like to give him my business because he is so patient with all my questions and my browsing his shop. The thing that concerns me is that one time he mentioned that he gets some of his knives as "factory seconds" so is able to offer better pricing. Is this something I should worry about? I don't believe I want knives that are "seconds" - I'd rather pay full price and get the best. Should I worry that he may be selling inferior knives?

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Seconds aren't always a problem, and since this is a local shop, you can get to look at them before you buy. Many times, seconds are cosmetic only, and if the knife is for serious use, you'll put more damage on the finish yourself.

I buy a lot of my knives off the forums, knives others have used before me. Some of them are pretty thoroughly used, too, and that's reflected in the price or the trade value.

But they work as well as new.

Be very careful about letting anyone sharpen knives for you, however professional or well-intentioned they may seem.

First of all, they may have a machine that overdoes the job, tearing up the finish and grinding off more metal than necessary.

Just as important, once you learn to sharpen knives for yourself, you will understand how to sharpen them differently, depending on the use you have for each one.

You can adjust the angle of the secondary bevel, depending on the ability of the steel to hold a more acute edge. You can change the edge from a coarse working edge to polished.