Steeling out a nick

MVF

MVF

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Sep 2, 2005
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I got a HAK way back when they were so overwhelmed with orders that it took months and they never returned your emails. (I don't know what it's like now) Anyway, I just got the basic knife in 440C to check it out. (Comes with a very nice package BTW)

Anyway, the knife had a really nice convex edge on it except for a nick almost dead center. Knowing how swamped they were, I didn't even think about sending it back. I had read about using a smooth steel here to roll/press nicks out without losing a lot of metal, but couldn't find a smooth steel. When I found a steel, I couldn't find the knife!

Found the knife AND the steel today and happily set about doing what I had read. I must say, I didn't think 440C was that hard! As I drag the edge across the steel the nick digs gauges in the steel. I've pushed, dragged, and rolled the steel over the nick every way I can think of and seem to have made only minimal, if any progress. I've applied what I thought would have been too much pressure right on the edge and still not gotten the ding back in line. HELP!!

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
 
You need to remove metal to take a nick out. Use stones.
Bill
 
Bill's got it right. Steeling (assuming a smooth steel, since a striated steel acts as a sharpener, too) is ONLY good for rolled edges.
 
if you give up on trying to sharpen it yourself i offer a sharpening service. you do need to use stones like bill said. i like a single ceramic stick instead of a steel for touching up a knife when i'm not around where i can use my wheels to touch up my edge. it brings the edge back quicker but it takes practice to get the hang of using one.
 
Thanks all! The "nick" is kind of a real localized roll, that's why I thought I could use the steel to get it back in line. The steel is still there, just pushed out of line in one spot.

Guess I shouldn't have called it a nick- or do I still need to just grind it off and then bring the edge down even with the notch (nick) it will leave?
 
It sounds like you have a dent in the blade rather than a nick. A nick would be where a piece has broken out of the blade. It is usually a triangular piece. A dent is bent metal.

Without a picture it is hard to say what the best solution is, and it will depend on your goals as well. Bending it back may be a mistake because of weakening the metal. In many cases, you can just sharpen as usual until you get a sharp edge along the entire length of the blade. This will leave a small length of the edge that is out of line with the rest of the edge, either low or off to the side. It is not perfect, but it is expedient and I'll bet you cannot tell the difference in actual use. I have a chef's knife like that and you can easily see it in the blade, but it makes no diffrence in use. Depending on your sharpening method, it may even diminish a little over time.
 
MVF said:
Thanks all! The "nick" is kind of a real localized roll, that's why I thought I could use the steel to get it back in line. The steel is still there, just pushed out of line in one spot.

Guess I shouldn't have called it a nick- or do I still need to just grind it off and then bring the edge down even with the notch (nick) it will leave?
Click to expand...

The steel "pushed out of line in one spot" has stretched some. It will take a bit of "massaging" (hammering, rolling, etc.) to re-form the edge in that spot.
 
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