Kitchen/Chef's Knives Set in the Works

[Stuart Mitchell]

Working on these for a local fella at the minute, a full set of eight kitchen knives, blade sizes range from 3" or so up to a Carver at around ten and a bit inches.

In between and among others will be a fully serrated bread knife, three sizes of chef's and a Santoku.

All steel is 2mm stock SF100 with some ground thinner than others through the blades, the grinding is hard going on these as those larger blades have quite the surface area, you are removing a lot of steel from a sizeable, flat surface.

There had to be eight in this set as his mate had a set a couple of years ago that consisted of seven knives

 

[malmick]

Wow, that’s some set of kitchen knives. I know a young lady who will be very interested in how those turn out

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Ground this Santoku earlier, I have photos…

 

[chriswjx]

Very interesting!

Out of curiosity, I assume the santoku is 4th (counting from the left in 1st pic). In terms of profile of cutting edge, there does not seem to be much in it between the santoku and the chef knifes? I'm guessing that its just my eyes fooling me, but I feel the santokus I have used previously tend to have a much more parallel cutting edge to the spine of the knife. Just personal preference to have more of an angle?

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Very interesting!

Out of curiosity, I assume the santoku is 4th (counting from the left in 1st pic). In terms of profile of cutting edge, there does not seem to be much in it between the santoku and the chef knifes? I'm guessing that its just my eyes fooling me, but I feel the santokus I have used previously tend to have a much more parallel cutting edge to the spine of the knife. Just personal preference to have more of an angle?

Santoku placed under 6” chef.

 

[chriswjx]

Thanks for that! My eyes must be playing up then as that is a very much different, and much more like what I would expect to see! Hope to see what these look like all finished up.

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Thanks for that! My eyes must be playing up then as that is a very much different, and much more like what I would expect to see! Hope to see what these look like all finished up.

No worries, it’s the jaunty angle of the photo maybe

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Ground this Santoku earlier, I have photos…

Although the final grinds on all of these will be flat, for the larger ones I tend to start hollow, it is easier and faster at removing material (for most things that are quite wide or thick I will do the same).

On here.





Knocking the corners off and creating the beginnings of the primary bevels.





It is pointless keeping an eye on edge thickness here, because it is hollow and because the bevel reasonably wide, the thinnest part of this blade is not the edge, it is where this black line has been drawn, that are there is where you need to be aware of, you grind your hollow too deep there and you won't be able to grind it out with the flat to follow, it is all guesswork.





That then goes across to the flat bed.

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

This is after the first couple of passes on the flat bed, there are two areas of flat, above and below your hollow, but the hollow is still there, you can still see the line in the deepest part of it, that is what I meant about of it is too deep you won't be able to grind it out with your flat.





A few more passes, going but still there.





Just keep going, until.





What is interesting about that is (for me anyway), the majority of those indentations that I apply are now ground away, I know when I m applying them that most will be ground away but I like them to be there as they can leave small witness marks where they were, occasionally you'll see the remnants of one all alone half way along the blade, I like that.

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Obviously during those stages you are keeping an eye on your edge, which is of course now your thinnest part, also aware of the spine though, I do like a bit of flex in my kitchen knives I'll adjust that flex by removing material from the spine, adjusting the angle at which you apply the blade to the abrasive, applying pressure towards spine or edge depending upon where you want to remove the material, keeping it flat of course until everything is where you want it.

You'll see I have ground through into the spine around a third of the way along the length of the blade, everything towards the tip from there is less than the 2mm I began with.

I'm not sure how thin the edge is as I tend not to measure such stuff, I just do it until it feels right, you can flex it with your thumb though.





This is the degree of flex at the full 2mm, prior to any grinding.





And with the same (guessed) amount of pressure, after grinding.

 

[DevonRifle]

Fascinating seeing what goes into it. A true labour of love.

 

[J9Ned]

I'm practicing on some plain bar stock at the moment - it's clear that grinding edges is similar to plastering ceilings - it's one of the black arts!

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Wow, that’s some set of kitchen knives. I know a young lady who will be very interested in how those turn out

How is she getting on, is she still at you know where?

Fascinating seeing what goes into it. A true labour of love.

The money does help, but yes, a bit of dedication goes a long way too

I'm practicing on some plain bar stock at the moment - it's clear that grinding edges is similar to plastering ceilings - it's one of the black arts!

Just practice mate, that is all it is, keep at it

 

[malmick]

How is she getting on, is she still at you know where?

Yes, still there and loving it. I’ve texted her to get registered on here and watch this thread

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Six of the eight now ready for engraving...






This is what I meant about potential evidence of those marks that I apply...






Love it!

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Maybe I am losing my mind? But, I am thinking, in the vein of these...

COOKING & EATING — Custom Knives - Stuart Mitchell Knives

www.stuartmitchellknives.com

COOKING & EATING — Custom Knives - Stuart Mitchell Knives

www.stuartmitchellknives.com

COOKING & EATING — Custom Knives - Stuart Mitchell Knives

www.stuartmitchellknives.com

Kirinite for this kitchen set, a different colour/example on each knife...?

Thoughts?

 

[Dave31]

Maybe I am losing my mind? But, I am thinking, in the vein of these...

COOKING & EATING — Custom Knives - Stuart Mitchell Knives

www.stuartmitchellknives.com

COOKING & EATING — Custom Knives - Stuart Mitchell Knives

www.stuartmitchellknives.com

COOKING & EATING — Custom Knives - Stuart Mitchell Knives

www.stuartmitchellknives.com

Kirinite for this kitchen set, a different colour/example on each knife...?

Thoughts?

Would that make them dishwasher safe Stuart?

I'm sure they would look great in krinite. Although I do think that timber handled steak knife set are class.

 

[eldon]

That 983 set @Stuart Mitchell look absolutely marvellous.

Similar to Dave's comment above, can you give us some general guidance on what is, and isn't, dishwasher safe?

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Would that make them dishwasher safe Stuart?

I'm sure they would look great in krinite. Although I do think that timber handled steak knife set are class.

Quick test, sorry, trying to work out why the kins to my site are showing the FFFFGGGGHHHHs..?

SECARE TECH — Custom Knives - Stuart Mitchell Knives

www.stuartmitchellknives.com

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

COOKING & EATING — Custom Knives - Stuart Mitchell Knives

www.stuartmitchellknives.com