巣板

I just finished adjusting the edge of a Shirogami Kurouchi Nakiri. Since it’s mainly for home use, I wanted it to have a rough cutting feel, so I used Suita (from Mount Hideri). In terms of synthetic whetstones, it feels like a grit around #2000. The sharp cutting feel is a hallmark of Suita. It might be good for stainless steel Western knives and home kitchen knives too! However, Suita generally has a lot of metallic and sandy particles, which can be troublesome while sharpening (＞＜). As you sharpen, these sandy particles tend to flake off, and when they hit the edge, they can damage the finely honed blade. So, when using Suita, you need to be mindful of this. Today, unfortunately, I hit some of those particles. If you can identify where these sandy spots are, you can dig them out for a smoother sharpening experience. This is recommended by whetstone sellers and carpenters. This time, I managed to take detailed photos of the spots. Time to start digging!

This → in the photo is the source of the sand.

This created a large hole, but now I can sharpen without being disturbed by the sand. The alternative to making a hole would be to keep flattening the surface until the sandy spot disappears. This particular spot was about 2mm deep, which means I would have had to remove 2mm of the surface (＾＾；. Which method is better is up to individual judgment… However, now that there is a hole, it’s necessary to carefully wipe off any moisture after sharpening. I was surprised by how deep it was.

• 2009-11-27