Thursday, January 6, 2011

Carving Knife Preparation & Maintenance

In a recent thread on the WCI Message Board there was a question about a sharp carving knife that did not cut through the Basswood easily. I think the writer mentioned that he could shave with the blade. Various answers (all of which were important and right) focused on the blade being flat and stropped. I added Wax the blade after making sure it was ground flat and well sharpened and stropped. I would also add polishing. Whenever I purchase a new knife, I send it off to be professionally ground flat, sharpened ready to carve. Recently I have noticed that after having the knife ground flat and made ready for carving; that the blade has grind marks still it. While the blade is sharp, and I could probably shave with it, it is not ready to carve with. I mean really ready to provide a good carving experience. Those grind marks must be removed, and the blade polished then waxed to really carve.

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