I got a water stone and sharpened my main kitchen knives to 8000 grit. This may be too smooth of an edge for things like tomatoes. Maybe a knife that may cut tomatoes should be sharpened on a coarser grit. What grit do you like for kitchen knives?

I don’t get anywhere near 8000. lol. My primary go to is a Wicked Edge setup. For kitchen knives I stop at the second set of stones which off the top of my head is like 600 or 800. I would have to check. 8000 is crazy.

All of my knives get sharpened to 1000 and then lapped with diamond paste. That's a pretty smooth & fine stone so I can't imagine what 8000 must be like.
Are you sure that yours isn't an 800?

They seem to have enough toothy edge when that's needed and still be amazingly smooth and razor sharp.

I'm by no means an expert so I'd be interested to hear what the actual experts think.

Well that rules me out. lol

https://www.sharpeningsupplies...riant=48626854658350

Yes its the finest combination stone - 4000/8000

Given those choices I'd get the 220/1000.
Might be nice to have something in between, like 600 so you're not spending a lot of time getting the 220 marks out after removing a big ding or re-profiling.

I go to 5000 then strop at 8000. I like my kitchen knives sharp.

Does grit depend on angle ? I Sharpen my kitchen knifes based on the original angle they were made.

I take it your wife doesn’t put the kitchen knives in the dish washer?

I sharpened all our kitchen knives with the wet stones once all the way to 5000. Now I just used the fine side an 8"x3” Norton combination stone I got at a garage sale.

Not only does my wife put knives in the dishwasher, she puts them in the silverware caddy with the spoons and forks. Stainless steel spoons and forks. I stopped sharpening kitchen knives a decade or more back. Not worth the frustration. If I’m cutting something in the kitchen I usually pull out a pocket knife.

I sidestepped that whole nonsense and got an Opinel 8" chef's knife, and I told my wife she could use all her Cutco stuff and wash it however she wanted, and refuse to let me sharpen them because of the patented, super-special edge that needs to remain butterknife dull, but I am the only one who gets to touch the Opinel. It stays sharp, and I hand-wash it when I'm done and it goes back in the block. It's never been in the dishwasher.

I won't go higher than 1,000 grit for a kitchen knife. I want them sharp, yes, but with a little bit of tooth to the edge.

I went to 2000 on my kitchen knives about 4 years ago. Now I just use a ceramic rod in between uses to keep them honed. Have not had the need to "sharpen" them since.

I start at 1000 then go to 5000, 800, and finally at 12000. They're terrifyingly sharp, and everyone in my family begs me to do their knives.

IMHO the "grab" argument doesn't hold much water. I haven't had any issues using minimal pressure on a variety of produce and meat. Edge geometry is far more important than the grit you stop at.

quote:

Originally posted by ElToro:
Does grit depend on angle ? I Sharpen my kitchen knifes based on the original angle they were made.

The Original sharpening angle is a good starting place. Ideally when you've developed sufficient skill with the correct tools you should thin out the edge to as steep an angle as possible until the edge starts rolling. This will vary according to the steel used and what that particular knife is used for. You would use 15-16deg on a cleaver but on a RC 64 Magnacut blade used for slicing tomatoes and soft vegetables 15-16deg will make them cut like a laser.

If you are not getting a "Toothy" edge it's usually from your knife not being properly apexed and/or over stropped and slightly dulled. You can have an 8000grit or finer edge that will grab and cut a tomato it will drop through it like butter if the knife is properly apexed and demurred.

If your Wife insists on putting knives in the dishwasher she will NEVER have truly sharp knives. And doesn't deserve them. I bought my spouse less expensive but competent knives that will be dulled but not completely ruined in the washer. Occasionally I'll let her use some of my hand forged Japanese blades and she appreciates how they drop through ingredients but not enough to ALWAYS hand wash and dry so she just doesn't get to use them but on rare occasions.

Anything Sharp or Wood should NEVER EVER be allowed in a dishwasher but people just don't understand how much they are ruining good tools. One of my pet peeves.

Cutco knives are 420 Stainless mediocre knives with a good warranty that are Vastly Oversold to people that just don't know any better.

In the end how sharp you get your kitchen knives is sharp enough to get the job done. Having a REALLY SHARP knife is pure pleasure for those with experience enough to use and care for them but that certainly isn't for everybody. The Dozens of people that I've sharpened knives for or gifted Razor Sharp knives to do always enjoy them but not that many enjoy the extra sharpness enough to discipline themselves to keeping them sharp. (I usually sharpen to less than proper 150 BESS Scale) For most Good enough is good enough.

....................DJ

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:
Anything Sharp or Wood should NEVER EVER be allowed in a dishwasher but people just don't understand how much they are ruining good tools. One of my pet peeves.

Ours are budget end Henkels, but everyone in my house knows they're hand wash only.
Every once in a while, someone visiting uses one and tosses it in the sink, usually in a dish full of water
We have a sink-side basket that the knives go in until washed