Sharpening horror

[Evil D]

I sold a coworker a ZDP Delica once and some time later he asked me to sharpen it after Bass Pro Shop ran it across a bench grinder for what looked like 3 hours. That was the one sharpening job I really felt like I should have charged for.

[Ranger_Ike]

It’s good to hear they posted it on a forum and are seeking advice. Sounds like they will learn from it at least.

The thing that really bothers me about this, is the people that offer a service that they have no business offering. The “snake oil salesmen” that are in for a quick buck. But it does make you appreciate people and companies that actually take pride in their work, and CARE about it. Tip of the hat to Sal and team.

[Senfkarte]

What did it look like before they sharpened it?

This was my first question too. I mean, why would they remove that much material? That's just extra work and takes extra time. But on the other hand, if he would tell me, that the knife was new, before "sharpening", I would believe him.

[Woodpuppy]

I wasn’t given my first knife until I could show proficiency sharpening it as a kid. Once I did a good enough job, I was given the knife. I also then had to sharpen other knives in the house…. Sharpening your knives is just part of taking care of your tools. But there are plenty of folks out there who could break an anvil with a rubber mallet.

[GarageBoy]

I was always worried I'd ruin a knife like what when I was learning to sharpen. Turns out people were using powered equipment. Would take you days of grinding by hand to do that damage

[Matus]

Nah, with 140 diamond plate one can fool up a knife pretty bad in under 30 minutes :)

To the OP - that is not a particularly cheering sight, but I am sorry to say that i have seen MUCH worse (mostly kitchen knives though).

[Albertaboyscott]

I think, like others, you take it as a learning experience, buy a new knife and learn to sharpen. It's still functional but fugly. Beater knife now

[yablanowitz]

I think he should frame it with a plaque commemerating the incident and hang it on his living room wall as a constant reminder of what not to do. Of course, we don't know how bad it looked before they attempted sharpening, either.

[Joey]

Saddest thing is the kook that sharpened it prolly reckons he did a good job.

Too true! It could be so much worse. Could you imagine being the sharpener of this knife, and stumbling across this thread after feeling great about the work, though? Hahaha that would be a downer. I’d find a new job after reading these comments XD

[TkoK83Spy]

There's the mini Manix people have been asking about! In all seriousness, it would be a great beater knife now. It's already got a crazy thin geometry. I'd fix it up a bit and have it good to go, I bet it would slice like nobody's business after a little TLC.

[JRinFL]

Screen Shot 2022-01-27 at 11.11.07 AM.jpg (24.77 KiB) Viewed 976 times

"The horror...the horror."

[Crox]

There's the mini Manix people have been asking about! In all seriousness, it would be a great beater knife now. It's already got a crazy thin geometry. I'd fix it up a bit and have it good to go, I bet it would slice like nobody's business after a little TLC.

Yes! Take it back to the same sharpening crew and ask them to work on the handle. Micro Manix custom.

[Ramonade]

That's often what happens when people go to supermaket sharpening shops in France. I had to save quite a lot of SAKs, chef's knives and fixed blades.

The sharpening in itself is cheap but it costs half the lifetime of the knife !


I'd try to find someone with a broken handle to reunite a good blade with a good handle. And experiment with what's left of the present blade.

[Jim Malone]

It's not that they tried to repair a broken tip of this knife by reprofiling the bladeshape?
I just can't believe that someone with experience would do that to a knife. Maybe an apprentice for his first day at work?
I can't see how you can stay in bussiness long of you give this kind of quality? And why anyone would think a travelling sharpening service would do a better job then you or Spyderco?

[ChrisinHove]

But there are plenty of folks out there who could break an anvil with a rubber mallet.

So true!

[Airlsee]

This is what happens when you view sharpening as a mystical black magic...but Gary has a grinder, some confidence and convinces you knives are just metal.

[bearfacedkiller]

I know it’s not pretty but it looks like he thinned the edge out and convexed it a bit. It might cut pretty good. Unfortunately he sharpened years off of it and most likely overheated it and ruined the temper.

I would beat the snot out of it. Everybody needs a good beater. Toss it in a tool box, tackle box or glove box. Someday you might be in a situation where any knife is better than no knife.

If it truly won’t perform then keep it for parts.

[bgcameron]

Well it looks like he is liquidating the knife. Hopefully a lesson learned.

[Soanso McMasters]

It will make a good knife to practice sharpening on. Nothing really to lose at this point.

[z1r]

I start by saying that I am not the best sharpener in the world, but with enough time and patience have been able to get my knives shaving sharp. I'm sure I could learn a lot more. That said, even when I was young, I could get my Buck 110 sharp enough using just my whet stone. I personally believe that a responsibility of knife ownership is being able to keep an edge on it, even if it isn't shaving sharp.

Around here, the local Ace Hardwar ran an ad just before thanksgiving offering to sharpen knives. I winced when I read it.