Japanese paring knife: good to go?

[ScottEnglish]

I am considering buying a Japanese paring knife. Are they ready to use as sold, or does the cutting edge need sharpening and the back flattening?

Thanks.

Scott

[Gulrok]

16 minutes ago, ScottEnglish said:

I am considering buying a Japanese paring knife. Are they ready to use as sold, or does the cutting edge need sharpening and the back flattening?

Thanks.

Scott

In my experience, there are few makers that actually have a really sharp paring knife from the get-go. ( Chartermade is one example of a very sharp blade from the factory. ) 

Most of them are already ground to shape, they just need some action on a finer grit whetstone and some stropping from leather. 

[chuck123wapati]

some are some aren't but with limited info we don't know what your buying.  If they are they wont be for long so you will still need to sharpen them at some point. Buy your cutting tools on the quality of their steel and workmanship, sharpness is inconsequential and adds to the price work you will be doing anyway. IMO. That being said i have one Japanese made knife it was sharp out of the box. i don't think the Japanese folks send out dull tools the one i have wasn't, but Chinese copies may be a different story, you see them marketed as "Japanese style".

[ScottEnglish]

Thanks Gulrock and chuck123wapati.

[ScottEnglish]

I did buy a Japanese skiving knife made by Kyoshin Elle. Considerable work was necessary to make the primary bevel flat and uniform in width and the cutting edge straight. I also lowered the angle of the primary bevel. Unlike a George Barnsley English-style paring knife the cutting edge didn't need a secondary bevel. The back of the knife was concave. It took a ridiculous amount of time to lap it flat. Never again.

In summary I liked the steel but thought the knife poorly made.

[ScottEnglish]

I hadn't used my Japanese paring/skiving knife for very long when I commented in the above post that it doesn't need a secondary bevel. It does! Whilst the edge remained intact whilst skiving leather it broke up when cutting leather upon a cutting board.

To revise my opinion of the knife, I'm not sure I can discern any real difference in sharpness between my Japanese paring knife and a George Barnsley English-style paring knife. But in use I do prefer the Japanese knife for both cutting and skiving. It's also comfortable to hold having a proper handle. Unlike my previous gaffer-tape bound English-style paring knives!

When skiving with a Japanese paring knife, remember to use it bevel side down!

I hope this helps someone.

Scott

[TomE]

Bevel up or down, depending on your style and the project.  For these swells I skive with the bevel up, and thin both edges of the strap to the thickness of the grain.  This cheap knockoff (Dujiso) of a Japanese knife holds an edge reasonably well and cost ~$10.  Someday I'll buy a real knife.

  

[ScottEnglish]

TomE: I suggested skiving bevel side down as there is more clearance between the handle and workpiece/workbench than bevel side up. I see no advantage in skiving bevel side up. But I only make simple boots so maybe I'm missing something.

Scott