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.