BBW for kitchen knives

Just touched up my knife on my coticule and got a nice edge. But I am loathe to use it for something as pedestrian as sharpening kitchen knives, so I began wondering about the BBW. I understand it's a slower cutting stone...would I be at the sink forever? FWIW I usually go for a mirror finish on my knives, using an 800/3000 combo jsynth.

I saw a kitchen store going out of business yesterday and they had some Henckels finishing stones 3000 and 8000, I don't know if that stands for grits or what. I would say someone must really like their kitchen knives to sharpen them to 8k. I have a Shun that I send off once a year to get factory sharpened and it will do anything I need it to. All I can say is honer up and let us know how it does.

Ill let ya know if I pull the trigger on the big one from superiorshave

This is going to be more subjective than straight razors. I have sharpened 3 different brands of kitchen knives in the past 3 days (mine, my brothers, and my fathers). Each one agreed better with different grits. I got a better edge on mine by going from 1k to my JNAT (Chicago Cutlerly 2008). My brothers agreed only with a 325 then a Arkansas kitchen knife sharpener (unknown grit) his was a 40 year old Chicago Cutlery brand. My fathers was a 2011 Kitchen Aid and it took DMT 325, DMT 600 then 1k King and followed up by JNAT very well. If your knife can hold the edge of your 3000 why not try it on your coticule or JNAT to see if it holds?

In my search for knowledge on various hones, I have come across posts on forums by chefs asking where best prices were for BBW's as well as speciality cutlery stores selling BBW's and cotis. Way overpriced in those catalogs too. When I got the Boker Cutlery catalog they were selling em as well. I'm assuming with that information that was purpose. I did say assumption though I didn't go to in depth reads on those forums. When I have had to to sharpen a kitchen knife it seems like it never takes much to get them super sharp. Seems in those insatnces BBW would be fine. My wife complains if I put to nasty of an edge on. she doesn't normally aprrecite the level of sharpness I like. Think it had to do with me handing her my ZT and a slip one time. If it wasn't for bone shed be missing a finger.
Depending on steel and shape of blade Im sure it would work. Worth it not sure about that since I haven't tried. I have an idea for doing knifes quickly on cotis and BBW's. I haven't gotten around to doing/trying it yet. Most knifes I take up to 8kish. A have a few that prefer a rougher finish though. They don't perform as well with the high finishes. All goes down to what type of steel an end use.
Found a review after a quick search that said the cotcarb(BBW/synthetic) was orginally aimed at kitchen and regular knife use. Others say if kitchen knife needs a lot of work they use another stone before going to A BBW. Also found posts saying it absolutely wouldn't work.

I know for a fact that I can shave with my 8" Shun. I would love to see what it would do after a coticule.

I just got finished "sharpening" some cheap crap kitchen knives for a friend of swmbo... None would take a edge over 1k... *(trust me these are total China crap... Dollar store junk)....

I bring my case XX pocket knife out to 12k... It will pass HHT....

I use a BBW to finish my Kitchen knives all the time. Dragons Tongue is good too.

Gamma said:

I use a BBW to finish my Kitchen knives all the time. Dragons Tongue is good too.

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Would you give a quick review of the dragon tongue as a finisher on razors? What would you compare it to?

Thanks guys, itch about to be scratched....if SWMBO says OK.

how do you test your knife is sharp. do you try and shave a kiwi fruit?

I can tell its sharp when i can feel the edge draw into the wooden cutting board as I slice through whatever. I can also shred cabbage and lettuce paper thin at high speed.

cleanshaved said:

how do you test your knife is sharp. do you try and shave a kiwi fruit?

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I use the arm hair test. If my kitchen knives can shave arm hair they are more than capable of any kitchen tasks I need done.

I pluck the skin at the fat part of my palm below the thumb. it should just pick up the skin. also test by dragging over the thump nail.
don't like one bald arm so for a knife will test with paper. As with a SR mantaining the edge also important, correct angle light pressure with the steel
the steel should be cleaned every now and then (they build up crap in the fine groves). I soak my steel in vinager for a few hours (no to long as it can eat the steel) others use lemon juice then clean off. you could just give it a good rib with a green kitcken pad this normally works fine
rub down with wet and dry if a bit rough.
happy honing.

paco664 said:

Would you give a quick review of the dragon tongue as a finisher on razors? What would you compare it to?

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My DT isnt fine enough - for me, here in my house, with my razors- to be classified as a 'finisher'. Close - but no cigar.

hig789 said:

I saw a kitchen store going out of business yesterday and they had some Henckels finishing stones 3000 and 8000, I don't know if that stands for grits or what. I would say someone must really like their kitchen knives to sharpen them to 8k. I have a Shun that I send off once a year to get factory sharpened and it will do anything I need it to. All I can say is honer up and let us know how it does.

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those are rebranded super stones.

cleanshaved said:

how do you test your knife is sharp. do you try and shave a kiwi fruit?

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here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgqJBF_K6Yc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpwK6RaN37E

Wow!

I don't think any of my knives are ever going to be that sharp. I would have no fingers by the end of the week.

Holy crap. That's nuts.