Thread: Knife Roll

Graeme

I suspect, but don't know for certain, that a JP cleaver would be called a Nakiri, which was the ubiquitous kitchen knife in Japan since JP time began. I thought I had posted a pic before on the Forum, but I couldn't find it quickly so here it is (with the non standard handle in Spotted Gum and Gidgee).

Nakiri.jpg

I didn't consciously copy it for the cheese cleaver, but maybe there was something going on in the subconscious. If that is the case, I am pleased that there is something happening up there.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

Graeme

I suspect, but don't know for certain, that a JP cleaver would be called a Nakiri, which was the ubiquitous kitchen knife in Japan since JP time began. ...

I think that is right, Paul; a nakiri is that ubiquitous light cleaver used everywhere as a vegetable paring knife - I always oggle at the size of them, and the dexterity with which they are used.

The repurposed cheese cleaver was much smaller and it was explained as a specialist fish dicing knife. The knife and its name might even be a specialist term in the old Kinki Region and dialect - now Kansai.

Over the years I have had that finely diced fish several ways, but only around Osaka:

• Diced white fish in soup,
• Diced raw tuna in a "savoury mayonaisse",
• Tuna aburi - seared with a gas torch for 2 seconds - on rice.

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

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Hi Paul,

All of your knives are great! How are you shaping your scales? By hand? Belt sander/grinder?
I've just finished a knife for a friend and it's bloody atrocious (scales are asymmetrical).

Originally Posted by johknee

Hi Paul,

All of your knives are great! How are you shaping your scales? By hand? Belt sander/grinder?
I've just finished a knife for a friend and it's bloody atrocious (scales are asymmetrical).

johknee

Thank you.

I start off with the scales thicknessed, but they are usually too thick and have to be reduced further after being glued onto the knife blanks. This time I tried a new method of getting the scales even, because, as you have said, it is a little tricky. I used a linisher with a coarse belt. I reduced the thickness by eye and then checked using some old Vernier gauges as I have several digital ones that have given up the ghost. The Casuarinas actually make thicknessing by eye awkward as the medullary rays play tricks, particularly if the ray is not parallel to the tang.

As I use cultler's rivets, in addition to epoxy gluing, I have to check that the overall thickness is within the range of the rivet. Also, just by the way, I grind a more tapered point on the male rivet as I have once or twice found they have not engaged properly and they deform under duress! I use either my bench vice or an engineer vice to press them together initially and after that I tap them with a hammer using suitable improvised punches (made from heavy nails): You need one on each side for this.

Now, before I apply the rivets, I shape the handle. This is the point where the dead purists roll in their graves and the live purists insert hatpins into their voodoo dolls kept for such purposes.

I use an angle grinder with a coarse sanding disc, which I think is either 36grit or 40grit. I think I may have had both grits at various times. Ideally I would suggest a 100mm grinder, but I used a 125mm grinder because I couldn't find the backing disc for the small one. Use a low powered grinder as they are significantly lighter than the more powerful versions, which you don't need for this purpose. My good grinder is 1400W and weighs close to twice the weight of the 800W model. (The 100mm grinder is lighter again). I ended up with all these grinders when stripping back our weather board house, which is an awful job and I hope I never have to do again, at least not back to bare boards.

The grinder with a new sanding disc removes a lot of material so a "lover's" touch is recommended here. I usually hold the knife in one hand and use the grinder with the other. If you have an HSE representative close by you may want to wait until they are gone as they don't seem to understand that light weight grinders were always intended to be used one handed. In all seriousness, you are unlikely to cut off your hand with a sanding disc, but still be alert as it will remove some skin quite easily. I get the shape as close as I can and finish off with fine rasps and sandpaper. The Casuarinas are renowned for retaining sanding marks so care taken at this stage will save a lot of sanding later. Other timbers are more forgiving. An orbital sander can be used for finishing the flatter parts of these handles but being relatively small it is almost not worth the effort and I went straight to hand sanding.

It is well worth covering the blades with masking tape to prevent accidental damage. One last thing is that the finer sanding grits on an angle grinder don't seem to work well as they burn the wood. The grinder spins too fast unless you have variable speed control and then you are in the realm of the higher-powered machines that are heavier (and more expensive) and really a bit too unmanageable. A vice that clamps in the horizontal position is handy. I use my saw handle vice with a thick piece of wood to take up the space as it has a very restricted operating range. You could clamp the blades to your work bench for sanding purposes. Remember to keep checking for symmetry as it is terribly easy to be over enthusiastic. Go slowly as it is easier to take it off than put it back!

Not a complete "how to" but hopefully that will give you some ideas. Don't discount the value of improvisation.

Regards
Paul

Mate

nice work

to lessen the glare from the blades I'd use a polarizing filter on my camera. Using a phone you could put your aviators over the lens ... maybe

Hi Nick

Good to hear from you and thank you. I think you have been a little quiet of late.

Regards
Paul