What's This? A New Box of Knives??

I received a box filled with some pretty nice folding knives!

My Box of Knives That Arrived

Yep, here they are. I see SOG, Spyderco and Heckler & Koch. The knife on top is a SOG Twitch XL with a rosewood handle that is a customer request.

SOG Twitch XL Rosewood Handle Folding Knife

Here is a picture of the SOG Twitch. It is a beautiful knife. I prefer wood handles on knives, most people seem to prefer basic black...

SOG Twitch XL 

I got a SOG Twitch XL in black for those that want the black look.

SOG Spec Elite Folder

I also received a SOG Spec Elite. I like the locking mechanism on this knife, it's call SOG Arc-Lock. This knife opens and closes smooth as silk.

Spyderco and Heckle & Koch Folding Knives

The rest of the knives are packed in rather boring boxes so I just took a picture of all of them at once.

I am busy doing close up photos of the knives right now. First up is

Taking Photos of Knife Edges

Visual inspection of the knife's edge is an important part of sharpening a knife. Pre-sharpening is important to see what you are up against. Post-sharpening is important as it helps one know how good of a job one did. To that end I have been experimenting with taking photographs with my smart phone.

Pitted Blade on Shun Knife

As issued my smart phone can't take a picture of a knife edge. A real closeup photograph like the picture above is called a macro, and the camera or the lens needs to be designed for macro photography.

I have a small handheld magnifier that I use to inspect knives, and to take this photograph I held the magnifier up to the camera lens. I think it worked pretty well! It does take three hands to hold all elements in position and position everything in the proper light, and dealing with the very small 'focus' window is almost insurmountable — but other than that it's a piece of cake.

Magnified View of Dull Knife Edge

Here is a closeup of a dull knife. I wanted to capture the 'glint' of light that one sees on a dull knife edge.

As a knife is used, the sharp edge gradually rounds. A sharp edge will not reflect light, the more rounded (dull) the edge becomes the more light that is reflected.

Magnified View of a Sharp Knife Blade

Here is the same knife after I sharpened it. A sharp edge reflects no light.

What's This? A Box of Arno Bernard Knives?

Nothing better than coming back from a nice day of riding the motorcycle and having a box of Arno Bernard knives waiting for me!

Me (and friends) Totally Unaware of the Arno Bernard Delivery

After riding over hill and dale I see box this awaiting!

Box Containing Arno Bernard Knives

What's this I wondered?

I bent down and squinted at the label, trying to read it. I was expecting some Arno Bernard knives — but other things are delivered all the time.

I was quite happy when I figured out that the box is my Arno Bernards!

Arno Bernard Knives

I had ordered four Arno Bernard knives and that is what I received. The picture above shows all four knives.

The largest knife on the left is a Hippo from the Giant series. The Hippo has a giraffe bone handle and a cape buffalo leather sheath (as are all the sheaths). The next knife is a Cheetah with giraffe bone handle from the Predator series. Next is a Nyala from the Grazer series. The Nyala has a warthog ivory handle. The last, the smallest knife pictured is a Porcupine from the Bush Baby series. The Porcupine has a wart hog ivory handle.

All of these knives are beautiful! The workmanship is flawless. All of the blades are made of N690 steel, all the sheaths are cape buffalo leather.

Arno Bernard Hippo Knife

Here I'm holding the Hippo. This knife has a giraffe bone handle, the blade steel is N690, and the sheath is cape buffalo leather.

Arno Bernard Hippo Knife

Here is another view of the Hippo knife. Beautiful.

Arno Bernard Cheetah Knife

Next up is the Cheetah. A little bit smaller than the Hippo. This knife also has the giraffe bone handle.

Arno Bernard Nyala Knife with Warthog Tusk Handle

The third knife is the Nyala. Smaller, a graceful beauty.

Arno Bernard Porcupine Knife

Last is the Porcupine with a warthog ivory handle.

Arno Bernard makes knives in three 'series.' The series are Bush Baby, Scavenger, Grazer, Predator and Giant.

The Bush Baby series is the smallest, they are sized from 5" to about 5 3/4" They step up in size through each series, with the Giants being the largest. A knife in the giant series are 9" to about 9 7/8"

Spoils of a Knife Hunt

Went out on a knife hunt and brought back some goodies!

Kitchen Knives

Here are the knives that I found.

The top two are vintage J.A. Henckel, next is a Wusthof Classic forged chef's knife, then four paring knives.

J. A. Henckel Slicing knives 219-8 1/2" and 232-8

Here are the top two. Vintage Henckel slicing knives. The top one is the 219-8 1/2" knife, the other is the 232-8. Both are stainless steel stamped knives, not full tang, and wood handles.

They were made in Solingen, Germany and are marked 'Friodur' which is their heat treating trademark.

Both of these Henckels are in remarkable condition for their age. I will clean and oil the wood handles and probably put them up for sale on eBay.

Wusthof Classic Forged Chef's Knife Model 4522/20

Next up is this Wusthof. It's a Classic model, which is their best forged model. This knife is in good condition with one little exception.

Wusthof Chef's Knife with Bent Point

Here is the one exception. I think the previous owner used this knife to pry an abalone off of a rock as the point of the knife is now heading left. It's a pretty big bend and I'm not sure if it will be able to be straightened — I may have to grind it down and reshape the knife.

I will probably have this knife with me and for sale at my mobile knife sharpening booth.

R. H. Forschner, Case XX and Chicago Cutlery Paring Knives

Found four paring knives. R. H. Forschner, Case XX and Chicago Cutlery. My knife sharpening customers are always on the prowl for paring knives so these will be cleaned up, sharpened and offered for sale at the mobile knife sharpening booth.

Yes, I Sharpen...

I always get asked if I sharpen this or that, do I sharpen brand A or brand B.

Often I get asked if I sharpen Henckel knives or Wusthof knives. The answer is "Of course I do!" I would say at least half of the knives that I sharpen are Henckel.

I get asked if I sharpen Shun knives. Same answer.

Shun Kitchen Knives in the Knife Sharpening 'In Box'

The picture above is a Shun knife. Now I understand people asking if I sharpen Shun knives as all the  marketing people beat into the shopper's heads "now Shun knives are sharpened to a different angle so don't take them to a knife sharpener!"

My — not entire proper response — is "a knife is a knife." 

Yes, a Shun knife is sharpened to a different bevel angle than, let's say, a Henckel chef's knife. But so is a Henckel paring sharpened to a different angle than a chef's. We have different bevel angles for all types of knives: chef's, slicers, paring, cleavers. No biggie.

Cutco No. 25 Chef's Knife

I get "do you sharpen Cutco knives?" a lot. Again, a knife is a knife — don't buy too deeply into marketing hype!

Granton Blade Santoku Knife 

I get asked about granton knives all the time, can I sharpen a knife with these things along the blade face. The answer is again yes. I explain that the granton scallops are on the face of the knife, and that just the bottom edge is sharpened. As the knife is used and repeatedly sharpened the granton scallops do touch the edge of the knife to no ill effect.

Serrated Knives — Showing Worn Teeth

Yes, I sharpen serrated knives. I sharpen all types of serrated knives: the common toothed serrations, the micro-tooth type, and the scalloped type.

The picture above shows two common toothed serrated knives. The reason I chose this picture is that it shows two knives with their serrated teeth pretty much worn off. With a knife like this I usually suggest just finish what has started — make the knife a plain edge by regular sharpening — and buy a  new serrated knife.

Sharpening Cutco Serrated Knife

Here is a serrated Cutco knife that I sharpened. Yes, I sharpen Cutco knives, both Cutco serrated and Cutco plain edged knives.

Painted Steel Chef's Knife

I sharpen knives like the one pictured above. This knife is just a regular steel knife with a color coating on the steel — it sharpens the same as any knife, no difference.

Boker Ceramic Kitchen Knives

I sharpen ceramic knives.

MAC Knives with Chip

Damaged knives can be sharpened.

A knife with a small chip in the edge can be ground down so that the blade is back to where it should be. Sometimes the chip might be too big to allow the blade to be restored, but an option is to sharpen the blade and use as is. These MAC knives have a giant chip — something that would not be cost effective to grind out.

Gingher Pinking Shears

I sharpen pinking shears. I do understand me being asked this as pinking shears are one crazy mechanical design, but are rather easily sharpened!

Scissor Sharpening

I sharpen pretty much all types of scissors — sewing scissors, pinking shears, household scissors and manicure scissors fall into the 'pretty much' category.

Scissors to be Sharpened

A very large pair of scissors are usually called shears, but are just large scissors.

Our Tactical Christmas Stocking are about to Hit our Door!

Our seasonal supply of Tactical Christmas Stockings are about to be delivered!

Black Tactical Christmas Christmas Stocking

Here is the black version.

These Tactical Christmas stockings are designed with a military theme; there are MOLLE straps, carabiners, zippers, velcro, D-rings and all! Just under 18" tall.

Tactical Christmas Stocking, Desert Camo

I have these stockings in four colors. The first picture is the Black Tactical, the picture above is the desert camp, also have olive green and desert tan.

Olive Green Tactical Christmas Stocking

The olive green.

Desert Tan Tactical Christmas Stocking

Finally the desert tan version of the Tactical Christmas stocking.

I will have all of these with me at my mobile sharpening booth, and also as they are easily packed I can ship if desired. Contact me for information.