03-07-2021, 02:41 PM
Thank you both for the interesting discussion. I do not have a BESS tester, but I do have a Wifi microscope capable of looking at the edge.
I have found that while the compound-loaded leather belt removes the burr very quickly, it also polishes the apex, so that even with feather pressure, the very tip of the edge is polished. Even if the teeth along the edge are preserved, the apex remains polished and can have a tendency to ride on tomato skin. If enough force is applied when cutting to allow the knife to sink in past that polished area, the teeth left by the scratch pattern grab immediately. some call this a polished toothy edge. I have been finishing this way for years, but have recently had complaints regarding tomatoes so this led me to more research and now this discussion.
As for the restaurant client complaining about the edge, I observed the edges under microscope and they were indeed apexed and "sharp." I can only assume when they complained about the sharpness they were actually complaining about toothiness.
As far as deburring, I was not getting good results at first with the scotch brite, but a little bit of practice and time with the microscope and I am well on my way. I find the microscope really helps close and shorten the feedback loop so that one can verify results against performance and physical feel of the edge and cutting.
My clients are very pleased now and I have no complaints at all.
Curiously, I had a look at a Richmond Artifex Knife, bd1n steel, which is purported to be made by lamson. This is a hybrid edge. On the left side of the blade the grind pattern extends to the apex, and on the right side of the blade, the outermost edge is polished. This is an interesting approach, best of both worlds perhaps? I have recreated this edge by using a scotch brite deburr followed by unloaded leather one side and loaded leather on the other side and it is great for tomatoes as well as push cutting newsprint or shaving arm hair. The aggressiveness is understandably less on tomatoes, but that is made up for by increased smoothness in the newsprint and shaving tests. If it's a right handed knife, I wonder if the polished bevel is deliberately on the right side.
I have an order of cubitron 150 belts on the way and will give those a shot.
Lastly, I tried a 28 micron diamond compound on a linen belt and this also provides good result with a nice cutting edge. The difficulty here is that the compound is still sufficiently aggressive to provide abrasive effect on the edge and induce a new burr when one is trying to deburr. will experiment more and report back.
Max: what kind of 2" grinder are you using? And what difference on the 2" vs 1" A30 are you noticing?
I have found that while the compound-loaded leather belt removes the burr very quickly, it also polishes the apex, so that even with feather pressure, the very tip of the edge is polished. Even if the teeth along the edge are preserved, the apex remains polished and can have a tendency to ride on tomato skin. If enough force is applied when cutting to allow the knife to sink in past that polished area, the teeth left by the scratch pattern grab immediately. some call this a polished toothy edge. I have been finishing this way for years, but have recently had complaints regarding tomatoes so this led me to more research and now this discussion.
As for the restaurant client complaining about the edge, I observed the edges under microscope and they were indeed apexed and "sharp." I can only assume when they complained about the sharpness they were actually complaining about toothiness.
As far as deburring, I was not getting good results at first with the scotch brite, but a little bit of practice and time with the microscope and I am well on my way. I find the microscope really helps close and shorten the feedback loop so that one can verify results against performance and physical feel of the edge and cutting.
My clients are very pleased now and I have no complaints at all.
Curiously, I had a look at a Richmond Artifex Knife, bd1n steel, which is purported to be made by lamson. This is a hybrid edge. On the left side of the blade the grind pattern extends to the apex, and on the right side of the blade, the outermost edge is polished. This is an interesting approach, best of both worlds perhaps? I have recreated this edge by using a scotch brite deburr followed by unloaded leather one side and loaded leather on the other side and it is great for tomatoes as well as push cutting newsprint or shaving arm hair. The aggressiveness is understandably less on tomatoes, but that is made up for by increased smoothness in the newsprint and shaving tests. If it's a right handed knife, I wonder if the polished bevel is deliberately on the right side.
I have an order of cubitron 150 belts on the way and will give those a shot.
Lastly, I tried a 28 micron diamond compound on a linen belt and this also provides good result with a nice cutting edge. The difficulty here is that the compound is still sufficiently aggressive to provide abrasive effect on the edge and induce a new burr when one is trying to deburr. will experiment more and report back.
Max: what kind of 2" grinder are you using? And what difference on the 2" vs 1" A30 are you noticing?