# Stainless integral 90 mm Paring Knives available, Old Sheffield Stock!



## WillC (Mar 11, 2012)

I have been enjoying the paring knife I bought from Stu Mitchell so much I though I would ask him if he could find any more. They are never handled old sheffield stock, from the portland works. My one here has been handled in blue micarta by Stu.
I have thinned mine right down behind the edge, as the factory edge is a bit beefy. The steel and HT are top notch on these, we are not sure of the steel or the maker but it is close too a carbon steel, hard, easy to sharpen takes a hair topping edge and holds it. I'm very impressed with the steel whatever it is. The grind is very good with even plunges and a good quality finish. They are flat ground.

I can get hold of a number of these according to demand.
Each will be thinned right down behind the edge with a tiny polished bevel and a little convexity added to the last third of the blade, so they cut as wonderfully as mine.
I have a good stock of sexy burls for handle materials or open to suggestions. Prices for different materials will of course vary.

Let me know who would be interested in one of these, finished and handled to a high standard by myself, and fully tested to check they are all as good as this one, they are great quality and they don't make them anymore

I will get a price up shortly with a mid range stabilized burl like redwood as a price example.

Here are some pictures of mine.


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## Candlejack (Mar 11, 2012)

I'm probably not going to spend that much on a paring knife.. but i am interested if the cost is kept down. Although i can't imagine it will be any cheap when they're getting rehandled and thinned down


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## Johnny.B.Good (Mar 11, 2012)

Cute little knife. I even like the bright colored handle.


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## WillC (Mar 11, 2012)

The thinning won't take too long, but yes the handling could take a while as i'm a bit of a perfectionist and I've not done loads of full tang. But i'll price it on how long it "should" take to do a tidy job.
I'm just waiting on a price for the blades. If some want to do their own handling and thin then down towards the edge themselves on a diamond plate that could be an option to have blade only on some of these.


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## compaddict (Mar 11, 2012)

Oooo.. Steak knives! How much for twelve?

Vince


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## Johnny.B.Good (Mar 11, 2012)

compaddict said:


> Oooo.. Steak knives!



There's an idea...

Off topic Will, but what does that micarta handle feel like? It looks like it has some texture to it.


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## WillC (Mar 11, 2012)

Actually I tell a lie its not micarta, its blue G10. Its smooth but not too slippy. I would be planning on using some nice burls but if enough people fancied G10 I could get some in. I'm still waiting on a price on these, he only has 8 left out of the original 20, I'm trying to buy all the remaining 8 blades.


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## bieniek (Mar 11, 2012)

Very interesting. How much for blade without handle and grinding?


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## jmforge (Mar 11, 2012)

That is a nice looking little knife. I get the impression that you feel that the steel is of better quality than the typical .55% C stuff that you see in the German integrals.


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## WillC (Mar 11, 2012)

They are stainless, if I had to guess I would say its something close to 12c26 or aeb-l. So probably not too high carbon, but the ht is spot on, a conservative estimate 58-60hrc. Nice stuff.
In Stu's words these are from a time when Sheffield made great knives, but basically brand new.
I will not know about price on these until later in the week folks after Stu has received them and assessed the condition.


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## TB_London (Mar 11, 2012)

I nearly got a set of the blanks that Stu had a while back but wasn't sure about the steel. Sounds like I should have grabbed them when I had the chance. If they'd been carbon I probably would have gone for it....
Will be interesting to see how they turn out


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## WillC (Mar 11, 2012)

I didn't go for any of the big ones because they are flat ground. But they could work out with a bit of thinning, but only room for so much convexing. He's sold them all now any way. These parers are about 0,5mm behind the edge, with a really steep bevel as factory. I've taken mine to 0.1mm behind the edge, with a tiny little 10 degree per side bevel. it takes a nice fine edge for sure. And strops up to the point where it pops the tops off hairs. Would love to know what the steel is, maybe Sheffield's own stainless. 
I have a stainless sheffield fillet knife bought new about 5 years ago from my mum, its a different thing all together, it is an effort to get it sharp enough to slice paper, so either poor steel or poor HT and lots of little mistakes in the grind. Like over grinds on the integral bolster plunges and nasty gaps on the scales, Shame they didn't stick to making great knives rather than trying to compete with mass produced rubbish.


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## jmforge (Mar 12, 2012)

From what I hear and read, that extra .05% carbon and the other alloying tricks that you get in AEB-L makes a world of difference when compared to the equally pedestrian (in theory) steel like the X50CrMo15 stuff.


WillC said:


> They are stainless, if I had to guess I would say its something close to 12c26 or aeb-l. So probably not too high carbon, but the ht is spot on, a conservative estimate 58-60hrc. Nice stuff.
> In Stu's words these are from a time when Sheffield made great knives, but basically brand new.
> I will not know about price on these until later in the week folks after Stu has received them and assessed the condition.


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## WillC (Apr 19, 2012)

Right been a while on these....:O But I have a batch of 9 on the way to me. I will wait till I get them to assess them properly and give some options on finish and handling. These are straight off the machine finish as is, they are different to my one in that they have a thick portion at the back of the blade, Stu ground a clean plunge in on mine at the bolster which I prefer. I will do this in a reground option.
Here is a pic from source.
Mine is holding a wicked edge still btw, despite girlfriend abuse:lol2:


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## ManateeAndy (Apr 19, 2012)

Something i'd be interested in, any more thoughts on price?


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## WillC (Apr 19, 2012)

As is price to finish your self will be about £28 plus postage and pay pal fees, so depending on where you are.... I would like to check them over first though but as an idea.

I think a regrind and hand finish/honing will add £30 to that.

And to have one reground and handled by me will be around £95 plus p+p and paypal.

But i'll just hold off a definate on that till I have got them and checked them over.

Many thanks

Will


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## Crothcipt (Apr 19, 2012)

um @#$#@ I would love one of these from you. Hope they hold out (prob. not) until June. Stupid trip.


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## WillC (Apr 20, 2012)

Right these have arrived with me now and i've had a chance to look them over. 

They fit firmly into 2 camps. Those that have been finished and polished except for the final bevel. Apart from the ends being a bit rounded so will need making pointy again. These seem good candidates to send on as is. They will need thinning towards the edge with a diamond stone, but the finish should make them a relatively easy task to diy finish to a nice satin all over. 

There are 5 of these available which I will let go for £28 each as diy projects , with P&P and paypal that will be
£35 Europe
£38 to the states.









The remaining 4 still have the bumpy machine finish on the blades and course grit finish for the rest. There is still a good 1mm on the edge and I would deem these way too much work for someone without grinding equipment.
These I will grind the fat bit of the blade off at the back, regrind convex and thin behind the edge and take to a nice satin 320 grit finish.














There is a good bit of work in these bit more than I thought, but the results should be very nice.

I would really like to do these completely finished and handled and honed, they will be around the £100 mark depending on wood.

Thanks for the pm's of interest I hope that makes things a bit clearer. I'll grind one of these up tomorrow and see how it goes.

Cheers,

Will


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## WillC (Apr 29, 2012)

Lets get some of these out to be enjoyed, I've been a bit slack on this.
A couple are now spoken for.
I've changed my mind a couple of times on options and prices. Sorry, I ground one of the unground ones up the other day and I would be prepared to do them ground up to the same profile as my one, but very thin behind the edge with a little convexness. Its not effecient to completely hand finish them but i'll take them to an even 180 grit by hand, so its all downhill from there after you have handled them.

I'll do them re-ground, ready to be handled and finished by their new owners for
£50 posted, add £2 for u.s. postage.

I have a few left of the polished ones I will sell as is for you to thin yourself on the stones etc for the price as above.
£35 posted add £2 for u.s.postage

There are now 4 left of the polished ones that can go out as is for the cheaper price or reground for a bit more.

And 3 left of the unground ones which must be re-ground and finished.

Here are some pics of the one I re-ground.
I sharpened and edge tested it and its spot on, just like mine...













Just a reminder of the difference, these are the polished ones with the fat bit still on the heel.





Have a lovely Sunday.:biggrin:

Will


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## WillC (Apr 29, 2012)

Should add if anyone does fancy one all finished and handled by me, shoot me a pm.


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## chinacats (Jun 12, 2012)

Any of these available still?


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## WillC (Jun 13, 2012)

Yes, they are, I have been a bit slack getting these sold what with getting commissions out and the website up and running. They are still here. I hardness tested one and it was in the mid 50's, was hard to get a good reading as I believe there is some differential temper. They had me fooled that they were a touch harder as the steel takes a very fine edge. But edge retention is obviously not like a harder steel. Despite that mine takes the abuse my good lady can throw at it, and comes good on the whole with a few licks on a strop.
Pm me and let me know how you would like one, ground/ground handled/ or just original.
My plan was to sneakily handle and finish a few to a high standard and pop them up for sale.
Thanks
Will


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