# Stripping the KU from a Carter



## Von blewitt (Jan 26, 2013)

Does anyone have any experience stripping the Kuro uchi finish off a Carter?
I'm considering removing the KU and rounding the spine and putting a hand rubbed finnish on my 180mm funayuki. I'm just concerned how reactive the cladding will be once it's exposed?
Any experience would be greatly appreciated


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## turbochef422 (Jan 26, 2013)

I'm not a big fan of taking it off. Once you do it they are never the same. They don't react the way they should.


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## SpikeC (Jan 27, 2013)

Isn't the cladding stainless?


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## Pensacola Tiger (Jan 27, 2013)

SpikeC said:


> Isn't the cladding stainless?



Not on Carter's KU knives. 

Removing the kuru-uchi finish will expose soft iron, which is fairly reactive.


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## EdipisReks (Jan 27, 2013)

i removed the KU finish on a Yoshihiro, and the cladding was quite reactive, though i was eventually able to pacify it with multiple etches with barkeeper's friend.


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## Mike9 (Jan 27, 2013)

I took the KU finish off a Tojiro ITK Petty and it took a while for it to settle down after.


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## Benuser (Jan 27, 2013)

No personal experience or knowledge at all. Just remember someone explaining that the soft iron won't take a patina.


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## DwarvenChef (Jan 28, 2013)

The soft iron will eventually calm down but only with a heavy patina. I have not seen a stripped KU keep a polished look and function well.


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## Jmadams13 (Jan 28, 2013)

I have two Tijiro ITK knives with the KU stripped. Took FOREVER to slow down, and still acts up on onions at times. But now that it has slowed down a bit, it's much much better than the KU that came on these knives, and let's the White #2 shine without the cappy finish to take away from the enjoyment when using (those of us who know, the Tojiro KU is awful) but I'm not sure how the cladding will be on a carter.


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## Hattorichop (Jan 28, 2013)

I purchased a Carter KU wa-bocho from his clearance section. He removed the kuru-uchi finish on this knife himself and i've had no problems with it.


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## Von blewitt (Feb 16, 2013)

I decided to strip the KU and see what happens, just used sandpaper & micro mesh pads. It's still rustic, but near mirror in parts. I polished the secondary bevel on red aoto & also added a machi. I'm really happy with it, I'll see how reactive it is and report back




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## knyfeknerd (Feb 17, 2013)

The picture makes it look really pretty, the blade I mean.
I hope it doesn't react too badly with any foods.
You gotta get a new handle on that thing though, is that a plastic ferrule?
Don't take me seriously, I hate plastic on knives.
The steel looks really great though, good job. Was it difficult to remove?


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## JBroida (Feb 17, 2013)

Von blewitt said:


> I decided to strip the KU and see what happens, just used sandpaper & micro mesh pads. It's still rustic, but near mirror in parts. I polished the secondary bevel on red aoto & also added a machi. I'm really happy with it, I'll see how reactive it is and report back
> 
> 
> 
> [/IMG]



i think you may be misunderstanding what a machi is... what do you mean by it?


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## Von blewitt (Feb 17, 2013)

knyfeknerd said:


> The picture makes it look really pretty, the blade I mean.
> I hope it doesn't react too badly with any foods.
> You gotta get a new handle on that thing though, is that a plastic ferrule?
> Don't take me seriously, I hate plastic on knives.
> The steel looks really great though, good job. Was it difficult to remove?



It came off really easily with 120 grit paper, then 180,240,400,600,800 and micro mesh

I hope to have this handle ( by hattorichop) mounted by the end of the week 



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## miketayl0r (Feb 17, 2013)

that handle issss uggggllllyyyy. blade looks great though! nice work


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## Von blewitt (Feb 17, 2013)

JBroida said:


> i think you may be misunderstanding what a machi is... what do you mean by it?



Maybe.... I filed down the tang to form a shoulder, I thought that was a machi?



[/IMG]


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## Lefty (Feb 17, 2013)

Kinda depends on the result of the filing. If there's a little gap on the spine and choil, just in front of the ferrule, you've got a machi. I know this because I am not fluent in Japanese. What?


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## Von blewitt (Feb 17, 2013)

Lefty said:


> Kinda depends on the result of the filing. If there's a little gap on the spine and choil, just in front of the ferrule, you've got a machi. I know this because I am not fluent in Japanese. What?



OK now I get it  word of warning if you google image search "machi" that's not what you get hahaha


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## knyfeknerd (Feb 17, 2013)

Can't wait to see it with Karl's handle. Good score.


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## Lefty (Feb 17, 2013)

I'm googling machi...now!


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## Don Nguyen (Feb 17, 2013)

Just shows a bunch of ecchi manga stuff?


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