# Tip Repair: Shun Edition



## Chuckles (Apr 14, 2015)

This is a Shun Kaji that took a spill off a table. I believe it belongs to a line cook at my wife's job. She brought it home and asked if there was anything I could do. I am not very happy with the results of the etch. At all.. The tip repair went fine and the knife took a fantastic edge. I just didn't have any sandpaper over 320 grit and probably need more work on my hand sanding set up. I also didn't have anything to clean it effectively prior to etch. Just plain frustrating. In the end the guy is getting it fixed for free by a stranger so he better not call it out.


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## zackerty (Apr 14, 2015)

Nice fix that!

Well done...


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## gic (Apr 14, 2015)

What did you use, stones or a grinder and if stones which ones? I assume you fixed from the spine?? Did you do any sharpening at the edge side??

Great repair!


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## chinacats (Apr 14, 2015)

Beautiful job...much better profile now than when it was new.


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## Chuckles (Apr 14, 2015)

I went from the spine exclusively. Used a new 80 grit belt and a bucket of water. After the tip was shaped I rounded the spine with strips of 220 grit sandpaper backed with duct tape. Then I thinned out the whole blade but especially the new tip area which, of course, was quite thick. Did thinning on stones: beston 500, king 800, gesshin 2k, green brick (for shine). Sanded out the many existing scratches on the blade with sandpaper wrapped around the nagura that came with the diamond stones from JKI with a little thin foam in there too. Then I etched in diluted ferric chloride, neutralized with windex. Final edge was JKI diamond 1K, JKI diamond 6K, .5 chromium oxide on balsa.


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## Stumblinman (Apr 14, 2015)

Looks nice. I did some re-etching that looked like that on a Shun but didn't care for it. felt kinda grippy. hard to explain but felt like wood with the grains opened up. For me, a little 1000 wet sanding did it right.


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## marc4pt0 (Apr 14, 2015)

Looks great man. I bet it's pretty darn sharp As well. This guy should be very pleased


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## andre s (Apr 14, 2015)

meant to ask (at some point) if powdered steel reacts nicely to an etch. guess i got my answer. looks great!


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## brainsausage (Apr 14, 2015)

Stumblinman said:


> Looks nice. I did some re-etching that looked like that on a Shun but didn't care for it. felt kinda grippy. hard to explain but felt like wood with the grains opened up. For me, a little 1000 wet sanding did it right.



I always hit refinish with a high grit paper after etching, way too much drag otherwise.


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## Zwiefel (Apr 14, 2015)

I like that etch better than the original. Nice work!


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## zackerty (Apr 14, 2015)

Zwiefel said:


> I like that etch better than the original. Nice work!



Yup, I had another look...that etch is sublime...what was your FC to water ratio?


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## Chuckles (Apr 14, 2015)

Eyeballed about 3 parts water to 1 part acid. 

So, here is a sign that I am in too deep.

It didn't cross my mind that this kid has never seen or heard of an etched damascus blade. He probably thought that the broken tip meant that the knife was just dead. You drool over enough Martell spa treatments and you forget that most cooks can't even sharpen a knife. I don't even know the owners name but I was told he is happy with it.


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## James (Apr 14, 2015)

brainsausage said:


> I always hit refinish with a high grit paper after etching, way too much drag otherwise.



I do the same; gets to be more of a gunmetal grey than black by the time the drag is at an acceptable level


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## Mrmnms (Apr 15, 2015)

Chuckles said:


> This is a Shun Kaji that took a spill off a table. I believe it belongs to a line cook at my wife's job. She brought it home and asked if there was anything I could do. I am not very happy with the results of the etch. At all.. The tip repair went fine and the knife took a fantastic edge. I just didn't have any sandpaper over 320 grit and probably need more work on my hand sanding set up. I also didn't have anything to clean it effectively prior to etch. Just plain frustrating. In the end the guy is getting it fixed for free by a stranger so he better not call it out.


 Not happy with the etch? You're kidding right? It looks pretty darn good to me. The kid should be mystified. Great job.


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## brainsausage (Apr 15, 2015)

James said:


> I do the same; gets to be more of a gunmetal grey than black by the time the drag is at an acceptable level



Strewth.


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## Chuckles (Apr 15, 2015)

The tip section looks good. That is where the thinning went all the way to the spine to correct the distal taper. There was a very even finish after the stone progression. Back towards the heel, above the thinning point there is a grainy look to the etch. I assume this is either because the finish wasn't totally even or because it wasn't totally cleaned up before it went into the etchant. It looks like the picture is just a little fuzzy but some of that is actually the knife. I would have loved to have gone over it with some high grit paper at the end but didn't have any. As I understand it going over it lightly with a high grit after etching mostly just polishes the higher nickle layer giving it more 'pop' and contrast. 

Hopefully some of this experience can act as a cautionary tale to people trying something like this in the future.


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## cheflarge (Apr 15, 2015)

Chuckles, brother, cut yourself a little slack! That is a f'n awesome job! :cool2:


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## Geo87 (Apr 15, 2015)

Looks good to me mate... You are being too hard on yourself.


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## Chuckles (Apr 15, 2015)

Not trying to start a pity party. Just sayin' (and everybody says this) if you do this yourself do not try and save time on hand sanding! And make sure you have a way of gettin all fingerprints and shop crud off the blade before it goes into the etchant. You just don't get many chances to see mediocre work around here so here it is and that's that. 

I am not an insecure person so don't worry about me! I promise I have zero self esteem wrapped up in Shun Damascus. 

You should see how I respond to most of my new dishes the first time around! :clown:


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## Mrmnms (Apr 15, 2015)

Sound advice . Thanks for sharing this.


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## daveb (Apr 15, 2015)

Laudable effort, great results and thanks for sharing. I've done some less ambitious "fixes" for people, your post shows what can be done and how well it can be done.

Your next step in this noble cause is of course to take the young lad aside, learn his name and teach him how to use his knife....:groucho:


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## Dave Martell (Apr 17, 2015)

I love it Chuck, great repair and upgrade to the finish!


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## Chuckles (Apr 18, 2015)

Thanks Dave.



> Your next step in this noble cause is of course to take the young lad aside, learn his name and teach him how to use his knife....



Nope. If he worked for me sure, but his chef should be doing that. If he wants to learn he should quit and come work for me. :clown:

3.7% unemployment here and a ton of new restaurant openings has thinned the labor pool dramatically.


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## Miles (May 1, 2015)

Nice work Chuck! Very nice indeed!


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