Greetings Me Droogs N Droogettes!
Man, talk about a bit of a waste today. Could NOT get out of the house -at all-. Got a list as long as my arm that needs to be done, but man, Z.E.R.O. motivation and energy. Hardly got anything really done. I suppose it’s normal after the past month or so. So, no energy?
That meant not doing any elaborate cooking tonight.
Instead, I opted for “breakfast for dinner”
3 Sunny Side, bacon, a hash brown and a short stack.
Plus a slice of Publix Mountain Bread which is like the best when used with the yolk on the eggs.
And no, this wasn’t elaborate by my standards. The hash browns went into my commercial deep fryer, the bacon in the air fryer set to “grill” and the pancakes were a organic pre-made set that only needed to be microwaved/put in the toaster oven. To make the three of us, it only took me about 15 minutes. The bacon was the thing that needed the longest time. The hash browns (once the oil was heated) only took 2 minutes to get done, 3 if you want it ‘well done’ all the way through and crunchy.
Having the right tools for the job also helps significantly. After the X bailed, she looted the entirety of the kitchen/cooking equipment. I suppose it was her right as back then -she- did all the cooking, so when it was time to get replacements, I didn’t skimp at all. Hence the commercial grade (albeit mini) deep fryer. THAT thing above all is responsible for many awesome meals. Best snack is the mozzarella sticks…
I know, not healthy
However, 3 minutes in the oil and them suckers are as good, if not better than restaurant quality. And for like a quarter of the price no less.
Another thing I didn’t skimp on was knives.
For whatever reason, the X? Despite being a really good cook, she used the shittiest, dullest knives in the fucking world. Like ‘cain’t cut sheeeit’ knives. I used to try to keep them sharp, and she’d occasionally use a steel on them, but sharp-sharp? No idea if that’s ‘female thing’ too, as Gretchen uses ‘any old thing’ to cut ‘stuff’ up with…
Me?
Shun baby, Shun allll the day long… Primo Japanese kitchen knives… In fact that was one of several ‘crimes’ that DC did when she was living here… she chipped one of my Shun meat carving kitchen knives (third from the left). Not severely, but a chip is a chip, and on a $400 blade? She’s lucky I discovered it -after- we’d thrown her ass out, or I probably would have sunk it into her fucking retarded skull.
It’s almost been ‘sharpened out’ now… as in I keep the knives sharp, and make sure it’s done on the regular, so slowly, but surely, it’ll eventually be gone.
As to what I use to sharpen the blades?
Well… I have a multiplicity of tools. One is Ye Olde Standard whetstone. One of the things DeadDad -did- teach me was how to properly use a whetstone. That’s a skill ALL men should pass on to their kids (provided their kids are willing to learn). Mine is a Double sided, 1000 grit on one side, 6000 on the other for finishing.
I also have an Mueller electric sharpener which is ok… it’s good for fast and rough work. Mostly use that as a ‘starter’ for some of the blades, and the whetstone as a finisher.
One of the nice things is there’s a trap door under it that catches all the itty-bitty metal shavings and flakes. It allows you to clean it out so it doesn’t get gunked up and nasty.
Link to it is HERE
But there’s one last one that I absolutely love, and that’s the Warthog VSharp Classic V2:
They run about $100 and up, but Oh my Lord.
Link HERE
Now the link is the closest to what I have on the Zon… Guess mine isn’t in stock on their site, as I tried like hell to find it. It also could be that mine is an older version, as I’ve had mine quite a number of years… I checked their main website and mine is an older model… the sticker is different now on them too… guess YMMV
So, where was I? Oh yeah…
THIS thing leaves a crazy sharp edge on your knives.
It’s got 3 different cutting degree angles you can mount the diamond sharpeners/honing steels on, and it’s also spring loaded. To change from ‘course’ to ‘fine’ it has a little tool that stores in the bottom under the rubber cover. I suppose you could use any old thing like a pair of small pliers or a Leatherman, but they -do- give you something… anywho… you pry off and flip the bar over. One side, like I said, is fine and the other course. You can tell by feel which is which. They also have a lil red paint droplet that tells you which end is up, because you -do- have to reinstall them properly or you might screw up your blade.
10-15 strokes on the course side, then 5-10 on fine and you get scalpel like sharpness IMO.
It took me a while to get use to how to use it, but once I figured it out? Oh yeah. Best sharpener that I’ve had in a long time. It’s not really designed to be used on combat knives and/or bayonets. I know ‘cos I tried. That being said it’s a superior kitchen knife sharpener.
I also have a couple of those lil Lansky pocket sharpeners too:
That one has the very useful serrated sharpeners in them… One is a diamond ‘rod’ that folds inside (the gray tubular thing above) and the white ceramic ‘finisher’, as well as the standard rough carbide teeth, and ceramic finisher teeth. I guess it’s now called the “Blademedic” which is a catchy name…
Link for it is HERE
And for clarity, IF you use any of those links, I get a ‘taste’ from the sale… probably a whole whopping 25 cents, but hey, $$$ is $$$ and Gretchen’s gonna need a new set of hooties.
Those pocket sharpeners, well I have like 6 of them, spread all over my gear and the kitchen. I use them for quickie touch ups when I’m cutting… if the knife feels like it’s tugging while I’m like butterflying a chicken breast or something, I’ll grab out the Lansky and hit the blade with the ceramic real quick to touch it up. Works really well too. And dishwasher safe that I can tell…
I like keep my blades so sharp Sapper refers to them as “my lightsaber collection” as they’re able to pretty much cut through everything without a hassle. DeadDad was almost religious in keeping his kitchen knives sharp. One of his blades, a Chicago Cutlery long utility knife was sharpened so much that the blade was worn waaaaaay the hell down to damned near a nub. I like to think that is at least one family tradition I keep alive…
Otherwise, tomorrow we have to get the shit done we didn’t get done today, as well as some ‘extra missions’ that’re health related. Gretchen is going to be a pincushion by the end of the day… like what? 6-8 different types of blood draws? And it’s like onsies-twosies… one or two here, one or two there…
You’d think we could get them all done simultaneously right?
Or as Beavis and Butthead once talked about, “…slash open your hand, and just bleed into a bucket or somethin’ heh heh…”
So that’s the activities on the schedule.
I do have another DotMil type of poast I’m working on that may or may not be of interest or use, but it’s part of your ‘area studies’ that everyone should be performing. It’ll be ready hopefully by Friday, if not Saturday, as we got a lot of stuff now that crops up unexpectedly.
I appreciate y’all for stopping by.
More Later
Big Country
h/t WiscoDave for that one
And thanks also for the link to the MM-1 itself dude!
Whicked Edge is by far the best sharpener you can buy. I worked for one of the big American knife makers out in Golden CO for 8 years. Other than a TW-90 or Burr King with a 120 gr belt and a compound wheel the Whicked Edge is an fantastic set up.
I have a two of these on each bag.
https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/benchtop/manual/pocket-knife-sharpener/
Handy, inexpensive, and works.
Less likely to chew a blade like a carbide sharpener. They are also pretty lightweight.
BCE,
For Gretchen and you should do it with her, consider going vegan for 2 – 4 weeks, but NO processed foods … only whole foods. For example, flour and hence bread is a processed food. Cooked, raw however you want. Organic if you can get it/afford it. Make your own dressings. Lots of salads. Come up with some decent protein sources. Then reintroduce meats. Continue to exclude processed foods. They are bad, bad, bad. Also, consider 16 hrs of continuous fasting per day. Leaves an 8 hr eating window. Should give your beloved the best tactical/strategic advantage. Do the vegan thing every once in a while, but not on a long term or permanent basis. Tends to be deficient in good quality protein. Maybe someone has already suggested similar, but give it some consideration. Best to you and yours.
Appreciate it Fren… I’ll ask her Worship 🙂
I hate that moisturized meme with a white hot passion for some reason. I’m praying always for you and Gretchen, may she get well soon!
NEWBY I actually wore out my first HOG. I am 63.
I finally stepped up to this… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EJ9CQKA?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
I can set sharpening angles from 15 to 30 degrees. Belt changes are quick and easy. Use it outside or someplace because it makes dust.
Ditto. Came here to recommend the Ken Onion Work Sharp too. Have had one for about a year. The drag sharpener things will give you an edge, but this is the only way to get a proper, long lasting convex edge.
As far as also working for combat knives, I used it to put a back edge on the below Gerber that came with a false back edge. Worked up from the coarse belt, and ground the whole thing into a proper fighting bowie. It will sharpen anything from a pen knife to a lawnmower blade.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00007E1M2
Shuns are good and I have a couple, but I’m a MAC guy. Super hard steel for edge retention and thin spines for easy cutting. I could never go back to German steel now, just feels too heavy and clunky. I’ve used a MAC MTH-80G for restaurant stuff more or less every work day for close to twenty years now. On my third one now (one worn down, one stolen, one is the daily driver). Does almost everything so I don’t have to keep rummaging through the knife pile, and it’s compact enough for use on the 12″ wide cutting board on a flip-top cooler work station.
I’ve accumulated lots of sharpening tackle over the years, but the go-t0 are Norton water stones. A 250/1000 for heavy grinding and edge shaping, and a 4000/8000 for day-to-day edge maintenance.
The finishing touch is to polish the newly sharpened edge on a block strop loaded with polishing compound, it helps the newly sharpened blade stay shaving sharp much longer.
Interesting observations on knife sharpening. I can turn a skinning knife into a fucking butter knife in no time at all.
That’s talent on loan from god himself. Have drawers full of space age sharpeners, they still come off the session fit to cut butter.
I’ve been switching my knives up to Damascus steeled blades and Tomahawks over the past six months.
For some odd reason I seem to be able to keep a scalpel sharp blade on that specific steel.
Recently purchased four fighting hawks, all Damascus, I’ve handed em over to little army boys who think they’re “ Winkler’s” their not, in fact their 150.00 a pop vs 800.00/1200.00 a pop.
Bought all the grand sons their own hawks enjoy watching em running around Hacking the living shit out of everything they think needs hacked up.
One rule, can’t use em on each other. So far,,,,, so good. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
And so far no calls from the school principle whining cuz the grands are trying to scalp some lil turd.
What can I say,,,,, life’s grand.
ETSY seems to have some very good blade and hawk makes selling kit at awesome prices.
Wife just called said 10 more new knives arrived over the weekend.
Hard to deny that one, she controls the evidence
In in Reno she’s at home. Bummer screwed that one up
Dirk
Japanese water stones- natural if you can get them. Japanese carbon steel laminated blades, too. Careful you don’t lose a finger though.
BCE:
I was a medical photographer as a college job. This might sound a little voyeuristic but take a set of b4 pictures of Gretchen’s assets. Top, side, bottom, all around. The reason is the surgeon who does the mastectomy will most likely not be the guy who does the reconstruction. Find both cutters at the onset and introduce them to each other so the first leaves enough for the second to work with. Having the images will help the plastic guy know what the overall body structure was with out having to guess. Better outcomes.
Spin
PS; Prayers for Gretchen!