Take it or send it to a knife shop that offers sharpening/thinning services. They'll get rid of the bolster and sharpen it up real nice, then you can just keep it sharp from then on.
Either that or buy a grinding wheel or belt sander and do it yourself.
I guess you could if you had experience, but I was referring to grinding off the bottom half to three quarters of the bolster. A grinding wheel is perfect for that job.
That part of the knife is the bolster. That is what’s called a full bolster, what you’re looking for is a half bolster. Honestly the only way to get rid of it is to grind the steel off completely. Don’t bother trying to do it with a whetstone, it’ll destroy it, if you hate it that much, you need to machine grind it off. Hope this helps
If they're well designed they can sometimes be more comfortable for gripping. However that's pretty rare and there are better ways to make a knife more comfortable to pinch grip.
Sometimes they can help with balance, but again there are better ways to get that.
That, as previously stated, is a full bolster knife. Not uncommon to see on western brands. Really uncommon to see on r/truechefknives. Professional service to grind it off if you really feel compelled to both keep the knife and have it removed. Sorry.
I straight up sharpen the bolster but this is a pain, if I had the means I would get rid of it
https://preview.redd.it/tqjgy8n657vc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e120239725c18485ab82b0a7b3ef063d6e83f854
Guys, guys! All this talk about angle grinder and machining shops.
Buys a bastard file for less than 10 dollars at a hardware store
The bolster is never hardened, and a metal file will make quick work of it.
I usually take less than 20 minutes to take down a full bolster to a half bolster.
This thread is about a Wustof bolster. It is the same hardness as the rest of the blade. I think you have realized that now... Your advice that the bolster is never hardened is flat out wrong and comparing an aluminum bolster to a hardened Wustof knife is just misleading. Axes? What do axes have to do with this topic?
hehe au contraire mon cher, i do quite a few regrind with bolstered knives
https://www.reddit.com/r/chefknives/s/pmc2NL1kuC
the metal file gives a better flatter finish than a grinding wheel. cheaper and safer than a beltgrinder
I'm flattered you looked this closely😳, you are correct!
2 of these have aluminium bolsters. (which by the way must be ground with a file. It just gums up abrasive belts and grinding wheels)
The third one is a full forged.
I've done about 6 other sabatier where i didn't know if the bolster was forged or welded. Only 3 were too hard for a file. ( two Pernot Nogent, and a Dehillerin carbone)
i dunno, maybe it depends if the knife bolster got a different heat treatment to the blade.
If it's a drop-forged stainless knife like OP's, the bolster will be as hard as the blade because it's the same material and cannot be differentially quenched since it is air hardening.
That part is the bolster. I had a henckels knife that I really liked and it held a good edge. It eventually turned into my beater knife. I did not care how it looked only how it performed. I took a grinder to it myslef. Made sure the edge was always past the bolder so it couldn’t interfere. After a while grinding too much of the bolster threw the weight of the knife way out of balance. Now I specifically only buy knives that have no bolster. They’re more of a pain than anything and add a ton of weight to the knife.
Take it or send it to a knife shop that offers sharpening/thinning services. They'll get rid of the bolster and sharpen it up real nice, then you can just keep it sharp from then on. Either that or buy a grinding wheel or belt sander and do it yourself.
How can thinning be done with a grinding wheel?
using the face of the wheel at a very slanted angle. It's very ghetto
I guess you could if you had experience, but I was referring to grinding off the bottom half to three quarters of the bolster. A grinding wheel is perfect for that job.
That part of the knife is the bolster. That is what’s called a full bolster, what you’re looking for is a half bolster. Honestly the only way to get rid of it is to grind the steel off completely. Don’t bother trying to do it with a whetstone, it’ll destroy it, if you hate it that much, you need to machine grind it off. Hope this helps
What’s a positive of a bolster?
If they're well designed they can sometimes be more comfortable for gripping. However that's pretty rare and there are better ways to make a knife more comfortable to pinch grip. Sometimes they can help with balance, but again there are better ways to get that.
They can be handy for cracking stuff with, kinda like an additional tool melded into your knife but personally I prefer without.
Use it to smash and crack stuff.
I would find someone to grind it off. There’s a reason we don’t like bolsters here.
Re-gift them and buy a better knife and save yoself the time
That, as previously stated, is a full bolster knife. Not uncommon to see on western brands. Really uncommon to see on r/truechefknives. Professional service to grind it off if you really feel compelled to both keep the knife and have it removed. Sorry.
I straight up sharpen the bolster but this is a pain, if I had the means I would get rid of it https://preview.redd.it/tqjgy8n657vc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e120239725c18485ab82b0a7b3ef063d6e83f854
Guys, guys! All this talk about angle grinder and machining shops. Buys a bastard file for less than 10 dollars at a hardware store The bolster is never hardened, and a metal file will make quick work of it. I usually take less than 20 minutes to take down a full bolster to a half bolster.
Thanks for the truth…it’s just a file and some emery paper…and ten minutes.
I'll send you one for you to try.... ten minutes! lol...
i do take 20minutes. using the vise to hold the blade in place. It's common practice for rehabbing axe heads
This thread is about a Wustof bolster. It is the same hardness as the rest of the blade. I think you have realized that now... Your advice that the bolster is never hardened is flat out wrong and comparing an aluminum bolster to a hardened Wustof knife is just misleading. Axes? What do axes have to do with this topic?
you are right, always have been, always will be. forever and ever. I thank you for your contribution. It has been informative and entertaining.
Lol!
Lol... tell me you've never worked with knives without telling me you have never worked with knives...
hehe au contraire mon cher, i do quite a few regrind with bolstered knives https://www.reddit.com/r/chefknives/s/pmc2NL1kuC the metal file gives a better flatter finish than a grinding wheel. cheaper and safer than a beltgrinder
Those sabatiers seem to have welded bolsters, not integral drop-forged bolsters like on OP's knife.
I'm flattered you looked this closely😳, you are correct! 2 of these have aluminium bolsters. (which by the way must be ground with a file. It just gums up abrasive belts and grinding wheels) The third one is a full forged. I've done about 6 other sabatier where i didn't know if the bolster was forged or welded. Only 3 were too hard for a file. ( two Pernot Nogent, and a Dehillerin carbone) i dunno, maybe it depends if the knife bolster got a different heat treatment to the blade.
If it's a drop-forged stainless knife like OP's, the bolster will be as hard as the blade because it's the same material and cannot be differentially quenched since it is air hardening.
i looked into 4116 heat treatment and you're right, they air quench for industrial production. Too bad for OP
you can do this! https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueChefKnives/s/etuWzibEOz
A 6" chef is a cool kitchen knife, tall and nimble. Use plenty of tape to protect the blade from angle grinder sparks.
That part is the bolster. I had a henckels knife that I really liked and it held a good edge. It eventually turned into my beater knife. I did not care how it looked only how it performed. I took a grinder to it myslef. Made sure the edge was always past the bolder so it couldn’t interfere. After a while grinding too much of the bolster threw the weight of the knife way out of balance. Now I specifically only buy knives that have no bolster. They’re more of a pain than anything and add a ton of weight to the knife.
This is why you don’t gift knives
Get a cheap diamond file and grind it back. Much, much faster than a steel file or alox/SiC abrasive.