After 4+ months of coding and debugging, almost ready. Alpha stage, all coding is done, testing all features on major browsers and few minor touchups left in look and feel, plus the help file and more data editing. Granted that steel chart 4.0 requires database schema change, I'll be releasing android steel chart 3.0 as well. If all goes as planned, by the end of the next week simultaneous release will happen, and then I'll focus on iphone version. Can't say I enjoy that part though.
Sunday, November 27, 2011 21:51:58
Actually the real name of the alloy is still unknown. It's the alloy used in Kikuchi(Ichiminji) Performance TKC line of knives. For the lack of the better option, it's listed as TKC special steel composition. Special thanks goes ot Mark of chefknivestogo.com for providing the info. Can't say it's something extraordinary, simple, semi-stainless steel, pretty clean, with rtace amounts of Vanadium and Molybdenum.
Monday, November 21, 2011 23:20:55
Bohler-Uddeholm 19C5Va steel is a new alloy, used by Devin Thomas and by other knifemakers. Simple, clean, high carbon steel. As far as I understand, it can be used as a single steel for making a knife, or part of the mix in damascus steels. Worth mentioning that this alloy was specifically developed for cutlery, which is rather rare.
Thursday, November 17, 2011 18:04:39
Not much of a review, but then again, not much of a knife either. I had a set of four Chroma kitchen knives to sharpen and test, this was the second one I've tested. Nothing new, steel sucked, so did the knife performance, and sharpening was a real biatch, just like the Chroma santoku. Well, it was a paring knife, s oobvisous differences from the santoku apply, but performance for both was very sub-par.
Saturday, November 12, 2011 23:17:59
All is going well, unless my head explodes. Working on database enhancements, coding steel chart 4 and in parallel coding iphone version of the steel chart. Can't say doing 3 things together is a lot of fun, but still interesting. Starting tomorrow, I'll be focusing more on web version, which is the primary anyway.
Thursday, November 10, 2011 23:34:40
Finally it's here :) Custom made, nesmuk type knife from Shinichi Watanabe. well, it's more of a blank to be precise, no handle, but heat treated, sharpened and finished. Talking to Dave Martell about installing a handle. I'll post pix tomorrow.
Friday, November 4, 2011 22:29:19
Managed to work on the steel chart 4.0 project pretty much daily this week. Considering that it ain't my day job, average time per day was 2-3 hours, but that's still better than nothing :) Hopefully I'll get a lot more done this weekend.
Thursday, November 3, 2011 21:40:30
The knife is back from the repair service, and I did manage to carry it second half of the day. In fact, I have it on me as I type this. As for the repair itself, turnaround was pretty quick for the warranty service, and the problem seems to be fixed. The blade is almost perfectly centered, and the action is still smooth. One thing I am not so happy about, they sharpened the blade and I really wonder why. It wasn't in the repair request, may be I should've asked not to. I've sent it 15 deg. per side, 100k finished, mirror polished edge, and got back something that's close to 800 grit finish, and more problematic, the edge is back to factory original 20 deg per side. In short, I have to sharpen it again... Probably I won't go 100K again, I want to experiment with relatively rough edges. So, I figure I'll go about 3K and then strop.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 21:45:08
Got nice Haloween present :) On Oct. 31 Shinichi sent emai, my nesmuk knife is completed, it'll arrive in a few days. I Still needot figure out who will make a western handle for it. but still, the main part is done.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 00:13:45
Just got the email from Benchmade warranty service. Repairs were completed and the knife was shipped to me. UPS says, scheduled delivery date is on November 2nd. Keeping fingers crossed. I missed that knife already. Hopefully the issue is completely resolved and won't occur again. And I really hope it'll be as smooth as before. Well, lots of hopes, let's see how it all turns out. Updates when the knife comes in.
Monday, October 31, 2011 16:47:54