After the trashing my legs took last week, today was the first ride where I felt sort of good. Going to keep going easy for the next few and then really hammer next week.

Sharpening a Target knife is different from sharpening a good knife. Or an axe.

:lol: Kidding, of course.

Seems like a file would do a fine job.

Really helpful info--appreciate it. What would be the difference between 5000 and 6000 grit? I don't think I need to go for a mirror polish on my kitchen knives, exactly but if there's a performance benefit I'm all for it. They're Shun knives. So better than Target, but not the best obviously.

So are you saying a knife is not a knife, and an axe is not an axe?

I guess it wan't really rest then. :D

Gotta be the damn wheels. I need me some Lightweights.

Also, my sock height was a little low for conditions.

These are relatively loose, and I wouldn’t sweat the difference between 5k and 6k unless you’re at a point where you already know you’ve developed a strong preference (even I don’t notice a difference). How high to go depends on what you’re cutting; sushi takes the highest razor hone while other tasks can get away with less. Then, depending on task, you may also prefer a toothier finish. For me, the peppers we use down here in Texas can have rather tough skins and fine razor edges can just skitter along them, whereas the sharp-but-variable finish from the 2k-4k blend red aoto above leaves fangs that catch and cut the peppers better than a smooth 6k.

Most general cooks have little need to go above that 4k level, but there’s not a reason to not use a 5k as a final step from a 1k or 1200 if that’s what you have, or makes sense in the budget.

Those different finish types even affect favored steels; I like the highly-alloyed steels like the blue papers over the whites because of those alloys providing highly-differentiated carbides.

Can your fancy knife cut rebar?

Lower back? In about 1982 I got knocked off my dirt bike by another rider who was trying to pass me on a trail which was barely handlebar wide. I bounced on my spine and hip point and my lower spine is "lumpy" and will revolt against me sometimes.
Yesterday one climb of about 3 miles had a stiff headwind and I tried to get as low as possible. This is the situation that usually gets the back to hurt but it wasn't too bad as long as I straightened up from time to time. I think the key is to keep doing climbing and keep riding the drops regularly, otherwise it can get bad on climbs.

Of course, a couple weeks ago I slammed into a pothole while seated and that night I had trouble standing up from a chair.

Oh and Shuns will take at least a very good edge, and are better than what I thought you might be trying to sharpen.

1000 grit.

A lot of professional chefs don't even go beyond 1 or 2k. That kind of toothiness might not shave arm hairs very well, but it cuts food very nicely. It wouldn't be a bad idea to concentrate on that region exclusively before moving on to finer stones.

As with... other things, there are very few things that can’t be cooked with a Target knife, let alone a premium commercial knife. Just as there’s really nothing my GX460 can do that a 4Runner can’t, and it certainly won’t get me to my destination faster. It’s nicer, though, just like one knife can be nicer than another.

And I know I just answered a snark comment seriously. I won’t make a habit of it.

Leave the socks. Take the wheels.

Don't bruise my chiffonade, bro.

Hell a lot of people show up to Chopped or even Top Chef with not even a Shun.

Where was your office when you were here??

Didn’t get it, FML

:(

I meant, just general, systemic fatigue, but like nearly all of us I have some back issues.

I do these rides in the drops, except for the climbs, but I only have about a 3.5" drop from the saddle to the bar top and the drop is very shallow. My back gets pretty unhappy by the end and in direct proportion to how rapidly I'm breathing. Fortunately, a quick jump out of the saddle relieves the strain. I think I hunch up and flex my spine when I'm tired, going hard, and trying to stay low, and I need to work on keeping it in extension and getting more hip flexion. I'm doing dead lifts with resistance bands these days and I really need to get back to actual weights.

Sorry. That sucks.

Chopped was a warm up to Top Chef for me. I was late to the party on that, and once I'm caught up on my other crap, I'll on demand the old ones. I like it a lot.

This