But use this sparingly as it will wear your knife down. Whetstones in the range are less coarse and are more appropriate for the individual who like to sharpen their Japanese knives more regularly. Medium grit stones are fantastic at giving your Japanese knives that razor out-of-the-box sharpness. For those looking teetering on the cusp between wanting to sharpen and achieve a superfine edge, then - range is best suited for you.
As a guide, if you are cutting meat then it may be in your best interests to stop at - grit. The reason for this is grit and above whetstones may leave your knife exposed to bending whilst cutting through muscle and sinew. If you are only using your Japanese knives for cutting fruits and vegetables, feel free to go all the way up to a grit whetstone. Let the stone dry thoroughly. It is thought that whetstones first emerged in areas such as Arkansas, Japan, and England because these lands had an abundance of naturally occurring stones ideal for sharpening metal.
As mentioned earlier, there are more than one ways to skin a cat. That said; using a whetstone seems to be one of the most popular knife sharpening methods among professionals and household kitchens alike.
To start off you need a coarse stone. Sharpening essentially is a process of getting a good blade shape and then progressively refining it to achieve the desired result. Using a coarse stone will help you get your blade in better shape in the shortest possible time. Refining refers to the process of conditioning the blade so it delivers the sharpest possible cut. It will take you ages to sharpen a dull blade with only a fine grit stone.
Hold your knife firmly. The angle of your blade is important and some knives will require slightly different angles for example, Japanese knives so you may need to do some further research on your particular knife. Place an even and gentle pressure on your knife and draw the blade along the stone from tip to hilt. Repeat a a couple of times. Then turn the knife over and repeat on the other side. Test your knife be careful not to cut yourself. We see a lot of 15—20 degree angles for kitchen knives.
Pocket knives can have angles up to degrees or more. You want to start with the blade of the knife angled diagonally across the whetstone. Maintain both the angle of the knife across the stone as well as the angle of the blade. This lets the whetstone work across the entirety of the knife blade, from tip to belly. Work the knife up and down the whetstone in both directions. Each stroke should allow the entirety of the knife blade to move across the whetstone.
During sharpening, continue to apply water from time to time. As you work, particles from the stone will release. These small particles get trapped in the liquid and form an abrasive paste. Keep everything at a pretty runny consistency. When the first side has sharpened up, flip the knife over and repeat the process with the other side of the blade. After finishing the coarse grind, flip the whetstone over or change it out to sharpen on using the fine grit material.
Repeat the exact same process on this side of the whetstone. Remember to always keep the blade angled consistently. However, it takes some practice to get it right. Maintaining the angle while moving the knife makes up the biggest learning curve of this blade-sharpening method. Once you dial in a technique, you can start adjusting your angle for specific applications and steel blends that you have.
You'll find Chris behind the scenes of almost everything Pro Tool Reviews produces. When he doesn't have his hands on tools himself, he's often the man behind the camera lens making the rest of the team look good.
In his free time, you might find Chris with his nose jammed in a book, or tearing out his remaining hair while watching Liverpool FC. He enjoys his faith, family, friends, and the Oxford comma.
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