Basics of sharpening a knife

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Shun recently did a pretty good introduction to sharpening video that I think would be very helpful for those just learning. He's speaking Japanese but it's subtitled. Mr. Hayashi was doing demonstrations for Shun and they then had him do this quick basics. I think after watching it and applying the advice you could teach yourself to sharpen a knife.

[Nmiller21k]

That's a fantastic video

[desol]

Good video for those just learning, especially the supporting hand advice...with the forefinger and thumb. That's important for maintaining stability. I sharpened that way for the first two or three years, but at a lower angle.

I learned from this one as well in the beginning. Of importance, at least to me, was/is the difference shown in the beginning, between the foreign knife and the Japanese knife.

[Kit Craft]

That's a fantastic video

I agree and there is no bloat in there. However, there are so many sharpening videos out there now. Rather, there are so many out there trying to make instruction videos on sharpening. I can see where it would be mind numbing to those coming into this fresh.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Mino gave me one of my first sharpening lessons on a Global at a trade show in Chicago years ago.

[mauichef]

Mino's and Mark's were the ones that got me going.

[desol]

Neat Mark. He's very clear, point by point.

[Inhuman]

Thanks for sharing , I've been watching rick theory but always want to learn more

[Peter Nowlan]

The video is top notch, I wish I could achieve that level of professional production. The burr removal piece surprised me but it clearly works. That is one of the best sharpening videos that I have ever seen.

[milkbaby]

Very simple and nice. Though I wonder if the newspaper burr removal has the possible effect of rounding off the edge?

On a non-sharpening note, it's interesting how much belly that knife has.

[Kit Craft]

Very simple and nice. Though I wonder if the newspaper burr removal has the possible effect of rounding off the edge?

On a non-sharpening note, it's interesting how much belly that knife has.

I wondered that too so I tried it, maybe it does but not to a huge extent. I still get an edge that cuts into my nail. In fact, having tried this between a coarse and medium stone is where this seems to excel and I like it better than drawing through wood. No more chunks of burr in your mud! Seriously, it seems to work fine.

[milkbaby]

Very simple and nice. Though I wonder if the newspaper burr removal has the possible effect of rounding off the edge?

On a non-sharpening note, it's interesting how much belly that knife has.

I wondered that too so I tried it, maybe it does but not to a huge extent. I still get an edge that cuts into my nail. In fact, having tried this between a coarse and medium stone is where this seems to excel and I like it better than drawing through wood. No more chunks of burr in your mud! Seriously, it seems to work fine.

That's cool, and makes sense as an intermediate deburring between lower grit stones. I would hesitate to do it as the final step, though I guess it depends on how high up one wants to take their edge.

[Kit Craft]

Very simple and nice. Though I wonder if the newspaper burr removal has the possible effect of rounding off the edge?

On a non-sharpening note, it's interesting how much belly that knife has.

I wondered that too so I tried it, maybe it does but not to a huge extent. I still get an edge that cuts into my nail. In fact, having tried this between a coarse and medium stone is where this seems to excel and I like it better than drawing through wood. No more chunks of burr in your mud! Seriously, it seems to work fine.

That's cool, and makes sense as an intermediate deburring between lower grit stones. I would hesitate to do it as the final step, though I guess it depends on how high up one wants to take their edge.

I agree but the burr, theoretically, should be gone before you finish on a higher grit anyway. However, I often finish at coarser grit when testing stones. Like Natsuya, it is a bear to deburr on that stone. It is the only natural I have ever had that issue with. I just can not seem to get 100% of the burr off on the stone and that is even with carbon! Maybe it is just me learning the ins and outs of the stone but I have been using it for awhile now. It just acts like a coarse stone that needs a little help to deburr.

[Andreu]

Don't mean to revive an old thread but I have a few uestions on deburring. I have seen other videos showing the deburring process by doing a very light edge trailing stroke on the same stone. Is this process more effective or effecient than stropping on a newspaper? In essence, do you really need a deburring block? Do you deburr for each stone progression? Thanks.

[Andreu]

*questions

[Kit Craft]

Don't mean to revive an old thread but I have a few uestions on deburring. I have seen other videos showing the deburring process by doing a very light edge trailing stroke on the same stone. Is this process more effective or effecient than stropping on a newspaper? In essence, do you really need a deburring block? Do you deburr for each stone progression? Thanks.

You do not need a deburring block but they can be helpful with some stubborn steels. I feel that a lateral stroke on the stone removes the burr better than stropping. Stropping will weaken the burr but you still need to remove it. Yes, you can strop until it is gone but again with some stubborn steel it might turn into a "wire edge". Newsprint is cheap and easy for deburring. Hard felt is said to work well too but I've not tried it. I do like to deburr after each grit. More cleaning the edge than anything. I find this important with naturals in particular because mud seems to stick to the edge and just using a towel does not get it off and you can be misled with your results because of this.

I like this method.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnhIKOX6Rco&t=5s

But I still like stropping on newsprint afterward.

[Andreu]

That was an awesome vid. Thanks for the link Kit. Save me a little of money buying a deburring block. I might as well buy me wine with a cork. In this way, I can have a drink and have me a deburring cork knocking 2 birds with one stone.

Do you do the lateral stroke on each edge trailing stroke?

[milkbaby]

I do it the same way pretty much as Kit said and Jon Broida showed in the video. I only do it at the end of using each stone when deburring before heading to the next stone. I like to strop (single edge trailing stroke) alternating sides a few times then the edge lateral stroke. I actually do it with extremely slight edge leading which is probably imperceptible by eye, and I do it on both sides. I think that gives a slightly toothier edge. Western sharpening tradition tends to be edge leading, and some people only do edge leading strokes for their entire sharpening. Whatever gets the results you want is good IMHO.

[Kit Craft]

If I had to say my lateral stroke had a direction I would say it is slightly edge trailing. I don't like edge leading strokes. Not because they do not work but because they do not work for me. I have used edges done by others that were pressure on edge leading only and it was a damn fine edge but I can not replicate the process, it feels unnatural.

I am not sure I follow with the question about a lateral stroke on each trailing stroke. I only use one later stroke per stone if I can help it. Now, if it feels like there is still burr left I might repeat the entire process.

[Andreu]

Thanks milkbaby.