Japanese Kitchen Knife Sharpening Tutorial - Part 1 Free Hand Sharpening, by Knives and Stones on YouTube. 32 min 34 s.
- Video length
- 32 min 34 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Soak your water stone in water until it stops bubbling, then set it on a damp towel or holder so it cannot slide. Fill a small container with water to keep the stone wet.
Hold the knife with one hand on the handle and the other fingers resting lightly on the blade for control. Keep the blade edge facing away from you.
Find the sharpening angle by stacking two coins under the spine as a rough guide, or by colouring the edge bevel with a marker and checking the scratch line after one stroke.
Place the edge on the stone at your angle and push the blade forward and across in one smooth stroke, covering the whole edge from heel to tip.
Work the entire length of the edge, not just the middle. Keep the angle steady and check the marker line to confirm you are hitting the bevel.
Flip the knife and sharpen the other side with the same stroke and angle until both sides feel even.
Feel for a burr along the opposite edge with your fingertip. When the burr runs the full length, stop on that grit and move to your finishing stone.
Deburr with light alternating strokes on the 3000 grit stone to remove the burr and refine the edge.
Test the edge by slicing paper or a tomato, or by lightly drawing the edge over a fingernail. A sharp knife bites in and cuts cleanly.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the stone wet throughout and add water as it dries out.
Use light pressure and let the stone do the work; pressing hard rounds the edge.
Check your angle with the marker test every few strokes until it feels natural.
Keep your fingers behind the edge and never run them along the blade to test sharpness.
Questions
How do I know I have the right angle?
Use the two coin method as a starting guide, then colour the bevel with a marker and check the scratch line after one stroke. Adjust until the scratches sit on the bevel.
When should I stop sharpening on the coarse stone?
Stop when you can feel a burr along the full length of the opposite edge. Then move to the finer stone to deburr and finish.
Do I need a 3000 grit stone?
Not to get a working edge, but a finishing stone refines the edge and helps remove the burr. A 1000 grit stone alone will still sharpen a knife.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
