Sharpening Guides

How to Sharpen a Pocket or Outdoor Knife on a Whetstone

How to Sharpen a Pocket or Outdoor Knife on a W...

THE SHORT ANSWER A pocket or outdoor knife sharpens on the same whetstone as your kitchen knives — the differences are angle, finish, and steel. First figure out the grind...

How to Sharpen a Pocket or Outdoor Knife on a W...

THE SHORT ANSWER A pocket or outdoor knife sharpens on the same whetstone as your kitchen knives — the differences are angle, finish, and steel. First figure out the grind...

How Long to Soak a Whetstone (Soaking vs Splash-and-Go)

How Long to Soak a Whetstone (Soaking vs Splash...

THE SHORT ANSWER If your stone is an absorbent (soaking) stone — most coarse and medium water stones, roughly #220–#2000 — put it in water and wait until the bubbles...

How Long to Soak a Whetstone (Soaking vs Splash...

THE SHORT ANSWER If your stone is an absorbent (soaking) stone — most coarse and medium water stones, roughly #220–#2000 — put it in water and wait until the bubbles...

How to Sharpen a Single-Bevel Japanese Knife (Yanagiba & Deba)

How to Sharpen a Single-Bevel Japanese Knife (Y...

The short answer A single-bevel knife (yanagiba, deba, usuba) is sharpened almost entirely on its front bevel (the kireha). You grind that face until a burr appears on the back,...

How to Sharpen a Single-Bevel Japanese Knife (Y...

The short answer A single-bevel knife (yanagiba, deba, usuba) is sharpened almost entirely on its front bevel (the kireha). You grind that face until a burr appears on the back,...

Carbon Steel Knife Care: Rust, Patina & Sharpening (Aogami / Shirogami)

Carbon Steel Knife Care: Rust, Patina & Sharpen...

The short answer A carbon-steel knife (Japanese shirogami/aogami — “white” and “blue” paper steel) rusts because it has little or no chromium, so it has no built-in stainless barrier. The...

Carbon Steel Knife Care: Rust, Patina & Sharpen...

The short answer A carbon-steel knife (Japanese shirogami/aogami — “white” and “blue” paper steel) rusts because it has little or no chromium, so it has no built-in stainless barrier. The...

How to Sharpen Powder & Super Steel Knives (SG2, R2, HAP40, ZDP-189)

How to Sharpen Powder & Super Steel Knives (SG2...

The short answer Powder steels like SG2/R2, HAP40 and ZDP-189 don’t need a secret technique — a good #1000 waterstone still does the job. What trips people up is the...

How to Sharpen Powder & Super Steel Knives (SG2...

The short answer Powder steels like SG2/R2, HAP40 and ZDP-189 don’t need a secret technique — a good #1000 waterstone still does the job. What trips people up is the...

How to Flatten a Whetstone (and Why a Dished Stone Won't Sharpen)

How to Flatten a Whetstone (and Why a Dished St...

THE SHORT ANSWER A whetstone slowly wears hollow in the middle, and a dished stone can't put a clean edge on a knife — the belly of the blade never...

How to Flatten a Whetstone (and Why a Dished St...

THE SHORT ANSWER A whetstone slowly wears hollow in the middle, and a dished stone can't put a clean edge on a knife — the belly of the blade never...