I have been sharpening my knives for 20 years and I am continually asked by friends and family, how do I sharpen my Japanese knife?

I am posting one videos to demonstrate how I sharpen a Japanese knife, however when it comes to any single edge knife, it is useful to have a step by step explanation, as outlined below.

My daughter did the videoing and did an excellent job /thanks/. I did not practice my lines, so there are a few areas that you can cover more by reading the steps below.

read this: http://mesubim.com/2016/01/14/i-love-my-knife-i-cant-cook-can-you/

As opposed to the stainless steel blade, carbon steel blade gets rusty and dis-color very easily. This is one of the big differences of ‘Carbon Steel’ from ‘Stainless Steel’. I always recommend you not to leave the carbon steel blade wet. For avoiding the rust and dis-color, it requires wiping the blade for drying even during the cooking time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honyaki

Start with the first thing in your mind, which is to be relaxed and focused, otherwise do not touch your knife. These tools are dangerous and can cut your hands if you are not relaxed and well-organized.

Step #1. Make sure you are set up without any obstacles of any kind, and nearby running water in a sink. Nothing should be in the sink, or you risk damaging your blade or tip.

Step #2. In order to set up, take the knife and rest it arms length in front of your body and perpendicular. Make sure the blade is protected and away from the counters edge, and in a position which I call “starting position/resting position”. That means the knife is away from the counters edge and the blade’s edge is always turned away from the body. This position is the cutting position as well, and that means after each cut, you wipe and place the blade back in the starting position/resting position.

Step #3. This is key, and before you start check the blade for rust and clean it. A knife can be cleaned with powder (bon ami or comet) and use a soft cloth to clean it. If there is rust a cork can be used and not an eraser or it can damage the blade.

Step #4. Make sure your stones are soaked in a container they fit neatly into, and submerge them for 10-20 minutes. Once the stones have stop bubbling they are ready to be used.

Step #5. Now take the rubber support with the stone (seen above) and place it onto the counter perpendicular to your body. Make sure you have the correct grit for sharpening. This means a lower stone grit means its more coarse and if your knife is damaged then use a coarse grit to repair blade chips. The finer the grit the more smooth the stones surface and the better the finish to the blade 1500 grit and above.

Note: The stone must be secure on the counter and you cannot make any mistakes about it. If the stone is not stable you risk getting hurt. I use the rubber holder and in other cases, I use a wet rag (wringed out) under the stone yet you need to keep the stone wet – so nearby the sink is the best place.

Remember after a certain number of strokes on the stone, you will have micro particles of steel detaching from the blade and it appears as a black residue and the stone. This should be cleaned off as you continue your sharpening and its up to you to judge.

There are various types of stones ranging from ten to thousands and it all depends on what knife you own and what you expect. In the link below is a natural stone seen in the middle and it is more expensive that the most common types (on the far right) which is synthetic.

Stones:http://mesubim.com/2014/05/15/royal-stone-sharp/

Step #6. Hold the knife by securing the handle and hold it securely. Use the other hand (left hand) and the two first fingers, and place it onto the blade two fingers from the top of the blade. Then tuck the other two fingers into your palm so they are away from the blade.

The movement is a coordinated move so the two hands move together at the same time in a fluid manner. The motion is a push and a pull, and the pressure applied is just enough to keep control. It is not the type of pressure you use to grab someone but rather to hold them. The grip is key for your safety and make sure to breath.

Note: Do not lift the blade from the stone and make sure to follow the contour of the blade and do not create any lift or angle, or the blade’s edge will roll and this is not what you want. Your arms stay parallel and you push the knife forward (on the stone making full contact) up the stone covering the entire blade or the part you are sharpening, as you sharpen the blade in stages. First the tip area, middle and heal.

Note: Maintaining the blade in the center of the stone, so the stone is always secure and balanced. Even though you have a holder it is best to keep in mind the fact that you are moving a blade so all parts must be thought of for safety reasons. Your fingers are always over the stone for safety so you don’t risk sliding off the blade and cutting your fingers.

Go forward and backwards, and apply light to medium pressure near the tip/top area of the blade and glide it over stone 10 times, and then move to the center of the knife and another ten times, and lastly at the heal 10 strokes. This helps maintain evenness when sharpening the blade.

After you sharpen the blade check it to see the edge and make sure you have an evenness of sharpening. This can be seen by looking at the edge all along and if you have more than 1mm of sharpening or not enough you can see it. This as seen in the video.

The next test is taking your index finger and shaving the blade over the pad of the finger (seen in the video). This is similar to how you shave and its the same motion. Do not test the blade over a nail, it isn’t smart or advisable.

Once the knife is sharp wipe it and again when you wipe the knife make sure your fingers and hand are never in front of the blade!

The knife must be 100% dry before placing it back into its wooden sheath. There are products you can use to preserve your blade but they aren’t necessary.

Watch the video and good luck!….any questions write mesubim by posting a comment.