I've watched a number of knife sharpening videos to figure out how to do it right. This video is the best hands down. Tells you everything you need to know on how to sharpen with a whetstone and why. Comprehensive yet concise. Excellent work. Save yourself a ton of time looking at other videos and just watch this. I have no affiliation to knifewear. I'm just genuinely impressed. What I have learned over months of studying and practicing was explained perfectly in this one video.
And one last bit of advice I learned recently. Do NOT use plastic chopping boards, only a well seasoned wooden. The plastic chips off into your food and dulls the blade. This might be obvious to some but wasn't for me 😁
totally agree, the stone and i are as one, without me the stone is nothing, without the stone im nothing there are many sharpening knife videos on tube, BUT this one is mine! lol,
This was hands down the best whetstone knifesharping video I have seen so far. You did a wonderful job explaining it in simple effective way for a beginner
I love the way you explained what was happening to the knife at each stage. It really helped me visualize what I need to do and how it works. Knowing the “why” is so important! Thanks for the video, I feel way more ready to sharpen my knives.
After watching your videos I bit the bullet and bought everything in the video. My first attempt was a success. I know I have a long ways to go. Thank you for building my confidence!
I JUST got a $50 amazon "starter" kit made in Japan. Watched this and a couple other videos.... my very first time ever! Got those babies sharp! Thank you! It's so cool cutting thru a potato like it's butter and a hot blade!!!
Not only is sharpening Zen, but listening and watching his explanation to me is Zen as well.... I've been sharpening for a few years no expert so I can already learn something new. This is good stuff.
These techniques are so easy to follow and effective I love how simple it is to sharpen knives with a whetstone Thank you for sharing this helpful guide
I was gifted a used knife set; one of those that comes in a block. Most knives seemed fine, except for the chef’s knife; which is extremely dull and had a jagged edge. I bought a wet stone set (1000/6000) and was able to reduce the jagged edge. But the knife was still very much dull. Of all the videos I’ve seen this one has been the most informative and now I know what I did wrong. So thank you for putting out this content. I really needed the step by step. Awesome video!!
I love that you made this because I feel like a lot of these kind of skills are going to be lost if we don't take the time to learn them. There may come a time where we cannot rely on machines. Plus it's such a zen experience to take care of your tools like this.
Fantastic video. I've watched dozens of those and this is literally the first one that explains everything so good my knives are actually finally sharp.
Thank you! I'm not a chef, just a home cook but I'm 50 and never learned how to properly sharpen a knife. I bought some Damascus Steel knives which require a lot of attention and care, so this was helpful.
Excellent presentation! As kid I managed to get by on persistence and accident. Later on in woodworking as an adult, I did get a tip once you debur. During debur increase your angle slightly, if you want slightly more durable adge. When making surgical instrument for Baxter V Mueller in the 80s we used rouge on wheels or sanding belts for shaping, sharpening, and polishing. Probably the most interesting solution was deburring circular skin punches by lightly pushing the punch through doe skin with twisting motion. It's been over 40yrs since I used a whetstone. Thanks to a great video, I won't be relying nearly as much on persistence and accidentally developing a good technique.
Excellent job on this video. You have a really laid back and easy way of explaining this stuff. I believe I will be a better knife sharpener because I watched this. Thanks!
Thank you so much!! I have really sensitive hearing so I can hear the sound of the blade on the stone. I also have really sensitive fingertips. But in the past I was pressing down to hard so I was not feeling it right. I was also going to fast. When I watched your video and you talked about going slow and not moving your wrist, the light went on! Sounds stupid, But I kind of zoned out and went really slow, light pressure and let my fingers feel. WOW! What a difference. Thank you again for this video.
Excellent Video!! Best explanation ever! I'm the guy who sharpens knives for extended family and friends, but could never explain how it's done. From now on, I will steer people over to your video!
Like so many others, I've watched *many* sharpening videos and yet learned so much more with this one -- how to measure the angle, knowing what to look for and when to move on (checking for burrs), and so many other valuable tidbits. Bravo and thanks!
I don't think I have ever commented on a video/tutorial before. This video was a huge help. I had always ground too hard and didn't learn how to finesse the blade. And my husband grinds the knife blades into the plate when he "cuts" - ouch. I followed along with this video step by step while I did my own knife and it turned out really nice! Thank you for a straight-forward process and a great tutorial. Wow. Now I have more knives to sharpen correctly!
I watch 5 videos on the topic before I got here an I wasted my time with the others this was the most informative by far an the way you walked through it was great
Very good tutorial. Thanks. You could also get into the question of whether to sharpen your knife toward the blade, away from the blade, or both, as you do. I've seen videos (and my own experience) which shows that putting pressure on the knife as you pull away from the blade and releasing finger pressure while pushing it blade first (as if you were slicing the stone) produces burr more quickly than the back & forth method or blade first method. It's also kinder to soak stones, taking longer to dish the stone. You also might talk about Splash & Go ceramic stones. I have soak stones in 240, 1000 & 5000 grit, ceramic Shapton ceramicss in similar ranges (with 8000 for my Japanese hard-steel & one-side-bevel knives at 14 or 13 degrees) grit &, more recently, I tend to use 400 & 1200 diamond stones before stropping. That is a good combination for beginners because it uses no water, can be used pushing blade-forward or pulling back & isn't going to need a truing stone. I don't like the ceramic rod, so I use either a fine grit green compound on the rough side of the strop or extra fine grit (either black or white, depending on the manufacturer, usually white) as a polisher. Lately I've changed to diamond-infused extra-fine compound with a finish strop on the clean smooth leather. BTW, if you don't want to buy a new strop every time you decide to change compounds, mineral spirits are the best for removing all of the compound so you don't contaminate the new compound's grit from leftover older compound). You can whittle a hair with my Henckel & Japanese kitchen knives & my favorite folders. I totally agree that freehand sharpening is a Zen meditative experience & if you are a knife fancier, brings you a closer bond to your steel. One non-assist way to easily find the angle of the edge is to lay the knife flat & begin to lift the spine, watching the edge. When there is no longer any clearance between the edge and the stone you are at the angle it was set at by the factory (or by your re-profiling). You can see it and feel it when you hit the right angle. I always put on light pressure when sliding the blade spine-first and let off the pressure when I slide the knife blade-first (a holdover from using softer soak stones that dish or gouge too easily).
An absolutely brilliant video. When you started describing the difference in angles between Japanese knives and European knives the lightbulb in my head went off, since the gold standard is 15° angle and I thought that applied to every single knife. When I started sharpening my European blades following your video in real time it was like you’re in my kitchen 😂 and I could feel the burr that you were describing, soon these ‘once dull blades could slice paper with ease 🎉So well done & thank you very much for an informative, fun, knife sharpening tutorial
Loved your tutorial, you made it look so easy! Spent 100's of hours over the last 25 years or so trying and failing to get the hang of this - Still no change! Hats off to anyone who can actually do this successfully, I'm always envious of people who've mastered it, what a wonderful skill.
I've been sharpening for a number of years &read a book or 2 & watched many vids...this is really well done! 👏🏻. Follow this guide & you won't go wrong. A tip for making your stones true - definitely mark out the stone with a grid using a sharpy. Also, another way to true a stone is to use a square sheet of plate glass, spray low tack adhesive on water sandpaper (100 grit is fine), adhere the sandpaper to the plate glass and viola you have a very good very flat trueing surface. To speed up the trueing process you can add a small pinch of 220 grit silicone carbide powder onto the surface of the sandpaper and then proceed to true the stone. Every now and then check with either the edge of a metal ruler or a metal T square. Definitely bevel off the side edges! On finer stones (which are more fragile) if the edges are not beveled one is liable to chip off the edges! PRO TIP: When you first lay the blade on the stone and you are not using an angle guide a trick to setting the angle exactly to the factory set angle is to do the following: draw a line all along the bevel edge using a Sharpy. Now approximate a 15 ° or 20° angle (depending on whether the blade is Japanese or European) and run the blade about 2x down the stone...just enough to take off some of the Sharpy ink. You will be able to see immediately if you have the exact angle! If the full width of the Sharpy bevel line is being removed then your angle is spot on. Remember this amount of space you rocked the blade up and proceed to sharpen. Every now and then repeat the Sharpy line check and I guarantee you will have a precise angle! This trick works well on smaller blades like paring knives and pocket knives where a coin trick or guide won't work. Happy sharpening! It's a very zen feeling😊. Plus rewarding!
This is the best sharpening video out there! Really detailed, including having a calm state of mind and not rushing( I do that!) Thanks for sharing Bro, excellent piece of work!🏆🍾💥🏆
This is the best video for beginners I've seen. Very helpful. My only complaint is the music is a bit loud. Not too loud to hear you talk but difficult to hear the cuts through the paper, and the sound of your thumb on the burr is almost impossible to hear. I've watched this video four times already, it is the best one I've seen, thank you very much.
Hiya pal ! Followed your video instructions regarding kitchen knives sharpening with wet stones ! I'm a beginner but my knives are easier to use and the knives maintain a great sharp edge. Thanks for your video help ! Take care out there m8 ! Regards ... Mark Bailey
Thank you for your awesome video - I finally felt like I had the knowledge to sharpen 2 quality knives we were gifted years ago - amazing difference cutting now even after my first try - now to practice !! 👌😳
Thank god youtube had recommended this to me. I've had a 400/800 whetstone for over a year now but after "failing" to sharpen once i gave up on it. watching this made me give it another try and actually succeeded. thanks
As someone that got real discouraged in the beginning, here's a couple tips that I wish I had known. #1: Cheaper knives are harder to sharpen because the steel is softer. I was trying to sharpen a cheap knife to not ruin my good ones but I wish I hadn't started on a cheap knife because it was very discouraging. #2: Use a leather strop with polishing compound as that will take your knife from sharp to razor sharp. A lot of people neglect this part because you think how can this really make it sharper but it really does. #3: Stones are not created equally. I really wish I had researched and got some quality stones. Good luck.
wow! the detail really blows me away! I learned the basic Boy Scout method of best guess angle guide on any ol' single grit stone with 10 sets of strokes starting with ten strokes on one side and ten on the other, repeating and descending the count by one on each side and then to finish with 10 single side alternating strokes. It seemed to work well with any blade every time. .... Now I'm looking forward to articulating that old pattern with greater understanding. Thanks!
Great video and great explanation of the process. You mentioned the knife angle guide scratching the blade. I've watched quite a few different videos, and some people put scotch tape along that part of the blade to prevent scratching. I'm sure you are well past using the guide, but I figured I would let other beginners like me know that tip.
Thank you so much for the amazing guide! I got a Santoku when I went to Japan a couple years ago, and when I first sharpened it, it came out ok. It still did it's job but it wasn't smooth. I have a kit that has 400, 1000, 3000, and 8000 grit stones. This time I used a guide like you recommended and by the time I got to the 3000 stone, I got the feel for the angle and was able to finish it up without the guide! And it came out even sharper than when I first bought it!
Love this video!!! My grandfather taught me wrong on how to sharpen ge always said do small circles which doesnt really do anything and takes away your edge and your point. Mabie he did that on purpose so i didn't cut myself haha this man is the best shapening video out there.. thanks heaps my man ❤;!!
Circles if you do it right will get the whole knife edge. He was right. Not the best technique but better than how this video teaches, which is sharpen one section and then the other. It's ridiculous to teach that to people. Sweep your blade if you can, to get the whole knife edge in one motion. Practice this and you will eventual perfect it.
Best video ever, especially for women. Amazing. I watched other videos and my knife looks awful, it’s all scratched. I ordered the guide, hopefully I can fix it. Thank you so much 😊
Love my wet stones ! I have one that was my grandfathers and it’s so small so I keep it ! But wet sharping is best took me long time to get it right but I did ! My way of knowing when to change sides is the Apex of the Blade one side will feel like it’s over the other one. Once it does that sharp, let’s say 40 strokes on one side 40 on the other one and then 20 on one side 20 on the other one and then I’ll switch to my 10,000 grit do about 20 strokes on one side 20 on the other and it minimizes my burs on my knife then I hit it when my leather! Man you talking about sharp !!!! No hands needed for a tomato ❤
“If you’re sweaty or frustrated... you’re doin something wrong” I can not tell you the amount of times I’ve been there and only made my blades worse hahaha, being calm and having that zen and focus is really important.
First, a GREAT video. Thanks for a great tutorial, and a commonsense approach. I had to freehand the angle since I didn't have any guides, and didn't heed your warning about protecting my thumbs -- regretting that now. I did okay, but I'm not comfortable that I did a very good job of keeping the angle constant. I'll probably but into some of the guides you suggested. Anyway, thanks again!
My grandad was a vet, went thru with James Herriot to give you a time scale. Anyway, his specialty was surgery - operated on everything from the Queen's corgis to famous race horses. As a 7 year old I recall him sharpening implements of all kinds, on wheels and stones, with towels everywhere! Lol! Including, for some reason, also on his head! 😂 All the same techniques you demonstrate btw.
this vid is great for beginners and guys like me that have been sharpening for years but not often so needed a quick refresher esp that burr removal on the final stages - usually just use the 3000 grit I have but not like that and it makes perfect sense. Also side note - these guys are great to buy from, have bought lots of stuff from them from chefs tongs and tweezers to a higher end chefs knife (800 buck range), oh and of course their sharpening stones and holders and truing stones and a leather stropping paddle for my straight razor and chefs knifes. Highly recommend
Great video!I’m a professional cook and always sucked at stone sharpening, always had problems with keeping consistent angle so I finally got one a few months ago along with a 15” angle guide for my MAC, (don’t care if it’s cheating 🤣) one more tool to help me get the job done ) , i guess I thought you had to use the same motion on both sides to get a consistent edge, but after using your techniques , noticed it didn’t matter ,you probably know this tip but I use painters tape ( wider kind ) along the spine to help prevent scratches from the guide , thanks for sharing
Thanks! very interesting and good for me to see before I buy a Japanese blade for the kitchen. I'll be buying the stuff you showed here to make it a lifetime purchase
lol, 'just a little bit' of practice. I got my first stones in 2003. I don't use them as frequently as a professional, so I only have used them semi-frequently. It's 2024 now, and I can finally free-hand a Japanese knife and get the edge I'm looking for. Only 21 years, right? ROFL. Nice video. I use 220 and 400s for really dull knives and then 800 and 1200. I started straight razors 8ish years ago too, so I have 4000, 8000, 12000 and 16000 as well. The highest I take kitchen knives to is 4000 at max. And straight razors are a whole different beast. I havea the knifewear ceramic hone, and it's been my favorite for a couple years now. I've got more than half the Fujimoto Nasiji line. Love them so much. I also have a Wushtof and a different brand honesuki.
Great video, just got Damascus set of knives so will need this in the future. Also learnt about a truing stone for the first time. Thank you for the professional and friendly presentation, excellent😊
Nice video. This video makes me feel confident on what to get and how to sharpen...lol and I just bought my first Japanese carbon steel Chef knife. Before that I started with a stainless steel chef knife and I recently just found out the difference between the two. One keeps its edge and the other one doesn't rust. My next purchase will be a ceramic chef knife 🔪 lol I guess I'm turning into a knife enthusiast or something😂
Yes well I got into this while trying to hone straight edge razors but after many nicks and cuts gave the razors away!! Now knife sharpening is so easy and frankly the coin method is so uneccessary as the guide makes the process foolproof. I also use the rubber mounting block and double sided stones say 800/3000 grit my preference being a 600 then 10000 grit and all my stones are stored underwater at all times. I do also have some very expensive natural cut stones which are super fine (if my memory serves me right the come from Belgium) and impossible to feel any grip at all but the cost does put many people off. Plus I also use the leather paddle it is great. Oh and thanks for the tip on dulling from fine stones didn't occur to me.
EXCELLENT detail in how and why , SO COOL with the nickel!!(nice apron !), around 4.20 you said , "check the edge cut some paper to check it". (I'm thinkin' why are you not cutting some paper (for a baseline).
Bravo Knifewear! Finally, a clear concise sharpening video that provides the basic fundamentals, WHY they are important, and what to watch out for. THANKS for the links so we can gear up!
Finally sharpened my first knife using this video side by side and it really helped! Didn’t get it as sharp as the video but I get the feeling I’ll improve over time.
super helpful hints all around thank you! one small editing comment, the few times you mention sound and to listen, cut the music so we can hear (the burr edge and cutting paper)
That was a great episode, I dont have a 220 grit as i believe that my knives are not totally dull. I have a 4000 and a 8000 which address's my attention span and just to tighten up the edge on my Masakage knives, i have several as i dont want to be doing this all day. The ceramic rod showed me that I have been doing it right. The clip interesting as i never know if i have a consistant angle as it seems to change, ( body language) I use the nickel approach, you also told me a bit of info on stropping which i was unsure of ie(leather side vs swede side) thanks
Thank you, happy to hear it! You can definitely just get away with fine stones if you tune up your blades regularly. I use the suede first, then leather!
I'm figuring out the proper method to sharpen knives, and I'm seeing alot of new and useful info (I didn't know whetstones are supposed to be wet). Thanks for making this vid, 'ppreciate it.
Thank you so much .appreciate the time and effort you put in to the video's. Respect. New to Japanese knives and your video has now educated me more on care and sharpening. Thank you .
I've watched a number of knife sharpening videos to figure out how to do it right. This video is the best hands down. Tells you everything you need to know on how to sharpen with a whetstone and why. Comprehensive yet concise. Excellent work. Save yourself a ton of time looking at other videos and just watch this. I have no affiliation to knifewear. I'm just genuinely impressed. What I have learned over months of studying and practicing was explained perfectly in this one video.
Thank you so much!
And one last bit of advice I learned recently. Do NOT use plastic chopping boards, only a well seasoned wooden. The plastic chips off into your food and dulls the blade. This might be obvious to some but wasn't for me 😁
Agree
Best. Explanation. Ever. Seriously, this was the best demonstration of how to use a whetstone I've ever seen. Thank you.
Thank you so much!
Totally agree! And I have seen a lot of them!
totally agree, the stone and i are as one, without me the stone is nothing, without the stone im nothing
there are many sharpening knife videos on tube, BUT this one is mine! lol,
This was one of the best instructional videos I've ever watched on knife sharpening, now my knives are razor sharp!
Glad to hear it!
This was hands down the best whetstone knifesharping video I have seen so far. You did a wonderful job explaining it in simple effective way for a beginner
Thank you so much!
This was literally "how to sharpen a knife and make every rookie mistake in the process" video
Thank you very much for the main steps & all the small details, it really let you understand each step in the most safeties way
I love the way you explained what was happening to the knife at each stage. It really helped me visualize what I need to do and how it works. Knowing the “why” is so important! Thanks for the video, I feel way more ready to sharpen my knives.
I learn the same way! It takes longer, but I learn way better!
This video is the best sharpening video I’ve seen on UA-cam. So many new bits of info that most other videos don’t mention!
Thanks, glad it was helpful
One of the best sharpening tutorials I have seen. Well done.
Thank you!
After watching your videos I bit the bullet and bought everything in the video. My first attempt was a success. I know I have a long ways to go. Thank you for building my confidence!
I'm so happy to hear that, good work!
God Jeremy he's not a rock star
@@egrs78😂😂😂😂
I JUST got a $50 amazon "starter" kit made in Japan. Watched this and a couple other videos.... my very first time ever! Got those babies sharp! Thank you!
It's so cool cutting thru a potato like it's butter and a hot blade!!!
I’m looking to do the same and came across this video. Best video I have seen as I am a beginner. Which whetstones did you buy please?
@@leeprice674 check his other videos about what works and what doesn’t!
Not only is sharpening Zen, but listening and watching his explanation to me is Zen as well.... I've been sharpening for a few years no expert so I can already learn something new. This is good stuff.
This is the best comment ever, thank you!
One of the best and simplest, while still being thorough, introductions to knife sharpening on whetstone! Thank you very much.
I'm happy to hear that, thank you!
Good refresher video. I was able to effortlessly shave arm hair with my pocket knife. Now that’s a sharpness test. 👍🏼
Great news!
These techniques are so easy to follow and effective I love how simple it is to sharpen knives with a whetstone Thank you for sharing this helpful guide
I was gifted a used knife set; one of those that comes in a block. Most knives seemed fine, except for the chef’s knife; which is extremely dull and had a jagged edge. I bought a wet stone set (1000/6000) and was able to reduce the jagged edge. But the knife was still very much dull. Of all the videos I’ve seen this one has been the most informative and now I know what I did wrong. So thank you for putting out this content. I really needed the step by step. Awesome video!!
That's so awesome, I'm thrilled to hear it!
Today was the day I planned on learning how to sharpen my knives. Thank you!
Happy to hear it!
I don't comment on much but when I did the newspaper test at the end, I let out a "woooo". Thank you.
Thank you mysterious internet manbun. You have improved my quality of life
Always here to help!
I love that you made this because I feel like a lot of these kind of skills are going to be lost if we don't take the time to learn them. There may come a time where we cannot rely on machines. Plus it's such a zen experience to take care of your tools like this.
I couldn't agree more!
Excellent display of technique and skill. Thank you for such a quality video.
Fantastic video. I've watched dozens of those and this is literally the first one that explains everything so good my knives are actually finally sharp.
I'm happy to hear that!
I am a beginner. Thank you very much!! this is a great video.
I'm glad to hear it!
Thank you! I'm not a chef, just a home cook but I'm 50 and never learned how to properly sharpen a knife. I bought some Damascus Steel knives which require a lot of attention and care, so this was helpful.
I'm happy I could help!
what everyone else said, In have watched all the other videos and knife ended up dull, watched your video and VOILA! SHARP! great guide! thank you!
Woooh! Good work!
I love how you broke it down and made it simple, now it feels so much less daunting. Thank you!
Glad I could help!
Excellent presentation! As kid I managed to get by on persistence and accident. Later on in woodworking as an adult, I did get a tip once you debur. During debur increase your angle slightly, if you want slightly more durable adge.
When making surgical instrument for Baxter V Mueller in the 80s we used rouge on wheels or sanding belts for shaping, sharpening, and polishing.
Probably the most interesting solution was deburring circular skin punches by lightly pushing the punch through doe skin with twisting motion.
It's been over 40yrs since I used a whetstone. Thanks to a great video, I won't be relying nearly as much on persistence and accidentally developing a good technique.
Excellent job on this video. You have a really laid back and easy way of explaining this stuff. I believe I will be a better knife sharpener because I watched this.
Thanks!
You’re welcome! Happy sharpening!
Thank you so much!! I have really sensitive hearing so I can hear the sound of the blade on the stone. I also have really sensitive fingertips. But in the past I was pressing down to hard so I was not feeling it right. I was also going to fast. When I watched your video and you talked about going slow and not moving your wrist, the light went on! Sounds stupid, But I kind of zoned out and went really slow, light pressure and let my fingers feel. WOW! What a difference. Thank you again for this video.
That's amazing, glad to hear it!
Excellent Video!! Best explanation ever! I'm the guy who sharpens knives for extended family and friends, but could never explain how it's done. From now on, I will steer people over to your video!
Awesome, thank you!
I love how comprehensive this is. You can only convey knowledge like this when you're an expert. Much thanks and appreciation.
Thanks budddy! A decade plus has taught me a few things.
Began my cooking journey and realized 1 my knives are beyond simple and 2 my new knives will need love and attention. Thank you for this video.
Happy to help!
Like so many others, I've watched *many* sharpening videos and yet learned so much more with this one -- how to measure the angle, knowing what to look for and when to move on (checking for burrs), and so many other valuable tidbits. Bravo and thanks!
Happy I could help!
I don't think I have ever commented on a video/tutorial before. This video was a huge help. I had always ground too hard and didn't learn how to finesse the blade. And my husband grinds the knife blades into the plate when he "cuts" - ouch. I followed along with this video step by step while I did my own knife and it turned out really nice! Thank you for a straight-forward process and a great tutorial. Wow. Now I have more knives to sharpen correctly!
Awesome news, I'm glad I could help!
Fed up with dull knives, now hopefully I can finally have them razor sharp! Thank you!
Good luck!
I watch 5 videos on the topic before I got here an I wasted my time with the others this was the most informative by far an the way you walked through it was great
Thank you so much!
Very good tutorial. Thanks. You could also get into the question of whether to sharpen your knife toward the blade, away from the blade, or both, as you do. I've seen videos (and my own experience) which shows that putting pressure on the knife as you pull away from the blade and releasing finger pressure while pushing it blade first (as if you were slicing the stone) produces burr more quickly than the back & forth method or blade first method. It's also kinder to soak stones, taking longer to dish the stone.
You also might talk about Splash & Go ceramic stones. I have soak stones in 240, 1000 & 5000 grit, ceramic Shapton ceramicss in similar ranges (with 8000 for my Japanese hard-steel & one-side-bevel knives at 14 or 13 degrees) grit &, more recently, I tend to use 400 & 1200 diamond stones before stropping. That is a good combination for beginners because it uses no water, can be used pushing blade-forward or pulling back & isn't going to need a truing stone.
I don't like the ceramic rod, so I use either a fine grit green compound on the rough side of the strop or extra fine grit (either black or white, depending on the manufacturer, usually white) as a polisher. Lately I've changed to diamond-infused extra-fine compound with a finish strop on the clean smooth leather. BTW, if you don't want to buy a new strop every time you decide to change compounds, mineral spirits are the best for removing all of the compound so you don't contaminate the new compound's grit from leftover older compound). You can whittle a hair with my Henckel & Japanese kitchen knives & my favorite folders. I totally agree that freehand sharpening is a Zen meditative experience & if you are a knife fancier, brings you a closer bond to your steel.
One non-assist way to easily find the angle of the edge is to lay the knife flat & begin to lift the spine, watching the edge. When there is no longer any clearance between the edge and the stone you are at the angle it was set at by the factory (or by your re-profiling). You can see it and feel it when you hit the right angle. I always put on light pressure when sliding the blade spine-first and let off the pressure when I slide the knife blade-first (a holdover from using softer soak stones that dish or gouge too easily).
An absolutely brilliant video. When you started describing the difference in angles between Japanese knives and European knives the lightbulb in my head went off, since the gold standard is 15° angle and I thought that applied to every single knife. When I started sharpening my European blades following your video in real time it was like you’re in my kitchen 😂 and I could feel the burr that you were describing, soon these ‘once dull blades could slice paper with ease 🎉So well done & thank you very much for an informative, fun, knife sharpening tutorial
That's awesome, I'm thrilled to hear it!
All you need to know about the stones and sharpening process! Great job!
Loved your tutorial, you made it look so easy! Spent 100's of hours over the last 25 years or so trying and failing to get the hang of this - Still no change! Hats off to anyone who can actually do this successfully, I'm always envious of people who've mastered it, what a wonderful skill.
I'm sorry to hear it! If you ever want to troubleshoot, send me an email at hello @ knifewear.com!
I've been sharpening for a number of years &read a book or 2 & watched many vids...this is really well done! 👏🏻. Follow this guide & you won't go wrong. A tip for making your stones true - definitely mark out the stone with a grid using a sharpy. Also, another way to true a stone is to use a square sheet of plate glass, spray low tack adhesive on water sandpaper (100 grit is fine), adhere the sandpaper to the plate glass and viola you have a very good very flat trueing surface. To speed up the trueing process you can add a small pinch of 220 grit silicone carbide powder onto the surface of the sandpaper and then proceed to true the stone. Every now and then check with either the edge of a metal ruler or a metal T square. Definitely bevel off the side edges! On finer stones (which are more fragile) if the edges are not beveled one is liable to chip off the edges!
PRO TIP: When you first lay the blade on the stone and you are not using an angle guide a trick to setting the angle exactly to the factory set angle is to do the following: draw a line all along the bevel edge using a Sharpy. Now approximate a 15 ° or 20° angle (depending on whether the blade is Japanese or European) and run the blade about 2x down the stone...just enough to take off some of the Sharpy ink. You will be able to see immediately if you have the exact angle! If the full width of the Sharpy bevel line is being removed then your angle is spot on. Remember this amount of space you rocked the blade up and proceed to sharpen. Every now and then repeat the Sharpy line check and I guarantee you will have a precise angle! This trick works well on smaller blades like paring knives and pocket knives where a coin trick or guide won't work. Happy sharpening! It's a very zen feeling😊. Plus rewarding!
Thanks for sharing those awesome tips!
Best video on shaping knives (for beginners like me) that I have found so far! THANK YOU!
I'm happy to hear it!
This is the best sharpening video out there! Really detailed, including having a calm state of mind and not rushing( I do that!) Thanks for sharing Bro, excellent piece of work!🏆🍾💥🏆
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
Your video was super helpful for me. Just purchased a whetstone and wanted to figure out what to do with it. Your techniques work well. Thank you!
Glad I could help!
This is the best video for beginners I've seen. Very helpful. My only complaint is the music is a bit loud. Not too loud to hear you talk but difficult to hear the cuts through the paper, and the sound of your thumb on the burr is almost impossible to hear. I've watched this video four times already, it is the best one I've seen, thank you very much.
Hiya pal ! Followed your video instructions regarding kitchen knives sharpening with wet stones ! I'm a beginner but my knives are easier to use and the knives maintain a great sharp edge. Thanks for your video help ! Take care out there m8 ! Regards ... Mark Bailey
I'm happy to hear that, thanks Mark!
man, I wish I had watched your videos 1st! You are a very good teacher, sir. Many thanks for the terrific tips and techniques.
Thank you so much!
This was an excellent knife sharpening video. Touched all the details!
Thank you for your awesome video - I finally felt like I had the knowledge to sharpen 2 quality knives we were gifted years ago - amazing difference cutting now even after my first try - now to practice !! 👌😳
I'm thrilled to hear it!
Thank god youtube had recommended this to me. I've had a 400/800 whetstone for over a year now but after "failing" to sharpen once i gave up on it. watching this made me give it another try and actually succeeded. thanks
Wooh, that's awesome! Glad to hear it.
As someone that got real discouraged in the beginning, here's a couple tips that I wish I had known.
#1: Cheaper knives are harder to sharpen because the steel is softer. I was trying to sharpen a cheap knife to not ruin my good ones but I wish I hadn't started on a cheap knife because it was very discouraging.
#2: Use a leather strop with polishing compound as that will take your knife from sharp to razor sharp. A lot of people neglect this part because you think how can this really make it sharper but it really does.
#3: Stones are not created equally. I really wish I had researched and got some quality stones.
Good luck.
Where was all this good information when I really needed it back in high school,,,the bad guy allways had the razor sharp blades!!
wow! the detail really blows me away! I learned the basic Boy Scout method of best guess angle guide on any ol' single grit stone with 10 sets of strokes starting with ten strokes on one side and ten on the other, repeating and descending the count by one on each side and then to finish with 10 single side alternating strokes. It seemed to work well with any blade every time. .... Now I'm looking forward to articulating that old pattern with greater understanding. Thanks!
I'm glad I could help!
Great video, excellent teacher, thanks for sharing your knowlege👍.
Great video and great explanation of the process. You mentioned the knife angle guide scratching the blade. I've watched quite a few different videos, and some people put scotch tape along that part of the blade to prevent scratching. I'm sure you are well past using the guide, but I figured I would let other beginners like me know that tip.
Great tip, thank you!
Excellent explanations!!
Cleared up a few questions I’ve had since forever!!
Thank you very much Sir
I'm happy to hear that!
Thank you so much for the amazing guide! I got a Santoku when I went to Japan a couple years ago, and when I first sharpened it, it came out ok. It still did it's job but it wasn't smooth. I have a kit that has 400, 1000, 3000, and 8000 grit stones. This time I used a guide like you recommended and by the time I got to the 3000 stone, I got the feel for the angle and was able to finish it up without the guide! And it came out even sharper than when I first bought it!
You're welcome!
Love this video!!! My grandfather taught me wrong on how to sharpen ge always said do small circles which doesnt really do anything and takes away your edge and your point. Mabie he did that on purpose so i didn't cut myself haha this man is the best shapening video out there.. thanks heaps my man ❤;!!
Glad you learned a thing or two, thanks for the kind words!
Circles if you do it right will get the whole knife edge. He was right. Not the best technique but better than how this video teaches, which is sharpen one section and then the other. It's ridiculous to teach that to people. Sweep your blade if you can, to get the whole knife edge in one motion. Practice this and you will eventual perfect it.
Best video ever, especially for women. Amazing. I watched other videos and my knife looks awful, it’s all scratched. I ordered the guide, hopefully I can fix it. Thank you so much 😊
Hey, I'm happy I could help!
Love my wet stones ! I have one that was my grandfathers and it’s so small so I keep it ! But wet sharping is best took me long time to get it right but I did ! My way of knowing when to change sides is the Apex of the Blade one side will feel like it’s over the other one. Once it does that sharp, let’s say 40 strokes on one side 40 on the other one and then 20 on one side 20 on the other one and then I’ll switch to my 10,000 grit do about 20 strokes on one side 20 on the other and it minimizes my burs on my knife then I hit it when my leather! Man you talking about sharp !!!! No hands needed for a tomato ❤
Also a good way to get your edge is your thump / half of your thumb 👍 is about 15 °❤
“If you’re sweaty or frustrated... you’re doin something wrong” I can not tell you the amount of times I’ve been there and only made my blades worse hahaha, being calm and having that zen and focus is really important.
Hey, I'm glad I can help!
First, a GREAT video. Thanks for a great tutorial, and a commonsense approach. I had to freehand the angle since I didn't have any guides, and didn't heed your warning about protecting my thumbs -- regretting that now. I did okay, but I'm not comfortable that I did a very good job of keeping the angle constant. I'll probably but into some of the guides you suggested. Anyway, thanks again!
I'm glad I could help! Sometimes you just gotta grind your fingertips to learn, I've done it so many times.
Just started, and this video is exactly what I needed. Thank you, dude!
Glad I could help!
My grandad was a vet, went thru with James Herriot to give you a time scale. Anyway, his specialty was surgery - operated on everything from the Queen's corgis to famous race horses.
As a 7 year old I recall him sharpening implements of all kinds, on wheels and stones, with towels everywhere! Lol! Including, for some reason, also on his head! 😂
All the same techniques you demonstrate btw.
Yes, the best sharpening video ever. Can't wait to try the technique.
Let me know how it goes!
Hey man, this rocked. Thank you for making this video!
Thank you!
Just got my knives sharp after watching this, thanks. Have had several previous failed attempts !
Great to hear!
this vid is great for beginners and guys like me that have been sharpening for years but not often so needed a quick refresher esp that burr removal on the final stages - usually just use the 3000 grit I have but not like that and it makes perfect sense.
Also side note - these guys are great to buy from, have bought lots of stuff from them from chefs tongs and tweezers to a higher end chefs knife (800 buck range), oh and of course their sharpening stones and holders and truing stones and a leather stropping paddle for my straight razor and chefs knifes. Highly recommend
Glad to hear it, thanks for the love!
best tutorial ive watched on this -actually tells you whats going on!
Thank you, I'm glad to hear it!
By far the best sharpening video I've seen.
Thank you, now I feel confident enough to try it out the first time.
Excellent video! Thank you!
Great video!I’m a professional cook and always sucked at stone sharpening, always had problems with keeping consistent angle so I finally got one a few months ago along with a 15” angle guide for my MAC, (don’t care if it’s cheating 🤣) one more tool to help me get the job done ) , i guess I thought you had to use the same motion on both sides to get a consistent edge, but after using your techniques , noticed it didn’t matter ,you probably know this tip but I use painters tape ( wider kind ) along the spine to help prevent scratches from the guide , thanks for sharing
I'm glad to hear it! That's a great tip with the tape.
One of the best videos and I watched 20+ of 'em 😛😁
Thank you!
Things clicked after this video...thank you so much :)
I'm glad to hear it!
That folding santoku on the wall is so sick, I've got one and have always thought about thinning it to make it more usable
Thanks! very interesting and good for me to see before I buy a Japanese blade for the kitchen. I'll be buying the stuff you showed here to make it a lifetime purchase
Happy to hear it!
lol, 'just a little bit' of practice. I got my first stones in 2003. I don't use them as frequently as a professional, so I only have used them semi-frequently. It's 2024 now, and I can finally free-hand a Japanese knife and get the edge I'm looking for. Only 21 years, right? ROFL. Nice video. I use 220 and 400s for really dull knives and then 800 and 1200. I started straight razors 8ish years ago too, so I have 4000, 8000, 12000 and 16000 as well. The highest I take kitchen knives to is 4000 at max. And straight razors are a whole different beast.
I havea the knifewear ceramic hone, and it's been my favorite for a couple years now. I've got more than half the Fujimoto Nasiji line. Love them so much. I also have a Wushtof and a different brand honesuki.
Hahaha it definitely depends on how often you sharpen! That said, I'm glad it's working well for you now!
Great video, just got Damascus set of knives so will need this in the future. Also learnt about a truing stone for the first time. Thank you for the professional and friendly presentation, excellent😊
Glad I could help!
Nice video. This video makes me feel confident on what to get and how to sharpen...lol and I just bought my first Japanese carbon steel Chef knife. Before that I started with a stainless steel chef knife and I recently just found out the difference between the two. One keeps its edge and the other one doesn't rust. My next purchase will be a ceramic chef knife 🔪 lol I guess I'm turning into a knife enthusiast or something😂
Amazing! Glad you're feeling confident!
thank you so much! great explanation! I wasn't sure if I got it right but the tomato was sliced very easily after following your instructions! :D
Awesome! If it cuts food, then you did it right!
Yes well I got into this while trying to hone straight edge razors but after many nicks and cuts gave the razors away!! Now knife sharpening is so easy and frankly the coin method is so uneccessary as the guide makes the process foolproof. I also use the rubber mounting block and double sided stones say 800/3000 grit my preference being a 600 then 10000 grit and all my stones are stored underwater at all times. I do also have some very expensive natural cut stones which are super fine (if my memory serves me right the come from Belgium) and impossible to feel any grip at all but the cost does put many people off. Plus I also use the leather paddle it is great. Oh and thanks for the tip on dulling from fine stones didn't occur to me.
EXCELLENT detail in how and why , SO COOL with the nickel!!(nice apron !), around 4.20 you said , "check the edge cut some paper to check it". (I'm thinkin' why are you not cutting some paper (for a baseline).
That was an excellent tutorial my friend. Everything you said was 100 facts!
Thank you!
This is the exact video I needed.
😂😂😂😂I used to deliver phone books. Part time gig that lasted 1 time.
Bravo Knifewear! Finally, a clear concise sharpening video that provides the basic fundamentals, WHY they are important, and what to watch out for. THANKS for the links so we can gear up!
Glad I could help!
Fantastic video, finally been able to use my block correctly!! Thank you!!
Glad I could help!
Did you turn the music up even louder when you were demonstrating how to listen to the burr?
Finally sharpened my first knife using this video side by side and it really helped! Didn’t get it as sharp as the video but I get the feeling I’ll improve over time.
I'm thrilled to hear that! You'll get there soon.
This is incredible. I now have a sharp knife. 10/10
Awesome, glad to hear it!
super helpful hints all around thank you! one small editing comment, the few times you mention sound and to listen, cut the music so we can hear (the burr edge and cutting paper)
Thanks! I've heard this a couple times and am definitely working it into future editing- appreciate the heads up.
I am a North Sea fisherman and a knife is your best friend. I find circular motion is far better when sharpening and most fisherman do it circular 😊
this might be the most well made video on the internet.
Thank you so much!
Great info presented in an easy to follw manner. Thank you very much.
Thank you!
Excellent video, very informative and useful.
Thank you!
Love this video
Its well explain
Easy to understand
Glad to hear it!
Just commenting to say thank you for the tutorial.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the great detailed instruction.
Glad it was helpful!
That was a great episode, I dont have a 220 grit as i believe that my knives are not totally dull. I have a 4000 and a 8000 which address's my attention span and just to tighten up the edge on my Masakage knives, i have several as i dont want to be doing this all day. The ceramic rod showed me that I have been doing it right. The clip interesting as i never know if i have a consistant angle as it seems to change, ( body language) I use the nickel approach, you also told me a bit of info on stropping which i was unsure of ie(leather side vs swede side) thanks
Thank you, happy to hear it! You can definitely just get away with fine stones if you tune up your blades regularly.
I use the suede first, then leather!
Thank you for the video really helpful. Love the process and the explanations.
I'm glad to hear it!
I'm figuring out the proper method to sharpen knives, and I'm seeing alot of new and useful info (I didn't know whetstones are supposed to be wet). Thanks for making this vid, 'ppreciate it.
Glad I could help!
Thank you so much .appreciate the time and effort you put in to the video's. Respect. New to Japanese knives and your video has now educated me more on care and sharpening. Thank you .