How to sharpen a Damascus knife on a whetstone

With a 1000/6000 water stone and ten minutes you get the factory edge back. Step by step.

What you need

A combination 1000/6000 water stone: the 1000 side creates the edge, the 6000 side polishes it. A damp cloth underneath so it doesn’t slide, and water to soak it (about 10 minutes, or until it stops bubbling).

The angle: about 15 degrees

This is the secret of the Japanese cut. To find it without a protractor: stand the knife upright on the stone (90°), tilt it halfway (45°), halfway again (about 22°) and lower it just a little more. That puts you around 15°. Keep that angle steady through the whole stroke; it matters more than pressure or speed.

1000 side: create the edge

1. Place the knife diagonally on the stone, edge towards you.
2. With the fingers of your other hand on the blade, push from heel to tip with light pressure, as if you wanted to slice a very thin layer off the stone.
3. Repeat 10–15 times per side. You’re done when you feel a burr (a thread of metal) along the whole edge when you carefully run a fingertip across it.

6000 side: polish

The same strokes, even lighter pressure, 5–8 per side, alternating. The burr disappears and the edge becomes a mirror. To check it, cut a sheet of paper held by one end: it should go in without pulling.

How often

With monthly honing, a whetstone sharpening every 3–6 months in a home kitchen. If you cut every day, every 2–3 months. A well-sharpened Kaen lasts a lifetime.

Keep reading

• How to care for a Japanese knife
• Does Damascus steel rust? Stains, rust and how to avoid them
• Gyuto, Nakiri, Santoku or Petty: which to choose