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Japanese Chef Knives are sharper and usually have a thinner blade than western kitchen knives. They obtain their level of sharpness by using hard types of steel and a smaller cutting angle (15 degrees vs 20 degrees)
For premium performance they must be properly maintained and may not be sharpened with a sharpening steel. A ceramic rod may be used or a ceramic sharpener but we would recommend a Japanese whetsone or diamond stone. These can bought from any cook shop and vary in grit but for home use you will need a dual stone of #1000 / #3000. There's plenty of help online about how to go about this, it does take a bit of practice but you'll pick it up in no time.... |
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Step 1Start with the tip of the blade at the front of the stone at a 15 degree angle.
Tip: If your stone didn't come with a stand use a towel to stabilize it |
Step 2Using light pressure push the knife forwards, moving the knife across the stone at the same time until reaching the heel. Repeat strokes until you see or feel some small burr
(edge curvatures) Tip: Use a fluid conistent motion |
Step 3Turn the knife over and repeat the process as before. You will see the blade transform before your eyes
Tip: If your whetsone gets very dry sprinkle with a bit of water and make sure your knife is wiped before use |
There is no replacement for periodic sharpening on a good quality whetstone but from time to time your new knife would certainly benefit from honing on a 'steel'....
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Sharpening your own knife with a whetstone can take a bit of practise and if you are not completely comfortable we would recommend the professional service at Togidai Knife Sharpening Station (mail service available)Togidai will sharpen almost any blade. It is sometimes impossible to sharpen a knife on a domestic sharpener and you may need a professional sharpener to re-hone your knife and get the sharpness back. Knives can also get damaged and a professional sharpener will be able to remove a chip in a blade.
Togidai is about the best in the business and offers a full sharpening service for both domestic and commercial customers. Take a look at the website for more information. Togidai.com 
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