Japanese knives for someone who can't sharpen freehand?
Long story short: I horribly suck at sharpening the traditional way, so I got a Lansky sharpening sytem and I'm very pleased at the results. Now I want good knives, and a friend of mine is traveling to Japan soon and I'd like to give him a shopping list.
As far as I read, Japanese knives are typically sharpened in the 10-15 degrees range, sometimes on a single side, but the Lansky system won't do below 17 degrees.
So is there a 'compromise' kind of Japanese knife that has super good steel, a sharp edge, and yet that is sharpenable in a Lanksy system?
Best Answer
You can sharpen the Japanese knife to 17 degrees. It won't be ruined or anything. I'm sure I just horrified some people, but I accidentally did this for years, sharpening my Victorinox knives at 22 degrees (because they're European, so obviously they're 22 degrees, right?) when they're factory sharpened to 17 degrees, so I've got real-world experience here even if I shouldn't admit it. :)
Otherwise, check out a sharpener built for Japanese knives instead. I've had fantastic results with this model from Chef's Choice: https://www.amazon.com/Choice-Trizor-EdgeSelect-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B0018RSEMU/
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Are Japanese knives harder to sharpen?
Due to a difference in forging techniques, Japanese steel blades contain much more carbon than German blades, making them harder, but also more brittle. Because Western-style steel is relatively softer, it's capable of holding an edge longer and doesn't need to be sharpened quite as often as Japanese blades do.Why can I not sharpen my knife?
The Best Knives That Don't Need Sharpening- Serrated Knives. The most common type of knife sold as one that won't need sharpening has a serrated edge, like a saw blade. ...
- Ceramic Knives. ...
- Knives Treated With Hard Metals.
How To Use Every Japanese Knife | Method Mastery | Epicurious
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Answer 2
If you feel you can't sharpen them well, then send them to be done professionally. Keep the boxes for the postage.
Most japanese knives are very hard and if you care for them, you probably won't need them sharpened more than every 6 months at most.
You can easily strop them using any thick piece of smooth leather, that will keep them tip top.
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