[Toshi]

Which model do you have? Shuns are kinda like hydrids and take some elements from German knives and some from Japanese. KAI, the parent company of Shun, recommends users target a 16* angle when sharpening.

Classic 8" Kiritsuke

'... this is by far the sharpest knife I've ever used and the design of the blade makes for such comfortable and precise cutting.' Fine Japanese cutlery, handcrafted in Japan.

shun.kaiusa.com

Their page agrees with 16 degrees. But I don't know what that means without context...

 

[StiHacka]

Free hand sharpening fan here. It's a good skill to learn.

 

[chuffer]

Blade is 6”

Way too fancy for me, but the size is about perfect. Not a mm of wasted space.

 

[Adventurous]

Classic 8" Kiritsuke

'... this is by far the sharpest knife I've ever used and the design of the blade makes for such comfortable and precise cutting.' Fine Japanese cutlery, handcrafted in Japan.

shun.kaiusa.com

Their page agrees with 16 degrees. But I don't know what that means without context...

Image courtesy of: https://www.togknives.com/what-angle-should-i-sharpen-my-knife-at/

The majority of knives are double bevel, and the majority of knives have a secondary bevel too. The 16* is the spec for the secondary bevel, not the primary.

Most of those knife sharpeners have angle settings so you dont have to do much other than set the guide at the prescribed angle and go.

Like @StiHacka, I free hand it, but you're likely to bungle it the first few times. Still, whetstones remove a fraction of the material that grinders do, so your knives should last longer.

 

[Toshi]

Thanks, Tim

 

[boostindoubles]

Free hand sharpening fan here. It's a good skill to learn.

I agree but my skills are inconsistent at this point. That Spyderco Sharpmaker seems like a good in-between with the systems that clamp the blade down/have stones on guides and free hand stones/strops. Since the tool is fixed and the blade is being held free in the hand - I'm thinking I can develop a technique that can be transferred to a free hand system and have sharp knives in the mean time. They're like $85 NIB on the bay.

 

[StiHacka]

I agree but my skills are inconsistent at this point. That Spyderco Sharpmaker seems like a good in-between with the systems that clamp the blade down/have stones on guides and free hand stones/strops. Since the tool is fixed and the blade is being held free in the hand - I'm thinking I can develop a technique that can be transferred to a free hand system and have sharp knives in the mean time. They're like $85 NIB on the bay.

View attachment 190543

When I want to be precise (like when re-creating a bevel of a $500+ knife), I use these to make sure I nail the angles.

AngleGuide - Maximum Sharpness Simple

AngleGuide - Maximum Sharpness Simple

www.wedgek.com

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> like when re-creating a bevel of a $500+ knife

 

[eric strt6]

so I used my newly sharpened 20 yr old Henkels kitchen knife to slice veggies and some London broil and fresh garlic for a stir fry tonight. I had forgotten how nice it is to use a properly sharpened knife. Ruth had taken them to a knife sharpening guy a few years back and he used a grinder, totally fucked them up. I tried my best to get them back to sharp but until today nope.

 

[HardtailHack]

I am lazy, and a shit cook, I got this with a set of knives years ago and figured I'd drag a Wusthof through it a few times to see what would happen.
It ended up sharp enough for me, cuts veggies, shaved part of my hand okay too.

 

[eric strt6]

Knife sharpening day. With my Wasbai whetstone kit it takes about 5 minutes per knife to get an edge that will cut paper on edge

 

[gonefirefightin]

Knife sharpening day. With my Wasbai whetstone kit it takes about 5 minutes per knife to get an edge that will cut paper on edge

I used to sharpen with stones from a lansky kit back in the day till this little bugger came out and can do the whole drawer in 30 min and they finish with a 2000 grit polishing belt that leaves them fine for a year.

Amazon.com

 

[eric strt6]

I used to sharpen with stones from a lansky kit back in the day till this little bugger came out and can do the whole drawer in 30 min and they finish with a 2000 grit polishing belt that leaves them fine for a year.

Amazon.com

nice but out of my price range or need. My set has 4 whetstones 120,320,600, 1500. after the first sharpening I usually just do a touch up with the 1500 unless the wife has dinged up an edge and then I might do a minute with the 600 then go back to the 1500

 

[boogenman]

I was gifted a tumbler knife sharpener for Christmas. It does a supurb job, I like my knives razor sharp.

 

[jdcamb]

I am not skilled or patient enough to get my knives as sharp and ready as I like them. I leave this to others. My guy is good too.

 

[Westy]

 

[jdcamb]

I take my knives to the public market. He has a shop. Al. Doesn't talk much. Povini Brothers. I drop them off He sharpens them for me. I shop in the market. Pick them up on my way out. Always $14. No matter how many knives I drop off. He never tries to upsell me knives. I understand it's how he makes his money. If I ever need a new knife...

 

[Banshee_Rider@73]

Just bought these stones and work very well.

 

[eric strt6]

put a nice edge on my kitchen knives tonight. They now slice paper edge on with ease again