Knife and Whetstone Compatibility
Every day has been so cold lately, hasn’t it? So, I thought it’s a good time to write a bit about the compatibility between knives and whetstones—or, more accurately, between blacksmiths and whetstones!
In my blogs and product details, I often mention ‘whetstones with good compatibility,’ so I thought I’d share my personal criteria for that. For coarse and medium whetstones, I believe the ‘most compatible’ ones are simply those that allow efficient sharpening. When it comes to specialty steels like ZDP, the best medium grit is one that offers efficiency, though in these cases, it’s more about efficiency than compatibility.
Ultimately, what interests me most is finishing stones that deliver an acute edge on high-carbon steels. When I talk about compatible stones, I mainly refer to finishing stones, as these directly affect the final sharpness. Since I often apply the itohiki edge technique, which impacts the blade tip directly, I’m especially sensitive to this compatibility.
So, how do I judge compatibility? Quite simply, it’s whether the stone creates a razor-sharp edge with minimal effort. When I say ‘minimal effort,’ I don’t mean it takes 10 or so strokes to achieve sharpness. Rather, it’s a few smooth itohiki strokes followed by uraoshi (back-beveling) that brings out an edge quickly. It’s like that satisfying feeling when a puzzle piece fits perfectly in one try!
For example, if I sharpen white #2 steel with a G-1 stone, it gets sharp, but when I use Kitayama, I’m amazed at how effortlessly it brings out a razor-sharp edge. Conversely, sometimes G-1 works better than Kitayama, even on white #2 steel, depending on the blacksmith’s work. That’s the sense of compatibility I’m referring to.
Now, this compatibility assessment is primarily based on the itohiki edge, but I feel similar effects apply to broader bevel grinding as well. Although, in that case, due to the need for cutting finesse, the significance of ‘compatibility’ may be somewhat reduced. Even with finishing stones, efficiency becomes important for broader bevel grinds.
- 2014-02-19
