About sharpening

Lately, I’ve been receiving questions about sharpening from various angles. While there might be diverse explanations for knives, what’s even more crucial is the understanding of sharpening. When discussing sharpening, it’s best to respond with tailored advice, considering each customer’s inquiries and suggesting, “How about trying it like this?” If permitted, sitting in front of the whetstone and experimenting is the best way!

As I mentioned before, there are different patterns, like some preferring the cutting ease of flat sharpening or others finding work quicker without back bevels. In the past, I was determined to discover the ultimate sharpening method for everyone. But now, I’ve matured a bit and learned through practical experience that the best sharpening varies depending on the user.

So, it’s not about failing if you can’t create a Hamaguri edge or claiming flat sharpening is bad. Instead, it’s about acknowledging the characteristics and then striving for further improvements. You might think, “How well can you really sharpen?! What do you know?!” But I’m in constant training to handle any situation, and when faced with questions I don’t know the answer to, consulting with fellow artisans often brings solutions. And if we can help customers who are wondering, “How can I do this better?” that’s pretty great, isn’t it? (＾＾)ｂ

As these experiences accumulate, who knows, something new might emerge decades down the line. With that in mind, once I update the ongoing special feature, I’m considering revisiting various aspects of sharpening for another update. There’s also a DVD production request on the table, though it’s been lingering for over half a year now…

hibishugyo

• 2007-01-24