Adjusting the Hamaguri Edge Position

Lately, I’ve been pondering various things, so I decided to do some Honbaduke to channel those thoughts. The knife I’m working on is an INOX-Honyaki. It’s a knife with a basic Hamaguri edge, but I’m going to refine it through Honbaduke.

At the spot near the Shinogi line, I’m bringing in the Hamaguri curve. Bringing the Hamaguri curve to complement the knife’s shape places it around the midpoint between the Shinogi and the tip. Adjusting this position closer to the Shinogi line can be quite challenging. While it may not be necessary to force it upward, raising it significantly enhances the knife’s cutting performance. With Honyaki knives like this one, made entirely of steel, it’s quite a task, but with Kasumi (forged) knives, this part is made of softer iron, making it relatively easier to adjust. Honyaki knives do take time, indeed. But with INOX-Honyaki, once you’ve done it once, you might not need to touch it for a while.

• 2009-03-27