Examine the Hamaguri blade.

Tonight, I stayed up late researching Hamaguri edges online. I found lots of information and even some blogs with photos. However, I noticed that when trying to intentionally create a Hamaguri edge, it often ends up resembling a Deba-style Hamaguri, even on a Yanagiba knife.

The problem is, if you shape a Yanagiba with a Deba-like Hamaguri edge, the sharpness—how cleanly it slices and penetrates—drops significantly. This might explain why some people don’t see the need for a Hamaguri edge.

If you’re solely focused on getting a razor-sharp cut, then Hamaguri or Itohiki edges aren’t really necessary. But for now, I’ll drift off to sleep thinking about Hamaguri, like counting sheep.

• 2011-04-17