Flat sharpening

Today, I had a little time to think more deeply about flat sharpening. After organizing my thoughts, I checked with a professional sharpener to see if I was on the right track. Coincidentally, Ueda Shihan happened to pass by, so I asked for his opinion too. (Turns out, Ueda Shihan was a flat sharpening advocate in his younger days!)

There were some differences between what I had thought and what both the professional sharpener and Ueda-san had in mind. I’m not trying to draw any final conclusions here since I only spoke with the two of them, but one thing is for sure—I gained some clarity on something that had been bugging me for a while.

I also learned a new approach to asking chefs and customers about flat sharpening. On top of that, the sharpener and I discussed a method to achieve true flat sharpening. As for the details… that’s a secret. (Haha!)

• 2011-11-10