The Art of Edge Crafting: Unveiling the Blade Sharpener’s Craftsmanship

I combined the edge of two knives made by the same blacksmith but sharpened by different blade sharpeners. Both knives were brand new, one being a SUISIN and the other from a different manufacturer. Judging from the nakago and machi, I could tell they were forged by the same blacksmith.

When I say ‘combining the edge,’ I mean applying a very subtle Itohiki (micro-bevel) and Uraoshi (backside sharpening). These knives were already sharp enough without any additional work, but I wanted to make the most of the SUISINby giving it a touch on the whetstone.

The intention of each bladesmith was evident from the way they shaped the shinogi line and the width of the cutting edge. However, the major difference lay in the Uraoshi (backside sharpening). The SUISIN knife is a honkasumi, and I had it sharpened by a skilled craftsman in Sakai, known for their high fees. As for the knife from the other manufacturer, I have no idea who sharpened it.

The ideal Uraoshi is when the backside of the edge is sharpened with an even width throughout. Speaking from my own perspective, the SUISIN knife had a precise contact. On the other hand, the backside of the other knife made irregular contact, with some areas noticeably not touching the stone.

When trying to force the untouched areas to make contact, it resulted in the other areas being over-sharpened. The curved part near the tip of the edge had no contact at all. I think it might be like a kitchen knife where you angle the backside to get the necessary contact. Alternatively, pushing and adjusting until the areas with no contact align might also work!

In the end, I managed to find a compromise at the very last moment, carefully balancing the edge. But as I put this knife away in its box, I couldn’t help but imagine how it might turn out with continued sharpening. It left me with a bittersweet feeling.

It’s a knife entrusted to me by a customer, and while I didn’t intentionally do anything wrong, there’s a sense of unease. I pondered if I should have refrained from touching it at all. However, it did reach a state where it cuts well.

In the perspective of a knife craftsman, perhaps it’s true that a knife’s birth lies with the blacksmith, but its upbringing is in the hands of the blade sharpener.

hibishugyo

• 2011-06-23