Learning how to care for and use single bevels

Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

greasedbullet

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Messages
611
Reaction score
0
I just ordered a single bevel funayuki and it will be my first single bevel knife. Obviously I need to learn how to properly use and care for it. What are some good resources for learning about single bevels? I am currently watching the Japanese knife society videos, but there isn't too much instruction in those, just what I observe, and I am also watching the videos that Jon at JKI puts out. While those are both awesome is there anything else worth watching?

Thanks,
Mike
 
I guess I will chime in since no one else is.You are in good company wt. Jons playlist,he covers SB sharpening & gives some background.

The Korin DVD by Chiharu Sugai is inexpensive.He also covers SB.Only thing is language,alot is lost in translation.However there is alot of good info. in that DVD if you just watch what he is doing.His tech. is sound.Esp. if you are stepping into SB knives I would reccom. his video.
 
Thanks guys. That Dave Martel set looks awesome. I'll definitely check those out. I guess I just need to learn Japanese while I'm at it. :lol2:
 
For sharpening, just remember that there are two bevels on single bevel knives. This is critical to sharpening them correctly.

Jon's videos are very good about explaining this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYZmtDlwDi4&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLEBF55079F53216AB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA0vdeDDSJI&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLEBF55079F53216AB

Finger placement is critical when sharpening the two bevels. I would also recommend using light consistent pressure when sharpening the upper bevel in order to keep your shinogi line straight.

Also, you will need a higher grit stone for uraoshi sharpening so that you do not grind down the back quickly.
 
Not so much. That's a good start for regular touch ups but gong finer and sticking with polishing stones is advised on the back side of single beveled knives.

From what I've personally seen, Jon uses a 6k stone. I too use a 6k stone.
 
It is good that you are enquiring about SB sharpening it is not that hard,but correct tech. is important.A common mistake is over flattening the uraoshi(hollow ground side of the blade)This changes the geometry of the blade.

I learned to sharpen Yanagiba's fr. Sushi Chefs thats why I like the Korin DVD his sharpening is pretty much the same as I learned it.His English is not that bad & you get the technique after watching it a few times.
 
Not so much. That's a good start for regular touch ups but gong finer and sticking with polishing stones is advised on the back side of single beveled knives.

From what I've personally seen, Jon uses a 6k stone. I too use a 6k stone.


A 6k could be fine....it's all about how aggressive the stone is. The Rika 5k is slightly aggressive for a 5k and I'd personally be weary of using it over and over again in this role but another 5k could be perfectly fine. So for me it's not the grit rating of the stone that's important, it's how the stone works. I should have mentioned that before.
 
For sharpening, just remember that there are two bevels on single bevel knives. This is critical to sharpening them correctly.

Jon's videos are very good about explaining this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYZmtDlwDi4&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLEBF55079F53216AB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA0vdeDDSJI&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLEBF55079F53216AB

Finger placement is critical when sharpening the two bevels. I would also recommend using light consistent pressure when sharpening the upper bevel in order to keep your shinogi line straight.

Also, you will need a higher grit stone for uraoshi sharpening so that you do not grind down the back quickly.

Just watched the vids you posted,It has been a while since I last looked at them.They really are good.Alot is in the language,you are correct when fingerpads are higher for sharpening top part of shinogi line they are still below the shinogi,too high & you can round the edge or make uneven,it is important to keep that sharp chisel bevel for the fish to separate correctly.

Also to me Uraoshi sharpening is more burr removal than sharpening.When you get a new yanagi look at the polish line on the backside,at the cutting edge it is very thin.Jon's Uraoshi push stroke,the way I learned it is a lite touch for burr removal,not to widen the edge.The edge will widen a little over time just wt. burr removal but not much.I do not see him moving the blade back & forth on the Ura side,just the lite forward sweep on a polishing stone.

I have seen guys at work wt. expensive yanagi's wailing away on a King 1000 flipping it over & doing the same on the backside.Just because a guy is an exec. chef does not ness. mean knows SB sharpening.

I tell people here in the cooking field,students,& anyone else wanting to learn freehand to look up knife sharping playlist.Jon talks alot explains why & what he is doing.I tell them to approach it as you are in a class and he is the Teacher an expert in his subject matter.
 
Back
Top