Watanabe nakiri sharpening

What's the right way for basic sharpening?... From the shinogi right to the edge of the blade and then do a micro bevel? Or sharpen like a basic double bevel, only touching the shinogi down for thinning when basic sharpening is making the edge too thick? Or a mixture of the two?

The awesome thing about sharpening your knife is that it's your knife and you can do what feels appropriate.

I like to do the whole bevel first, produce something like a hamaguri edge, and then add a microbevel. However, that is a pretty delicate edge sometimes. Sharpening like a typical knife until you feel it needs thinning is totally fine and a bit stronger immediately behind the edge.

Thanks! I last did the whole bevel and then a microbevel. I suspect I could have done a better job, but I think there is potential for that method for this knife.

I'm not a big fan of convex edges on double bevelled knives: you end up with a thicker edge than you otherwise would. Convex is great for thin single bevel knives (for instance, Usubas), though, as it helps strengthen an otherwise delicate geometry. I will typically sharpen a knife a few times (and by sharpen, I really mean adding a new microbevel: I am not a believer in putting tall primary bevels on knives while sharpening) before I thin, regardless of whether a double-bevel has high secondary bevels or not.

EdipisReks said:

I'm not a big fan of convex edges on double bevelled knives: you end up with a thicker edge than you otherwise would. Convex is great for thin single bevel knives (for instance, Usubas), though, as it helps strengthen an otherwise delicate geometry.

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I think most people don't know how subtle a proper convex edge should be.


This is convex.

XooMG said:

This is convex.

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Put a straight line between the edge and the divergence point, and I think you'll find otherwise.

EdipisReks said:

Put a straight line between the edge and the divergence point, and I think you'll find otherwise.

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I own the knife and made the bevel myself. I also have used a straight edge to judge the degree of convexity.

Maybe we're talking about different things, but that increasing space between the difference point and the edge sure looks concave, to me.

EdipisReks said:

Maybe we're talking about different things, but that increasing space between the difference point and the edge sure looks concave, to me.

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The photo was taken with a wide angle lens and the apex is a bit blurry, but the original at 100% when the apex is averaged at the center of the blur does not show any concavity to the bevel, despite possible issues with the lens and camera.

Your line is poorly drawn and your read of the photo is incorrect. I stated it was convex because in reality it is convex. I made it that way. The photo was to illustrate how subtle the effect can be, and how hard it can be to see. Even though the photo is imperfect, I think it made the point.

Whatever buddy.