Are asymmetrical bevels quite natural ?

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zw359

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In my limit sharpening experience, I always use less strokes to remove burs than making burs. After some time, the bevels just became asymmetrical.

I just wondering it's a natural result from sharpeningand may not be a special design for cutting, given the blades are so thin in Japanese gyutos
 
most if not all Japanese gyutos are assymetrical. even the so called 50/50 are usually 60/40
 
Here's an e-mail i composed a while back and use in responses rather often:
As for asymmetry, it seems that this is a rather confusing issue for many. Part of the confusion stems from the fact that many of the ways that we describe these asymmetries are gross oversimplifications. For example the ratios like 50/50 or 60/40 don't really describe anything of substance. Is it the ratio of the percentage of sharpening on each side? Is it a ratio of the angles on each side? In reality it's neither. No craftsman in Japan it's there and measures angles or ratios. What really matters is the way that the knife cuts. The asymmetry deals with two main issues-thinness behind the edge and steering. The more asymmetrical a knife is, assuming the angles are equal, the thinner the knife is behind the edge. However, the more asymmetrical the knife is, the more likely it is to steer. It's also important to keep in mind that the angles are not always equal. When figuring out asymmetry for any given knife, the first thing that you want to do is cut with the knife. When you cut with a knife, you want to assess whether it is steering to the right or to the left, and how easily it moves through the food. If you notice that your knife is steering to one direction or the other, you want to create more surface area on the side that it is steering towards, so that the knife cuts straight. This can be done by adjusting the angle (either more or less acute) and/or adjusting the amount of time spent sharpening on each side. If you notice that the knife is wedging in food as it goes through, this may mean that you need to sharpen at a more acute angle, or that you need to thin behind the edge. Some of this can also be dealt with through adjusting asymmetry, as previously mentioned. Does that make sense?
 
JBroida said:
Here's an e-mail i composed a while back and use in responses rather often:
As for asymmetry, it seems that this is a rather confusing issue for many. Part of the confusion stems from the fact that many of the ways that we describe these asymmetries are gross oversimplifications. For example the ratios like 50/50 or 60/40 don't really describe anything of substance. Is it the ratio of the percentage of sharpening on each side? Is it a ratio of the angles on each side? In reality it's neither. No craftsman in Japan it's there and measures angles or ratios. What really matters is the way that the knife cuts. The asymmetry deals with two main issues-thinness behind the edge and steering. The more asymmetrical a knife is, assuming the angles are equal, the thinner the knife is behind the edge. However, the more asymmetrical the knife is, the more likely it is to steer. It's also important to keep in mind that the angles are not always equal. When figuring out asymmetry for any given knife, the first thing that you want to do is cut with the knife. When you cut with a knife, you want to assess whether it is steering to the right or to the left, and how easily it moves through the food. If you notice that your knife is steering to one direction or the other, you want to create more surface area on the side that it is steering towards, so that the knife cuts straight. This can be done by adjusting the angle (either more or less acute) and/or adjusting the amount of time spent sharpening on each side. If you notice that the knife is wedging in food as it goes through, this may mean that you need to sharpen at a more acute angle, or that you need to thin behind the edge. Some of this can also be dealt with through adjusting asymmetry, as previously mentioned. Does that make sense?
Click to expand...

I envision a subforum for Jon called "Cutting through the BS" where he just clarifies all these misconceptions :thumbsup:
 
Sigh... Thanks Jon. I can't make the subtle adjustment on bevels yet. Asymmetry is just my excuse :newhere:
 
JBroida said:
When you cut with a knife, you want to assess whether it is steering to the right or to the left, and how easily it moves through the food. If you notice that your knife is steering to one direction or the other, you want to create more surface area on the side that it is steering towards, so that the knife cuts straight. This can be done by adjusting the angle (either more or less acute) and/or adjusting the amount of time spent sharpening on each side. If you notice that the knife is wedging in food as it goes through, this may mean that you need to sharpen at a more acute angle, or that you need to thin behind the edge. Some of this can also be dealt with through adjusting asymmetry, as previously mentioned. Does that make sense?
Click to expand...
For steering, I would say you should increase friction on the side it is turning to, by increasing an angle or have a straighter bevel rather than a convexed one -- giving it a bit of a shoulder. Or thinning the other side a bit more or having a lower angle there. Do we say the same?
 
i'm not saying there is any particular way you have to do it... i'm more just explaining the concepts behind everything. There are a number of ways to problem solve, depending on the end results you are looking for. What you've proposed works just fine though. But they arent the only ways that kind of problem can be solved.
 
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