Cleaver sharpening: to switch or not to switch?

[chiffonodd]

Do you guys switch hands when doing different sides of the blade as Korin's Vincent suggests here?



Or do you just flip the blade like when sharpening a gyuto, etc.

 

[mengwong]

I’m a lover, not a fighter

I’m a switcher, not a flipper

Except when I get tired and lazy

 

[chiffonodd]

Switching hands is hard tho

 

[tostadas]

I flip, but hold basically the middle of the blade and kinda ignore the handle. I find it balances better on the stone this way.

 

[chiffonodd]

I flip, but hold basically the middle of the blade and kinda ignore the handle. I find it balances better on the stone this way.

So no hand switch, just flip, but hold toward middle of blade for balance and control?

 

[tostadas]

So no hand switch, just flip, but hold toward middle of blade for balance and control?

Yea. For sharpening a normal gyuto shape knife, I grip the handle. For cleaver, I instead grip around the middle of the spine area

 

[Benuser]

I flip, but hold basically the middle of the blade and kinda ignore the handle. I find it balances better on the stone this way.

I for sure will give it a try. I guess, the problem isn't that much in the blade's width, but more in the weight. Experience similar problems with a yo-deba, particularly if it is a long one. When scrubbing as I do for the very edge, I find holding the angle a real challenge.

 

[SwampDonkey]

I switch hands for all knives so blade is always facing away from me. Just how I learned to sharpen. Been playing around with technique on cleavers a bit though lately

 

[ian]

Always switch so blade faces toward me.

 

[Chasingsharpness]

I've been experimenting a bit lately with ambidextrous cleaver sharpening.

With some cleavers I have also played around with holding the cleaver by the blade around the middle and leading with the edge facing the same direction on both sides, just flipping the cleaver.

I think with practice both can work very well. Whichever muscle memory you invest in will be better.

Im also experimenting a bit with finger positioning and grip, as this can change a depending on the cleaver size and balance.