Japanese knife, keeping factory edge?
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I'm not sure why you would want to but you can do whatever you like. It's your knife. But remember the geometry of the knife is going to affect performance much more than the apex bevel. Japanese knives in general are asymmetrical in geometry. But then usually still have a 50/50 apex. I only alter the geometry of the knife if I'm trying to achieve a certain goal. Like making a knife thinner, correcting steering issues, improving food release, etc. Is there some sort of deficiency you have detected in the knife's usage that you are attempting to correct by changing the apex bevel?
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Most symmetric edges I've seen were not related to the underlying geometry, but seem more meant to apparently ease one's sharpening.
If they're still as asymmetric as other ones use by a left-hander still can become far for simple. The left-hander will see his produce stick to the left flat face. Normal Japanese knives work better with their consequently followed geometry: dominant bevel and face in a continuous arc, and, at the other side, whatever is needed to make steering acceptable to an individual user.
If they're still as asymmetric as other ones use by a left-hander still can become far for simple. The left-hander will see his produce stick to the left flat face. Normal Japanese knives work better with their consequently followed geometry: dominant bevel and face in a continuous arc, and, at the other side, whatever is needed to make steering acceptable to an individual user.
I wouldn't mess with it unless you're experiencing some reason to mess with it.
FWIW, most all of my knives have 50/50 edges. I don't own any true single bevels but my honesuki's and my suji are pretty heavily biased and on those the edges are asymmetrical but not much else.
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Just sharpen however you feel like sharpening unless you’re experiencing issues. I did have one asymmetric knife that I sharpened at 20 left / 10 right just for the experience and it didn’t really make any noticeable difference vs my knives sharpened at 15 dps.
One minor advantage of asymmetric sharpening is that you have a touch of thinning built into the sharpening on the side with the lower angle, but that wouldn’t really replace regular thinning. In theory it helps with steering, and in theory you’re following the grind, but if you know you’re going to thin anyway then it’s a wash.
One minor advantage of asymmetric sharpening is that you have a touch of thinning built into the sharpening on the side with the lower angle, but that wouldn’t really replace regular thinning. In theory it helps with steering, and in theory you’re following the grind, but if you know you’re going to thin anyway then it’s a wash.
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Changing the position of an edge involves a lot of steel.
Are we talking about actually shifting the apex off to one side or another, or just different bevel angles on either side of the apex?
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All, if needed, which luckily doesn't happen too often. I prefer myself to proceed to fine‐tuning by little steps, until the knife is comfortable in my hand. Very rarely radical action is needed. I guess it’s wiser to get used to an unknown configuration.
I freehand. It's not that exact. But I usually finish with high angle passes to create a microbevel. It is probably a little more obtuse than 20dps.
I also freehand and by comparing to the jig system I used to have, I default around 15-17 degrees.
