How to Sharpen a Knife with Japanese Whetstones, with Naoto Fujimoto

Knifewear: How to Sharpen a Knife with Japanese Whetstones, with Naoto Fujimoto. How do you sharpen a knife with stones? Naoto Fujimoto, resident sharpening wizard at Knifewear, is here to show you the basic techniques of how to sharpen a kitchen knife. He covers how to sharpen a Japanese kitchen knife, as well as how to sharpen a western kitchen knife.
Products in the video:
Knifewear 220 Grit Stone: knifewear.com/products/knifew...
Knifewear 1,000 Grit Stone: knifewear.com/products/knifew...
Knifewear 4,000 Grit Stone: knifewear.com/products/knifew...
Knifewear 8,000 Grit Stone: knifewear.com/products/knifew...
Knifewear Sink Bridge: knifewear.com/products/knifew...
Knifewear Truing Stone: knifewear.com/products/knifew...
Knifewear Nagura Stone: knifewear.com/products/knifew...
Knifewear White Ceramic Honing Rod: knifewear.com/products/cerami...
Knifewear Black Ceramic Honing Rod: knifewear.com/products/cerami...
Knifewear Paddle Strop: knifewear.com/products/leathe...
For all of your knife, sharpening, and kitchen related needs, head to knifewear.com/​
Or visit Knifewear stores in Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, or Vancouver.
Join our community:
▶ Instagram / knifewear​
▶ Facebook: / knifewear​
▶ Twitter: / knifewear
▶ Discord: / discord

Пікірлер: 77

  • @zoharflax6363
    @zoharflax63636 ай бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your traditional wisdom, you are a very good teacher.

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    6 ай бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @GrantHendrick
    @GrantHendrick3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Naoto - Very helpful. I look forward to your Friday sharpening chat.

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching buddy! See you on Friday, we'll be talking natural stones.

  • @Sam-rf8yh
    @Sam-rf8yh3 жыл бұрын

    Extremely helpful video. Thank you so much.

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    Happy to hear it, thank you for watching!

  • @eugenevictortooms4174
    @eugenevictortooms41742 ай бұрын

    Ive just found your channel & im finding your sharpening videos very helpful. Thanks Naoto.

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    2 ай бұрын

    Glad I could help!

  • @nitrorsfour
    @nitrorsfour Жыл бұрын

    Been watching for a few weeks now and very pleased to actually learn something. Love the format and your teaching skills.

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    Жыл бұрын

    Happy to hear it!

  • @philgoogle1535
    @philgoogle15352 жыл бұрын

    Naoto, thank you for this excellent tutorial. I've learned so much!

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @bicivelo
    @bicivelo3 жыл бұрын

    fantastic instructions. THANKS!

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching!

  • @mikebrisebois
    @mikebrisebois7 ай бұрын

    Amazing video! You are a fantastic teacher. Very detailed

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    7 ай бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @nicmckenna3671
    @nicmckenna36713 жыл бұрын

    This is a very informative video - thank you. I really appreciate the simplicity of the presentation.

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    Happy to hear it, thanks for watching!

  • @noe9088
    @noe90882 жыл бұрын

    just did my first knife sharpening and actually had fun doing so! Thanks so much for the video, I felt nicely guided through the process. Though just the moment when you mentioned to be careful not to cut the leather strap, that's exactly what happened with the tip of my knife 😂

  • @mattbonnell7023
    @mattbonnell70233 жыл бұрын

    Great tutorial. Thanks a lot.

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching!

  • @JSWAGIN1
    @JSWAGIN1 Жыл бұрын

    I've been sharpening knives for ~3 years now and have basically just been doing my own thing. My knives have always come out sharp... but in hindsight, its probably just becasue it was just trial and error where I just sharpen until it's sharp and the first half of sharpening I was probably not doing anything/hurting the knife! This is so helpful!!!

  • @robertnijeboer
    @robertnijeboer Жыл бұрын

    excellent video! thank you!

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @vinniegoes1733
    @vinniegoes1733 Жыл бұрын

    Best sharpening video on KZread

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @Magajarhead1775
    @Magajarhead1775 Жыл бұрын

    Ichi ban Naoto!!! Love your videos!

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @davesmith5656
    @davesmith565611 ай бұрын

    A burr is like steel peanut butter. The grit of the stone drags metal off the bevel, and it hangs on at the new apex you are forming. Some guys with a SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) photographed two types of burrs which form, one for softer steels, and one for harder steels. The softer steel is easier to de-burr. If you think of peanut butter clinging to the edge of a butter knife as you spread it, that's what the steel does when you grind a knife on a whetstone: it clings to the apex. If you have a USB microscope, and want to see a big burr, to form a picture of what one looks like, take a knife and grind it on a sanding belt. That will leave a huge burr for you to inspect.

  • @yeagemk
    @yeagemk2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this - I just bought the Nigara AS/S Tsuchime Kiritsuke Gyuto from you guys. I love it but wouldn't think to throw it through my 3 stage electric sharpener. I have a good whetstone set but always got discouraged when I tried to use it. I will try the quarter and thimble trick on some of my beater knives to see if I can get a nice sharp edge. Thanks for all the content and for your great customer service. I will be a return customer for sure!

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    2 жыл бұрын

    Awesome, I'm glad we could help! Good luck with your sharpening.

  • @demonslayer8085

    @demonslayer8085

    Жыл бұрын

    He’s using nickels not quarters!

  • @DmitriMironov
    @DmitriMironov Жыл бұрын

    Haha quite jenius idea:-))

  • @oQuivers
    @oQuivers5 ай бұрын

    I’m currently waiting for my second fujimoto knife.. been using one for about a year now and it’s CRAZY AMAZING… I would love to learn to sharpen like this. Videos are one thing but having a teacher would be amazing!! Appreciate your skill!!! Have a great day (:

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    5 ай бұрын

    Glad I can help!

  • @dentistjk
    @dentistjk2 жыл бұрын

    Best sharpening video on you tube.

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much!

  • @appleseed666
    @appleseed6662 жыл бұрын

    When you are pushing the knife spine side facing away from you, are you only putting pressure on the blade in the forward motion? Same question for when you flip the knife with the spine facing towards you, do you only put pressure when pulling the knife back?

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    2 жыл бұрын

    Good question! We apply pressure in both directions, it makes the sharpening go twice as fast!

  • @MichaelKWang
    @MichaelKWang3 жыл бұрын

    How much pressure are you using with your fingers on the knife? And is it applied in both push and pull directions?

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    Generally a very gentle pressure, never pushing hard, and definitely in both directions!

  • @MikeJustice1993
    @MikeJustice1993 Жыл бұрын

    Do you always need to start sharpening with a coarse stone like a 220 grit or can you start with a 1000 grit then move to 6000 grit for finishing? I only ask because I bought a combination stone and was wondering if I needed to get another. Thanks!

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    Жыл бұрын

    Not at all! If the knife is dull you do need to start on a coarse stone, as starting on 1000 will take too long. If it's in decent shape still, you can start on 1000. Np need to finish a softer western knife on anything finer, but Japanese knives usually benefit from polishing higher than 1000 grit!

  • @ronnelestrada5619
    @ronnelestrada5619 Жыл бұрын

    I have a question regarding the soaking and non-soaking stones. I currently purchased a combo whetstone (#1000/#6000) and was wondering if I can soak the whole stone or do I just soak half of the stone (#1000 side) since #6000 is a fine non-soaking stone.

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there! I would just soak the 1000 grit side. Some 6000 grits like arashiyama benefit from soaking, but others can crack.

  • @user-pm7pw1tl3t
    @user-pm7pw1tl3t6 ай бұрын

    I love how many "pro" sharpening videos there are yet they cant even make the scratch pattern go the same direction on both sides

  • @jacmac0422

    @jacmac0422

    2 ай бұрын

    Why would that matter? I understand if you are thinning or sharpening a wide bevel but why would the tiny primary bevel matter. He is going for performance not a mirror edge.

  • @MatthewG9631
    @MatthewG9631 Жыл бұрын

    Hello, are you using US nickels to measure the angle or will the US nickels be different? thanks!

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    Жыл бұрын

    They're only slightly different, so they'll work!

  • @michaellinnett7786
    @michaellinnett7786 Жыл бұрын

    any guidance on what coins to use in Australia to achieve 15 or 22.5 degrees? I'm mostly interested in 22.5 degrees as my best knives are German and the rest no-name

  • @michaellinnett7786

    @michaellinnett7786

    Жыл бұрын

    mucking with Australian coins and an iPhone leveler app, a 20c spacer and 5 x 20c coins gets around 22-24 degrees - close enough for me

  • @petersss
    @petersss Жыл бұрын

    I have a Knifewear 220 Grit Truing Stone - is that an acceptable replacement for a 220 whetstone to use for sharpening?

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    Жыл бұрын

    Unfortunately they're made differently and the trying stone doesn't contain all the abrasive of the regular 220, but in a pinch it would probably work.

  • @JulieIelasi-lt7yp
    @JulieIelasi-lt7ypАй бұрын

    An i sharpen my everyday Chinese Cleaver this same way too with your Japanese sharpening way ?

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    Ай бұрын

    Yes, absolutely!

  • @davesmith5656
    @davesmith56562 жыл бұрын

    Use plastic angle guides, about $10 bucks. They're little plastic chips that have a slot for a rubber band to hold them onto your whetstone, so you can re-check your angle at any time. They come in sets, angles from 10 to 20, IIRC. You can stack 10 and 15 if you want 25 for a cleaver. Holding an angle is like learning to ride a bicycle. At first, it seems impossible and you fall a lot unless you have training wheels. After m-a-n-y hours of practice, you finally get it! (Then you can move on to a unicycle! And sharpen to sub-50 Bess.)

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    2 жыл бұрын

    Great advice! We sell some plastic guides that we love.

  • @nielsvanos3114
    @nielsvanos31143 жыл бұрын

    Why are you removing the burr with the honing rod after each stone instead of using the 'peanut butter method'? Thanks

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    Good question! The spreading method works well, but still leaves a substantial burr. The honing rod clears it up fully so we don't get a false positive when we're raising a burr on the next stone!

  • @jaredcook4577

    @jaredcook4577

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@KnifewearKnives why is the peanut butter method even considered a method then if its not ideal? This sharpening stuff drives me bonkers as everybody has a thousand opinions 😂

  • @paulneumann7739
    @paulneumann77393 жыл бұрын

    I have a question regarding evenly sharpening sides. I have noticed that I must grind-whetstone quite a bit off the first side to create a burr. When i go to do the second side, it creates a burr in much less strokes than the first side (since it is asymmetrical) do I keep grinding on whetstone second side to make sure both sides are perfectly even? I came up with a counter system- thumb thimbles and measuring tape...I have 3 thimbles to represent each side. Heel-mid-tip...I count 15 strokes on each part of knife and advance the respective thimble one step Just wondering if both sides should be even come the end of the sharpening? ie does this make the knife blade "weak or dull faster"?

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hey, good question! Most people sharpen the same side first every time, which creates an edge biased to one side. This is totally fine! Most people won't notice it and it won't have a serious effect on the knifes performance, although it may cut subtly to one side. It sounds like your method for balancing it is great! Another option is to start on the right side one time, the left side the next time, and so on, but that can be hard to remember. Doing a set number of strokes per side until you raise a burr is a surefire way to keep it balanced!

  • @paulneumann7739

    @paulneumann7739

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! I will figure out how many strokes I can do to maker this even on cheap knives.

  • @iftihk1
    @iftihk16 ай бұрын

    Dear which sharping stone u use and which brand and where i buying it pls reply me ❤

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    6 ай бұрын

    Hey, I used this series of stone: knifewear.com/collections/knifewear-stones-and-accessories

  • @sacoto98
    @sacoto983 жыл бұрын

    What is the difference between the nagura stone and the bigger flatening stone? Can't they serve the same purpose?

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    They can! The nagura stone works like an eraser, cleaning grit off of your fine stones. You won't want to flatten finer stones with every use, so the nagura keeps them clear and working well. You can just use a truing stone, but you wouldn't want to use a nagura in place of a truing stone.

  • @sacoto98

    @sacoto98

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@KnifewearKnives so the nagura is a much gentler approach more suited for fine stones but not enough for coarse stones

  • @jvh136
    @jvh13611 ай бұрын

    No coins required for 15 degrees. Tangent (opposite over adjacent) of 15 degrees is 0.25. So raised the spine 25% the height of the blade. For 20 degrees it would be 36%, not so easy to eyeball.

  • @passportazul
    @passportazul3 жыл бұрын

    I know they are similar, but are we talking US nickels or Canadian?

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    Great question! We're based in Canada, so we use Canadian nickles.

  • @bc454irocz89
    @bc454irocz8911 ай бұрын

    Can you show how to sharpen chinese clever? Its so big I cant use thumb as guide

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    11 ай бұрын

    We will add it to the list.

  • @michaelireland7239
    @michaelireland723910 ай бұрын

    pull toward you sharp push away blunt repeat thie cycle over & over you are wasting ur time edge wont b sharp u are just removig to much metal & frustration sets in this video perfect if you want a blunt knife

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    10 ай бұрын

    This is a common misconception, but not reality. Working in one direction just means you're moving half as much steel as you could be, and makes it harder to keep a consistent angle. Once you're removed your burr, you're got new geometry for your edge! Hope this helps.

  • @dougdecloux6967
    @dougdecloux69673 жыл бұрын

    you do not go into detail about how to sharpen the tip of the knife.

  • @KnifewearKnives

    @KnifewearKnives

    3 жыл бұрын

    Good question, we'll definitely get into it more in a future video!