# Going to sharpen but confused about my Bevel/Grind.



## scotts (May 21, 2012)

I've been oiling my boardsmith board today (I figure I have to use it, even though it looks so nice just sitting on the counter) and I thought I should sharpen my Yoshihiro 240mm since I haven't since I bought it. However this is where I'm a little confused, I thought it had a 50/50 bevel but to me it looks like a chisel grind.






I'm going to be a using a King 1000 stone, my only stone atm. Any help with angles and such would be greatly appreciated!


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## JBroida (May 21, 2012)

The yoshihiro knvies are 50/50 with regard to the sides of the knife, but the bevel is about 80/20 or so. If you want to even it out, sharpen more on the smaller bevel side until the edge shifts toward the center and the bevels are more equal. It may take a little time on the king 1k, but it should be too bad. Feel free to bug me if you have any questions.

-Jon


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## Andrew H (May 21, 2012)

The grind looks to be about 50/50. What you're looking at is the edge bevel which is obviously asymmetric, just spend more time sharpening on the left side of the knife until you get it where you want it.

Edit:
Jon replied before I could...


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## JohnnyChance (May 21, 2012)

You don't have to do it all at once either, each time you sharpen you can spend a little extra time on the smaller bevel until it is more to your liking.


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## scotts (May 21, 2012)

Thanks for the replies everyone, I thought I might have been remembering our conversation incorrectly Jon so thanks for clearing that up. Would the edge bevel have anything to do with the food sticking to the knife or the knife pulling to the left when cutting?


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## Crothcipt (May 21, 2012)

here is a link about asymmetry, and what you are going through.
http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/5656-Asymmetry-–-The-REAL-DEAL


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## JBroida (May 21, 2012)

scotts said:


> Thanks for the replies everyone, I thought I might have been remembering our conversation incorrectly Jon so thanks for clearing that up. Would the edge bevel have anything to do with the food sticking to the knife or the knife pulling to the left when cutting?



the edge can effect the pulling but not the sticking... thats the side grind


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## Andrew H (May 21, 2012)

scotts said:


> Thanks for the replies everyone, I thought I might have been remembering our conversation incorrectly Jon so thanks for clearing that up. Would the edge bevel have anything to do with the food sticking to the knife or the knife pulling to the left when cutting?



It definitely could. The wider (or taller, depending on what angle you are looking at your knife from) your edge bevel is the more likely it is to cause steering issues. The flip side of that is that you can sometimes get less stickage from food product. Finding the balance is a pretty personal thing but it is easy to play around with it once you get a little more practice in on the stones.


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## scotts (May 22, 2012)

I just finished sharpening my knife, I kept at about 12 degrees for the face (right side) and marked with a sharpie then ground the mark away and tried to feel for the burr (I had a tough time feeling it). Then I flipped the knife over and did the same but half as many strokes (Which I now question if that is right based on the Asymmetry post I just re-read). I used some paper towel like a cork to get rid of the burr, or at least that was my intent. All I know is my knife seems sharper so I must be doing something right. I then sharpened all the Henckels sitting in my kitchen which I found much easier to feel the burr (softer steel?) at a larger angle and equal strokes on each side. They're WAY sharper now but still not as sharp as my Yoshihiro :biggrin:.

Whether the blade is facing towards you or away (I found it easier to face it away), and whether you work at the knife in sections or the entire blade at once (I did sections), is it basically personally preference? Oh and your sharpening skills make me envious Jon (I was looking at your youtube channel).


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## ThEoRy (May 22, 2012)

I used to sharpen with both hands blade facing towards. Now I just hold the handle in my right hand only and flip the blade. For me personally, it's just easier to keep my handles grit and swarf free that way without switching hands. 

Personal preference.


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## tk59 (May 22, 2012)

In my opinion, the "chisel" grind on this knife is essential to its cutting performance. Follow the bevels as they are set.


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## mhlee (May 22, 2012)

I would also check your grip and the angle that you're holding your knife. That's a small bevel to be causing steering.


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## scotts (May 22, 2012)

So looking at my knife again and it's existing bevel I'm guessing (well maybe not guessing I have Tiltmeter or my iPhone) that the right side should be at 20 degrees and the left at 5 degrees. Does that sound right to you guys? I'm having a hard time judging the left side only because it's so small.


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## stereo.pete (May 22, 2012)

Just use a sharpie and color in the bevel and start working on the stone. Check where and what you are grinding every 6-7 swipes and you will be fine.


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## tk59 (May 23, 2012)

Yup. Go for the sharpie. I don't know what the original bevels are set at but 5 deg sounds pretty low.


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## Andrew H (May 23, 2012)

tk59 said:


> Yup. Go for the sharpie. I don't know what the original bevels are set at but 5 deg sounds pretty low.



Agreed. Twenty degrees sounds a bit high also.


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## scotts (May 23, 2012)

Ok I just resharpened :biggrin: and using the sharpie trick and Tiltmeter my right side looked good at 20 degrees and my left at 10 degrees. I did a couple strokes and checked and my mark "looked" to be coming off perfectly. I also noticed it was much easier to feel the burrs this time around. I've only sliced a few baby carrots both before and after and there is a very noticeable different for better after sharpening. I'll try some bigger stuff and see how the steering issue is.


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## Eamon Burke (May 23, 2012)

That is a great picture of the edge bevels. Nice work. :thumbsup:


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## scotts (May 23, 2012)

Andrew H said:


> Agreed. Twenty degrees sounds a bit high also.



I didn't see your post before I sharpened again and posted, but at 20 degrees my sharpie mark looked to be coming off. Would a lower say 15 degree angle be better do you think?

I just chopped up a bunch of carrots, onions and cauliflower and I noticed with the cauliflower especially that the knife is still pulling to the left and I'm pretty sure it's not my grip (thought it might be on the first head) but for the next two heads I would apply only downward pressure and just left the knife steer itself and both times it would pull to the left after it was about a third of the way through the head. 

Thank you again everyone for being so patient with a newb like me, I really appreciate the help.


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## Andrew H (May 23, 2012)

scotts said:


> I didn't see your post before I sharpened again and posted, but at 20 degrees my sharpie mark looked to be coming off. Would a lower say 15 degree angle be better do you think?
> 
> I just chopped up a bunch of carrots, onions and cauliflower and I noticed with the cauliflower especially that the knife is still pulling to the left and I'm pretty sure it's not my grip (thought it might be on the first head) but for the next two heads I would apply only downward pressure and just left the knife steer itself and both times it would pull to the left after it was about a third of the way through the head.
> 
> Thank you again everyone for being so patient with a newb like me, I really appreciate the help.



I was just surprised that Yoshihiro would put a 20 degree angle on their knives. Would it perform better with a lower angle? Yes. Would it be noticeable at a beginner's sharpening level? Maybe, but probably not. I'd work on maintaining a constant angle and developing an even burr before I changed the bevel angle of a knife. 
You should also remember that with a lower angle what you gain in "sharpness" is lost in edge stability. However, that Yoshihiro should definitely be able to hold a lower angle when you want to attempt changing it.


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## tk59 (May 24, 2012)

20 and 5 is 25 deg total included angle. That's pretty small. I wouldn't go much smaller than that. Without looking, I would have guessed the bevels were more like 10 for the big one and 15 for the small one. In fact, that is roughly how I sharpen my own Yoshihiro gyuto.


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