# Sharpening a Heiji Gyuto...



## G-rat (Dec 13, 2011)

Guys

I just received a heiji gyuto (240mm) yesterday! This thing is a work of art and what I thought the mizuno gyuto would be but simply wasn't. Don't get me wrong the mizuno is awesome but its a totally different knife than this even though they have a lot in common: wide bevels, flat profile, great steel, not a laser, great cutters.

Here's my question: how do you guys particularly tk59 and Peco sharpen yours? 

Seeing as it takes a nod from single bevel knives with these large wide bevels but on both sides are you basically hamaguriba-ing it on both sides or are you just flattening down the edge of these bevels till a burr forms and deburring and polishing?

thanks folks


----------



## JBroida (Dec 13, 2011)

i do the shinogi line down, the lift up a tiny bit and do the half-way to the edge thing. Then i blend them. If i end up making it really thin, i micro it.


----------



## G-rat (Dec 13, 2011)

So no convexing of the edge then, keep the bevel flat? I mean obviously freehanding it will make this happen a little bit but you aren't deliberately clamshelling it on both sides right?


----------



## JBroida (Dec 13, 2011)

no, i blend them... but hamaguri edge is not a very convex one... its very mellow. What you do is sharpen from the shinogi line down first. You dont need to hit the edge here. Then you lift up a very tiny bit, so you are sharpening from about 1/2 way up the bevel to the edge (forming a burr). Then, you pick the place where the two bevels meet, and sharpen while very slightly rocking in that area. Thats hamaguri.


----------



## G-rat (Dec 13, 2011)

got it. Thanks Jon!


----------



## heirkb (Dec 13, 2011)

Jon, when you lift the knife a bit to hit the edge, do you end up abrading all of the core steel? When I've tried this on knives with wide bevels, I usually end up only hitting about half of the core steel. I wonder if I need to lift less, but I thought I was only lifting a tiny bit.


----------



## JBroida (Dec 13, 2011)

yeah... i end up hitting some of the cladding and all of the core usually. Its each bevel is about 1/2 of the whole. The angle change is very slight. Use sharpie and play around with it a bit... i'm sure you'll get it pretty easily.


----------



## heirkb (Dec 13, 2011)

Cool, I'll have to try it out again. Thanks for the tip on the sharpie. I'd forgotten about that trick.


----------



## schanop (Dec 13, 2011)

For me, in order to keep Zakuri pretty, I do shinogi line to lamination line and lamination line to edge, and blend them. This is pretty much how I sharpen my single bevel knives too. The real pain is the back/left hand side, for me a right hander. Just can't keep my hands steady enough when switching side.

Using a good soft stone, like Takashima from Jon helps making the process going more smoothly.


----------



## Peco (Dec 13, 2011)

G-rat: I see you got all the help you need


----------



## tk59 (Dec 13, 2011)

Peco said:


> G-rat: I see you got all the help you need


Haha. I guess I'm late, too. For what it's worth, I don't bother with the compound bevel plus blending. The natural rocking and stone dishing gets it done just fine, imo. Basically, try to be a little sloppy, lol. Lately, I've been putting a "microbevel" on one side at about 20 deg for light use and heavier use, I put 15 deg micros on both sides and start with a lower grit. I think I currently have an edge on mine that started with just a few light passes on a 1k and went up from there. I'm still figuring this knife out. Have fun.


----------



## G-rat (Dec 14, 2011)

Guys

Thanks for all of the input. It will be put ot good use next week when I lay this knife on the stones. 

After using it tonight just make some carrot pickles at work I am just blown away by how well it cuts. So even and effortlessly. This just seems like the ultimate gyuto...I know I know a big claim...and I have only used a few (konosuke HD, Misuno blue hontanren and this one) but it just performs so well. 

Appreciate the help from everyone...


----------



## heirkb (Dec 14, 2011)

I know how you feel. The first time I used mine, I couldn't imagine anything cutting with less resistance. It's not the best for the super hard sweet potatoes and squashes, though. Unless someone knows of some technique that would help. I figured it just had to do with the thickness of the knife.


----------



## Citizen Snips (Dec 14, 2011)

congrats dude, i cannot wait to get my hands on it 

seriously i think this is probably the best knife for you!!


----------

