Everything about sharpening angles

Which sharpening angle should I choose?

When we consider the sharpening angles of the pocket and fixed knives that are listed on our website, you end up with an average range between 15º and 25º. For kitchen knives we are talking about 10º to 22º. Exceptions aside, of course.

For pocket knives we use 17º sharpening angles for lighter work. Peeling an apple, opening letters. But a small angle is also great for hunters or fishermen who clean their caught prey. For all-round use we maintain a 18º to 20º angle. For 21º and up we are talking about heavy-duty use. Think of heavy packing materials or for processing wood. For these tasks you are looking for an edge that is slightly stronger.

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In the kitchen we use 10º to 15º sharpening angles for filleting knives or Japanese knives. Most Japanese knives are incredibly hard and can therefore be sharpened a lot thinner. The filleting knives need to be razor-sharp to cut thin slices without the fish tearing. These knives are often not very hard in terms of steel and need to be sharpened more often. Western kitchen knives are enhanced with a sharpening angle of approximately 16º to 20º. Of course there are also special kitchen knives with a one-sided grind, or cleavers that use completely different sharpening angles.

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When, after changing the sharpening angle, you notice that the knife becomes blunter a lot quicker it is time to increase the sharpening angle. Not every type of steel is the same, and not every geometry works for each knife.

How do you sharpen your knives with the same angle as is used in the factory?

It is, of course, easier and more economical to use the angle that is used to sharpen the knife the first time. After all, this means that you don’t have to remove so much material. Do you really need to know the exact number to find the right angle? No. Fortunately there is the ‘marker trick’.

In the video above we will tell you more about how to use a marker to colour the edge to determine the angle. You can use this trick for basically every sharpening method.

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Sharpening on a sharpening stone? Check here how you can determine the right sharpening angle on a sharpening stone.

Sharpening angle of guided sharpening systems

Sharpening systems such as those produced by Wicked Edge, DMT, Lansky and Edge Pro work with a sharpening stone that moves over the edge of a secured knife. Always using the same angle. That is clear. But is it always the angle that is highlighted on the sharpening system?

When we look at a system produced by Lansky we see that you can select sharpening angles of 17º, 20º, 25º and 30º per side. All pre-determined. But does that also mean that each knife where the angle is set to 20º degrees is also sharpened at a 20º angle? No. And that is the result of the blade height. That is why it doesn’t make much sense to know the exactly measured sharpening angle if you are planning to sharpen your knife in such a system. That is when the marker trick is a lot more useful.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens