If the knife is not yet shaving sharp, repeat steps a and b above. Again test the blade for sharp-
ness. In the event the knife still is not sufficiently sharp it will be faster to first pre-hone it in
Stage 1 as follows:
uSe honIng Stage 1, When neCeSSarY
a. Pull the blade alternately through the left and right slots (see Figure 3) of Stage 1, making about 3 pair
of pulls, taking about 3 seconds for each pull. Check the edge carefully to confirm the presence of a
burr (see Figure 4), which will be small since the Stage 1 abrasive is quite fine. To check for the burr,
move your forefinger carefully across the edge as shown in Figure 4. (Do not move your finger along
the edge—to avoid cutting your finger). If the last pull was in the right slot, the burr would appear
only on the right side of the blade (as you normally hold it) and vice versa. The burr, when present,
feels like a rough and bent extension of the edge; the opposite side of the edge feels very smooth by
comparison. When a burr exists along the entire edge, proceed to polish again in Stage 2.
b. If there is no burr continue honing in Stage 1, alternating left and right slots until a light burr develops.
When a burr is present along the entire blade length proceed as below to polish again in Stage 2.
return to polIShIng Stage 2
a. Make 3 pairs of pulls, alternating pulls in the left and right slots, taking 3 seconds per pull for a 5”
blade. Make 3 pairs of faster pulls, alternating left and right slots, taking 1 second per pull. Test the
blade for sharpness.
b. If the edge is not shaving sharp, make a few more pairs of fast pulls in Stage 2 until the edge is
shaving sharp.
re-SharpenIng the ContemporarY aSIan blade
Re-sharpen by following the procedure above starting with Polishing in Stage 2 as described.
You should be able to resharpen to a razor edge 10 or more times using only Stage 2 before
finding it necessary to again hone in Stage 1. Hone in Stage 1 only when you find it is taking too
long or too many pulls in Stage 2 to bring the edge to razor sharpness. In that event, follow the
sharpening sequence described above.
Figure 4. When you create a distinct burr along the
blade edge, it can be detected by sliding finger across
and away from the edge. Caution! See text.
5
Burr
Figure 3. Santoku knife in right slot of Stage 1.
