8
ADDITIONAL GUIDES AND 4 STEP GRIT
PROGRESSION:
• INCLUDED WITH THE E5 PLUS
• OPTIONAL WITH THE E5
The E5 Plus Sharpener comes with
17° GUIDES
installed. These guides will create a high-
performance edge on any straight edge knife. The
UPGRADE KIT
(included with the E5
Plus) provides additional angle guides to maintain traditional edge geometries on classic
Western and Eastern knives, if preferred.
Sharpening Recommendations with Upgrade Kit:
15° EASTERN RECIPE
- Thin knives (Asian styles)
20° WESTERN RECIPE
- Thick knives (European styles)
See
UPGRADE KIT RECIPES
section for 15° Eastern and 20° Western recipes. See
SHARPENING BASICS
section for 17° Standard Recipe.
UPGRADE KIT INFO
Eastern style knives are made with harder steels and are designed for precision cutting.
Western style knives are made with softer steels but have thicker blades, making them less
brittle and a great choice for substantial cutting.
EASTERN KNIFE MANUFACTURERS:
Shun, Tojiro, Global, Kyocera, Kasumi, Yoshihiro, MAC
WESTERN KNIFE MANUFACTURERS:
Wüsthof, Henckels, Mercer, Victorinox, Messermeister
EASTERN (ASIAN) KNIVES VS WESTERN
(EUROPEAN) KNIVES
Eastern and Western knives, also known as Asian and European, are different due to the
manufacturing process and geometry of the blade. It is not uncommon to see a blend of the
two styles (ie. an Asian knife with a European style handle, or a European knife with a lower
Asian blade angle.
Asian Style Knife
Western Style Knife