Column — SharpeningStones

In Japan, knife making centers around using hard steel. To maximize the quality of these knives, we have a culture of sharpening them with whetstones. To finish the edges to suit their intended use, we use whetstones of different grit sizes to sharpen Japanese knives made of hard steel.  We often receive inquiries from overseas customers asking if it's possible to sharpen Japanese knives using sharpening steels. If the question is about feasibility, then yes, it is certainly possible.  However, while it's not always the case if done carefully, using a sharpening steel is generally not compatible with Japanese knives...