Detailed Discussion of Knife Sharpenging Angles

Detailed Discussion on Knife Sharpening Angles

More Advice and Theory on Sharpening Angles for Knives

We have found that many customers really want to know more about selecting the angle for their knife. In this article we will discuss in more detail why you may want to choose one angle over another.

Before getting into the detail, we’d like to make it clear how we talk about the angles on a knife. Most knives have a bevel on both sides. When we tell someone that they should put a 20 degree angle on a knife, we mean that they should sharpen each side to 20 degrees. This creates a total angle of 40 degrees. So when we’re talking about the angle on your knife, we’re talking about the angle at which you hold the knife to your stone.

There are special cases where the total angle of the knife is not double the angle that you sharpen each side of your knife. Some traditional Asian knives are only beveled on one side. In this example, one side may be sharpened to 20 degrees while the other side is at 0 degrees for a total angle of 20. However, in practice, we have found that the vast majority of Asian knives sold in the United States are not single bevel but rather traditional knives with a bevel on both sides. If you’re not sure, it is generally safe to assume that your knife has a bevel on both sides. Asian knives do typically have a slightly lower angle and both sides are sharpened to roughly 17 degrees.

Choosing an angle to sharpen your knife is essentially a compromise between the sharpness and the durability of an edge. The most important factor when determining the angle comes down to how you will be using your knife. Will you be shaving your face, filleting a fish, cutting vegetables, carving or chopping wood? From these examples, it is easy to see how each case requires a different edge.