In order to properly sharpen your knife, you need to take care of your whetstone.
It is very important for the whetstone to be flat in order to sharpen properly, but as you use the whetstone, it becomes more and more dented.
In such cases, it is time to use a ``surface straightening whetstone'' that flattens the whetstone.
Make sure to clean the surface and maintain your whetstone on a daily basis.
〇What is a facelift?
When you sharpen a knife, not only the knife blade but also the whetstone are sharpened and reduced.
Being able to scrape means becoming smaller as it wears away.
If you sharpen by using the entire surface of the whetstone evenly, the surface will stay flat forever, but that's not the case...
There are certain parts that are used often and parts that are not used, so almost everyone ends up with a dent in the center of the whetstone.
If you sharpen with a concave center, you will not only not be able to sharpen as expected, but it will also cause the blade to lose its shape, so you need to adjust the whetstone to a flat surface.
The work of sharpening the entire surface of a whetstone to make it flat is called "resurfacing", and the whetstone used for resurfacing is called "resurfacing whetstone".
〇Why is facelift necessary?
The most important thing to keep in mind when sharpening a knife is to sharpen it with a flat whetstone.
If the part the whetstone hits doesn't hit the entire surface of the blade, it's impossible to sharpen the blade flat. If you sharpen on a concave surface, the blade will curl up as well.
If the whetstone is uneven, you may not be able to properly hit the blade where you want it to hit, and the blade may lose its shape. Also, the back of a Japanese knife must be kept flat, so special care must be taken.
〇How often do you reface it?
If possible, it's best to do this every time you sharpen your knife.
Many people may find it difficult every time, but we recommend that you try to be as diligent as possible. The reason for this is that it is extremely difficult work to repair a severely dented whetstone. Not only is it very time consuming, but it also shortens the life of the whetstone.
If you have two whetstones, you can also lightly rub them together to correct the surface.
It may be a little more difficult to move than using a resurfacing whetstone, but it is important to maintain it frequently without overdoing it.
〇How to reface
There is no special method for resurfacing, just rub the resurfacing whetstone against the whetstone you want to flatten.
If you keep a few points in mind, you can make an efficient facelift.
- Draw a line on the grinding wheel surface -
Using a pencil or oil marker, draw a cross-shaped line all over the whetstone and check the four corners.
Resurfacing the dented areas will not be touched by the whetstone and the lines will not disappear, so rub the whetstone over the entire surface until all the lines are gone.
- Move the whetstone straight back and forth -
Hold the whetstone firmly so that it does not move, and hold the center of the whetstone with your dominant hand.
Move straight back and forth, applying as much pressure as possible.
- Swap the top and bottom of the grindstone -
Since it is done by hand, it is difficult to apply it evenly.
By switching the top and bottom from time to time, it will be easier to carve all parts in the same way.
A whetstone is a tool used to maintain knives, but in order to use it properly, the whetstone also requires maintenance. Whether you are a seasoned knife sharpener or someone new to knife sharpening, you should have a knife sharpening stone as a set.
