How to Sharpen a Sushi Knife

Making Japanese sushi requires skill and finesse with a sushi knife. However, if the knife is not sharp enough, even the best sushi chef cannot prevent damaging the vegetables and delicate consistency of the raw seafood ingredients during the slicing process. A sharp blade is very important in cutting the transparent, thin slices of sushi. If your sushi knife does not slice cleanly through your ingredients, you will need to sharpen it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bowl of water
• Nakato whetstone (medium grain)
• Shiageto whetstone (fine grain)
• Towel

Instructions

1. Soak both whetstones in a bowl of water for approximately 15 minutes, or until the emerging bubbles cease. The water forces the pockets of air out of the whetstones and prepares them for the sharpening process.

2. Remove the whetstones and lightly dry them off with a towel. Place the whetstones on top of the towel on a sturdy, flat surface to prevent them from slipping around during the sharpening process.

3. Use the medium-grain Nakato whetstone for your dull sushi knife blade. Most sushi knife sharpening sessions start with the Nakato as it is best for honing the shape of the blade as well as sharpening it. Grip the sushi knife in your hand with the tip pointing away from you. Position the edge of the blade on one end of the whetstone, at a 10 to 20 degree angle, starting with the tip-end. Hold the knife perpendicular to the length of the whetstone.

4. Place the first three fingers of your free hand on the back, non-cutting side of the knife for support and guidance. Push the blade down the whetstone, from one end to the other. While maintaining the proper angle and grip, pull the blade back across the whetstone to the original position. Repeat the push-pull action across the whetstone five times.

5. Re-position the edge of the knife blade on the Nakato whetstone at the 10 to 20 degree angle, this time starting in the middle of the knife blade. Repeat the sharpening action in step 4. Replace the edge of the knife blade on the whetstone, repeating the sharpening process on the remaining un-sharpened part of the blade.

6. Repeat the sharpening process for the opposite side of the sushi knife blade. Wipe the powdery residue from the sharpening process off the knife with a towel.

7. Use the fine-grain Shiageto whetstone to obtain a razor-sharp edge and smooth away the minute scratches left behind from the Nakato whetstone. Firmly hold the sushi knife handle in one hand and hold onto the non-cutting edge of the blade with your free hand. Hold the blade at a 10 to 20 degree angle from the surface of the whetstone.

8. Slide the blade across the length of the whetstone, going from the tip of the knife to the base in a slow, fluid motion. Repeat the process in the opposite direction. Duplicate this sharpening process five times, or until the blade looks smooth and sharp enough for your cutting needs.

9. Repeat steps 8 and 9 using the Shiageto whetstone on the opposite cutting side of the sushi knife blade.

10. Wash the sushi knife and dry it with a towel. The knife should now cut through your sushi ingredients with ease.

Tips & Warnings

• Use an Arato rough-grain whetstone for a sushi knife that has major imperfections, like a chip in the blade or a broken tip. After buffing away these imperfections with the Arato whetstone, proceed with the sharpening process above. Apply a few water droplets periodically to the whetstones during the knife-sharpening process to reduce the heat build-up from friction.
• Do not use any circular or sawing motions in the knife-sharpening process, as it will ruin the blade. The whetstones will break down over time, so replace them periodically.

References

• Sushi or Death: How to Sharpen your Sushi Knife
• Japanese Chef's Knife: How to Sharpen Blades

Resources

• How to Sharpen a Blade Like a Professional

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