How to Sharpen a Wusthof Santoku Knife

Sharpening a knife

A Wusthof Santoku Knife is precision forged out of a solid piece of steel. The process of forging the Wusthof cutlery contains over 40 precision steps before the final product is hand honed, sharpened and tested. Over the course of time, any knife will need to be sharpened to retain optimal performance. Wusthof Santoku provides a selection of sharpening tools, including whetstones, or honing and sharpening steels so that you can keep your blade sharp and in excellent condition. The use of a whetstone is a time-tested way to achieve an extremely sharp edge on your cutlery.

Instructions

1. Place the whetstone in water for about 10 minutes, then set the stone on a flat work surface, and place a towel under the stone to reduce slippage.

2. Place the blade on the coarse side of the stone, and hold it at a 10- to 15-degree angle. Work the blade back and forth using slight pressure, starting at the tip and working down toward the end of the blade. The coarse side will remove larger nicks and bumps. When you notice burring on the edge of the blade, you're finished with one side.

3. Flip the blade over then repeat the process until you see the burred edge. Add a little more water to the top of the stone, or wet the knife in between sharpening of both sides.

4. Flip the stone over to the fine side and repeat the sharpening process. To remove the remaining burr off of the edge, you need to lay the blade on the stone at a 10-degree angle, then pull the blade towards you starting with the end of the blade and finishing at the tip.

5. Rinse off the stone, and rinse off the knife blade in hot water. Dry the blade thoroughly and place it in appropriate storage, such as a knife block or a magnet bar.

Tips & Warnings

• Use extreme caution when sharpening your blade. Ensure that your fingers are away from the edge at all times, and sharpen slowly to ensure precision.

References

• Wusthof: Sharpening
• Wusthof Knife: Electric Knife Sharpeners