Shun has been one of the best knife manufacturers, providing high-quality Japanese steel. If you are a Shun knife user, you must know that their knives require regular care. These knives are very durable due to high carbon Japanese stainless steel construction. Therefore, the kind functionality and performance they provide is unparalleled. If you are already using a Shun knife and looking for answers to questions like how to sharpen shun knives? Then this is the right place to be. We will be discussing the best sharpening techniques for these knives and how one can take care of them to maintain the sharpness. Before sharpening the blade, there are certain things that a user needs to take care of. There is a certain amount of prepping that needs to be done before sharpening a Shun’s knife.
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Get the knife to sharpen for free
Did you know that when you buy a Shun’s knife, you can get your blade sharpened for free? As per their warranty and assurance, you will have to send you a knife through mail to the nearest workshops, and they will sharpen the knife entirely free of cost. However, since it is very time-consuming and has a return shipping fee, people often prefer to sharpen the knife at home or in a professional kitchen. However, if someone wants to use this service, they can send the blade, including the Shun’s warranty form, and they will sharpen the knife for free. If you think that this is very time consuming, which it is, then you can use any of the sharpening methods mentioned below for your Shun’s knife.
Clean and wash the knife
It is one of the most important aspects one needs to follow before sharpening a Shun’s knife. The procedure is necessary, especially when grinding the blade for the first time. The user should have a habit of cleaning and storing the knife after each use, which helps in increasing the life of the blade. Just before sharpening, make sure to clean the knife with warm water. Once cleaned, use a dry cloth to remove any moisture. Now your knife is ready to be sharpened. Let’s have a detailed look at various sharpening methods for Shun’s knife.
Use a Honing tool
Honing is the process of realigning the blade’s edge to ensure it remains sharp. Regular honing is one of the best sharpening techniques, especially for a Shun knife. Regular going of this knife will make sure that the blade has increased life. Honing can be done every week to make sure that the edge performs consistently well. To accomplish this method, you can purchase honing steel from Shun both in the offline and online markets. Hold the honing steel vertically on a chopping board. Make sure to place a wet cloth underneath the board to prevent movement.
Start from the top of the honing steel, where it comes in contact with the heel of the blade. Now slowly drag the knife downwards, while pulling it towards you. When the knife reaches the end of the honing steel, the tip would be in contact with it. Repeat this procedure for 5-10 minutes each side at an angle of 16 degrees. When done, wash the blade with warm water again, and it is ready to use as new.
Using a Whetstone
Another technique to sharpen a Shun’s knife is by using a Whetstone. It is one of the oldest and the most used methods to sharpen premium knives. Available in different grits, you can use any as per your requirements. If you are new to it, you can start from a whetstone of 300 grits, which helps to repair chips and other small issues. Whetstone with grit 1000-1500 sharpens most of the blade. However, using a 4000 to 6000 grit whetstone is used for finishing and polishing the blade-like mirror.
To use a whetstone, make sure that it is soaked in water for at least 15-20 minutes before smoothing the surface. Now place the wet whetstone on a damp towel to get a good grip. Start grinding the knife on the whetstone at a 15-degree angle. Keep the blade side down and use the forward and backward movement to sharpen the knife on the whetstone. Some whetstones are also double-sided, where one side is issued for grinding while the opposite side is used for polishing. A single beveled blade should be sharpened at a 45-degree angle on the whetstone. Also, the process needs to be done 10-15 minutes on each side.
Shun knife happening machine
Those who do not want to use these physical methods can opt to buy a knife sharpening machine from Shun. The device is very efficient when it comes to sharpening their knives, and the results are as good as other techniques. The only difference is the amount of control you get in honing tools and whetstone. Since you sharpen the knife by hand, you can grind it as per your choice. In a sharpening machine, everything is automatic. It uses a removable grindstone set at a 16-degree angle with a combination of coarse and fine grits. Pully your knife through the channels in the machine a couple of times, and you are ready with the blade performing like new. Just make sure to west the grindstone before placing it in the machine to sharpen the Shun’s knife.
Conclusion
These are some of the few techniques that can be done to sharpen a shun’s knife. Although Shun’s blade does not require regular sharpening, it is suggested to sharpen the knife once in a week to make sure that the blade does not become dull. Also, proper sharpening increases the life of the edge. It not only maximizes the performance but keeps the blade as new. Finally, if you can spend a few minutes in a week and sharpen the blade by hand, use a honing tool or whetstone for best results. If not, then get yourself a Shun sharpening machine for best and efficient results.
