Whetstone Sharpening Mistakes that Most Beginners Make

You've picked up your first whetstone, watched 15 different sharpening videos, started sharpening the knife, and have dreams of finally showing that smug paper who's boss, except when you go to slice, it happens again. The paper rips and it feels like your knife is worse off than before. This is a common tale for many beginning freehand sharpeners, so in this video, I'm going to identify 4 sharpening mistakes most beginner's make, and then give you a technique for remedying those.
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SOURCES:
► An Edge in the Kitchen by Chad Ward: amzn.to/2X9hJsx
► Sharpie Marker Chart: imgur.com/Og8xBV7
► Japanese Knife Imports: • Magic Marker/Sharpie T...
► Bob Kramer Tips Article: food52.com/blog/16536-9-knife...
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🥌 Budget Whetstone for sharpening: geni.us/1k6kComboWhetstone
🧂 Salt Pig: geni.us/SaltContainer
⚖ Scale: geni.us/FoodScale
🍴 Budget 8-inch Chef's knife: geni.us/BudgetChefKnife
🔪 Nicer 8-inch Chef Knife: geni.us/TojiroChefKnife
🧲 Magnetic Knife Rack: geni.us/MagneticKnifeRack
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MISC. DETAILS
Music: Provided by Epidemic Sound
Filmed on: Sony a6600 & Sony A6400 w/ Sigma 16mm F1.4
Voice recorded on Zoom H4n with lav mic
Edited in: Premiere Pro #Whetstone #KnifeSharpening
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[@garyskinner2422]

Never a dull moment with this guy.

[@patrickec7181]

You're so punny

[@zacharyreed2347]

I see what you did there

[@breadyegg]

He's so edgy

[@John-doe955]

This deserves way more likes.

[@juan2wothr3e]

Please leave

[@illegitimate0]

Tip 5: Don't sharpen on a cutting board and get tiny metal fragments over a surface that will touch food.

[@gitman3486]

metal make you strong comrade

[@andrewsteier7923]

unless said cutting board is not used for food prep.

[@SuWoopSparrow]

If scrub washing a cutting board doesnt get the tiny metal fragments off, then what makes you think that food sitting on it will?

[@illegitimate0]

​@@SuWoopSparrow It probably wouldn't, but there's no reason to risk it. You get super small particles into the grains of the wood and they could get trapped there. Later when using a knife on it it could release the metal. And all you have to do is do it on the counter or over the sink.

[@SuWoopSparrow]

@@illegitimate0 Yea I wont disagree with you. Id avoid it or have a dedicated board for that like Andrew said. I just think there are far more toxic things to worry about in the kitchen on a daily basis that people dont think about.

[@Tweekyronin]

As a red seal chef. I’m embarrassed to say that I’m still struggling with sharpening my Japanese knives and always paid some ppl to do the sharpening for me. I feel with confidence that I can do it more accurately now cause of this video. Very well done.

[@BigSmartArmed]

Don't be embarrassed, hand skills are just that, hand skills, they are passed on by other HANDS and not by YT videos. You can't learn engraving of violin making by remote learning, it requires apprenticeship, and hand tool sharpening is just as much of a hand skill that requires hands on learning. The difference is that when you are taught properly by somebody that already knows how to do it right, is in all of the time, energy and nerves wasted on trial and error when you try to do it by yourself.

[@dutchdrifter8740]

Just buy some cheap knives and start practicing. Thats what I did. I sharpen all kinds of knives now and some friends even brought their expensive knives to be sharpened after they worked with my knives. Got two nice wetstones out of that service.

[@derekp6636]

when I worked in the industry I paid a local to sharpen mine as well, he just did a far superior job ....I'll have to get keep practicing on my kitchen ones..

[@MonsterPumpkin]

No need to be emberrased, chef knives are expensive, it is terrifying to sharpen them and sharpening is a skill based almost entirely on experience and muscle memory, if you would like to get into sharpening your knives start with some cheap knives and work your way up

[@knowmenomo]

Get a file

[@shanelle1743]

1:29 Mark edge with sharpie marker 3:00 Apply correct pressure (use sacle) 3:51 Use the correct side of the stone 5:25 Using 1000 grit is sufficient

[@FictionWeLiveIn]

The sentence "dulled on my sidewalk" sent shivers up my spine and caused me physical pain.

[@glennbeckner9355]

pain from someone else's $15 demo knife? get a grip. I use these cheapies to cut Roxul insulation.

[@southpark1you0]

like nails on a chalkboard 🥶

[@summonsays2610]

I just like the mental image of this guy outside his house violently sawing at the sidewalk. Like what the heck would you think if you saw that while walking down the road? lol

[@RondeLeeuw]

@@summonsays2610 Yes! I'd rather use a brick or piece of ceramic to go beserk on, in a shed or backyard.

[@davidschmidt6013]

lol screeeeeeeeccchhh...screeeeeeeeecchhhhh.....

[@johnmartinez7440]

The first 20 seconds were disturbingly accurate

[@razzed1310]

yep yep, first whetstone, check, watched a pile of videos, check, dreams of superknife, check. He's got us dialled in

[@jayzeejm]

After the first 20 seconds, I’ll listen to anything this man says.

[@timwarneka5681]

@@jayzeejm LOL! Me too!

[@Planerary]

Just tried to sharpen my first few knives. Can confirm: very accurate.

[@bornepic1626]

I feel your pain man

[@kitchencarvings4621]

Very informative. As a woodworker, I've mastered sharpening gouges, chisels, and plane irons, but I've never been good at sharpening knives for the kitchen. I'm working on that now and this video will be a great help.

[@davidstarkweather7764]

Probably won't if you don't already have the feel for it. This video avoided the actual number one mistake which is not sharpening the blade evenly. The hardest part of sharpening a knife is knowing how to pull the blade through so that it sharpens evenly. I'm pretty good at it, but my brother is terrible at it.

[@dailysneakers_]

My dad knows how to sharp industrial equipment, but he sharpening the knives from the kitchen it's pretty much the same techniques: angle, pressure and movement and the comment above from David it's on point! My dad only sharps in one direction, to keep it consistent.

[@johnsononza1594]

practice EVERYDAY

[@ROBCAR30GMAIL]

That's funny... I'm a carpenter, and I can sharpen and almost shave with my kitchen knives, but destroy my chisels in no time...

[@MaZFX]

I love the analogy used in this vid. As with most progress being made, consistency is key! I got into cooking from a young age but it's only been a few years since I really got into knifes, specially japanese ones. Sharpening/maintaining knifes can be a huge roadblock/struggle as a hobby chef or knife enthousiast if you wanna keep it traditional. The learning curve into manual sharpening is one that can be compared to learning a technical/mechanical job imo. Being able to perform the movements and actions or actually sort of mastering them is worlds apart. I started off with western sharpening/honing sticks and once I got into whetstones and got used to them, it became therapeutic. Taking your time to take care of your precious tools is something that calms me and became a passion. So glad I got to a point where touching up my knife sets is a pleasure to do even if it takes up a couple of hours! Don't be afraid to buy cheaper whetstones and a few cheaper knifes to hone your skills. The practice without the fear of damaging a high end piece, the investement and time spend are absolutely worth it!

[@davidstarkweather7764]

Some people never get it. But luckily there are people who do it professionally. It's a very tricky skill.

[@rightbro]

Writing a book?

[@jeffreyschmidt3997]

Buying whetstones will sharpen your skills and buying a steel rod will hone your skills 🥁😉

[@Thedoug369]

If you're not sure of the pressure, just put the stone on the scale and as you sharpen you can see it as you go.

[@turtleviking1236]

Make sure to zero out the scale with the weight of the whetstone on it but good tip!

[@jjbailey01]

@@turtleviking1236 or take the weight of the stone and add the desired pressure to that if you happen to be a neanderthal that has no tare function on their scale.

[@MrMarkchu]

Need to tare the stone and knife.

[@Frilleon]

@@MrMarkchu you tare the stone not the knife!!

[@user-tr2dh4xx6u]

sounds like a good way to get cut

[@Blade56762]

I started off watching knife and scissors sharpening videos in the wee hours because I thought they would bore me back to sleep. Now I own two sharpening machines, several whetstones, dozens of grades of wet and dry sandpaper, other static sharpening gadgets and a folding pocket diamond sharpening thing just in case I need to sharpen something when I'm away from home. I'm a 64 year old woman, how did this happen?

[@Frilleon]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@giangnguyentranlam5632]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@billyray2150]

I feel this comment in my core

[@winterwinter7505]

Do u have knives also? ;)

[@gcalvaro]

Better *DON'T* start watching videos of fountain pens, watches, jewelry...

[@billyblackie9417]

Very well presented and great hints for beginners. I'm trying to learn freehand sharpening like I was able to do 40 years ago thank you

[@willieboy3011]

Good basic info for beginners. In time the proper angle and pressure will come naturally. Good tip about not rushing up the grit scale too soon. Sharpen well with 1000-3000 grit. Once the knife is really sharp, you do not have to sharpen that often. But hone regularly.

[@ratansharma951]

There is a wonderful phrase in your comment-'in time the proper angle and pressure will come naturally....Yes 'naturally'! Mother Nature is the best Teacher. Invisible, yet right inside and always with us.

[@RodMcConnell]

​7 @@ratansharma9510:58 biJinnah😮

[@rwandadrives]

So that's why it's called a sharpie.

[@oddball0022]

That's amazing lmao

[@EdibleRockingChair]

You're a dork omg

[@Bewilderbeast1]

I’m honestly impressed

[@markkoetsier6475]

Took the words right out of my mouth. X)

[@jacksbob8746]

I thought it was a brand.

[@hbarwickjr]

Getting into really seriously sharpening knives and this video did teach me something I wasn't aware of which is the blade is really sharpened from the mid range (1000) stone and not the fine polishing stones. To check the sharpness first before moving to the final stones. Lots of good tips, thank you.

[@repentandbelieveinJesusChrist3]

Repent to Jesus Christ ““Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬ G

[@brake_4_cake]

@@repentandbelieveinJesusChrist3 Jesus never existed, fool

[@jamesharris5156]

@@repentandbelieveinJesusChrist3 gross

[@ivangrbavac242]

@@repentandbelieveinJesusChrist3 repent to the cock of satan

[@Gk22632]

Yea the most time is spent on the lower grit stones, after you get a good burr it’s easy from there

[@jasandper]

I gotta say, man your videos are genuinely helpful and packed with quality information. When it can seem like a lot of the same ol’ same ol’ with cooking videos, you manage to put out something that’s different and worth watching. 🍻

[@martinschulz1524]

I watched quite a few sharpening instructions so far (including all this high tec Tormac stuff): this will be in the top of my list. It supports my point of view: keep it simple an practical. Thanks a lot.

[@Diplorable]

Keep it simple stupid kiss is what they say! 😂

[@adamsherman5024]

the most helpful part was when he said "I REPEAT YOU CAN GET A SHARP WORKEABLE EDGE WITH JUST A 1000 GRIT STONE"

[@syles286]

You can get a shaving edge off of a 220 grit stone with the correct technique

[@SuWoopSparrow]

The high grit stone is still nice, especially if you get yourself a straight razor

[@geoffhuntington7784]

@@SuWoopSparrowp

[@mikeries8549]

The leather strap is how you get a final edge that's razor sharp.

[@hex24]

Yeee lol i always thought its possible only with 6k

[@Kraftyjoker]

I've never absorbed so much information in a knife sharpening video. This is ONLY the sharpening video that has taught me in the way that i need to learn! You're amazing.

[@luisgilbert6826]

. r migel gallaldo

[@JAYTEAM187]

This is by far the best tutorial on knife sharpening. When i first started out i watched tons of videos, just like you stated, and none of them taught how to get a burr on your edges first. Sharpening knives is truly an art and not everyone can do it. But if they watch this video they'll be fine with a little practice. Great job my friend on making the most informative knife sharpening video out there.

[@3LPDM]

That were some great tips! I just put my whetstone at the scale while sharpening my knife to have full control while learning 👌 easy to say the sharpest knife I produced so far!

[@myluresstuckinatree2111]

Snobby chef here. I gained a lot of respect for you when you said “behind salting your food, having a sharp knife is one of the most important things......” This is fact.

[@cr3atur321]

Is it because of aesthetics? Like, how a slice of a tomato or fish will look awful on a dull knife, but very beautiful on a sharp knife?

[@myluresstuckinatree2111]

@@cr3atur321 I suppose it is aesthetics in some part but mainly because all knife work can be done faster and with less effort, at a higher standard with a sharp knife. In fact Some jobs simply cannot be accomplished with a insufficiently sharp knife. A lot fruits and vegetables not only look better but will stay fresh marginally longer if they are cut cleanly instead of crushed and bruised by a dull blade. Cutting fish thinly for sashimi for example.

[@cr3atur321]

@@myluresstuckinatree2111 ohh yeah, makes sense haha Thx for explaining

[@hardmember]

A sharp edge is safer than a dull blade

[@SamohtNox]

my first time experience was so horrible i was contemplating life and how much of a loser i was lmao stuck with it, trial and error....now i'm a samurai

[@woezacardoza5659]

Me too

[@Elleleighbrooks]

I feel the same at the moment! Wish I could get it 😪😆🤣

[@brandonpadilla1953]

Literally I’m bout to quit all I did was fuck up the stock edge on the knife

[@guilhermecaiado5384]

What does a samurai have to do with sharpening a knive?

[@theperson2346]

@@guilhermecaiado5384 samurai’s kept their katanas razor sharp

[@lurklingX]

Great video! The graphic for whetstone grits, especially useful and worth the price of admission. 👍 I just tried sharpening a knife like yesterday, got really disheartened. So having that break down was really helpful. I need some seriously coarse grit.

[@OJ-wy5oi]

As someone who made sushi for five years, my biggest suggestion is that it's not the angle that matters so much as consistency. I was the left-handed, cross-eyed dominate chef trained by a left-handed Filipino who grinded down every last knife to be left-handed. As long as you sharpen a knife the same way, over and over and over again, it will, naturally, conform to your grip because it will sharpen to you. The minute differences will be worn away until the blade sharpens to fit your hand. Everyone holds a knife different in ways that are beyond our own ability to see except by subjective judgements of sharpness.

[@allanman8500]

I'm picturing his neighbors faces, watching him as he dulls his knife on the sidewalk outside.

[@MrRourk]

Bottom of coffe cup works great

[@shanewilliams02]

Neighbor: "Something just ain't right with that boy."

[@MrIgottap]

What'd that sidewalk ever do to you man!?

[@winterwinter7505]

(while not seeing the camera) thinking the dudf is making all those faces whule talking to himself :D

[@stoopidhaters]

@@MrRourk Not if the blade is really dull.

[@cameronmeister5944]

I’ve been sharpening my knives for a while and have gotten decent at getting them to a razor sharp edge and I still found this extremely helpful.

[@firebubble5911]

How many strokes does it take you on the 1000 on average?

[@lisamc6778]

This is GREAT! I am so glad you took the time to show this to us. I was quite intimidated, but now I'm ready to go. Thank you thank you thank you!

[@alexgoodwin4894]

The most useful video about knife sharpening I ever see! No water, no bla-bla, just tips and facts. Thank You!

[@busybird7149]

Tried out the sharpie trick, and it turns out I'm pretty good on keeping my angle. I worked a little on my technique and put a little more pressure on my edge trailing strokes, and now i have a sharp knife. Not sharp enough to pass that standing paper test, but plenty sharp enough to cut anything in my kitchen :)

[@Raje617]

Thank you. I just got a whetstone kit in today and I was in fear of messing up my new knives. I'm 48 and my father was the certified chef, not me and he lives a tad bit too far for me to come running to him to sharpen blades. Funny but true story. I feel as though your video is spot on to us beginners and really calmed my anxiety on this task. Thank you so much!

[@willemvergouwen]

This is by far the best sharpening video out there, thanks a lot Ethan! My knives are just like new again!

[@wesrink800]

In depth fully detailed sharpening videos are great but your video should be the first video anyone watches! Just great, thank you!

[@A_Final_Hit]

I learned more from this video than I did in probably the other dozen or so knife sharpening videos I saw before this one. Thank you!

[@multidimensionaltraveler806]

Thank you so much for this video. I was having trouble using my stone as it is my first, I usually use the hand held sharpener with the carbide. I am using your technique with the marker and it works great.

[@luisgilbert6826]

.Miguel gallaldo

[@smievil]

think pull through sharpeners sometimes causes knife edges to get slightly concave or excessively worn at some parts or it may not keep the original shape well. or sharpening a scandi grind or anything that tapers could make it a lot more thick behind the edges than it's expected to be. fixing that with a 1k grit stone would likely be a major pain, wouldn't necessary be all that bothersome to improve the condition of a fairly new knife or a knife that hasn't been sharpened. would probably feel a lot nicer or more rewarding to start with easier knives if possible, might be hard to tell whats easy or why things aren't working out when starting out.

[@geoffm.6842]

This is THE BEST VIDEO on knife sharpening! Forget all of the other ones!

[@TheSharmanova]

Easily the most helpful video of the hours of beginner videos I’ve watched. Well done & thanks!

[@jeffcarpenter8000]

Thank you. I was starting on too coarse a stone. I have just sharpened my favorite knife and its made me happy.

[@SchnookieC]

This is much better explanation than the ones I’ve received both in culinary school and working in the industry, I generally get someone else to sharpen mine but it would be nice to learn that vital skill I missed out on

[@michaelmilsom9518]

I have actually watched waaay over 14 videos on sharpening and ths one was by far the most helpful. Thank you!

[@mrfelix2510]

Like your sharpie tip, I use knives a lot at my job so I do a lot of sharpening. Because of some of the things I cut they often times get gumming on the blades, I use the gumming to help me get the right angle on the sharpening before I clean it off the blade. Great video and great tips. Thanks for sharing.

[@oliferous]

Holy crap!! Thanks man, this was this most helpful video I’ve seen on sharpening!! I realized i was not using the correct angles consistently and switching stones too soon. Waaaay too soon!! Great video, you rock!🤘

[@adamschaafsma5839]

Thanks this is right where I'm at in my sharpening journey, hard not to get discouraged when you work on an edge and it only gets marginally sharper.

[@mikefrisby9233]

I grew up in a house with an Arkansas Tri-stone, and got one myself as soon as I got my own serious kitchen knives. Still learned something from this. Thanks

[@ElementsMMA]

Brilliant, thank you. Loved it. Asked for knife sharpener for Christmas, had never even heard of a whetstone. Now I am ready to start sharpening

[@MrMZaccone]

Having been raised by a mechanical engineer, familiar with machining techniques. I've been using the marker trick for about 40 years. I figure if "layout fluid" has been used in machining practically forever, it might be a good idea.

[@MrMZaccone]

@Usa mabaho Yup. That all sounds perfect. Even when flattening stones, I mark the surface with pencil. I use a straight edge to check but when the pencil is gone, the stone is flat. I don't use marker on stones because porous stones will absorb it and force you to remove too much material.

[@alex-E7WHU]

Blueprint.. 🤣

[@glennrishton5679]

I was sharpening irons freehand and couldnt tell for sure where I was hitting to thought of the sharpie trick. Then later saw that trick in a book. Dammit I thought I invented it.

[@user-tr2dh4xx6u]

@@glennrishton5679 you did invent it just werent the first

[@soundboy89]

I actually have watched 15 sharpening videos and this is by far the clearest and friendliest one I've seen. I feel like I _finally_ understand the process.

[@gooddaysahead1]

see Burrfection sharpening vids. They are longer and more detailed.

[@jcw5002]

Just the video I was looking for. Such a great introduction to sharpening. Thank you!

[@homiegibiotch7915]

Good video. I learned to sharpen a knife years ago in the Boy Scouts, but forgot everything i learned. Now I am trying to regain that knowledge. You are correct, I could sharpen a knife by "feel" alone back in the day. Good tips. Thank you for your time.

[@CTINA--NguyenHongPhuc]

Simple, we just meed sharpness V enchanted book and an anvil

[@thomasleecallahan4977]

meed: A merited reward

[@asdasdasdasd8970]

If only my zero-tick green dye farm still worked

[@surprisemc1669]

I see you are a man of culture

[@firstnamesurname2482]

@@asdasdasdasd8970 Just hunt some chicken, there should be an abundance amount of them everywhere.

[@xbiggdogg]

Thanks for the video dude. Next do a video on shaving...and start witstack. cheezy stach.

[@macmccartney5760]

Im getting decent at sharpening, I found that simply going by the feel of the knife on the stone i hold my angle better than constantly trying to look and see if the edge is about were I want it

[@VictorSanchez-bt7fj]

Thank you sir that was a fantastic video concise straight to the point. No bollocks no BS. Most of the time I get discouraged from even watching KZbin videos because a lot of guys like to take their time go slow and just really put a lot of unnecessary crap in their videos you did exactly the opposite subscribed thanks bro

[@user-tn8sc9jy3d]

Great tips- great delivery. No hype, just straightforward talk. I appreciate it.

[@mozza7189]

I knew that my problem was with the angles I was using. This has helped a lot, thanks

[@comol9392]

(I pass on something I learned, for those who are interested). (Sorry for my English). A long time ago, those who taught me told me that after the # 1000 stone, if the knife does not shave, it is not worth going further. 2 possibility: 1- The knife has a poor quality of steel. 2- We haven't practiced sharpening enough. With training, a # 300 stone and a leather (+ paste) stuck on a piece of wood, we can manage to shave. (Starting with a dull knife). In 5 minutes. Good video and good stones ^^

[@MrRourk]

Sometimes even cheap steel can be made razor sharp. I tried the Green Brick of Joy on some Dollar Tree Knives. The results where amazing!

[@comol9392]

@@MrRourk Hello, you are absolutely right. And very often I get a razor sharp with $1 or $2 knives. Just because they're $ 1 doesn't mean they're bad. Poor quality can also affects blades at + $ 80, I've seen it, I've tested it, but I can't remember the model I had in my hands. The real problem is to achieve a precise heat treatment, on a specific steel. For example the first versions of the Benchmade pukko with a cpm3v had an hrc of 56 ... While the cpm3v has specifications, in which there is written that it must be from 59 to 61 hrc. Apart from this hardness, this steel is much less efficient. (Usually. For a knife that must cut). The "poor quality of a steel" is explained by a set of processes not carried out well in the heat treatment, for a specific steel. (A 1095 can be used for the butter. Or the reverse, it will be too hard and it will break at the slightest impact). As a result, the steel has too large grains in its structure. With a very poor grain boundary structure as well. Results: The blade will never become like a razor. When sharpening, the grains jump. They do not break or polish (unlike well treated steel). I have a knife like that at home. It was offered in a pack of cold cuts ... that it never managed to cut lol ! Heat treatment is very important to bring the steel to its maximum capacity. ^^

[@Mike-sh2cb]

Amazing!! Just collected my first whetstone! tonight. It's a 1000,6000. Will follow your lesson. Many thanks Ethan!!

[@iamivolella]

One of the most educative videos I saw to this day, regarding this topic. Congrats!

[@chuckieboy343]

Something I did that helped me a bunch was when beginning I paid a professional and asked for his opinion on knives I had practiced on. Not the most financially sound but of advice but an experienced eye spots mistakes before you make them,

[@matthewkesterson]

Handy tip, you can get rid of sharpie marks by going over a small part of the mark with the same sharpie and wiping it immediately. There is solvent in the marker allowing the ink to flow but it dries quickly. Small sections, wipe quickly.

[@justvin7214]

This is also the trick for getting permanent marker off a dry wipe board.

[@Joshuacliftojm]

Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, or even ethyl alcohol (liquor), will also remove it. I've used that for years to, for instance, allow me to make a correction when labeling a CD-R.

[@fredflintstone5208]

I learned to use that technique with spray paint

[@scottrandall2019]

Love you channel Ethan! Keep up the great work! I would very much like to see more 'kitchen equipment' type videos' like this one.

[@limestonelizard]

Clears some confusion I had about the higher grits. Great vid thank you!

[@Shadowassasin3]

The production quality of these videos is really quite good. Good pacing, good advice, good visuals. Quality video.

[@rrkred3561]

this really helped. my first time like months ago I was successful beginner's luck. but then after that, I failed and failed. this video helped me tremendously now my knives are near barbershop razor-sharp, not quite yet but near that point which is great for food.

[@OffensiveJestr]

Excellent video. I love spending time in the kitchen, and I have a tough time getting that sharp edge on my blade. I will definitely give this a try.

[@AaronSchwarz42]

Well done tutorial for someone new to sharpening. Greatly appreciate it! Used the 1000/6000 stone combo $~20 on Amazon, to sharpen my SOG auto-clip black painted blade with drab-green polymer handle (blade) (Chinese) & cleaned up the blade edge & bevel really nice & made it a lot sharper ^^ on my first slow careful go, mostly on the wet soaked 1000 grid stone on a wet kitchen towel &, only a little on the 6000 side to polish it / worked great!

[@Migs3]

Excellent video. Thanks for taking the time to film and edit it and of course for positing it for our benefit. Keep up the good work! -Migs

[@fishinjunky]

Get yourself a $20 jewelers loupe16x. Inspect your edges. Ensure you’re wiping away previous grit scratches and reaching the apex. Seeing the cutting edge up close and what you are or are NOT doing will tell you a lot. It made a huge difference in my sharpening success

[@fishinjunky]

Really? What is that setting on the iPhone? I’d like to know!!! Thanks in advance

[@theonetojump]

Exactly what I did when I started. I still sometime look at the edges under magnification just because its beautiful

[@smievil]

jewelers loupe sounds interesting

[@charlottewalnut3118]

Your a damn genius

[@fishinjunky]

Lol. Thx but not a genius. I have some sharpening vids on my channel I’d that helps.

[@bobintexas9972]

One of the most practical and succinct videos on the topic I've ever seen

[@harbinger-9277]

What an incredibly clear and helpful video! Thank you!

[@masterix4021]

tip that helped me the most... don't push with the arms but with your shoulders. Lock the wrists and elbows into position and use the shoulders for the actual strokes.

[@Crazyknives]

I have to try this, make sense, thanks

[@magnificentmuttley2084]

Great video! Actually, probably ‘the’ most useful knife sharpening video I have watched. You pack a lot of solid, great information into this video. Thank you for posting. Best regards from Northern Ireland. ☘️

[@ekspatvos6264]

I echo your sentiment. Awesome video with very helpful info.

[@Jimgoodwin846]

very interesting video. I've never heard of creating a burr...like several of the videos do. I will continue using my technique I learned from my dad...I do agree with the tomato cut, that's usually how I tell if my knives need sharpened. I hate dull knives. Great video and thanks for explaining your technique. I do use the burr on my wood scrapers...🙂

[@kyuushin84]

that really helped me, i'm still learning and practicing to sharpening my knife, i'm still bad at it but as time goes by i'm getting better results everytime

[@RoscoPColetraneIII]

Excellent video, nice editing, and very sound advice from a clear expert. It took me a while to understand the easiest way (for me) to determine the angle of your grind. Here are my own notes on how to determine grind angle (it's all based off the "width", or distance from the knife spine to the cutting edge): Shaving: 15°=0.26 x blade width Slicing/pocket knife: 20°=0.34 x blade width Slicing/general use : 25°=0.42 x blade width General use: 30°=0.50 x blade width Chopping: 35°=0.57 x blade width Chopping: 40°=0.64 x blade width Chopping: 45°=0.71 x blade width So if you want a 20-degree angle, the spine of the knife (i measure at the widest part near the handle) should be about 1/3 the width of the knife above the stone surface. Not sure if this makes sense without pictures, but I hope it will help some.

[@vincemontanez3947]

Just ordered my first whetstone. Am glad I saw this video before I really mess up my blades haha. Wish me luck

[@beardiemom]

Thank you, this video gave me the confidence to try to sharpen my expensive kitchen knives at home, which I did today and turned out great!

[@vger2]

This video was like... the 3000 grit finish to the 400 grit kinda-sharper mess I was achieving today with a different technique I had been shown. Thank you!

[@andrewhernandez9674]

You've clearly put the effort into cultivating the necessary skills that make you a good video presenter. Your channel will grow, for sure. It always takes time, but if you're patient it will pay off.

[@martaviviani1401]

600k and counting 🤙

[@hannostadler7224]

I feel personally attacked by the intro. 100% the best introduction/basics video for newbies, mate. Very well done. Simple yet informative. No time wasting. No BS. Just solid advice. Cheers from South Africa.

[@luso4454]

Loved the ideas you gave. Most specifically the Sharpe, and the scale ideas to learn the angle and pressure. I bought a small set of stones, which I then s problem number one, but I could not get the right angle. I will try the Sharpe.

[@cryzz0n]

This is much better explanation than the ones I’ve received both in culinary school and working in the industry, I generally get someone else to sharpen mine but it would be nice to learn that vital skill I missed out on

[@mindbomb2000]

THAT was a great beginners guide. I was doing 3 of the 4 things incorrect. The only thing that I think I was doing correct was not moving to a higher grit too early. Anyway, thanks for the video!

[@JohnSmith-zf3yk]

Small addition to the video that wasn't covered: Be sure to remove the "burr" with a strip of leather after the sharpening. After sharpening a hair-thin layer of metal forms on the very end of the cutting edge, this is called a burr. A very brittle layer of metal that can end up in your food if you don't remove it after. Cutting without the burr removed will force you to resharpen the knife a lot sooner than you otherwise would(metal against a sharp edge tends to not go well) and overall your knife won't be quite as sharp as it should. You should also get a "diamond plate"(it's called a lot of things). This is for maintenance/keeping your whetstones flat. Just like the stones slowly remove material from the edge, the knife itself is removing material from the stones. Don't neglect the edges/corners of the stone when using a diamond plate, either. Those things can get rediculously sharp after a lot of use and if you don't file them down at like...a 45 degree angle, bad things can happen to you or your knife if you slip. Speaking of slip! There's a cardinal rule to sharpening with a whetstone: The fingers you have pressing down on the knife should never "leave" the stone. What do I mean? Your fingers should always be above the stone and never have empty space beneath them at any point in the sharpening process. Human error is an omnipresent factor in everything we do no matter how finely honed(get it?) our muscle memory is. Imagine you're sharpening a knife relatively quickly and your fingers relax and end up hanging off the edge of the stone on a return stroke. Well, on the brightside if you're anal about your fingernails, everything from filing to polishing became 1/10th faster than before you goofed.

[@KevlarBurke]

Deburring is a whole thing - best way I know of to do it (Jon Broida from JKI's Method) is to finish with edge trailing strokes, easing off pressure until it's feather light. Then strop lightly at a higher than usual angle on the scrubby side of a sponge. Finish with 1-3 extremely light passes.

[@JohnSmith-zf3yk]

@@KevlarBurke I personally recommend a leather strip for people just getting into knife sharpening. You don't need to change anything or adjust, you just need to use the same technique on the leather you did on the whetstone. The Jon Broida technique is a bit more advanced and like most new activities, might discourage people from properly doing it if there's too many steps.

[@disco4535]

Leather strops are excellent! I use fine honing compound (had decent luck with jewelers rouge in a pinch one time) on mine and I keep knives incredibly sharp that way.

[@Shiirya]

Cant you simply wash your knife after sharpening it ?

[@RebelNinja89]

@@Shiirya i wonder about this as well

[@philcamp9663]

Fantastic teacher ,thanks so much ,simple but direct with well spoken English. 10 out 0f 10

[@mattedwards4533]

You pretty much covered everything a person needs to know to sharpen a knife! I do something similar! I also have a sharpening machine like knife factories use. With all this the one thing rarely mentioned that works extremely well for me is stropping my blades on a leather strop! A knife that just starts getting dull can be revived with a few strokes across a leather strop! This save me a tremendous amount of time! Your video was very informing!

[@Universal_Craftsman]

20 years old Captain Stottlemeyer is teaching me how to sharpen a knife, great!

[@tonymilam206]

Thank you so much! I've got some fairly decent bushcrafting(Benchmade) and EDC(Spyderco) knives, and I always feel like I'm just taking off metal and never getting the burr. Great video.

[@renealbaladejo3698]

This is the cream of the crop with it comes to knife sharpening tutorial. A must watch. Great learning tool!!!

[@anabelle6880]

"have dreams of finally showing that smug paper who's boss" 😂

[@smievil]

running a bit low on papers to show who's boss

[@MrMarkyr1000]

I just have dreams.

[@micknoname6466]

Thank you KZbin 😊 You never fail to capture my attention with something semi useful or interesting 😁 And thank you, Ethan 👍 I’ve been buggering around with a stone for a while now 🤔 but I think I’ll step up my game after seeing how it’s supposed to be done 👌

[@garycross2277]

I used to hunt and skin a lot of animals when I was younger, learning to sharpen my own knives from my father. He was old school, only using the one sharpening stone and or butcher steel. Really enjoyed your lesson and hope to learn more from you in later posts. Gary

[@yoelperez3890]

after 3 years of not trying the stone i will try again! its really hard, but you gave me hope.

[@davidpaylor5666]

If only I'd seen this fifteen years ago it would have saved me countless frustrating hours of making nice steel blunter. Good stuff Ethen, anyone following your advice here will be a competent sharpener in hours rather than months.

[@henrybucher1190]

Also for getting a good angle you can use two or three quarters stacked on top of each other on the whetstone and set the back of the knife on them to get a good angle

[@pel666]

Nice video...very informative and covers all aspects. I like the two hand fingergesture representing the metal surface. I needed a touch up, this vid was perfect!

[@onedumodder1601]

This vid helped a lot! I didn't even know of the lower grits lol. I've been a cook for 5 years and kept buying only high grit stones and wore the crap out of them only to have semi sharp knives.

[@adlockhungry304]

The last point about the mistake of thinking the high grit stone makes it any sharper was an aha moment for me. Thanks.

[@markharrisllb]

Great video. I think I was most impressed that you used the knife drill when chopping food, most sharpening videos don't use it. This is the first video I’ve seen of yours and I’ve no idea why it came up in my recommendations, but I'll wager you are or have been a chef. If you’ve not done one already it might be an idea to do a knife drill video, more people might keep all ten digits. Edit: Just looked at your other videos and I won my wager.

[@user-qi3cq8ez1s]

Very informative, thank you for your explanation, I'm looking forward to using your advice. I carry a simple and small 2 blade pocket knife that is more functional and faster than my coworkers that use brand new utility knives and I abuse my knife regularly, I am hoping to be brave enough to try my kitchen and fillet knives

[@PbA941]

This video was a huge help. My angle was fine but it was my pressure that was too light. I still need more practice but a was able sharpen my knives. Thank you so much.

[@froznpyro]

I have no clue what I'm doing here, but I'll stick around to learn about whetstones.