Sharpen a new Tojiro DP?

[efaden]

I just got a Tojiro DP 210 Gyuto as my first Japanese knife. Out of the box it seems VERY sharp. My question is should I sharpen it myself from the start or use the factory edge? Thoughts?

-Eric

 

[Jason B.]

I would... The angle needs to be brought down some and polished anywhere between 2k and 6k.

The factory edge is ok but why deal with ok when you can make it better?

 

[calc]

Nice pickup, I'm a big fan:

I personally like their factory edge well enough, the bevels are a little wobbly but they're decently polished and plenty sharp. I myself prefer to use the knife for a bit while thinking about what edge best suits what I actually use it for; only then do I alter it.

 

[efaden]

I would... The angle needs to be brought down some and polished anywhere between 2k and 6k.

The factory edge is ok but why deal with ok when you can make it better?

Brought down?... I assume starting with 500 and switching to 2k glass would be a good way to go?

 

[calc]

Brought down?

I believe he means the edge angle lowered. Please correct me if I'm wrong, Jason.

 

[Jason B.]

Correct, lower the edge angle.

 

[efaden]

Correct, lower the edge angle.

Seems pretty low... Although I'm used to western. What would you set it at? Why would you stop at 6000? Or even 2000? 2000 doesn't seem that polished.

Thanks

 

[calc]

Seems pretty low... Although I'm used to western. What would you set it at? Why would you stop at 6000? Or even 2000? 2000 doesn't seem that polished.

Thanks

I found the factory angle to be decent enough, I simply match it at 1k/6k. But then again, my wife isn't the most careful with them, so I can't afford to drop the angle down that much anyway. If I were you, I'd just use the factory edge for a while. Depending on your experience, drop the angle down if you want more cutting ability, raise the angle up if you're experiencing chipping, keep the angle the same if you're happy. For the grit level, I like to go as polished as I can for kitchen knives.

 

[Jason B.]

Japanese knives are harder and better heat treated than most everything else. The VG-10 of the Tojiro DP line sits around 60HRc but is exceptionally tough while holding a nice fine edge. I've seen what it takes to damage these knives and your never going to find that level of abuse in a home environment.

Angle? I don't do angles. As low as you can go before rubbing the side of the blade. 2-3 pennies.

The grit you finish to can give ideal performance depending the cutting to be performed. If you cut a lot of cooked proteins then you want an edge that's a bit coarser, this is where the 2000 grit edge would be best. If you cut a lot of veggies and raw proteins then a higher polish is desired, 5k or 6k grits work well here. No need to go any higher, the edge does not last when too refined.

 

[pjwoolw]

I usually go 400, 800, 1500, 3K and finish with a 5K on the Tojiro DP and most VG-10 stuff. Good edge for a multi purpose knife. Sometimes I strop with 4 micron CBN for a bit more bite.