sharpening hollow ground santoku

[markyboy]

Trying to keep the household's chef happy, I purchased a Chef's Choice 120 and made our traditional knives quite sharp. Now the request is for a hollow ground Santoku. How can I sharpen that? Should it be a 15deg bevel?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Trying to keep the household's chef happy, I purchased a Chef's Choice 120 and made our traditional knives quite sharp. Now the request is for a hollow ground Santoku. How can I sharpen that? Should it be a 15deg bevel?

Might post a pic of the knife, or specify the make/brand & model of the Santoku. If it's a high-dollar or specialty or custom knife in an exotic steel, you might wait for more suggestions on a better sharpening method, aside from using the Chef's Choice sharpener.

I'd think the hollow grind shouldn't matter much, if at all; 15° per side should be safe for it, as for most knives. Again, if it's a special grind (such as asymmetrical edge grinds found on some Japanese knives), specifying the maker and including pics would be a good idea. The Chef's Choice sharpener may not be the best option for blades with specialty grinds. If it's just an inexpensive store-bought kitchen knife in a mainstream pattern, there shouldn't be any worries in using the Chef's Choice.


David

 

[markyboy]

Might post a pic of the knife, or specify the make/brand & model of the Santoku. If it's a high-dollar or specialty or custom knife in an exotic steel, you might wait for more suggestions on a better sharpening method, aside from using the Chef's Choice sharpener.

I'd think the hollow grind shouldn't matter much, if at all; 15° per side should be safe for it, as for most knives. Again, if it's a special grind (such as asymmetrical edge grinds found on some Japanese knives), specifying the maker and including pics would be a good idea. The Chef's Choice sharpener may not be the best option for blades with specialty grinds. If it's just an inexpensive store-bought kitchen knife in a mainstream pattern, there shouldn't be any worries in using the Chef's Choice.


David

Thanks, David. I'm looking at a 5" Wusthoff Santoku. My problem is that the Chef's Choice grinds at 20 deg. I didn't buy the 15/20 model b/c I don't like compromises and at the time had no knives needing 15deg

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Thanks, David. I'm looking at a 5" Wusthoff Santoku. My problem is that the Chef's Choice grinds at 20 deg. I didn't buy the 15/20 model b/c I don't like compromises and at the time had no knives needing 15deg

If this^ is the one, I don't think you'd have any issues sharpening it on the Chef's Choice. My own preference for edge angle would be at 15°/side (or lower ), but it should be fine at 20°. Anything in that range is decent for knives like these.


David

 

[markyboy]

that's it. I'll give it a try. Thanks for the help.