Thread: sharpening knives on waterstones: japanese method vs western method

Nobody yet has sold me on the idea that I must ram the nice bevel forward into the water stone.
While the Japanese may have had the quarries and originated the use of water stones, I don't believe
that they are the sole source of the cheaper, more consistent modern synthetic water stones.

Plus, the Japanese grit grading system is not the American system is not the European sysytem, either.

For all my wood carving edges, knives included, pull strokes only.
I have an "angle card" beside the stone which is parallel to the edge of the bench.
Elevate the axis of the blade/edge to that angle.
Press my elbows to my sides and sway back, the length of the stone.
STOP.
Lift the blade straight up. If you were to pull the blade up off the stone,
that motion rounds off the bevel to something useless (for carving) like 30-40 degrees.
Back to the top of the stone, other face if there is one, and go again.

The edges are in very very poor shape when I ever need to use something as coarse as 1,000 grit.

It works fine to push the edge down the stone, at right angles, alternating with periods of lengthwise work (with a bit of handle swing to do a curved tip).

You don't have to 'ram' anything. Light touch, as many strokes as are needed. The abrasive does the work.

NeilS will I hope chime in here. He has a lot of experience with Japanese knives and synthetic and natural stones.

My sole interest is to keep my stable of wood carving tools "carving sharp."
Everything from Pfeil gouges to Haida-style crooked knives. Otherwise,
carving is no fun.
Last winter (up here), I think I finally arrived at the point where I can maintain
a carving edge on any of my tools. And do it so consistently that I no longer
bother to test the result in scrap wood.

What I noticed long ago was that a gouge is really a gouge and the divots
in the water stones were more than cosmetic blemishes.

They both work! It's just another hand skill to pick up. If a knife or chisel is really rough I will always go straight to the "Japanese" style first as it removes material faster. I usually end in a western style gently pushing the edge into the stone alternating sides, stroke for stroke.
I good tip I picked up along the way when flipping the knife or chisel is always strop the first stroke to pull the wire edge from under the knife so you don't fold it under and over the edge. The only time I do not do this is the final few strokes 'western' style on a finishing stone. I always strop the edge after honing now.

Stropping strokes on even fine stones will always produce a wire edge which is why I finish in a western fashion. Stropping strokes on super fine Japanese stones can really minimize this effect. The advantage of stropping with a compound vs stones (not diamond paste) is the abrasive breaks down to smaller particles and becomes clogged rapidly thus removing the wire edge first then polishes what is left behind. You can mimic this with Japanese finishing stones by letting the slurry dry slightly.
Both methods work well, just pick or mix and match to suite yourself.

Thanks Ben = if there's anything that I "preach" about sharpening it's been this:

There are several different methods, some by hand, some power, which can be used to sharpen edges. Pick one (they all work well) and use it, learn it and move on.