The ideal sharpening angle for a Santoku knife is between 10° and 15° per side. This acute, fine angle is what gives the Japanese-style Santoku its razor-sharp cutting precision for meats, vegetables, and fruits.
10 to 15 degree sharpening angle for Japanese knives
Santoku knife – an all-purpose knife used for cutting, dicing and chopping meat, fish and vegetables; the narrow grinding angle of 10 to 15 degrees per side gives the Santoku knife an extremely sharp blade that glides precisely and effortlessly through various foods.
The best way to tell is by asking the manufacturer of the knife. As a general guide, European/American knives manufactured before 2010 have 20 degree edges while Asian style knives have 15 degree edges. However, there are exceptions to this rule of thumb.
Step-by-step tutorial: how to sharpen a Japanese Santoku knife
This also means both sides need to be sharpened, so switch to your other hand, grip the knife and place your fingers the same way, like when you sharpened with your right hand as the dominant hand, but with your opposite hand.
The ideal sharpening angle for a Santoku knife is between 10° and 15° per side. This acute, fine angle is what gives the Japanese-style Santoku its razor-sharp cutting precision for meats, vegetables, and fruits.
Pull-through sharpeners are not universally "bad," but they are generally discouraged for high-quality or expensive knives. They offer quick, convenient edge maintenance but are highly aggressive, removing excess metal and often leaving a fragile, jagged edge.
You should sharpen your knife once or twice per year for casual use or once a month for professional use depending on the frequency of use alongside some other factors. To keep your knife sharp, however, you should be honing it before or after every use to maintain a sharp edge for as long as possible.
What You Should Know About the Global G-2 Chef's Knife. Global is most well-known for its handcrafted Japanese knives, though the brand also makes knife sharpeners and tools for the kitchen. Anthony Bourdain was a fan of the brand's G-2 Chef's Knife in particular, especially for those just getting into cooking.
In the sharpening phase, we do not recommend any current WD-40® Brand Products although some may be used later for storage & protection. For sharpening stones the lubrication can come from water or oil.
You can do both, depending on your equipment and personal preference. There is no single "correct" method, as both edge-leading (push) and edge-trailing (pull) strokes serve specific purposes.
Gordon Ramsay primarily uses a traditional honing steel (or sharpening rod) to maintain knife edges before use, emphasizing safety and consistent 45° angles. While he often uses professional whetstones for deep sharpening, modern demonstrations (and fan-used products) have shown the Tumbler Rolling Sharpener to be highly effective for achieving a razor-sharp edge on his knives.
The Basics of Japanese Knife Angles
Most Japanese chef knives are designed with a fine, acute edge that ranges between 10 and 15 degrees per side. This is significantly sharper than the typical Western knife, which usually has an edge angle of around 20 degrees.
The Chef'sChoice Trizor XV transforms your Japanese knives with a razor-sharp 15° edge, perfect for Yanagiba and Santoku. Its three-stage system (coarse, fine, polishing) delivers a durable, mirror-smooth edge that's sashimi-worthy.
Neither angle is universally "better"; the choice depends on your knife's steel and how you use it. Use 15° for Japanese or high-carbon blades (razor-sharp, but prone to chipping on hard materials), and 20° for Western or everyday kitchen knives (durable, strong, and ideal for heavy-duty tasks).
Japanese knives typically incorporate a kataba chisel-edge (sharpened on one side), and maintain a more extreme angle (10 to 15 degree shoulder). A classic santoku, rather, incorporates the European-style, bilateral cutting edge, but maintain a more extreme 12 to 15 degree shoulder, akin to Japanese cutlery.
Top 10 Best Japanese Knife Brands
Anthony Bourdain was famously adventurous, but he avoided specific "snob foods" (like truffle oil), improperly handled ingredients, and almost all pet meats.
The Santoku is best for general home use and easy handling, while the Gyuto is better for cooks needing greater versatility and precision. The Santoku is shorter, with a rounded tip, making it ideal for slicing, dicing, and chopping vegetables, meat, and fish.
Cutting boards made of glass, granite, ceramic, or your dinner plate may look stylish or convenient, but they are the fastest way to destroy a knife's edge. These surfaces are harder than your knife's steel. So every time your blade contacts them, it suffers microscopic edge deformation, chipping, or even rolling.
What should NOT be cut with a Japanese knife?
In the high-end folding knife community, the original "Holy Trinity" refers to three legendary American makers who pioneered the modern premium tactical folder. Together, their designs set the gold standard for durability and precision.
The "best" knife sharpener ultimately depends on your knives, skill level, and budget. For an intuitive, mess-free experience that produces a razor-sharp edge with zero skill, the Work Sharp Rolling Knife Sharpener is the best overall. If you prefer professional, guided systems, the Wicked Edge Gen 4 is unmatched.
For most kitchens, you only need three foundational knives to handle 95% of prep work: a Chef's Knife, a Paring Knife, and a Serrated (Bread) Knife. These three powerhouses can tackle anything from dicing onions and slicing crusty bread to peeling fruits and carving small meats.