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Wrap your knife in a newspaper, and other tips from a master Japanese
knife sharpener

Tsukasa chef knife , top, and Gesshin Heiji chef knife are for sale at
Japanese Knife Imports in Beverly Hills. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
By S. Irene Virbila contact the reporter

€œThe traditional test to see whether a knife is sharp is to reach behind
your head and cut into a hair,€� Jonathan Broida, owner of Japanese Knife
Imports, explains at a knife sharpening demonstration at his Beverly
Hills Shop. €œDont try it here,€� he cautions.

Its not every day that a third-generation master knife sharpener from a
company with roots back to the 17th century comes to town. Broida had
invited Mamoru Morimoto from the knifemaking town of Sakai, Japan, to
give a demonstration to his customers.
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Taught by his father and his grandfather, Morimoto was certified as a
Master of Japanese Traditional Crafts for blade grinding and sharpening
by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 2012. Thats
a very big deal.

For two hours Morimoto showed a group of 30 chefs and knife enthusiasts
how to sharpen both double-beveled and single-beveled Japanese knives.
He also had some tips about caring for knives that every cook should know.

1. When using water stone to sharpen a knife, it's most important to
make sure that your stone is as flat as possible. If it's not, use a
lapping tool to flatten it. One type sold at Japanese Knife Imports is
an aluminum plate with a diamond-textured surface.

2. To sharpen a double beveled knife, such as a chefs knife or petty
knife, lay two quarters on the surface of the stone to help get the
angle for the sharpening exactly right.

3. In sharpening the knife, the pressure should be on the edge trailing
(stropping) stroke. Its fascinating to watch the masters fluid motion
as he presses two fingers on top of the knife and moves them up and down
the blade as he sharpens it against the stone.

4. The slight burr formed on the opposite side of the knife during the
sharpening should be roughly the same size all along the blade from the
heel to the tip.

5. To test whether the knife is sharp, cut into a hair. If it €œcatches€�
on the hair, that blade is sharp. A safer option is to place the edge of
the blade against your thumbnail at a 90-degree angle and pull it just
slightly. The blade should catch against your thumbnail.

Everyones expectation of sharpness is different, but as you get into
sharpening your own knives, Broida explains, that perception will change.

€œOnce you get used to a truly sharp knife, youll begin to sharpen more
and more and more. Sharpening your knife every day after you use it will
raise your awareness of your knifes edge condition.€�

During the question-and-answer session, Morimoto gave tips on caring for
knives once theyre sharpened.

1. In order not to rust, carbon steel blades need to be wiped with a
clean dry towel. Youll see Japanese chefs do it often. Its very
important that your knife is clean and dry when youre done using it.

2. If you oil the blade when you store it, make sure your mineral oil
doesnt have any salt in it. Avoid vegetable oil or animal fat because
they can go rancid. Camellia oil is the best one to use. Spray it on and
then wipe it away with a cloth before putting the knife away.

3. For knives with wood handles and carbon steel blades, store with the
blade down, so no moisture gets inside the handle.

4. If youre going to store a knife for a longer period of time, wrap it
up in newspaper. The oil in the ink helps prevent rust over time.

5. Home cooks should have their knives professionally sharpened every
once in awhile to ensure proper edge geometry and good knife care. Chefs
should sharpen their knives every day and only come in to have their
knives professionally sharpened when theres a problem with a blade.

Broida has put up a whole series of YouTube videos that show everything
youd ever want to know about knife sharpening in great detail.