Honbazuke Method

For centuries, Japan has been hailed as having the premier craftsmen for manufacturing and honing beautiful knives. They were world-renowned swords makers of the finest quality katanas destined for the preeminent samurai class who bore the sword as much as a status symbol as well as a weapon. In their time the samurai were classed as military nobility and settled for nothing less than the best as their military station demanded.

Generations later, these katanas became prized possessions and were handed down from father to son, the blades kept as sharp as the day they were forged. Similarly, the best knives today are forged in the same fashion, one sheet of fine steel beaten and folded into shape numerous times by fire and water to make it last longer and cut sharper.

Once this forging process is completed by hammer and anvil, the enduring keen edge has to be sharpened and honed, and this is when the Honbazuke Method is first implemented. This process begins before the knife is used, a craftsman using a whetstone by hand to patiently bring forth the best cutting-edge possible.

Seki was once the focal point of sword and knife-making in Japan. This was due in part to the availability of the quality of the clay to be found in the area, the abundance of pine coal used for firing the furnaces, and the crystal-clear waters, all of which were conducive to making the finest blades of that era. A swordsmith, known as Motoshige, recognized the uniqueness of the area and decided to set up his forge there. It wasn’t long before the word spread around the country as his swords began to appear with prominent samurai, and at one stage over 300 sword and knifemakers emigrated to this area that soon became legendary for the quality of its blades.

Not as prolific as it once was in that era for this craft, even today Seki is known as the center of Japanese knife making. Artisans and followers of handcrafted knives follow similar techniques with the same care, pride and dedication as their forebearers. They refine, sharpen, and pour the traditional skills they have fine-tuned into every knife they hone to perfection.

The Honbazuke sharpening technique is one of these traditional knife production methods that incorporates centuries of history with modern technology. There are actually four stages in creating the knife blade. The first is the forging and beating of the blade itself into shape. The following three complex stages bring the cutting edge of the knife to life, which entails the steel being coarsely ground, then sharpened, and finally polished.

A vertical rotating sharpening stone is used for the first stage to remove excess metal to create the edge of the knife, known as the edge angle. Once this initial grinding phase is done, the second stage is the critical honing of the blade itself using a horizontal rotating sharpening stone, setting the angle for the type of products the knife will be cutting or slicing. And finally, a leather stropping block will be used expertly to create that impeccably polished sheen, and razor-like sharpness.

A Knife Edge Honed To Honbazuke Perfection

There is a marked difference between sharpening a knife and honing the edge of the blade that most people are unaware of. Both have the ultimate goal of keeping the knives sharp but each achieves this goal in different ways.

When sharpening a knife, the actual material is being removed by an abrasive sharpening stone to bring forth that keen cutting edge. In honing, the intention is to re-align the knife edge, to make it true again. Everyday usage can imperfectively skew the blade than can interferes with accurate slicing and filleting. Honing using the Konbazuke technique maintains the sharpness and optimum cutting ability through routine maintenance.

The intention of honing a knife every time it is used is so that when a clean cut is desired for a particular task, it is delivered smoothly and effortlessly. And a way to confirm that the razor-sharp edge is honed just right is to employ the “paper test”. This consists of running the blade of the knife from heel to tip down a sheet of copy paper. The intention is not just to cut the paper, but to note how clean the cut actually is.

The quality of the knife sharpness is especially important to chefs who have to sometimes slice meat extremely thinly and cleanly, especially in top-end Japanese establishments. Essentially, there are two types of knives utilized by Japanese chefs, the one-sided variety with an asymmetrical blade and the symmetrical that is honed on both sides.

When it comes to precision cuts, the asymmetrical blade is hard to beat. Chefs from all over the world attest to this fact, all in agreement that this type of top-quality sharpened knife does most of the preparation work for them. When a knife cuts effortlessly with no force needed behind it, it makes cutting hundreds of potatoes, slicing tons of fish, or chopping a lot of vegetables just that much easier.

Using the right blade for the right product is of paramount importance in a Japanese chef’s world and this type of asymmetrical knife allows them to perform the critical techniques required with the utmost precision that are essential in Japanese cuisine. These knives come in a variety of sizes, shapes and styles, but have the razor-sharp edge of the blade in common, and a special line that tapers all the way to the cutting edge called the Shinogisuji line.

A superbly honed asymmetrical blade is ideal for filleting and boning fish, for chopping vegetables, for preparing sashimi, and for trimming thin strips of meat. Symmetrical knives, on the other hand, are used mainly for cutting and peeling fruits, for chopping large vegetables, for slicing meats, as well as being a general-purpose knife.

The Honbazuke sharpening technique is a Japanese tradition at its finest, the ancient art of sharpening knives by true master craftsmen handed down through the generations, Each and every blade is imbued with the rich history of past masters and, once undergoing this procedure, the chef can rest assured that the knife will cut with extraordinary precision.

True, knives can be honed by the technological advancement of robots that are capable of churning  

out a durable facsimile. The difference, though, in holding, in wielding, in cutting with a handcrafted, superbly balanced knife is an experience that can’t be overlooked. And Japanese chefs inherently understand the crucial nature of having a sharp knife, honing them painstakingly at the end of every day themselves. And as part of that routine, they also look after the whetstones used just as much as the knives sharpened against them, wrapping them in a cloth after drying for storage rather than leaving them wet in a box where mold can grow.

The translation of Honbazuke means “true cutting edge” and a knife honed using this technique can turn the simple task of cooking into an extraordinary experience. Whether chopping herbs, slicing onions, or finely filleting fish, a sharp knife can turn a cooking occasion into a special occasion.