Website launch: get 10% off your sharpening service with code LANCEMENT10
Japanese whetstone knife sharpening
Take care of your finest blades
Sharpening that respects your blades
By hand, on natural Japanese whetstones, with the time and precision every tool deserves.
Sharp blades, happy clients.
Togi Toki is not only about making a blade cut again. It is also about caring for every knife, every blade, every tool you use, value, and cherish.
Jordan d’osualdo
Artisan sharpener on Japanese whetstones
Armed with passion and patience, I use a whole arsenal of stones to give your knives and tools a REAL, lasting edge.
Tired of seeing knives that no longer cut, worn out or deformed by machines, I offer services rooted in traditional Japanese methods.
Tired of seeing knives that no longer cut, worn out or deformed by machines, I offer services rooted in traditional Japanese methods.
The workshop
Welcome to the Togi Toki workshop. Here we share our take on sharpening, from technical explanations to the questions everyone asks about blades and their upkeep.
Sharpening on Japanese whetstones
Sharpening restores the edge of a dull blade, whatever the tool. Several methods exist, from the electric grinder to the honing rod, but they do not all deliver the same result.
Sharpening on Japanese whetstones stands apart through manual work, precise and respectful of the steel.
Sharpening on Japanese whetstones stands apart through manual work, precise and respectful of the steel.
What is sharpening on Japanese whetstones?
Sharpening on Japanese whetstones is a traditional, fully manual method. It uses water stones, called toishi in Japan, where this technique belongs to a long craft tradition.
Each blade is worked according to its steel and its original angle, which preserves it over time. The process calls for patience and experience, where a machine goes faster but with less finesse.
Where do Japanese stones come from?
Natural Japanese sharpening stones come from quarries in the country’s mountainous regions, notably around Kyoto. These deposits were worked for centuries to sharpen knives, razors, and woodworking tools.
Many historic mines have now closed, such as Nakayama, which makes natural finishing stones rare and sought after. Today both natural and synthetic stones are used, all worked with water.
Why choose water stones?
Water stones produce a more even edge than mechanical sharpening. Their grit renews itself during the work, which creates an abrasive slurry and keeps the steel from overheating.
A blade that overheats loses hardness, and so loses its edge. Japanese stones therefore protect the quality of the steel over the long term.
How does a sharpening session work?
The work moves through several stones, from the coarsest grit to the finest. A coarse grit (around 200 to 600) reshapes a damaged edge, an intermediate grit (1000 to 3000) refines it, and a fine grit (5000 and above) polishes the blade.
The blade angle is held by hand throughout the process, which calls for experience. This steadiness is what sets artisanal sharpening apart from a quick pass on a grinder.
How often should you have your knives sharpened?
It depends on use, on the steel, and on how often the knife is used.
A heavily used kitchen knife needs sharpening more regularly than an occasional one. The signs are clear, a blade that slides over a tomato or crushes instead of cutting calls for a pass on the stone.
If in doubt, Togi Toki can assess the state of the edge.
Which objects and blades can be sharpened?
Japanese stones suit a wide range of blades and cutting tools.
– In the kitchen, they work on kitchen knives, chef’s knives, santoku, and Japanese knives, in carbon steel as well as stainless.
– For woodworking, they sharpen wood chisels, gouges, and plane irons.
– In the garden, they restore bite to pruning shears, hedge shears, billhooks, and grafting knives. They also suit scissors (sewing, kitchen, hairdressing) and straight razors.
If you have any doubt about a particular blade, Togi Toki can advise you.
European and Japanese knives, a different sharpening?
Yes, the angle and the geometry are not the same.
European knives are sharpened at an angle between 18° and 20° per side, which makes them versatile and hard-wearing.
Most Japanese knives are sharpened between 15 and 20 degrees per side, the majority closer to 15 degrees, for a finer edge. Some single-bevel Japanese knives, such as the deba, are sharpened on one face only.
Respecting these specifics is essential to avoid damaging the blade.
Why entrust your sharpening to Togi Toki?
Togi Toki tailors the work to each blade, according to its steel and its original angle.
The artisan masters the manual technique and avoids the common mistakes that wear out a tool before its time. That means saved time and a guarantee of longevity for your valuable blades.
Togi Toki sharpens knives, pruning shears, wood chisels and gouges, with the same care for every piece.
800+ blades sharpened
They trust us with their knives
Restaurants, bistros and chefs who take care of their blades…
Sainte-foy-les-lyon
Arbois
Lyon 2
Lyon 4
Bourg-en-Bresse
Lyon 7
Lyon 1
Ambérieu-en-bugey
Horbourg-wirhr