for Butchery Knives

Knives for butchery benefit from more toothy edges than for knives for vegetables or cooked proteins typically. Most of the time when looking at two finishes on the same knife in carbon or stainless go with a slightly coarser finish on the stainless.

For boning knives, we recommend a coarser finish from medium stones -- 800 to 1000 -- for a more durable, bitey feel. Go finer with the Jinko Aoto (2000-4000) and Naniwa 2000 for bullnose, scimitars and boucher type knives. De-burr coarser finishes with the borachrome on a cork strop. Remember that sometimes a coarse stone is necessary to re-set more heavily dulled (or rounded from a steel) edges.

Diamond stone flatteners are best to quickly level out the widest range of stone grits. Some flatteners can leave behind large particulates on medium and finer stones that can leave deep, unexpected scratches. Use your fingers to feel for any malignant grit that needs to be cleaned off.