Can I Change the Grinding Angle?
The fact is that in almost all commercially available sharpening methods, knives are resharpened or the angle changed with each application since the angle can not be reproduced by 100%. Therefore, our answer to the question above is ‚yes‘ – but ideally only once, in order to produce a permanently reproducible angle and to remove as little material as possible during regrinding.
It is important to note that not every steel structure is the same and therefore knives often behave differently during the sharpening process. Japanese knives are usually made of harder carbon or carbon steels (usually above 60 Rockwell (=HRC)) that can be ground very fine without breaking. European chef’s knives are usually made of tougher steels (about 55-58 HRC) and can therefore have somewhat more stable angles. The manufacturer’s recommendations should therefore be roughly followed.
However, more important than the 12, 14, or 17 degrees, is the constant reproducibility of the same grinding angle. This is the only way to ensure minimal material removal and the longevity of the edge, which is very important, especially for high-quality knives. One-time sharpening or resharpening of a knife is therefore the rule instead of an exception.