How to Correctly Sharpen VG-10 Steel Japanese Blades

Updated September 2026 · 7 min read · UK Japanese knife specialists

A VG-10 stainless steel blade is a premium Japanese-steel knife made from high-quality steel. The quality of the steel heavily influences how easy it is to sharpen your knife, and it is easy to feel slightly intimidated or unprepared when it comes to sharpening a knife of that quality.

We find that most people are cautious about sharpening a VG-10 blade because they do not want to make a mistake or potentially ruin their knife. That leads to the question of how to correctly sharpen VG-10 steel.

To correctly sharpen a VG-10 Japanese-steel blade you need to follow a few simple steps. Firstly, use the correct sharpening tool in the form of a whetstone with a suitable degree of coarseness (400/1000 is a good starting point).

Secondly, make sure you use a sharpening angle that is the same as the factory-formed edge. Finally, sharpen your knife to build up a burr using the coarse side, then use a finer grit to refine and polish the edge.

The process for correctly sharpening a VG10 knife is not too different from most other knives. There are, however, some important factors you need to be aware of to get the perfect edge, and we cover these in detail below.

Table of contents

What is VG-10 steel?

VG-10 is a high-quality stainless steel often used in premium kitchen knives and other blades that need to hold a sharp edge for long periods. It contains a high amount of carbon as well as vanadium and chromium, which all contribute to the hardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the steel. In our range it is typically hardened to around 60–61 HRC.

VG10 vs S30V: what's the difference?

The main difference between VG-10 and S30V is that VG-10 is slightly tougher while S30V is harder. Knives made from VG-10 are less likely to chip or break, but they may need sharpening a little more often than those made from S30V.

Is VG10 steel easy to sharpen?

VG10 is a premium steel, and while premium steel is “easier” to sharpen, do not confuse easy with fast. When sharpening a knife of any material there are a few factors to take into consideration.

The hardness of the steel. Some steels are harder than others and need a coarser abrasive to move metal. You should never need to use more physical effort to get a blade sharp — if you find that you do, you are using the wrong tool for the job.

Blade profile. The duller the edge, the more time and effort it takes to reform. A blade that is honed weekly is far easier to sharpen than one that has been neglected.

Sharpening tool. A fine blade like a VG10 will not be trued by an ordinary steel, because the steel is softer than the blade. Whetstones in several grits are what you need to form and then refine the edge.

Provided you use the correct tools and have not let the blade get badly dull, VG10 sharpens readily — but be realistic that the process can take anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes to reach the edge you want.

Easy is not the same as fast. With that in mind, here is how to correctly sharpen your VG10 knife for a clean edge every time.

Best tools for sharpening a VG10 blade

Before the technique, the kit. Some tools are far better suited to a hard Japanese-steel blade than others.

Ceramic or diamond sharpening rod. Honing on a ceramic or diamond rod is something you should do often, between sharpenings. It realigns the edge rather than grinding it. With VG10 you need a ceramic or diamond rod, not a plain steel one — a steel rod is softer than the blade and will not true it.

Whetstone. A whetstone should be your primary method for sharpening a VG10 blade, and this technique alone is enough to get a properly sharp edge without any of the other tools mentioned here.

Our Whetstone Sharpening Stones set (£59.99) covers the whole progression as two double-sided blocks: 400/1000 for forming the edge and 3000/8000 for refining and polishing it. That is all the grits a VG10 kitchen knife needs.

Leather strop. Opinions differ on stropping a premium blade. A beginner can easily deform the edge by stropping at the wrong angle, whereas an experienced hand can produce the finest, most polished edge you will come across.

Our view: do not strop a VG10 knife until you can sharpen a range of knives to a high standard on water stones and rods first. If you are confident, a few passes between grits will genuinely refine the edge.

Diamond plate. You may be familiar with these, and they are sometimes recommended for VG10. A coarse diamond plate is more aggressive than routine VG10 maintenance needs — the whetstone grits above are the better choice.

How to correctly sharpen VG10 Japanese-steel blades

The following is a step-by-step process you can use to sharpen your VG10 knife and get a keen edge each time. You will need a coarse grit and a finer grit.

We are using the example of the 400/1000 block, and you can then add a finer grit — on our set that is the 3000/8000 block — depending on how fine an edge you want to create.

Soak the 400/1000 block until no more air bubbles rise, usually five to ten minutes. Do not soak the fine 3000/8000 block — fine stones only need a splash of water on the surface. Use water only: oil permanently ruins a water stone.

Set the sharpening angle

This is the most important step. Japanese-steel knives such as VG10 cut more keenly than their Western equivalents largely because of a narrower edge angle, so matching that angle is what preserves the performance you paid for.

If you are more experienced you can read the bevel yourself, or simply rest the knife on the stone and tilt it until the bevel sits flat against the surface — that is your cutting angle.

For our Japanese-steel knives the angle is around 15 degrees per side, roughly 30 degrees inclusive, matched on both sides because they are double bevel. Western knives are commonly ground at 18–20 degrees per side, which is correct for them and too obtuse for these. We cover this in more detail in the correct angle to sharpen your knives.

Create, flip and refine the edge

Create the edge

Once you have the angle, you need to form a burr. Work on the coarse side of the stone. For anyone new to sharpening, a burr is a thin lip of displaced steel that folds over onto the far side of the edge — it is the proof that you have ground all the way to the apex. Raising one can take 5 to 20 minutes depending on how dull the blade edge is.

Keep a consistent motion without forcing the knife down, check frequently for the burr, and work the heel, middle and tip in turn so the edge is formed evenly along its whole length.

Turn the knife over and repeat

Once the burr runs consistently from heel to tip, flip the knife and repeat the exact process on the other side.

Note: this applies to a double-bevel blade. Everything in our range is double bevel.

Refine the edge

With a burr raised on both sides, move to the finer grits to remove it and polish the edge — 1000, then 3000, then 8000 if you want a mirror finish. Repeat the same passes, using less pressure and fewer strokes than before.

Finish by honing on a ceramic or diamond rod, and hone again briefly before each heavy prep session to keep the edge true for as long as possible.

FAQ

Is VG10 hard to sharpen?

No, but it is slow. VG10 is hardened to roughly 60-61 HRC, which means it takes a very fine edge and holds it, and it also means more passes on the stone to move that much steel. Expect 10 to 40 minutes depending on how dull the blade is. What VG10 will not tolerate is the wrong tool — a plain steel honing rod is too soft to true it.

What angle should I sharpen a VG10 knife to?

About 15 degrees per side, roughly 30 degrees inclusive, on a double-bevel blade. That is the angle our VG10 knives are ground to at the factory and the angle you should return them to. Western knives are commonly 18 to 20 degrees per side, which is correct for them but too obtuse for a Japanese-steel edge.

What grit whetstone do I need for VG10?

Start on 400 to reset a damaged edge or 1000 for routine sharpening, then refine on 3000 and finish on 8000 if you want a polished edge. Our Whetstone Sharpening Stones set covers all four grits as two double-sided blocks — 400/1000 and 3000/8000 — for £59.99. You do not need a separate stone for each grit.

Do I need to soak the stone first?

Soak the coarse 400/1000 block until no more air bubbles rise, usually five to ten minutes. Do not soak the fine 3000/8000 block — fine stones above 3000 grit only need a splash of water on the surface, and prolonged soaking can damage them. Use water only, never oil; oil permanently ruins a water stone.

How do I know when the burr has formed?

Run a fingertip carefully off the edge, away from it and never along it. A burr feels like a fine wire or a slight catch on the opposite side from the one you are grinding. It must run the full length of the blade from heel to tip before you flip the knife over, or that section of the edge has not been sharpened.

Can I use an electric sharpener on a VG10 knife?

We would not. Most electric sharpeners are preset to a Western angle of around 20 degrees per side, so they reprofile a 15-degree Japanese-steel edge to something blunter, and they remove a lot of steel doing it. The same caution applies to rolling and clamp sharpeners — check the preset angle before a hard blade goes anywhere near one.

How should I store a VG10 knife between sharpenings?

Anywhere the edge cannot touch other metal: a wooden scabbard or saya, a slotted block, an in-drawer organiser, or a magnetic wall rack. What ruins an edge fastest is a drawer full of loose blades and utensils. Dry the blade fully before it goes away, whichever method you use.

More on that last point in our guide to the best knife storage in the UK.

Final thoughts

A good VG10 Japanese-steel knife is a blade worth maintaining, which means regular sharpening should be a priority rather than an emergency.

Honing is crucial and should be done often, but it will not keep an edge sharp indefinitely — it realigns steel rather than removing it. Be proactive with the stone before the edge has gone badly dull, and the job stays quick.

Follow the steps above and sharpening a VG10 is no harder than sharpening any other knife, Japanese-steel or Western, provided you use the right tools and the right angle.

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