Chef's Choice Manual Knife Sharpener, 3 Stage

Q: How many strokes will it take to sharpen a sharp American knife to a sharp 15 degree angle?

A: Before doing anything, please refer to what degree your current knives are at, because some European knives are now starting to adopt the 15 degree angle. An American / European style knife is always recommended to be sharpened in a standard knife sharpener. To get a true Asian edge it is recommended to be sharpened in an Asian knife sharpener, but most American / European style knives are better kept at their original angle of 20 degrees, instead of an Asian edge of 15 degrees, for optimal edge retention. Depending on the quality of the knife it may take numerous strokes through the sharpener to attain an Asian sharp edge. Your owner’s manual should tell the exact amount of strokes for a particular knife.

Q: Can I change an American knife to a 15 degree angle with this 4623 knife sharpener?

A: It is not recommended. Asian knives are thinner knives and fit down into the sharpener farther than a European / American knife. The European / American knives are over all thicker. If you were to try to sharpen your knife to a 15 degree angle you would only just eat away at the knife. The knife gets thicker towards the top so it would never fall down into the thinner area of the sharpener where Asian knives are sharpened. If you want to sharpen your knives to a finer degree, it is recommended that you do this first by hand with either a wet stone sharpener, or a honing rod.