Knife Sharpening Course (Beginner to Intermediate)

What you'll learn

Learn simple, proven knife sharpening from a specialist in Sydney.

Whether you're a home cook, a culinary enthusiast, or a chef, mastering the art of freehand whetstone sharpening is a fundamental skill that will transform your experience in the kitchen. While various modern sharpening tools and machines exist, freehand waterstone sharpening remains the gold standard in the culinary world. Often considered a Japanese tradition, freehand waterstone sharpening reflects centuries of philosophy and craftsmanship in blade-making in Japan. The long history of the art of Japanese waterstone sharpening is a testament to its effectiveness and reliability. More than just a practical skill, it's a therapeutic and meditative art form that is both empowering and very satisfying. In this hands-on course, you'll learn to sharpen knives using a Japanese waterstone and your own hands — no gadgets, no gimmicks, no guided systems, no mechanical parts, or powered machines, just you and a waterstone.

The course includes both theory and practical sections:

In the theory section, you’ll explore the fundamentals of knives and sharpening, uncovering common misconceptions and surprising facts that many students find eye-opening.

In the practical section, you’ll follow step-by-step instructions and receive individual support throughout. Most students sharpen two or more knives, depending on the condition of each knife, their skill level, and how much time they choose to spend on each one.

You’ll test your results by cutting paper and slicing real food—such as tomatoes—to assess sharpness. The instructor will then test your work and let you know whether you’ve passed. Our student success rate is very high: almost every knife that our student sharpens is satisfactory and very sharp. To support your learning, the course includes PowerPoint slides that highlight key concepts, and you’ll receive online access to both the slides and a practical video for future reference.

Freehand sharpening may seem intimidating or complex and take a lot of practice to master at first, especially if you’ve never tried it before. The techniques you will learn in this course are designed to cover a wide range of dexterity levels. Each student has different difficulties and challenges, which the instructor will individually address.  Whether you're a complete beginner or have some experience, with the proper knowledge and techniques that you will learn under the watchful eye of a specialist from Hazuki Knife, you can walk away with a valuable skill and feel immediate, tangible results — a blazing-sharp edge you created yourself.

Students undertaking this course are highly encouraged to bring in their own kitchen knives to be sharpened. Whether you’re sharpening a Japanese or Western-style kitchen knife, the fundamentals of creating a sharp edge remain the same.

Most participants successfully sharpen their knives in their very first class. Join us and discover the satisfaction of sharpening with your own hands.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this knife sharpening course, you will be able to:

• Access the edge dullness and decide appropriate sharpening techniques accordingly
• Choose appropriate whetstones for effective sharpening
• Sharpen as well as touch up various knives
• Understand the maintenance cycle

Course content

In this knife sharpening course, you will cover:

• Overview of different forms of sharpening: Pros and Cons of each form
• Basic knowledge on kitchen knives: Differences between Western knives and Japanese knives.
• Basic Knowledge on sharpening: Objectives of sharpening, three essential steps in sharpening, choosing appropriate whetstone grits, types of cutting edges, essential sharpening items, and recommended maintenance cycles (touch-up, sharpening, and thinning/re-grinding)
• Practical skills: Edge dullness assessment, appropriate sharpening height, flattening the stone, coarse grit sharpening, medium grit sharpening, fine grit sharpening, de-burring, and test cut.

Course delivery: 1 × 3-hour session (theory + practice, with a short break).

What to bring:

If you could, bring your own kitchen knives (highly recommended) and sharpening gear if you already have some, so you can find out more about your items. Alternatively, you can use our practice knives and sharpening gear. You will be provided with sharpening gear, including waterstones that we recommend using, but you are welcome to bring your own sharpening gear and use both for comparison.

Wear closed-in shoes.

Recommended for: home cooks, culinary enthusiasts, and chefs aged 18