FAQ: What are the advantages and disadvantages of a chisel grind?

What it is: A chisel grind essentially is a V-bevel, except that only one side of the blade is sharpened while the other side remains straight (like a wood chisel).

What it's good for: Woodworking, food preparation. Also common on some military and "tactical" knives.

How to sharpen it: Sharpen a chisel grind as you would any other V-bevel (including by using a guided system), except that only one side of the blade is honed. It's advisable to lightly draw the opposite (straight) side of the edge across the hone occasionally, to remove any burr that may develop during sharpening.

What you may not know: Knives with a chisel grind can be either right-handed or left-handed. Many Japanese culinary knives are produced with a chisel grind.

For more information about sharpening your knives, whatever the grind, visit our Knife Sharpening page.