Instructions

1. Apply a small amount of water to the rough-side surface of a whetstone, which you can buy at a kitchen supply store or online. Hold the cutting edge of the Asian kitchen knife away from your body and hold the blade at approximately a 20-degree angle; if you are off a degree or two, that is fine as long as you keep the angle constant throughout the sharpening process.

2. Push the blade across the surface of the whetstone, sharpening the edge first. As you push the blade across, drag it sideways from the hilt to the tip of the knife, so you are pushing away and across at the same time.

3. Sharpen the knife on one side, and then turn it over and repeat the sharpening motions using your other hand. Repeat several strokes on each side. Rinse the knife under cool running water and wipe it clean with a paper towel after sharpening.

4. Cut into a food item, such as a tomato, onion or bell pepper, to test the knife's sharpness. If the knife is not as sharp as you would like, resharpen it.