Knife Sharpening Angles by Brand: A Reference Guide

This guide covers double bevel kitchen knives, the kind where both sides of the blade are ground to an edge at roughly the same angle. Single bevel knives, asymmetric grinds, and convex edges are a different conversation. If you're not sure which you have, you almost certainly have a double bevel flat grind.

With that said: angle matters, but consistency usually matters more. A home cook who holds an angle reliably will get a better, longer-lasting edge than one who aims for a tighter angle and wanders through each stroke. The difference between 17° and 18° (for example) is effectively invisible in use. Most of us couldn't identify it looking at a finished blade. What you can feel is an edge that was sharpened at a consistent angle versus one that wasn't... the consistent typically slices better and can last longer, performs more predictably, and is more satisfying to use.

Pick a reasonable angle for your knife, hold it consistently when sharpening, and you're most of the way there. Now, that's easy to say. It's harder to do. Set your mind to practice. You'll get there over time.

New to sharpening? Start with our complete guide: [How to Sharpen Kitchen Knives →]

Why Angle Varies Between Knives

The "right" (no not the 90 degree) angle for a knife depends on two things: the steel it's made from and what it's used for.

Harder steels typically hold narrower angle without the edge folding over in use. They're strong vertically, meaning the edge resists deformation under downward cutting pressure, but harder steel is also more brittle side to side, so an edge that takes lateral stress (twisting, prying, scraping) is more likely to chip. A narrow angle on hard steel works beautifully for slicing tasks and less well for rough ones.

Softer steels need a wider angle because the edge metal will deform at a narrow angle under pressure. You'll sometimes hear softer-steel knives described as "easier to hone," which is true, but it also means you'll be honing more often, because the edge moves around more with use. The wider angle adds some durability, not necessarily sharpness.

Task matters too. A fillet knife... thin, flexible, used for delicate work on fish, can afford a narrow angle because it's never hitting bone or a hard cutting board at full force. A butcher's blade or a cleaver is doing the opposite: heavy, repetitive impact work. Those need more metal behind the edge, which means a wider angle, regardless of what the steel could theoretically hold. The brand angles below assume general kitchen use. A boning knife or fillet knife within the same brand may be sharpened differently for good reason.

Sharpening Angles by Brand

All angles below are per side. These are the angles manufacturers say are in use at the factory and recommend for maintenance.

German and Western Knives

Wüsthof — 14–15° per side. Wüsthof moved from the 20° that was standard for German knives to a sharper 14–15° on most current lines. The steel (around 58 HRC) suits this angle well for general kitchen use — sharp enough to perform, wide enough to hold up.

Zwilling J.A. Henckels — 15° per side for main lines. Entry-level Henckels International lines are often closer to 18–20°, reflecting softer steel that needs more behind the edge to stay durable.

Victorinox — 15–20° per side depending on the line. The Fibrox Pro runs around 15°. The Swiss Classic is closer to 20°. Victorinox steel is relatively soft, so the wider angle on some lines is doing real work — it's not just a conservative choice.

Japanese Knives

Shun — 16° per side. Shun's VG-MAX steel sits around 60–61 HRC. The 16° angle is slightly wider than some Japanese brands, which suits a knife that sees varied kitchen use rather than specialized tasks.

Miyabi — 9.5–12° per side. Miyabi's flagship lines use steel hardened to around 63 HRC — harder than almost anything else in a home kitchen. That hardness is what allows such a narrow angle without the edge chipping under normal use. The trade-off is that Miyabi edges are more vulnerable to lateral stress. Don't twist or scrape with them. And don't run them through a pull-through sharpener preset to 20° because you'll grind a different geometry into the bevel and the knife will likely perform worse, not better.

Global — 15° per side. Global uses Cromova 18 stainless at around 56–58 HRC, similar hardness to German knives but designed for a thinner Japanese-style edge. The 15° angle works well for the steel.

MAC — 15° per side. MAC knives are popular in professional kitchens for their thin, consistent blades. Steel around 60–61 HRC holds the 15° edge well with regular honing.

Tojiro — 15° per side. Tojiro's DP series uses VG-10 steel at around 60 HRC. A reliable 15° edge that's approachable to maintain at home.

A Note on Lines Within Brands

Most brands produce multiple lines at different price points, often with different steels. The angles above apply to main production lines. Entry-level lines within a brand are sometimes sharpened at wider angles because the softer steel in use. If you're unsure about a specific knife, the angle is usually listed in the product specifications on the manufacturer's website.

What Actually Makes a Difference

Knife forums will debate degrees. In practice, what separates a well-maintained edge from a poorly maintained one isn't hitting a precise number, per se, it's holding whatever angle you choose in a range of edges, consistently through each sharpening stroke. An edge sharpened consistently at 15° will outperform one sharpened inconsistently at the "correct" 14° every time.

Another point to pay attention to here is to no fight the knife. If your Miyabi needs to be at 10° and you're sharpening it at 20°, you're not maintaining the knife as much as slowly changing it. Same in the other direction: sharpening a Victorinox at 10° will produce an edge the steel can't support, and it'll roll and dull more quickly.

Use the brand angle as your starting point (not a magic number), hold the angle you pick consistently, and adjust only if you have a reason based on how you actually use the knife and how it performs. 

If You'd Rather Not Manage the Angles

Vivront's mail-in sharpening kit covers all the brands listed above. We sharpen each knife at angles that perform. Pre-paid packaging and return postage are included. Mix any brands in the same kit.

Related: How to sharpen Miyabi knives · How to sharpen Wüsthof knives · Shun lifetime sharpening: what it covers and what it doesn't · Mail-in sharpening kit