MAC knives -- sharpen on both sides?

Which MAC is it exactly?

I have the MTH-80, which is the 8" chef with dimples in the same line. I bought it in person from Harold, who is the head of MAC knives in America. He recommended using the rollsharp, which is a dual sided sharpener, to keep it sharp, although I actually use water stones on mine.

If you have any questions. I wouldn't hesitate to email or call Harold. I found him to be extremely helpful and informative. When I bought my knife, he spent over an hour with me talking and letting me try out different knives, in all the different lines, cutting vegetables so I could choose the one that best suited me. Simply put, a great guy and no, I am not related to nor do I receive any compensation from MAC, other than satisfaction with my selection. LOL!

Um, it is beveled on both sides, albeit probably a single bevel, not double (two bevels on each side).

It is not a chisel edged knife (single sided)

Western style MAC knives (such as yours) have a double bevel. They are double beveled on both sides of the blade and so you sharpen both sides

example of double bevel

.example of single bevel

i'm pretty sure now days when most people talk about single bevel vs double bevel they are talking about chisel grind vs "V" or convex grinds (like both of the ones you have pictured).  In general, the "double bevel" you have listed would be called a compound bevel.  People also refer to them as primary and secondary bevels.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheflayne 

Western style MAC knives (such as yours) have a double bevel. They are double beveled on both sides of the blade and so you sharpen both sides

 

 

example of double bevel

 

 

 

 

 

 

.example of single bevel

 

 

 

As to the term, double bevel, I am going by what I was told by the folks at MAC knives. That was the term they used when describing their product to me. The pictures came from http://sharpeningtechniques.blogspot.com/2008/04/sharpening-basics-definitions.html

well, your explanation made sense.  I may be jaded on this as i spend most of my time around japanese knives ;)

I think one of the more important lessons here is that sharpening terms vary from user to user and it's important to make sure you know what the heck the other person is talking about before you embark on a new tack for your sharpening voyage. 

Jon is of course right, as far as the general run of knife enthusiasts who have contact with traditional Japanese knife shapes.  They (the knives, not the enthusisasts) are the new "single bevels."  Jon uses their language because that's the sea in which he swims.

It's not as easy for me though, mostly because I'm old and was around when a "double bevel" meant part of a two-stage, multi-bevel on each side of the blade, and that's what I got used to.  I don't fight for the old definition, and for the same reasons don't go to the shore to order the tide in and out.  As is so frequent with linguistic issues, there's no right or wrong just prevalence; and -- worth reiterating -- the most important thing is to get on the same page as the person to whom you speak. 

Since MAC entered the conversation:  It's not MAC dogma, but MAC Pros are one of the knives which really do benefit from a "double bevel" (in my old sense), with the double allowing a really nice balance between absolute sharpness, durability and simplicity of maintenance.  If you have something which allows really fine angle control, like an Edge Pro, the angles should be something like 10/15*, with only mild assymetry.  If you're freehanding, sharpen a little more acute than 15*, going all the way through your stone progression, except for the finest stone.  Then tilt the knife up just a little bit for a micro bevel on your second finest and finest stone.  If you deburr after the first angle, you might or might not get away without deburring on the second.

Just when you thought it was safe... There's no agreement on the names of the two stages of the bevels.  Some people call the edge angle the "primary" bevel, and others call the angle behind it and up the face of the blade the "secondary."  Some people use the terms the other way around.  Again, check before you start arguing.

Keep your hands inside the ride at all times, and for God's sake don't throw food to the grips.

BDL

So back to the original question that started this thread. Yes, sharpen both sides.

yes... that ;)
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheflayne 

So back to the original question that started this thread. Yes, sharpen both sides.

Haha!  Yes to the original poster, sharpen both sides.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheflayne 

So back to the original question that started this thread. Yes, sharpen both sides.