Sharpening Honesuki question?

[Richard]

I was wondering what bevel angle I should use to sharpen my newly received Tojiro DP honesuki. It was not sharp out of the box. I've heard using 20 degree bevels or so. Just to confirm, would I sharpen this like a double-beveled knife? It's a little hard to tell for sure whether it's single-beveled or asymmetric 80/20 or something. Also, would I want to put a sharp edge on it, or is it meant to be kind of dull for durability?

[Fred]

It should be sharp. It will have asymmetrical bevels and I would simply follow the angles that are already there. Most Japanese knives are partially sharpened so the customer can finish it to his or her preference, as you know. But the basic angle should be there. Congratulations on the the new knife.

[RETREVR]

Let us know what you think of it. I might pick one up.
For trimming silverskin off of meats and most butchery tasks, I would put a sharp edge on it. Perhaps 15* angles, and see if the edge holds up. If I were going to be using it to break-down whole chickens I would put 20* bevels on it for durability. That is not to say that it shouldn't do a fine job of trimming with the 20* bevels as well.
My boning knife is a wusthof. I can put a slightly finer edge on it than my other wusthofs because it is primarily a trimming knife and is not in contact with the board very much.

[RETREVR]

Let me correct myself. I mean what I say about the angles in the sense that for trimming only I would use an overall angel of 30*, and see how it holds up, and for durability I would use a combined of 40*. Now, My tojiro is assymetrical, and would bet that your honesuki is also. Each bevel differs to get yo to the 30* or 40*.
Freds advice of following the factory bevel is wise. I usually follow that factory for the first several sharpenings, untill I get a feel for the knife, what it can handle, and what I want out of it.