These Japanese knives are hand-forged, layering thin layers of steel to create a distinctive swirly pattern on the blade as well as an incredibly sharp edge. Shun's Classic Chef's Choice ...

An angle grinder was then used to follow the outline and create the rough shape of the final knife. From there, the process is done almost entirely with hand files. Here [Flannagill] gives one of ...

Once the temperature is stable, it is ready to be sharpened. Most blacksmiths hand the knife over to dedicated sharpeners at this stage. Then, the utensil is ready for the final step of the ...