Question 1

Since this is a German knife with a Japanese heritage (made in Taiwan to boot), what is the proper sharpening angle?  22.5 or 15 degrees?  Thanks.

Accepted Answer

I've asked this question and the answer I got from a seller, and I believe you can also get the info from Mercer, is 15 degrees.  There is a Wusthof sharpener that sharpens to 20 or 14 degrees.  They're newer Classic lineup has blades set at 14 degrees.  People saying larger angles are probably giving info for older knives, just like your question assumed two typical angles, 22.5 or 15, when in fact many European style knives have for a long time been set at 20 degrees and the finer blades are set at 11, 14 or 15 degrees.  11 degrees is for really tough metal, so different Japanese expensive blades are set that fine.  Since I have the Wusthof pull through sharpener, I've set these to 14, and though I may have to hone and sharpen more often, they cut REALLY easy, and I LOVE this knife set that way.

22.5 is typically the angle for a heavy meat cleaver nowadays, or maybe knives that you buy for heavier outdoor cutting.

Question 2

Exact dimensions of the blade?

Accepted Answer

The widest part of the blade is 1 3/4 in, the center is 1 5/8 inch and the last inch of the blade narrows down from 1 inch.  So this is a pretty wide blade, but very light and very sharp.

Question 3

What's the spine thickness of the Genesis Santoku?

Accepted Answer

Thin sturdy light knife, good for volume cutting. Not high end fancy but holds nice edge and has comfortable grip
Not flimsy

Question 4

what is the frequency of sharpening needed for home based use?

Accepted Answer

If you're cutting through food where you're hitting the cutting board pretty hard, you'll need to hone the blade more often, but if your cutting soft vegetables and use the speed of your motion and not how hard you push down do the work of cutting, then you probably have to hone it once a month with regular use.  Cutting through harder vegys means you're going to hit the cutting board harder though, so if you do that all the time, then you'll be honing about once a week or two weeks depending on usage.  Sharpening is a different subject, and if you're not constantly banging the blade down on the cutting board, or cutting around bone which will put microscopic imperfections in the cutting edge, then somewhere between 6 months and a year with continual usage.  You'll know because honing won't give you a sharp edge anymore.

I LOVE this knife and use it a few times a week so I hone it about once a week, but I have a guide on my steel for 14 degrees and I have a hand sharpener that does 14 degrees each side so both honing and sharpening are VERY easy with this blade, and I've only changed the edge angle 1 degree (these come at 15)

Manufacturer	Mercer Culinary
Model Number	M20707
Package Dimensions	35.7 x 9 x 2.1 cm
Material	Iron
Color	steel/black
Size	178 mm
Package Weight	0.23 Kilograms
Batteries Required	No
Batteries Included	No
Brand Name	Mercer Culinary
Item Weight	91 g

Mercer Culinary ジェネシスカービングナイフ 10インチ鍛造 7" M20707

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