Japanese knives, such as Shun, and European knives, like Wusthof and Henckels, employ different angles to create the blade's beveled cutting edge.Traditional European cutlery has been designed with a 22 degree angle, while Japanese knives have employed a 16 degree angle. This difference means you need to sharpen each type correctly in order to maintain the knife's original geometry and its sharpness. This new Wusthof sharpener lets you sharpen both types of knives to a razor edge. It features four sets of sharpeners, two each for each type of knife, that combined with magnets, hold your knife at the correct angle while you sharpen it. The first set of sharpeners re-creates the edge, the second set polishes and de-burrs the edge. You're assured of maintaining your knife's original geometry and sharpness, no matter what kind of cutlelry you have. It's quick, easy and foolproof.