To maintain the edge and shine of your knives it's important to invest in a good sharpening stone or whetstone. Using a stone to sharpen or hone your cutlery may be a bit more labor-intensive, but you'll have greater control over the finished product. If you're ready to give whetstones a try, there are several different types to choose from—the most common stones are oil stones, water stones, ceramic stones, silicon carbide, and diamond stones—so it's important that you do your research to find the best option for your needs.
#220 GRIT
Best used to reshape or repair chips.
Caution: Be aware that the #220-300 grit stones are very abrasive, therefore it will shave off a lot of the material. We do not recommend beginner sharpeners to use these stones.
#300 GRIT
Best used to put on an edge quickly for very dull knives.
Caution: Be aware that the #220-300 grit stones are very abrasive, therefore it will shave off a lot of the material. We do not recommend beginner sharpeners to use these stones.
#1,000 GRIT
The #1000 grit stone is the basic sharpening stone that we recommend customers use to sharpen knives.
#1,200 GRIT
The 1,200 grit stone is great for sharpening Traditional Japanese knives because Traditional Japanese knives are more delicate than Western-style knives. However, the #1,200 grit and #1,000 grit are interchangeable. For a more abrasive grit, we recommend using the natural stone on your #1,200 grit stone, then using the mud produced to sharpen.
#2,000 GRIT
The 2,000 gritstone is still considered a medium stone. It is not as abrasive as the 1,000 or 1,200 grit stones, therefore it will take longer to sharpen. We recommend the #2,000 grit stones for those who prefer to sharpen knives very often (every day or every other day) because it doesn’t work off as much material as the lower grit stones.
#3,000 GRIT
Uses:
1. When sharpening knives, it is important to use medium stones and finishing stone. However, it is easier to use a #3,000 gritstone as a buffer in between, rather than jumping from a #1,000 gritstone to a #6,000 gritstone.
2. Cutting oily ingredients leads to shorter edge retention. One of the uses of the honing steels is to help take the oil off knives. If you are planning to cut meat such as chicken, it is best to stop at the #3,000 gritstone. Although the #6,000 grit stone will give you a more refined edge, it will also be more prone to dulling faster. Using a rougher edge will maintain the blade for longer.
3. Best finishing stones for boning knives.
Caution: Please never soak fine stones unless otherwise instructed by the product. When preparing, simply wet the surface and it is ready for use. Failure to do so will result in the stone cracking or weakening.
#5,000 GRIT
Uses:
1. A great stone to use in between the sharpening process. Using stone in between a medium stone and a high grit fine stone will make sharpening easier and faster.
2. Recommended for Western-made Western knives. (i.e. German knives)
Caution: Please never soak fine stones unless otherwise instructed by the product. When preparing, simply wet the surface and it is ready for use. Failure to do so will result in the stone cracking or weakening.
#6,000 GRIT
The basic finishing stone.
Caution: Please never soak fine stones unless otherwise instructed by the product. When preparing, simply wet the surface and it is ready for use. Failure to do so will result in the stone cracking or weakening.
#8,000 GRIT
The best finishing stone for the sharpest and most polished blade. We recommend this stone for those working with mostly produce and non-fatty ingredients.
Caution: Please never soak fine stones unless otherwise instructed by the product. When preparing, simply wet the surface and it is ready for use. Failure to do so will result in the stone cracking or weakening.
NAGURA STONE
Uses:
1. Dirt is trapped in medium and fine stones after being used. The trapped dirt makes the stone slippery and virtually useless to sharpen. The Nagura stone helps clean the stones by polishing away the dirt.
2. If you own a #1,200 gritstone but want a rougher stone for a specific knife, you can use the dirt/mud on the stone to sharpen your knives. By using dirt/mud the #1,200 gritstone becomes #1,000 grit or lower. Depending on how much mud is being used, sharpening knives will be easier and faster. (Please be aware that this change of grit only occurs while using the dirt. Once you wash the mud off, it will return back to normal.)
NATURAL STONES
In Japan, there is a market for natural sharpening stones geared toward high-level craftsmen and woodworkers. These stones must be carefully selected from the mountain, hand quarried, hand-cut and hand-polished, which often makes them extremely expensive. Natural stones may have holes towards the middle and the grit may vary on different parts of the stone.
DIAMOND SHARPENING STONE
Diamond stones are becoming popular with professionals. They require less maintenance and should never be soaked. A light splashing of water is all that is required, making them convenient to use in a busy kitchen. Diamond stones allow for very quick sharpening but we do not recommend them for inexperienced users. They are abrasive and can remove a large amount of material from knives. We recommend applying very light pressure for the first 40 uses.