Count the number of strokes you use. For a dull knife you may want to do about 30 strokes, but for regular maintenance do around 10-15 strokes. Stones that are between 4000 and 6000-grit will give you a low to a medium mirror finish on the edge. Stones that are in the 8000-grit to 12 000-grit range will give you a fine mirror finish on the sharp edge.

Start by choosing your whetstone. If your knife is very blunt start with a 400 grit whetstone, or if you are regularly maintaining your knife start with a 1000 grit whetstone. To actually sharpen a knife, all you are doing is scraping away metal from the knife with an abrasive. Our abrasive is Japanese style whetstones, which have been around for years and years but are now are becoming a lot more popular in home kitchens.

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We do not be recommended that you spend money on the higher grit sharpening stones since they would be less effective at sharpening and are moving more into the polishing range of stones. These stones do not remove large amounts of material from the cutting edge and are used to refine and hone the cutting edge.

SHAPTON KUROMAKU #5000 is a hard whetstone with long durability and there is practically no need to flatten this whetstone. They will, however, smooth and polish the sharp edge to enable the edge to cut more easily through objects. A: For a new knife, starting with a medium grit (400-600) is usually sufficient unless the factory edge is very dull or damaged. Then, refine with a fine grit (800-1000) or higher. ConclusionThis is where the best whetsones come in. While sharpening your knives is certainly a chore, it can be made easier with a solid, quality whetstone. Whetstones, which are also called sharpening stones, are the perfect DIY sharpening tool. Made out of a variety of materials like ceramics, aluminum oxide, or even diamond, a few swipes along one of these stones can restore your knives’ sharp, finely-tuned blades in no time at all. Always try to grab the knife with your strong hand. If the right hand is your stronger hand, then you are right-handed. So, use your right hand to grab the knife. Put the thumb & index finger on the blade face of your knife. The rest of the fingers of the right will warp the knife. Index, Middle, Ring, and the little fingers of the Left hand will hold the knife onto the whetstone. You may discover your own way of holding knife once you master the sharpening. But for beginners, this is the best way. Step 4: Measure the pressure These stones are less aggressive and are used as part of the sharpening process to re-establish secondary bevels on the cutting edge. We have a guide on taking the best care of your Japanese knives, explaining best practices and how they can increase your knife's longevity. However, general knife care typically involves always washing your kitchen knives by hand (avoid putting them in the dishwasher) and drying them straight after washing to avoid rusting.