A good Japanese knife holds up well over years of use, but that depends on sharpening it correctly. Japanese waterstones give you the right surface for sharpening and honing without damaging the blade's steel.
If you'd rather not sharpen it yourself, we also offer a professional sharpening service — send in your knife and we'll take care of it. Not sure which whetstones you need? See our full guide on choosing whetstones.
At a glance
- Work coarse to fine: 1000 grit to sharpen, 3000–10000 to refine and polish; 400 only for chips and repairs.
- Double-edged knives: hold a steady 10–15° angle, raise a burr on each side, then polish on a finishing stone.
- Single-edged knives: sharpen the bevel side on the shinogi line, then lay the flat side on the stone to remove the burr.
- Keep your stones flat with a stone fixer, and use a nagura on finer stones.
How to Choose the Right Whetstone
The condition of your knife and what you're trying to accomplish determine which whetstone to use. The wrong stone wastes time and material, and can end up damaging the edge. You also shouldn't rely on a single stone — sharpening with only one grit takes far longer, wears the stone unevenly, and can be harder on the blade. Most sharpening sessions move through multiple grits, starting coarse and finishing fine.
| Grit | Stage | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| 400 | Coarse | Fixing chips, reshaping an edge, or heavier repair work. Removes metal quickly, so use it only when you need to. |
| 1000 | Basic sharpening | A solid daily sharpening stone that brings back an edge that's gone dull. |
| 3000 | Finer | Refining an edge after 1000 grit sharpening. |
| 6000 | Finer | Routine maintenance and polishing on kitchen knives. |
| 8000 | Super fine | Knives used for delicate work like slicing vegetables, seafood, or fruit. |
| 10000 | Super fine | A highly polished edge that noticeably reduces resistance in the cut. |
Coarse Stones (400 Grit)
Coarse stones reshape blades, fix chips, and thin down steel. A 400 grit stone is the coarsest we currently carry, and it's still aggressive enough for real repair work. Many chefs start here rather than at a coarser grit, since it still gives good control.
Basic Sharpening (1000 Grit)
If your knife has just gone dull, this grit can bring the edge back. It's not meant for chip or damage repair, but used regularly it keeps a knife in good working shape for years.
Finer Stones (3000 – 6000 Grit)
These stones refine the edge after sharpening, smoothing out roughness left by the coarser grits and preparing the blade for polishing.
Super Fine Stones (8000 – 10000 Grit)
These grits polish the edge to a fine, mirror-like finish — useful on knives used for fruit, vegetables, or fish where a very clean cut matters.
Sharpening Tools: Nagura & Stone Fixer
Stone Fixer
Sharpening stones wear down unevenly over time. A stone fixer flattens the surface so the stone makes even contact with the blade, which keeps your results consistent. Worth having if you sharpen regularly.
Nagura Stone
A small conditioning stone used to raise slurry and clean the surface of finer whetstones. It helps get more out of high-grit stones and is especially useful when polishing or refining an edge.
How to Sharpen Double-Edged Knives
- Set the angle. Start with a #1000 grit whetstone. Mentally divide the blade into three sections — tip, middle, and heel. With the edge facing away from you, place the tip section on the stone at a consistent 10–15 degree angle. Holding this angle steady is what keeps the edge geometry correct.
- Raise a burr. Keeping the angle steady, push the blade forward toward the edge of the stone using light, even pressure, then pull it back to the starting position without pressure. Repeat until you feel a burr form on the opposite side, then do the same for the middle and heel sections.
- Repeat on the other side, then polish. Flip the knife — edge still facing away — and repeat the motion on the other side: pull the blade toward the edge of the stone, then push it back without pressure. Once you feel a burr on the first side, switch to a finishing stone (#3000–#10000 grit) and repeat the technique with light, controlled passes. You don't need to raise a burr again here — these passes are for polish and refinement.
How to Sharpen Single-Edged Knives
- Sharpen the bevel side. Start with a #1000 grit stone and mentally divide the blade into tip, middle, and heel. With the edge facing away, place the shinogi line (the ridge between the flat and the bevel) flat against the stone. Push the blade forward toward the edge, then gently pull it back without pressure. Repeat until you feel a burr form on the opposite edge, then repeat for each section.
- Remove the burr from the flat side. Move to a #3000 grit stone. Flip the knife — edge still facing away — and lay the flat side directly on the stone. Pull the blade toward the edge, then push it back gently, as if wiping water off the stone. Repeat until the burr disappears.
- Refine and polish. Repeat step one with the #3000 grit stone, followed by step two with an #8000 grit stone. Finish by repeating step one on the #8000 stone without raising a burr — these final passes are for polishing and refining the edge only.
Rather Leave It to Us?
Send in your knife and our team will sharpen it for you, or pick up the stones to do it yourself.
