SANTOKU
SANTOKU
Updated September 2026 · 6 min read · UK Japanese-steel knife specialists
Which whetstone grit should you buy?
For most home cooks, a 1000-grit stone for everyday sharpening plus a 3000-grit or finer finishing stone covers everything. Use a coarse under-400-grit stone only to repair a chipped edge. If you'd rather keep it simple, a single 4-in-1 combination set — 400/1000 plus 3000/8000 — does all three jobs, and it is the stone we sell.
Our 4-in-1 stone covers grinding, sharpening and finishing in one — 400/1000 + 3000/8000 grit.
Shop the Whetstone Set — £59.99 →When it comes to keeping your knives in tip-top condition, there is nothing quite as important as keeping the blades sharp. Not only will a dull blade affect your ability to cut efficiently, but it can also be dangerous. So, using a whetstone to keep your blades sharp is essential.
But when it comes to shopping for a whetstone, you will quickly notice that there are a number of choices in terms of grit. This can leave knife owners feeling confused but there’s no need to be. Our handy guide on choosing the right grade of whetstone will tell you everything you need to know.
Table of contents
What Is a Whetstone?
The Japanese whetstone is sometimes called a water stone and can be made from both synthetic and natural materials. These tools are used to sharpen knives thanks to their ability to work quickly and effectively. But they aren’t only used for sharpening Japanese-steel knives; they can be used for western blades too!
The stones are made from tiny particles that are bound loosely together to form the stone. As you sharpen your knife, these particles fall away and reveal newer, sharper ones beneath. When using a whetstone, you must first lubricate it using water. A common mistake for newbies is using oil to lubricate the stone, and it is worse than a mistake — oil soaks into the pores of a water stone permanently and ruins it. A water stone is only ever used with water, and it cannot be converted into an oil stone.
A Brief Introduction to the Different Whetstone Grits
The whetstone is available in a selection of grits and each one is designed for a different purpose. We will look at this in a little more detail later on but for now, here’s a quick rundown.
● Whetstones with a grit of less than 1000 are usually used for knife repair such as a chipped edge.
● Grits between 1000 and 3000 are used for general knife sharpening.
● Grits from about 3000 up to 8000 are known as finishing stones and these can be used to refine the knife edge.
What Stone Should I Use?
The grade of whetstone you use will vastly depend on what you are trying to achieve. It’s no good buying the first thing you stumble upon as there is a risk of damaging your knife if you use the wrong grit. For example, very high grits of 8000 and above only refine and polish an already-sharp edge — they remove almost no metal, so they are finishing stones, not the tool for sharpening a dull or chipped blade.
If you are looking to sharpen a very dull blade then you would need a much lower grit of no more than 400. However, when it comes to regular knife sharpening, a 1000-grit stone is the one you will reach for nearly every time.
For those looking to refine the knife, remove scratches and get rid of marks left when using a coarse stone, you might choose a finishing stone. These start at around 3000 grit and most Japanese stones will not go any higher than 8000. Although in theory, there would be no upper limit, not that going ridiculously high would make any noticeable difference, hence the Japanese scale ending where it does.
When choosing a suitable grit, you may want more than one to cover every task. A separate coarse, medium and finishing stone gives the most control, but for most home cooks a single combination set covers grinding, sharpening and honing in one — nothing is stopping you from building a larger collection later. That said, it’s important to consider your level of experience. If you are skilled at sharpening then working with finer stones up to 8000 is great but for a beginner, this might prove to be a challenge. Sticking to the 3000 face until you are confident will give you a perfectly good edge. You can always move up as you get better.
It is also possible to buy the grits as a combination set, which is a great choice for people who don’t sharpen their knives all that often. Our set is two double-sided blocks — 400/1000 and 3000/8000 — so you can grind, sharpen and hone without buying four separate stones.
How to Look After Your Whetstone
It doesn’t take us to tell you that it’s super important to look after your knives, but what a lot of people fail to realise is that a whetstone needs just as much TLC if it is going to do its job effectively.
Before you use your whetstone, you will need to lubricate it using water. It is vital not to use oil: an oil stone is a different type of stone entirely, lubricated with honing oil, and putting oil on a water stone clogs the pores permanently and ruins it. A lot of online articles and blogs talk about oil for sharpening, but that advice does not apply to a water stone.
If the grit is higher than 3000 then it is essential not to soak the stone in water as this will do more harm than good. Instead, we would recommend simply splashing a small amount of water onto the stone to avoid saturating it.
When you have finished using your whetstone, it is important to make sure that you allow it to dry thoroughly. Air drying is the ideal method here but ensure that all moisture is gone before storing the stone in its box. Failing to do this comes with a risk of mould developing on the stone which will likely affect its quality and ability to sharpen effectively.
Final Thoughts
A whetstone is an important tool for any chef and allows you to grind, sharpen and hone your knives quickly and easily. However, since they come in so many different grits, it can be challenging to figure out which one you need.
Generally speaking, a coarse, a medium and a finishing grit cover every sharpening task — though a single combination set is plenty for most home cooks. Coarser stones up to 400 grit are ideal for grinding, while 1000 grit is what restores the sharpness of a dull knife. When it comes to honing and refining, the 3000 and 8000 faces do that work, and a beginner will get an excellent edge from the 3000 alone until their technique catches up.
Ready to keep every knife razor-sharp? Our 4-in-1 whetstone grinds, sharpens and hones — 400/1000 + 3000/8000 grit.
Shop the Whetstone Set — £59.99 →Whetstone Grit FAQs
What grit whetstone do I need for kitchen knives?
For everyday kitchen knives, a 1000-grit stone handles regular sharpening and a 3000-grit or finer finishing stone refines the edge. A coarse stone under 400 grit is only needed to repair a chipped or very dull blade.
Is one combination stone enough?
For most home cooks, yes. Our 400/1000 and 3000/8000 set is two double-sided blocks that cover repair, sharpening and finishing between them, which is all the average kitchen needs. Buying the grits as a set is also cheaper than buying four separate stones.
What grit removes a chipped edge?
Use a coarse stone of around 200–400 grit to grind out a chip or reshape a very dull edge, then work up through 1000 grit and a finishing stone to restore sharpness.
Do you soak a whetstone before use?
Soak stones up to 1000 grit in water for a few minutes before sharpening. For finer stones above 3000 grit, don't soak them — just splash a little water on the surface to avoid saturating them.
Can you use oil on a whetstone?
No — use water only. Oil soaks into the pores of a water stone permanently and ruins it, and it cannot be washed out. Japanese water stones are designed to be lubricated with water, not oil, and an oil stone is a different type of stone entirely.
