Collection: sharpening stones

A whetstone is the only way to properly sharpen a hard Japanese-steel knife. Pull-through and electric sharpeners are fixed at a wide Western angle and grind away far more metal than they need to, which on a thin VG10 or AUS-10 edge means chipping and a shorter life. Ten minutes on a stone does a better job and costs less.

What we stock

Our Whetstone Sharpening Stones (£59.99, rated 4.87 from 121 reviews) are two double-sided water stones covering the full sequence in one purchase:

• 400 grit — repairing chips and reshaping a badly neglected edge.
• 1000 grit — the grit that actually sharpens, and the one to start with.
• 3000 grit — refining, tightening the edge after the 1000.
• 8000 grit — an optional polish for a keen, gliding finish.

Water stones, not oil stones

These are water stones. Soak them for about ten minutes, until the bubbles stop, and keep the surface wet as you work. Never put oil on a water stone — it soaks into the pores, cannot be washed out, and the stone stops cutting for good. If you have inherited a stone and are not sure which type it is, there is a one-minute test here.

New to sharpening?

Aim for roughly 15 degrees per side on a Japanese knife — about two stacked £1 coins under the spine of a 7-inch blade. Work one side until you can feel a fine burr along the whole edge, then swap. Our step-by-step whetstone guide walks through the whole job, and what grade of whetstone to buy covers the grits in more detail.

A honing steel is not a substitute. It realigns an edge that has rolled over; it removes no meaningful metal. You want both — see whetstone vs honing steel.