Which Whetstone Should You Buy First?

Whetstones are a rabbit hole, and you do not need to go down it. For sharpening a Japanese kitchen knife at home, one combination stone does almost everything, and you can add to it later if you want to. This guide covers the first stone to buy, a cheaper single-stone option, and the coarse stone you only need for repairs. Current prices and buy links are in the cards at the end.

What the grit numbers mean

The number is how fine the abrasive is. Lower is coarser and removes metal faster; higher is finer and polishes.

• #220 to #400: coarse. For grinding out chips and reshaping a damaged edge. Not for routine sharpening.
• #800 to #1000: medium. The workhorse. Coarse enough to re-cut a dull edge, fine enough to leave the knife genuinely sharp.
• #3000 to #6000: fine. Refines and polishes the edge after the medium stone.
• #8000 and up: very fine. A polishing stone for enthusiasts, not a first purchase.

A home cook sharpening a normal amount needs a medium and a fine, which is why a combination stone with both is the standard first buy.

There is also a choice between soaking stones, which sit in water for 10 to 15 minutes before use and hold water well, and splash-and-go stones, which are ready almost immediately. Soaking stones are usually cheaper and give more feedback; splash-and-go is more convenient. For a first stone, either is fine, so buy on price and grit rather than on this.

Best first stone: King #1000/#6000 combination

This is the stone most people are told to start with, and it holds up. One block gives you a #1000 medium side to sharpen on and a #6000 fine side to refine on, from King, one of Japan’s original waterstone makers, at a reasonable price. It covers essentially all routine home sharpening.

Two things to know. It is a soaking stone, so it needs 10 to 15 minutes in water before use. And it is softer than premium stones, so it wears and dishes faster and you will need to flatten it more often. Neither is a problem for a first stone, and the soft feel gives clear feedback while you learn. Our guide on how to use a whetstone walks through the technique.

Alternative combination: Chubo #1000/#4000

Very similar in role to the King, with a #4000 finish instead of #6000. The #4000 side is a touch faster and more forgiving to use than a #6000, at a small cost in how polished the final edge is, which most home cooks will not notice. It is also rated for hard modern steels. Pick it over the King if you want a slightly quicker, lower-fuss finishing side.

If you only want one stone: King #1000 Hyper

A single medium stone, made for the harder steels in modern Japanese knives, with a soft natural-stone feel. It leaves a working edge rather than a polished one, which is fine if you touch your knife up often rather than letting it go dull. You will want to add a finer stone eventually, but as a first and only stone for a cook who maintains their knife regularly, it is enough.

For repairs: GC Silver Arrow #220

A coarse stone, and the only reason to own one is to grind out a chip or reshape a damaged edge or tip. It is inexpensive and you will rarely use it, so it is easy to keep alongside a combination stone. Work on it first, then move to your medium and fine stones. Our guide to a chipped Japanese knife covers the repair.

What else you need

• A base or holder to stop the stone sliding. A damp folded towel works; a rubber holder is tidier. Around USD 20 to 40.
• A way to keep the stone flat. Soft stones dish with use. A cheap flattening plate or a dedicated stone fixer solves it; a sheet of coarse wet-and-dry sandpaper on glass also works.
• A towel for water and for drying the knife and stone afterwards.

How long a stone lasts

A soft combination stone used by a home cook lasts years. It gets shorter and can develop a hollow in the middle over time; the hollow is fixed by flattening, and the stone is only worn out when it is too thin to hold flat, which is a long way off for most people. A harder stone lasts even longer. You are not buying something you will replace often.

What not to buy

Frequently asked questions

The short version

Buy one #1000/#6000 combination stone, the King combination if you want the safe default or the Chubo #1000/#4000 for a slightly quicker finish. Get a base to stop it sliding and something to keep it flat. Only add a coarse #220 stone if a knife is chipped. Then read how to use a whetstone and start practising.