What grit whetstone is best?
Typically a coarse whetstone, 220 to 400 grit, will remove material quickly. This is useful for repairing chips or other imperfections.
A medium grit whetstone, typically 1000 to 2000, is suitable for sharpening most knives that have a blade in reasonable but dull condition.
A fine to a very fine whetstone, around 4,000 to 8,000 grit, is used for finely sharpening, finishing, and polishing your blade to a mirror-like finish.
Soak your whetstone
The whetstone should first be soaked in water for about 10 minutes before using it. Thereafter, place on a slip-free surface and ensure the stone is kept slightly wet during the grinding process by dribbling some water on the surface.
How to sharpen with your whetstone
Double bevel blades
Grind the knife at a 15° angle to the whetstone, moving the blade with light pressure toward and away from your body. Repeat this process until you can feel a fine burr.
This should be repeated proportionally on all parts of the blade. It is important to grind both sides of the blade equally to regain a symmetrically sharpened knife.
To remove the burr formed along the blade as a result of sharpening, place a piece of newspaper on a flat surface and, holding the knife at a similar angle used on the whetstone, swipe the blade sideways left and right across the newspaper. Once the burr is removed, you will feel a smooth edge along the blade.
After sharpening, carefully wash, dry, and safely store your knife.
Single bevel blades
Place the ground side first on the whetstone. Make sure that you use the angle recommended by the manufacturer. Grind the knife at a 45° angle to the whetstone, moving the blade with light pressure away from and toward your body. Repeat this process until you feel a fine burr.
Once the ground side is done, turn over the knife and repeat the process as described above on the hollow-ground side, but less often – 1/10 will do.
To remove the burr formed along the blade as a result of sharpening, place a piece of newspaper on a flat surface and, holding the knife at a similar angle used on the whetstone, swipe the blade sideways left and right across the newspaper. Once the burr is removed, you will only feel a smooth edge along the blade.
After sharpening, carefully wash, dry, and safely store your knife.
