Medium grits (400-1000) are versatile for general sharpening and maintaining blade edges. Fine grits (1000-3000) refine and polish the edge, while ultra-fine grits (8000+) create a mirror finish and razor-sharp edge.
Ultra-fine (800-, 1,000-grit and beyond): Use this grade for ultra-smooth polishing of wood and metal finishes and bare metal.
For Regular Maintenance: Use a medium grit (800-1000) for regular sharpening to maintain a good edge. Periodically hone the blade with a fine grit (3000-5000) to keep it razor-sharp.
The 1000-grit blue side was the coarser of the two, while the 6000-grit was finer.
A sharpening stone with a grain size higher than 1000 is not necessary for a chisel. Hold the chisel at the right angle to the stone For most chisels this is approx. 25-30 degrees. Use the angle of the chisel's bevelled edge as a guide.
The 1000 grit whetstone is often considered the go-to starting point for restoring a dull edge, efficiently reshaping the blade while still maintaining its integrity. As the grit increases towards 3000, the stones become less aggressive, focusing more on honing and polishing the edge.
Using a stone to sharpen a knife is a simple process that's easy to learn but difficult to master. For most knives that fail the tomato test we recommend using a series of three stones to bring your knife back to an excellent edge. The 3 grits we recommend are roughly 400, 1000 and 3000.
Start with your lower grit whetstone. For kitchen knives, a good starting point is 1000 grit for the first sharpening, and 6000 grit for finishing/honing, so they're the numbers we'll use in this guide.
The grit level can go as low as 12 and as high as 600, but most home sanding projects should call for a grit size between 60 and 220. Coating indicates the density of the abrasive particles on a piece of sandpaper.
If your knives are very dull or have nicks and chips, start with a coarse grit, such as 200 to 400, to remove the imperfections and reshape the edge. Once you have achieved the desired shape, move on to a medium grit, around 1000 to 3000, to refine the edge and remove any remaining scratches.
The short answer is yes, a knife can be too sharp.
Ultra-fine grit stones: Ultra-fine grit stones, typically in the range of 8000-12000 grit, are used for polishing and finishing the edge of a blade. They remove almost no material and are great for giving the blade a super-sharp edge.
Do not mistake a rough edge with a sharpened edge. A 1000-grit stone leaves a coarse edge that works like a serrated knife on a microscale.
Start with a fine sharpening stone ranging from 1000 to 3000 grit, followed by an extra-fine sharpening stone ranging from 3000 to 5000 grit. Can the knife cut the tomato without crushing it? If it does your knife is sharp enough for normal use in the kitchen.
Ceramic Abrasive – Due to the consistent fracture properties in the grain, ceramic abrasive is the hardest and sharpest grain used in coated abrasives, making it ideal for finishing and plaster applications.
Despite the positive aspects of grit, there are some downsides to being overly determined. New research shows it's possible to have too much tenacity. A gritty individual's refusal to give up could actually become their downfall, according to a new study published in the Journal of Research in Personality.
Extra Coarse: 24-Grit to 36-Grit
Aside from grinding discs, sandpapers in the 24 to 36 range are the roughest of all grits.
320 to 400 Grit Sandpaper: Very fine grit sandpaper is used for light sanding between coats of finish and to sand metal and other hard surfaces.
Most pros would agree that pulling the blade edge across the whetstone produces the best results. Not only will it bring the knife to its sharpest but it's also a much more effective way to remove chips and imperfections from the blade.
Many whetstones require to be soaked before you can sharpen with them and generally speaking, you'll need to do this for between 15 and 20 minutes. Some whetstones can be stored in water permanently which eliminates the need to soak them before each use.
Push the point you want to sharpen with your fingers. While keeping the angle and pushing the point with your fingers, stroke the blade until it reaches the other edge of the whetstone, then pull the blade back until it reaches the edge of the whetstone. This back and forth is counted as one stroke.
A 3000 grit stone will leave a fine edge suitable for many situations, it may have a small amount of tooth to the edge. Water stones 5000 or 6000 are common finishing grits, and give a good slicing edge with a very slight tooth. Water stones 8000 and higher will leave very smooth and polished edge for clean cuts.
I use what I simply refer to as coarse, medium, and fine diamond stones. The manufacturer refers to them as coarse, fine, and extra fine. The coarse one is about a 300-grit (American system equivalent.) The medium one is a 600-grit and the fine one is 1,200-grit.
A dull knife requires a coarse stone and may require more time using the stone. Because it can require many strokes, we suggest that you take up to 10 strokes before alternating sides.