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.
Medium (1000 grit): Ideal for general sharpening and maintaining a sharp edge. This is often considered the standard grit for kitchen knives. Fine (3000-8000 grit): Use this for honing and polishing the edge after sharpening, providing a razor-sharp finish.
400 grit is perfectly fine. Lower does not always mean faster cut speed. Its very stone dependent.
A 1000-grit stone leaves a coarse edge that works like a serrated knife on a microscale. You would think that it is what we wanted, a knife that can cut, but if you stop sharpening after using a 1000-grit stone, it will get dull quicker than the knife would with a 6000-grit stone.
1000 to 3000 grit are used to sharpen dull knives, 4000 to 8000 grit are finishing stones and are used to refine your knife edge.
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.
Because wet sanding is a finishing process, you'll likely use high-grit sandpaper, from 1000 grit to 3000 grit and above. Compare this to dry sanding, which typically begins with 600- or 800-grit sandpaper. It's best to use a backing pad when wet sanding to achieve a uniform finish.
For repairing chips, broken tips or thinning, we recommend a very coarse, 220-grit sharpening stone. For the first step in sharpening a very blunt knife, we recommend a coarse, 400-grit stone. For the first step in sharpening undamaged and regularly maintained knives, stones with 800-2000 grit are a good choice.
Diamonds are harder than any metal and will be able to sharpen and produce a Wicked Edge on any blade easily and quickly, even on super steels. Diamond Stones don't require flattening like traditional whetstones nor do they require oil or water, meaning cleaner sharpening sessions.
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.
The #1000 grit whetstone is your go-to sharpening stone. If your Japanese knives need a good sharpen to regain their edge, then this grit is your starting point. But use this sparingly as it will wear your knife down.
How to use a Manual Knife Sharpener: Place the knife against the coarse side of the sharpener and swipe it across the surface around ten times. This initial step sets the foundation for a sharp edge. Afterwards, switch to the fine side of the sharpener and repeat the swiping motion ten times.
One advantage of the hollow grind is that the blade does not increase in thickness as dramatically as other grinds do. This means that as you sharpen the edge, it will remain nearly as thin as when you first got your knife. This makes sharpening hollow grinds typically easier than other grind styles.
Diamond Stone Recommendations:
They are among the fastest stones to use making them time efficient. Diamond grit will handle even very hard steels, and diamond stones can be used for flattening water stones. All these things make diamond stones a practical foundation for your sharpening toolkit.
For Regular Maintenance: Use a medium grit (800-1000) for regular sharpening to maintain a good edge.
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.
The coarsest grade, designated as extra-coarse, includes 24-, 30- and 36-grit paper. The finest grade (i.e. ultra-fine) includes 800- and 1,000-grit paper. When choosing sandpaper, it's important to select the right grade for the job.
Typically, 1000 to 1500 grit wet and dry sandpaper is the go-to choice during this stage. Coarse grits excel at eliminating deep scratches, stubborn oxidation, and notable paint imperfections. They swiftly level the surface, setting the stage for further fine-tuning.
The best way to remove orange peel without sanding is to use fast cutting compound. Cutting compound is an abrasive paste that will erode an extremely thin layer of paint and wear away the orange peel in the process. Pick up some fast cutting compound at a local automotive or construction supply store.
Fine grit stones: Fine grit stones, typically in the range of 1000-3000 grit, are used for polishing and refining the edge of a blade. They remove very little material and are great for giving the blade a mirror finish.
What is 2000-grit sandpaper used for? Finer sandpaper above the 400-grit mark is only used to lightly clean up or polish surfaces with scratches or streak marks.