A Simple Guide to Whetstones
By Trey | Cutler Connect — Professional Knife Sharpening, New Braunfels, TX
If you've ever wondered what actually goes into a professional sharpening — the tools, the progression, the reasoning behind each step — this post is for you. I'll walk you through the stones that form the backbone of my process, the supporting stones I reach for in specific situations, and a full breakdown of what each grit range is actually accomplishing.
Why I Recommend Whetstones
Powered sharpeners are convenient — but they can't teach you everything.
Sharpening by hand builds real skill. No electricity, no machine doing the work for you. You learn the fundamentals of sharpening — angle control, pressure, scratch patterns — and develop a genuine understanding of your own knives in the process.
Whetstones provide an important safety feature that is often overlooked: they cannot overheat your blade. Unlike powered sharpeners, which generate friction and heat that can permanently damage the temper of the steel at the cutting edge, whetstones eliminate this concern entirely.
If you're starting your sharpening journey, this guide covers the stones you actually need, what every grit range is doing, and the finishing stones that take your edge to the next level — plus the accessories that make a real difference.
Understanding Grit
Before we get into specific stones, here's what you actually need to know about grit:
Coarse (220–600) is for fixing problems. Chips, bad geometry, a bevel that needs to be reset — this is where that work happens. The goal here isn't sharpness, it's foundation. You're reshaping the blade before you refine it.
Medium (800–2000) is where sharpness is actually created. This is the most important range and the most misunderstood. Think of a knife edge like a saw with microscopic teeth — those tiny serrations are what let a blade bite into food and cut cleanly. The medium range is where those teeth form and where you raise your burr. A knife finished well at 1000 grit and properly stropped is a genuinely great cutting tool. Don't skip past this range chasing a higher number.
Fine (3000–6000) polishes and refines the bevel. At this stage you're not rebuilding the edge — you're smoothing what's already there. Useful for higher-end knives, especially Japanese steels, where a more refined finish makes a noticeable difference.
Super Fine (8000–10,000) is for exceptional blades in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing. Here's the thing most people don't tell you: a knife that's too polished can actually underperform. Those microscopic teeth we talked about? Polish them away entirely and your edge gets slippery — it'll test sharp but slide right over a tomato skin instead of biting in. Unless you're working with high-end Japanese steel and have a good reason to be here, don't waste your money chasing 10,000 grit.
To Soak or not to Soak
Not all whetstones work the same way — and knowing the difference before you buy saves you a lot of frustration. There are three types you'll come across.
Soaking Stones are porous by design, meant to absorb water before use. That water acts as lubrication during sharpening, and the abrasive particles are intentionally friable — meaning they break down gradually as you work, constantly releasing fresh cutting particles. All that breakdown creates a rich slurry that excels at polishing the bevel and blending scratch patterns. Soaking stones are slower cutting but produce a beautifully refined finish.
Splash & Go (S&G) stones don't require soaking — just splash some water on the surface, and you're ready to sharpen. All of the stones in my core kit are splash and go. Because they don't break down as quickly as soaking stones, they last longer and require flattening less frequently. They do produce some slurry, though not as much, so scratch patterns tend to be more visible at lower grits. In my process, I use S&G stones to do the majority of the sharpening work after thinning, then switch to a soaking stone to blend the scratch pattern and bring the finish together.
Diamond Plates are in a category of their own. They're always flat, cut faster than any waterstone, and can handle even the hardest steels without flinching. Some plates are used with water, some with oil — my Sharpal 162N works great with a little Windex as a lubricant, which keeps the surface clean and the plate cutting efficiently. The main downsides are worth knowing. They carry a higher upfront cost than most whetstones and go through a break-in period where they cut overly aggressively — worth working through on a beater knife before touching anything you care about. Their peak cutting performance does wear down over time, and at lower grits, they leave deep scratch patterns that need to be carefully worked out in the next stage. Loading is also a concern — metal particles pack into the abrasive surface over time and need to be cleaned out regularly to keep the plate performing. I personally love these for my initial sharpening process, then finishing out on whetstones.
My Core Kit
These are the four stones and lapping plate that I use on the majority of knives that come through my shop that I highly recommend.
Sharpal 145H - 220 Grit Diamond Lapping plate
My coarsest abrasive plate. I mainly use it for flattening my whetstone, but it doubles as a super low grit for major chip removal. I personally love this plate for its size. With the 10in X 4in dimensions, it overlaps all my whetstones and can get my stones perfectly flat. It will last a really long time and coming in at $100 for a lapping plate, it is a great investment if you want to go the extra mile. Alternatively, you can get cheaper flattening stones that work, but I haven’t found one that works as fast as this one. also unlike the 162H this the lapping plate is made of stainless steel, so you can use water and not worry about rust.
Sharpal 162N — 325 / 1200 Grit Diamond Plate
My go-to choice for knives that require serious sharpening is a diamond plate. These plates cut quickly, maintain a flat surface, and don’t require lubrication. The 325-grit side is perfect for chip repair and full bevel resets, while the 1200-grit side makes it an excellent option for beginners. If you are looking for a good dual stone on a budget, I recommend this diamond plate. The angle guide provided is also very handy for beginners.
If you choose to lubricate the plate, avoid using water, as it will cause rust. Instead, I recommend using honing oil or Windex, both of which work well.
Naniwa Chosera Pro — 600 Grit
One of the finest stones at this grit level, full stop. Cuts efficiently, dishes slowly, and gives you excellent feedback through the stone. For knives that don't need coarse work, this is often where I start. It bridges the gap between repair and the medium range beautifully. If sharpening properly, you can achieve a super bitey edge on just this stone.
Shapton Kuromaku — 1000 Grit
My Favorite stone in my kit. This is where the working edge is built and where I raise my burr. Hard, fast-cutting, stays flat longer than most. If you're only buying one stone, I recommend you buy this one.
Naniwa S2 Advanced Super Stone — 5000 Grit
My primary finishing stone. After the Kuromaku builds the edge, the Super Stone polishes and refines it — producing an almost unbeatable polished edge and performs beautifully across almost every kitchen knife. This is where the majority of knives I sharpen finish before the strop.
Strops
If buying one is too expensive you can always make one. get a flat block of wood, veg tan leather, and some glue, and you got yourself a strop.
A leather strop is one of the simplest tools you can add to your knife maintenance routine, yet it can make a dramatic difference in edge performance. After sharpening on stones, the very edge of a blade often has microscopic burrs and irregularities. Stropping on leather—often with a fine polishing compound—removes those remnants and aligns the edge, leaving the knife noticeably sharper and smoother in use. The result isn’t just a keener edge, but one that glides through food with less resistance. For chefs and home cooks alike, a quick pass on a strop between sharpenings can keep knives performing at their best and extend the time between full sharpening sessions.
Beginner stones
you don’t need my full set up to get your knives sharp. most stones you will ever need is a 1000 Grit whetstone. If you are looking to start your sharpening journey but don’t want to break the bank, here are a few other stones I recommend.
Naniwa Combination Stone 220/1000 & 1000/3000
This stone will sharpen every knife in your kitchen effectively. The 220 grit is excellent for establishing an edge on dull blades, while the 1000 grit provides a smooth polish. This polished finish is ideal for softer western steels. This stone comes in at around $28
The yellow/red stone is a 1000/3000 grit if you feel like 220 is a bit over kill for your needs. The 3000 grit will let you achieve a more polished edge. Price: $31