To maintain the sharpness of the edges and the shine of the tools, it is very important to invest one’s money in a good sharping stone or whetstone. Some may argue that using stones to sharp or file would be a bit labor extensive, but it does give a greater and better hold over the finished product.
Japanese water stones work little differently from other whetstones. Prior to its usage, it should be soaked in water.
How to know which whetstone to buy?
More than anything, one needs to find the perfect whetstone that suits the user’s purpose efficiently. A whetstone apt for a knife may not be one apt for a scissor.
Here are a few things to ensure before buying a Japanese whetstone:
- Grit: Unlike other stones, these Japanese stones are available in contrasting variant of coarse and fine grits. More than that, in Japan it is easily available to get hold of a double-sided whetstone. Most packages for a Japanese waterstone it is usually 1000 grit one side and 6000 grit on the other side.
- Quality: When one gets the product by a reputed third party, people tend to have more confidence in the product. It is important to put each package under a series of battery and serviceable test. The most perfect water stone would be the one, which could be used both by professionals and housewives.
- Durability and flexibility: Most of the Japanese water stones are best known for their resourceful and multi-tasking ability. The user would always prefer a water stone that is long-lasting, more substantial and is not cracked or muffled.
- Safety: It is a cardinal concern when it comes to safety. This is why eastern countries provide the initial stone with silicon/ bamboo or any such waterproof material. If the water stone keeps slipping from a badly designed cover, it is more likely to get cuts in the finger or the palm.
- User-friendliness: The way and ease with which one can use water stone depends upon its quality and also a bit on the manual instruction guide available with the whetstones. Just for over-soaking it in water for more than the prescribed time, one can find that the stone will moisten up for a while and dry a lot afterward. Thus an aiding guide is very much required to ensure there’s no wear and tear of the stone.
- Buying in piles: To save money, it is advisable to buy in bundles. Japanese knife sharpening kits constitute of double-sided whetstones with different grit sizes on both sides.
