Yoshihiro Professional Grade Toishi Japanese Whetstone Knife Sharpener Water Stones (#3000 grit)

The best knives require special care and consideration. The steel of a knife from Yoshihiro Cutlery was forged with careful attention by master craftsman heated and quenched through many laborious steps. The final product being a steel that is of the appropriate hardness with enough elasticity for inner structural integrity. A key component of knife care is knife sharpening. At Yoshihiro we offer 3 different grades of stones that run the gamut from coarse to fine and are essential tools for proper knife care. A #1000 grit "Arato" stone is best used for repairing damaged and very dull knives. The stone is abrasive which takes off a lot of material for refashioning a dull edge. A #3000 grit "Nakato Shiage" stone is best used for creating a sharp polished edge. This stone is necessary to maintain the blade's edge and is recommended for routine sharpening. An #8000 grit "Shiage" Fine Finishing stone is best used for creating an even more refined and honed edge. Yoshihiro Toishi Whetstones are much larger than ordinary Japanese whetstones which help to sharpen more evenly. The wideness of the stone which measures 3 inches across gives more surface area to accurately sharpen longer blades, and at 1 inch in height has enough material to provide years of use. Weighing over 2 pounds with a sturdy wooden base attached on the bottom, our stones are also more stationary and less prone to slipping making for a safer sharpening experience. Yoshihiro whetstones are also the highest quality water stones available, encapsulating superior sharpening particles that bring out finest edge of a blade. The Nagura stone is a small conditioning stone that is a valuable accompaniment to a Japanese whetstone. The Nagura stone is used to create a slurry on the whetstone which helps sharpens the blade more effectively. Also it clears away metal particles and is used to gently flatten a whetstone during use.