when to use fine and course side of whet stone

If your knife is severely blunt then you will need to start with a rough-grit whetstone, starting on the rougher side. On the other hand, if your knife only needs to be touched up and doesn’t need much sharpening (but it’s too much for a strop to do) then you should start on the fine-grit side of the stone.

Full Answer

How do you use a whetstone?

With your knife firmly in your hand and at the right angle, push and pull it against your whetstone. Use your non-dominant hand to press down on the blade when you are pulling. DO NOT add pressure when you are pushing.

What is a whet stone?

Despite the sound of the name, the term “whet” means “to sharpen,” and no oil or water is necessary to use with this stone. Whetstones, like other sharpening stones, usually feature two sides with separate grit: one coarse, and the other fine.

Do you have to soak a whetstone before use?

But there is also a variety of traditional whetstones made of real stone, and those are usually soaked in water or oil before use as well. There are many types of whetstones available on the market to choose from — but first, it's important to know what honing is and why you should be doing it.

What is a coarse Whet stone?

The coarse stone removes a lot of material quickly, making it ideal for shaping a dull blade or restoring a damaged edge. These whetstones feature large grain sizes, typically below 1000 grit. In a basic sense, the lower the grit, the coarser the stone. While a coarse stone can quickly sharpen a dull blade, it can damage it if misused.

Which side of my whetstone is coarse?

The number on your whetstone represents the coarseness and the lower it is the coarser it is.

How do you know which side of a whetstone is fine?

If you're right-handed, when sharpening the first side, the blade should be at the left end of the stone with the remaining part of the blade cantilevering the stone. When repeating this on the other side, usually this will feel strange as you're not holding the knife handle with your dominant hand.

Do you sharpening with coarse or fine first?

Sharpening Knives To sharpen a very dull knife, use first the coarse and then the fine side of the whetstone; to sharpen a blade in better shape, use only the fine side.

What is the coarse side of a knife sharpener for?

0:092:03Using a Handheld Sharpener - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow eventually you're going to have to sharpen your knife. And that's when you're going to use theMoreNow eventually you're going to have to sharpen your knife. And that's when you're going to use the coarse side. So it actually takes steel off that blade.

Which side of whetstone goes first?

coarse sideIf your whetstone has a coarse and fine side, begin with the coarse side. The same goes if you have multiple whetstones.

Should you push or pull on a whetstone?

Depends on the stone. If it's a countertop wetstone, then you want to angle the blade slightly, while you pull and slide outwards. You never want a purely straight pull. If it's a handheld micro-sharpener, then (while holding the blade at the sharpener designated angle) out and up, minding your fingers and wrist.

What order do you use a sharpening stone?

4:137:41A Guide to Choosing and Using a Whetstone or Sharpening StoneYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo the general rule of thumb is the higher the angle. The more durable your edges.MoreSo the general rule of thumb is the higher the angle. The more durable your edges.

How do you use a whetstone guide?

0:192:50How to Sharpen a Knife on a Whetstone - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then about ten times on the other side. And then I will gradually do fewer and fewer strokes onMoreAnd then about ten times on the other side. And then I will gradually do fewer and fewer strokes on each side. Until I'm down to just about one stroke on each side.

What is the correct way to sharpen a knife?

2:266:19How to Sharpen a Knife: Beginners Tutorial - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd remind yourself of the angle you'll find after a few times that you can put the knife down byMoreAnd remind yourself of the angle you'll find after a few times that you can put the knife down by memory. From there you want to run the blade up the stone at that angle an even number of times per.

What is coarse Whetstone?

Whetstone Grit grade can be classified into three categories as follows: Coarse stones: these are stones with a grit grade number of less than 1000. They are used on damaged knives as it will rid of any chips or nicks on the blade easily.

What Does 1 and 2 mean on knife sharpener?

2. Use the "coarse" setting for very blunt knives that need to be reshaped. Most manual sharpeners have at least 2 settings: 1 labeled "coarse," and 1 labeled "fine." The coarse setting will actually remove steel from the blade to resharpen the edge, while the fine setting is used for everyday knife maintenance.

What is coarse sharpening?

Coarse sharpening stones (grain size 0/600) are used to restore the shape of a chef's or pocket knife. As such coarse sharpening stones are also used for blunt knives that haven't been sharpened in quite some time. These stones ensure that you don't have to sharpen your knife for a long time with minimal results.

What is a whetstone?

As explained by Cook's Illustrated, a whetstone is simply a stone block that acts as a sharpening tool for knives. These days, most commercial whetstones are synthetic, and typically feature two sides: one with a coarse grit, and the other with a fine grit. To appropriately sharpen a knife — more on the exact technique later — you pull ...

How long do you soak a whetstone?

Japanese sharpening stones, for instance, really are "wet" stones, and must be soaked in water for anywhere from 30 minutes to more than 24 hours. Arkansas stone, on the other hand, should be spread with mineral oil before use.

How often should I sharpen a kitchen knife?

According to Howe Sharp, kitchen knives — from a paring knife all the way up a chef's knife — should be professionally sharpened once or twice a year, and at home they should be honed after every two to four uses. What is honing, you might ask? Well, that's where a whetstone comes in.

How to make a knife out of a stone?

To start, just place the stone, coarse side up, on a secure surface such as a rubber placemat or some damp paper towels. You'll then face the knife away from you, drawing the blade down the stone at a slight angle several times, then flipping the knife over and repeating the process on the other side of the blade.

What happens when a sharp knife wears out?

When these teeth wear away, according to the brand, the knife loses its cutting power, and you'll be pressing down ...

What is the most important tool in the kitchen?

As any good cook knows, the single most important tool in the kitchen is your knife , or, rather, your collection of knives. As much as we love to go all out on fancy copper skillets, enameled cast iron pans, high-tech blenders, and other fun kitchen equipment, our knives — and how well we take care of them — are truly the most important factor ...

Why is it important to handle knives?

That's why it's important to handle these sensitive utensils with care, storing them appropriately and not just tossing them into the sink like you might do with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

How to keep a stone in place?

It’s important that the stone stays in one place. You can place it on a folded towel or a piece of rubberized shelf liner for stability. You can also go out to your garage and use a vice to hold the stone—simply use anything to hold it in place.

How to sharpen a knife with a whetstone?

Place other hand in the middle of the flat side of the blade, keeping your fingers flat and away from the sharp edge. Draw blade down the stone in a wide, circular manner, holding the blade at a constant angle until the tip of the knife runs off the other edge. Repeat several times, depending on dullness of blade.

How to tell if a knife blade is sharp?

To check if the first side is sharpened, carefully run your thumb perpendicular to the edge of the blade–when you can feel the burr from handle to tip, that side is sharp enough. (Safety tip: Do not run your finger parallel to the blade.)

How to sharpen a knife with a whetstone?

What I’ll teach you today is the push/pull method. With your knife firmly in your hand and at the right angle, push and pull it against your whetstone. Use your non-dominant hand to press down on the blade when you are pulling.

What is the name of the stone that is known for its beauty and fine grit?

You may have also heard of Belgian coticules (known for its spessartine) or Belgian blue ( limestone) whetstones. These two are highly-popular Ardenne stones that are known for their beauty and fine grit (more on grit soon). Unfortunately, these stones are not as abundant as they used to be.

What does "whetstone" mean?

You see, the term “whet” means “to sharpen.”. Therefore, “whetstone” is just another way of saying “sharpening stone.”. Any sharpening stone you see, you can just as well call it a whetstone – they are the same thing. Whet does not mean wet. Many people assume that whetstones need to be washed prior to use because of this name.

When you pull a knife, do you add pressure?

When the edge of the knife is facing away from you, only add pressure when you pull. On the flip side, when your knife is facing you, only add pressure when you push, never when you pull. This is to avoid your blade cutting into your whetstone – this damages both steel and stone.

What type of rock do samurai use?

Because of the country’s geology, they have a very special type of stone. It’s a sedimentary rock similar to novaculite, only it is softer and clay-like. This rock is used to create some of the finest grit whetstones on earth. These are the stones that the Samurai would use to keep their katanas razor-sharp.

What is the grit size of a stone?

In the low category are the hardest of the hard stones. These are the stones with grit sizes from 0 to 320. If an edge needs a lot of work, these are the stones you need.

What is synthetic whetstone?

Synthetic Whetstones. The word “synthetic” often stirs up images of plastics and fakes in people’s minds. When it comes to whetstones, however, this only means “man-made.”. The materials used to make synthetic whetstones are also found in nature. The only difference is that they need to be manufactured first.

Basic types of Whetstones

A whetstone can be categorized into different types depending on grit grade, usage, manufacturing process, nature of materials, etc. That’s why beginners find it confusing when choosing the right whetstone. Now to keep it simple, let’s just say three basic types of Whetstones are available in the market :

Choose the Right Whetstone

For most beginners, identifying the right whetstone becomes a confusing task. They often misunderstand the grit grade numbers of whetstones, thinking the higher the grit number, the better quality. But grit numbers do not work that way.

Why use a whetstone?

The whetstones of lower grit grades help a lot in getting rid of chips and nicks on the knives. These whetstones should not be used to sharpen the knives who have lost their sharpness to a little extent as it can take a lot of material off of knives. So, it’s better to use them only for the dull knives.

What is a medium grit stone?

These whetstones are used for sharpening the majority of knives, razors and scissors. Medium grade grit stones give you a razor-sharp knife, enough to cut the hair on your arms.

How many grits are in a whetstone?

The high grit grade whetstones have 3000 to 5000 grits. They are not much abrasive but abrasive enough to bring an already sharpened knives to the next level of perfect sharpness. Apart from sharpening the knives, they also give a little bit of finishing touch to their edges.

What is a grit?

Grits are the small particles that make a whetstone. The grit grade or grit size is the measurement of the abrasiveness of whetstones. It refers to the coarseness and fineness of a whetstone. Whetstones of different grit grades sharpen a particular type of knife. The lower the grit grade is, the coarser the stone will be.

How many grits do you need for a kitchen knife?

First of all, if your knives are dull and overused, you must have whetstones of less than 1000 grits to reshape and repair them.

What are sharpening Stone grits?

A sharpening stone usually has a coarse side and a finer side that is going to reshape your edge to get it back thin in order to make it sharpen. The metal is peeled off to get a sharp fine edge to get things cut easily and neatly.

What are the Basic Types?

Oil stones These usually require the use of oils and hence leave oil residues on the instruments hence these are a bit messy. Also, they have a slower sharpening rate. The best part about these is that they give you a nice polish in the end.

What is the Basic Structure?

Sharpening stone grit simply two things. One is the grit and the other is the base.

How to Use?

Start at the heel and time it so that it goes all the way across. You go from one side to the other. Make sure that your stone alternate from side to side to keep your bevel centered. Do three times on one side and then three times on the other. Once you get that V established, you can go from the coarser side to the finer side.

How do I know what angle to use?

A smaller angle gives more sharpness while a greater angle gives durability to the knife. You just need to know what you require. the preferred angle for sharper knives is between 20 to 25 degrees.

Why do we use Grit stones?

Great stones are used for sharpening the surfaces they can be used for a variety of tasks.

How to handle?

One can sharpen its product with grit stones with great care It requires the use of a clean surface and calm environment for sharpening the stones one has to increase the fineness of grit stones step-by-step.