What whetstone grit should a beginner buy first?

Start with a 1000-grit stone — it is the workhorse that re-sharpens a dull edge and the single most useful grit to own. The in-stock Naniwa Chosera 1000 is our standard recommendation; a 400/1000/3000 ladder or one of our Chosera bundles then covers chip repair, sharpening and finishing in one set.

Do I need more than one sharpening stone?

One 1000-grit stone is enough to keep a knife sharp. A coarse stone around 400 grit helps with chips and very dull edges, and a 3000-grit-plus finishing stone refines the apex — our Naniwa Chosera bundles pair these so you do not have to assemble a set piece by piece.

Which Whetstone & Grit Should I Buy?

Q: 我該為日本刀選哪種砥石與番手？

日常磨刀從 1000 番開始；再加一塊 400 番做修補、一塊 3000 以上做細化。若只買一塊，1000 番是最值得的第一塊砥石。

Choosing your first sharpening stone: what 400, 1000, and 3000-plus grits do, and the in-stock Naniwa Chosera ladder and bundles we recommend.

Watch

From the Knives and Stones workshop

Our own sharpening and care tutorials — tap to play.

The Naniwa Chosera 800 and 1000 Sharpening Stones Compared

Questions about this

我該為日本刀選哪種砥石與番手？

如果只買一塊砥石，就選 1000 番：它足以把鈍刀磨利，又細到能留下鋒利、可直接下廚的刀口。400 番負責缺口與大幅修型，3000 番以上則在你熟悉研磨後，用來進一步細化刀口。

社群對品牌的比較永無止境（Shapton Kuromaku、Glass 系列與 Naniwa Chosera 都有擁護者），下面的影片會示範這些對比。老實說，任何可信品牌的一塊平整、常用的 1000 番，都勝過一塊被隨便使用的高級砥石。

我們的 K&S 建議，只談目前有現貨的：以 Naniwa Chosera 1000 為基準，或直接購買 Chosera 1000/3000/5000 或 400/1000/3000 的套裝，再加一塊 Atoma 金剛石板保持平整。我們目前沒有販售 Shapton 1000，所以不會推薦我們無法出貨的石頭。

✓ Verified by Knives and Stones · James Zhang · Reviewed 3 Jun 2026

Keep reading