Kota Japan Combination Dual Sided 3000-8000 Grit Diamond Knife Sharpener Whetstone Set for Coarse Sharpening & Fine Polishing. Water Stone Kit | Adjustable Bamboo Holder Base | Precision Blade Guide

I've always bought cheap knives because I didn't know how to properly take care of them. Whetstones always intimidated me because I was sure I wouldn't be able to maintain a proper angle, but I decided to give it a try. Imagine my delight when I found it came with an angle guide! Now a quick warning: the angle guide is quite stiff at first, but don't be tempted to slide it down your knife. It WILL scratch the surface. It's just an aesthetic thing and not a problem for my cheap knives, but I'll be very careful when I upgrade to remove and replace the angle guide each time instead of sliding it down the blade. I watched a YouTube tutorial for how to use this before starting, and it was actually a really fun, calming, meditative process. The instructions that come with the set are also very clear and well written. My first attempt was a success; definitely not perfect, but an extremely obvious improvement in sharpness. I also purchased a leather strop and truing stone separately, and all together it cost less than paying to have them sharpened professionally. As others have noted, you'll want to really thoroughly dry out the stone after using it so it doesn't mold. It might seem dry on the surface, but don't let that fool you. All in all, don't be intimidated by whetstones. As long as you go slow, do a little bit of research on YouTube, and take your time, this kit will pay for itself almost immediately.

My husband used to process animals for meat and he talked about the sharpening stones they used to keep the blades sharp. After he told me about them I was finally able to give him a gift he could appreciate and use. The ones they used on the processing floor were sharpened by this style and type of set only bigger. Perfect! He loves it!!! The kit came with angle support. I tend to sharpen in a way that the blade got a different angle, not now!

Definitely a good beginner whetstone. My reason for only giving it four stars is mostly due to all the extra stuff it comes with. The little stand is nice but it’s definitely uncomfortable when actually sharpening a knife. And the angle guard I feel gets in the way more than anything. However the stone as a standalone is very good just needs a five minute soak in water and works perfectly. I do a lot of prep in a restaurant and this is my go to stone because it is small and I can carry it with me.

Very nice. My first time using this for my straight edge razor. There’s definitely a learning curve but not difficult at all. I wish it did come with a storage bag/pouch. Otherwise this a solid product. 5/5⭐️

Quality and workmanship excellent.

I'm a beginner knife sharpening and these are my first stones. With the help of some YouTube videos, I learned to use them quickly and the 1000/6000 combo seems to be the perfect grade for our knifes. In addition I bought a leather strop kit here on Amazon as well, which was the final piece of the puzzle for me to be able to get our knives razor sharp and slice paper like on those pro YouTube videos. Tip: a) It is best to leave the stone in water to soak until the bubbles stop rising. b) You don't need to press the knife down too hard. Consistent repetition is the key AND finishing with the leather strop. c) After use, make sure you dry the stone for a few days. I put it back into the paper box and into a kitchen drawer too early (while apparently it was still moist inside) and in created a bunch of mold inside the box. So I threw the box away, I dry the stone on the window sill, where it now found it's permanent spot. d) Use the bamboo bottom. It is part of the system and it really helps holding the stone secure with it's non-slip rubber bottom surface.

After a visit with our son this summer, we felt he needed something like this for his kitchen. It was a Christmas present while they visited us from out of town and so it came with instructions from my husband for proper use. (essential for avoiding cuts). Since it looked sturdy and was from Japan where our son had just been, it seemed an ideal choice from many shown on the site.

Not just this stone but any water stone has to dry out a couple of days before you put it away. Otherwise mold develops. It is a good value and 1000/6000 is a good combination to put a good edge on and maintain it.