Shapton Kuromaku Whetstone Sharpening Stone Set Japanese 1000 5000 Grit Knife Sharpening Stones with Knife Sharpening Angle Guide

This Shapton Kuromaku whetstone set comes with two stones and a sharpening guide. The sharpening guide is made of pretty thin plastic and taped onto the outside of the stone packages. My guide suffered a long crack down one of the fins rendering it useless. This was unfortunate, but not the end of the world. The guide helps with keeping a consistent angle while working on a whet stone but I do have experience sharpening and can hold for the edge I like fairly consistently. Knife sharpening guides are also available on Amazon from various suppliers for under $10. As for the stones, they are very well made and each comes in its own case. The stones are clearly marked 1000 (medium) and 5000 (fine) grit which covers most kitchen sharpening tasks. The ceramic stones are of high quality, perfectly formed without flaws; all sides are absolutely flat. The stones fit into the indent on the top of each case which serves as your non-skid base for sharpening. Instructions are in Japanese but you can find them online in the listing. The use, care, and maintenance of these stones is the same as most whetstones; no oil needed. The cases are made of higher quality plastic, they have drain holes on the bottoms and non-skid feet, they close securely and allow for neat stacking of the stones in storage. The cases are different colors so you can instantly tell which stone you are selecting. These whetstones are excellent for all kinds of blades including santoku, double edged western style blades, and single bevel Japanese style knives such as many found on Global knives and sushi knives. I was able to make fairly quick work of our Global set, some of which have edge damage from heavy use. All are now extremely sharp again. While it is possible to sharpen pocket and hunting knives on these stones, it's easier to use other systems specifically for those knives that use diamond grit and precise angle clamps. Overall, this is a great whetstone set for the kitchen. Read more

These stones surprised me by actually coming from Japan, complete with Japanese instructions. There are no English instructions for use, though I guess these days you can translate them pretty well with your phone. Sometimes it's the little things that make a product a step up from the competition, and the cases on these are one of those little features. The stones come in pretty nice plastic cases with, gasp, little rubber feet so the stone doesn't slide around. Excellent! My last stones absolutely DID slide around and it was annoying in the extreme. On top of that, the cases are made to stack securely, so you can store one stone on top of the other with little fear of it slipping off and turning into lots of little stones. I keep saying "stone" in this review, but these are appear to be ceramic. This isn't a negative, as some of the most durable grinding tools I've used were ceramic grit-based, rather than natural stone. Sure, they aren't diamond, but they're plenty hard to last a nice, long while. I'm terrible at sharpening knives freehand, and while I'd love to review the little plastic knife sharpener thing these came with, the little plastic clip was already cracked and fell in two when I unwrapped the stones, and then my toddler son ran off with the remains, never to be seen again (the remains, not my son. He's too loud to lose). I see the plastic knife holder thing as a gimmick that wasn't advertised as an important part of the product and not really part of the stones, so no points off for it. I've done my best freehand, and can definitely state the knives are sharper afterwards than before, and it really doesn't take very long to get to a state where the edge is "arm hair shaving" which is, of course, the gold standard for sharpening kitchen knives. I'll see if I can't get some sort of jig to use with these stones, so I can properly keep the angle. I bet the knives will come out like razors. Read more

The Shapton Kuromaku Whetstone set, which includes the Orange 1000 grit and Wine 5000 grit stones along with a sharpening angle guide, is a practical and efficient choice for maintaining kitchen or utility knives. The 1000 grit stone is ideal for restoring dull blades and correcting minor edge damage, while the 5000 grit stone helps refine and polish the edge to a smooth finish. Together, they offer a balanced system for both sharpening and finishing, making it easier to achieve a consistent, sharp edge. One standout feature is the convenience, these ceramic stones don’t require soaking. A quick splash of water is all that’s needed to begin, which makes the process faster and less messy. The stones are also durable and stay flat through repeated use, meaning less maintenance and more sharpening. The included plastic cases double as both storage and a basic sharpening base, adding to the kit’s practicality. The angle guide is a useful addition, especially for beginners. It clips onto the knife to help maintain a steady sharpening angle, which is helpful for improving consistency and reducing the learning curve. Overall, this sharpening set offers solid performance with user-friendly features. It’s well-suited for both new users and those with more experience who want reliable results without a complicated setup. Read more