How do I keep a Japanese kitchen knife sharp?

Sharpen on a whetstone rather than a pull-through sharpener or a honing rod, both of which are too coarse for thin Japanese edges. A 1000-grit stone such as the Naniwa Chosera 1000 maintains most knives; add a 3000-grit or higher finishing stone for a keener edge, and wipe carbon-steel blades with a little food-safe mineral oil between uses to prevent rust.

Does Knives and Stones offer a knife sharpening service?

Yes. Alongside the whetstones and care products we stock, Knives and Stones sharpens Japanese knives by hand on whetstones, so you can either learn to sharpen your own edge with our tutorials or send a blade in for restoration.

Japanese Knife Sharpening & Care

Q: 如何讓日本廚刀保持鋒利？

使用砥石進行研磨，在兩次研磨之間輕柔地護刃，並以 Atoma 修平砥石維持平整，最後將刀身擦乾並上油以防生鏽。

Everything you need to keep a Japanese kitchen knife sharp: how to sharpen on a whetstone, which grit to buy, rust and patina care, and how to fix a chipped or dull edge.

Start here

What do you want to do?

Four short guides, written and filmed by us.

Technique

Sharpen on a whetstone

Freehand sharpening step by step — setting the angle, raising a burr, and finishing the edge.

Stones & grit

Which whetstone & grit to buy

Which stone to start with and what each grit is actually for.

Care

Rust, patina & care

Keep a blade from rusting, live with a patina, and lift stains safely.

Repair

Fixing a chipped or dull edge

Why an edge chips or goes dull, and how to grind it back on a stone.

Watch

From the Knives and Stones workshop

Our own sharpening and care tutorials — tap to play.

Shibata Bitey Finisher Sharpening Stone Compared Under the Microscope

Which 1000 Shapton to buy? The Professional (Kuromaku) vs Glass vs Rockstar

Naniwa Chosera 1000 vs Shapton Kuromaku 1000, the result will surprise you.

Knife Rust Prevention the Cheap Way, Tsubaki (Camellia) Oil Alternatives

Restoring a badly sharpened Japanese knife: the cause and the fix. You probably seen one before

Fixing a Japanese Knife Chip, Cheap as Chips

Japanese Kitchen Knife Sharpening Tutorial - Part 1 Free Hand Sharpening

Knife Sharpening Tutorial: a sharp knife does not mean it can cut, knife thinning explained

Sharpening Mistake: Counting How Many Strokes

Sharpening Stone for Less than $5 and Actually Works?

The Naniwa Chosera 800 and 1000 Sharpening Stones Compared

DIY Board Wax (Butter) with Beeswax, Mineral Oil and Coconut Oil

HOW TO USE: Koyo Sunlite Polishing Paste (Blue for Steel)

Questions about this

如何讓日本廚刀保持鋒利？

要維持日本刀的鋒利度，關鍵在於養成四個習慣：當刀刃變鈍時使用砥石研磨、在兩次研磨之間輕柔地整修刃口、確保砥石表面完全平整，以及使用完畢後立即擦乾刀身，絕不讓刀具處於潮濕狀態。

對大多數家庭料理愛好者而言，入門時只需準備中目數磨石即可。在 Knives and Stones 岩刃社，最適合新手且穩妥的首選是現貨供應的蝦印 Chosera 1000，建議搭配 400/1000/3000 的進階組合使用，並備有一片 Atoma 鑽石修平盤來維持磨石平整。磨石是否平整，正是決定刀具能否真正鋒利的關鍵所在。

保養與研磨實為一體：剛研磨好的刀刃若任其潮濕仍會生鏽，而疏於維護的磨石則會磨出圓鈍且不平整的刃口。下方四個頁面將依序為您解說各個步驟。

✓ Verified by Knives and Stones · 張志豪 · Reviewed 3 Jun 2026

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