King KDS Whetstone 1000/6000 Grit, Double-Sided (Stone Only)

After using diamond stones for several years, I decided to upgrade to water stones. After much research, this combination stone seemed to be the best option as far as quality and price. I was not disappointed.The stone arrived wrapped well in bubble wrap, but the tight bundle was then placed loosely in a much larger box and allowed to tumble freely inside. A corner of the 6000 grit side was damaged, but the stone is otherwise intact.I didn't notice anyone mentioning this in other reviews, but my stones have a distinct odor. It's not something I expected, not sure if my stones are unusual in that respect. So, I mention it here as my observation.I had no difficulty in developing a slurry and sharpening many types of tools and knives.The fine surface finish left by the 1000 stone is unlike fixed abrasive products like sandpaper and diamond stones. The surface of the sharpened item has no distinct "scratch pattern" but rather a "cloudy" or "frosted" appearance. The 6000 grit surface yields the same style of finish, but just shy of mirror polish.Using green honing compound on a pine strop brings the finish to a bright, flawless mirror finish somewhat faster and easier than I can get from my diamond plates (which only go to 1200 grit).Very pleased with my purchase and enjoy my new sharpening stones.

This is one of the best stones in the market. It's a soaking stone, and you can submerge all of it, even the 6000 side.The 1000 side cuts very fast and develops a burr with a few passes on each side. It is a soft stone that gives a slurry fast, so it's great for sharpening Japanese knives. But may need to flatten it specifically for single bevel knifes.The 6000 side is for polishing the edge. Specially for Cooks that work with raw fish or herbs as they won't oxidize as quickly with a polished blade. Gives a beautiful mirror polish. This side is very hard and works best using a nagura stone to get a slurry going.

I got this stone as a beginner, which I know now I probably shouldn't have done. The stone is amazing at first, but being new to it all I hadn't looked into using a whetstone a lot. The concept of leveling stones never occurred to me, and of course this didn't come with one and the manual is all in Japanese.After a short while you will wear down a spot in the middle of the stone if you are not keeping it level with a leveling stone. It's also fairly easy to cut grooves into this stone if you're a beginner. The stone also had a terrible chemical smell when I opened it that didn't go away for months. The fine side took on stains etc extremely easily and I cannot stand the feel of it on the blade, it doesn't feel right at all.Despite the flaws you can still obtain very good results using the stone. However, with all of the quirks associated with this stone, in my opinion a diamond stone is just far superior all around.

Really like these stones, for the money you can't beat them. Seller was great too

I'm coming from a sharp pebble stone 1k/6k grit combination stone. Stones within that price range are mostly rebrands from one particular source. Let me begin with surface area. You'll be pleased with the extra surface area the KDS provides as it really speeds up sharpening time especially if you have larger knives. I used my Dalstrong Shogun 6" utility knife to test out how fast I could develop a burr (AUS-10V, 62 rockwell). The 1K side developed a burr fairly quickly and provided really good feel as I was sharpening. It also felt really smooth and consistent throughout. The 6K side felt super smooth and compared to the 6K side on the sharp pebble, it was pathetic to say the least. The stone does not wear as quickly and the 1K provided a good amount of slur and wasn't overwhelming. HOWEVER,the 1K side is a super thirsty stone. I recommend soaking it for 20-40 minutes.DO NOT SOAK the 6K SIDE. If you want to, soak for about 2 minutes TOPS! I recommend to use the 6K side as a splash-and-go.Pair this stone with a proper whetstone holder and you won't be disappointed. Save your money for this stone and a whetstone holder. Don't waste your money on "budget" stones. After using this stone, I lost faith in "budget" stones.

King KDS Whetstone 1000/6000 Grit, Double-SidedYou got your 1000 grit side for gettin' your blades sharp quick, and then flip it over for the 6000 grit to make 'em crazy sharp and smooth.It's a big ol' stone, so you got plenty of room to work your magic. Basically, this one stone can handle most of your sharpenin' needs, no sweat.Just gotta soak it in water 'til it stops bubblin' – it's that kinda stone. Made in Japan, so you know it's the real deal. If you wanna get your edges wicked sharp, this King stone is where it's at.This review represents my personal opinion and experience with this product. I am not affiliated with the manufacturer or seller, and this review should not be interpreted as an endorsement or professional advice. Any reliance on the information provided is at your own risk.