Naniwa Sharpening Stone 1000 grit

Using a 1,000 grit Naniwa Superstone, we start removing the scratch pattern left by the previous stones. If the razor didn’t need any edge repair, we start sharpening using this grit. The 1k grit stone is the foundation of razor sharpness. Most knife users declare a knife more than sharp enough off of a 1k stone. In fact, DMT calls their 1.2k diamond plate extra fine. Its been said before and we’ll say it again; where knife sharpness ends, razor sharpness begins. While I and other lifelong straight razor users can actually shave using this stone, the comfort level is extremely low. It is also extremely difficult, requiring years of practice to pull off.

The 1k stone removes very little metal if only used for a few laps. We usually start at this grit level to remove any bad steel or secondary bevels. Starting on a fresh canvas is important to our honing process. If the razor was professionally honed previously, NOS, or in excellent shape, we proceed to the next step. At this grit level, we perform as many strokes (back & forth) as necessary. For a razor in very good condition, we only do a few laps. For razors coming off of the coarser grits or with a double bevel, we do as many as 100 laps to remove the scratches left by the coarser hones or remove the secondary bevel.

Average time spent: 5-10 minutes