When do I use which grit of sharpening stone?
Summary of grits (Japanese standard, JIS scale):
240: For coarse pre-grinding to restore the cutting edge geometry. For particularly dull knives or knives with chips.
1000: For burr removal or for honing the knife or straightening the cutting edge.
3000: Used for fine sharpening and results in a finer cutting edge. For knives that are still in good condition, you can also try this grit for simple honing.
6000: Ideal for polishing: only at this grit does a razor-sharp blade emerge, which splits paper simply by pressure.
8000 – 12000: High-gloss polishing for extremely fine cutting edges. Only makes sense if you have a knife with very good steel or for razors that require an extremely fine cutting edge (61° HRC+ or carbon steel).
Leather strop with sharpening paste: due to the elasticity of the leather, the cutting edge becomes more stable. Depending on the grit of the sharpening paste, a good polish is achieved.
