Affordable Japanese Sharpening stones for Indian woodworkers

Kai Japanese Waterstone. [Image courtesy www.kaiindia.in]

Any woodworker worth his name knows the value of Japanese sharpening stones. There can be no better means of sharpening hand tools of all kinds, whether it be chisels, marking knives or plane irons. In my humble opinion, even diamond stones cannot compare. Ceramic stones or waterstones, as they are popularly called (though there are differences between them), cut very fast and leave a super sharp edge.

The problem is they are very expensive, especially for Indian woodworkers. Very few sellers in India stock these stones and more often than not they have to be imported at considerable cost. A single decent stone of 400 grit could cost as much as Rs 5,000 and the finer grit stones upwards of 10,000 rupees each. A full set of sharpening stones would set you back by 20,000 rupees or more. This is far too much for the average Indian woodworker, which is why most Indian woodworkers don't even consider adding Japanese water stones to their workshops.

Recently, however, I discovered what could be an affordable alternative for Indian woodworkers. A Japanese company called KAI is selling their waterstones at very affordable prices in the Indian market. This company, a reputed global knife manufacturer, was established way back in 1908 in a small town in Japan called Seki City, which is a historical centre for blade making. Since then the company has branched out all over the world. Ten years ago, KAI set up a manufacturing plant in India at Neemrana, Rajasthan.

I have been buying knives from KAI for a while now. I also happen to be a hobbyist chef and delight in using good quality knives , which are critical for preparing ingredients properly. Just as a woodworker enjoys using good quality tools, so does a chef enjoy a good quality knife. The knives I have purchased from KAI, some of which are quite expensive, are absolutely top quality, particularly the ones made in Japan.

Recently, while going through their online store (www.kaiindia.in) I suddenly found that they also sell sharpening stones. I immediately ordered a coarse stone (400 grit) from Kai for Rs 1487, shipping included.

I was pleased to find that the stone they had sent was actually pretty good. It was somewhat smaller in size than standard Japanese waterstones but not too small either. It was an inch thick, a little less than 8 inches long and 7 cm or 2.75 inches wide. The stones are good enough for sharpening even the 2 3/8th inch plane irons.

Kai sells three stones of different grits: 400 (Rs 1487), 1000 (Rs 1853) and 3000 (Rs 2210). They all come with a plastic base which obviates the need for a separate holder. The base holds water and the stones could be spritzed with as much water as necessary without making a mess. I plan to pick up all three (I already have two of them) because I think they are quite a bargain considering that the entire set adds up to Rs 5,550, which frankly is a smashing deal.

The stones I received from Kai were very well packed and arrived promptly. I don't think these stones are made in their India factory because their boxes and sides are marked in Japanese which is quite incomprehensible. I suspect the stones are made either in China or in Japan. Whatever, I think they are great stones at this price point. It would be unfair to compare them with the far more expensive Naniwa, Suheiro or Shapton stones. The cheapest of those stones will cost 5000 rupees.

Kai Waterstone Box

Sharpening my kitchen knives with the KAI stones produced a very sharp edge indeed. For a mirror finish, I would recommend using a strop charged with green compound. To know more about making a strop see Paul Seller’s blog on the subject at https://paulsellers.com/2018/07/making-your-own-strops/.

Be aware that the 400 and 1000 grit stones are not very large and just about wide enough for sharpening the widest plane iron. It is also rather soft, as are most ceramic stones and care should be exercised while sharpening chisels and plane blades. It is quite easy to gouge the stones and render them unfit. Also, the stones would require periodic flattening or truing. This is the case with all Japanese water stones. The only difference is some require flattening more often than others depending on their degree of hardness.

Decent sized stones, good enough for sharpening most tools

There are special flattening stones for truing these Japanese water stones. They are not very expensive but by the time you import them they will cost 3000 rupees or more. I have found it is not necessary to import a flattening stone. One effective alternative is 400 grit wet and dry sandpaper glued onto a small (8 inches by 3 inches) piece of float glass. This produces a very flat surface which is perfect for flattening Japanese stones.

I would recommend using a honing guide for sharpening. Sharpening by hand is fine for those who are adept at it but for the newbie and the average woodworker it is easy to inadvertently gouge the waterstone. A gouged stone can only be repaired by abrading a lot of material off the stone’s surface thereby reducing its life.

In all, I think that Kai stones are a great bargain and a wonderful way to start experimenting with Japanese waterstones and finding out what they are capable of doing to your hand tools. Best of luck.

Indranil Banerjie
7 June 2022