Cerax Whetstone #5000

Sharpening stones with a grit rating #3000+ are used for polishing the blade edge. These stones have a very fine scratch pattern that gives your knives that mirror shine, which they had when they were new. Polishing stone are also used to refine the burr on the blade giving it ultra-fine teeth, which result in razor sharpness. Often called a finishing stone these whetstones are the final stage in the sharpening process and while you could stop at the sharpening stone level (#800-#3000) a polishing stone will almost certainly elevate your knives cutting capability to a professional level. The Suehiro Cerax whetstone #5000 is premium polishing stone with very high quality abrasive material and minimal bonding agents.

The Suehiro Cerax whetstone #5000 grit is a great stone for those looking to breathe life back into their kitchen knives. This stone is not really for repair work or re-setting the burr. We suggest using the #320 or #700 grit stone from the Cerax range if you are looking to repair chips or other damage on your knife edge. #1000-#3000 grit stones are primarily used to re-set and re-burr the blade. The Cerax #5000 grit stone from Suehiro is an entry level polishing stone and will give a moderate mirror shine and an ultra-shape edge. If you are working with premium blades like the Tanaka or Kurosaki ranges we would suggest that you consider an even higher grit whetstone like the #6000 or #8000.

After sharpening and polishing a few of our knives we found that the Suehiro Cerax whetstone #5000 is a high-performance stone that cuts quite fast. We only require around 3 passes to achieve a nice mirror shine. The star attraction on these stones is the tactile feedback. You can really feel the edge of the blade against the stone and easily get a sense that the angle is correct.

The Cerax #5000 grit stone from Suehiro along with a good quality repairing stone (up to about #800) and sharpening stone (#1000-#3000) is all you need to keep your knives in good condition. Modern Cooking stocks a range of Suehiro whetstones as well as some other brands to suit each of these purposes. We also recommend regularly using a honing steal to keep you burr straight and true between sharpening’s.

We also have an entry level knife sharpening kit that includes a sharpening steal and sink bridge. However, we also have professional sharpening kits and whetstones for those who are really serious about knife care and maintenance.