King Combination Whetstone 1000/6000

If you're just starting out and not sure sharpening by hand is even your thing, this is the stone to find out with, without dropping real money on it. The King combination stone has been the beginner classic for decades, and for good reason. Two grits on one stone: 1000 for the actual sharpening, 6000 for the finishing pass after.

One thing that trips people up the first time: this stone needs to soak before use, ideally a full 10 minutes fully submerged, not just a quick splash. That's different from the pricier ceramic stones further down this list, which you wet for a few seconds and go.

Good for: your very first stone, period. All the kitchen knives in the house, and a low-stakes way to get a feel for freehand sharpening.

Pros:

• Cheap entry point, low risk if it's not for you
• Soft stone gives good tactile feedback, you can feel what you're doing
• Two grits on one stone covers most of what a beginner needs

Cons:

• Needs soaking before every use, no splash-and-go

• Softer stone wears faster and needs flattening more often (see the flattening stone further down)

• If you already have some sharpening experience, you'll hit its limits fast

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