Naniwa ARATA #3000 Grit Naniwa Japanese Whetstone Set for Knives + Carrying Case Holder – Coarse + Kikusumi FIXIT Eraser + Sharpening Guide

SPECS: 

TYPE:  Splash & Go 

GRIT: #3000 Finishing

DIMENSION:   210 x 70 x 15mm (8.3 x 2.8 x 0.6″)

WEIGHT:   696g (24.6oz)

MAKER: Naniwa

SERIES: ARATA

ABRASIVE: white aluminium oxide 

COHESIVE AGENT: magnesium-bound

COLOR:  Red

ORIGIN:  Osaka, Japan

UPC:  4955571255358

*This stone comes with a plastic carrying case that doubles as a whetstone stand.

*We include a Kikusumi FIXIT Eraser + KIKUSUMI SHARPENING GUIDE

#3000 GRIT USES

The ARATA #3000 is a hard finishing whetstone that offers the highest level of speed and performance.  Great as a final stone (#800/#3000 combo) or can be used as a 3rd step preceding an ultra fine finishing whetstone. It gives your knives a very clean and polished edge.  It can be used to improve the sharpness of planers, chisels, hunting knives, carving knives, scissors, hammer blades, stainless steel blades, cooking knives, and other precision blades.  If you are sharpening Japanese knives, this stone will reduce your sharpening time at each step up to finer grit stones.  For those seeking smooth pathway to a silkier edge for their knives. For professionals that want to save time sharpening and get the very best edge on the knife blade #3000 ARATA is nice addition to a core whetstone set.

NANIWA ARATA

Naniwa ARATA is professional whetstone series that offers the quickest stones and highest level of performance.  At 15 mm thick, it is lightweight so very easy to carry around for the traveling chef.  Naniwa improved performance by controlling the grit sizes and distribution for more consistent and accurate cutting.  ARATA series are hard stones that provide audible feedback when sharpening and stone can be sharpened on both top and bottom. These are highly responsive, fast cutting, and able to handle knives of all Rockwell ratings up to 67 HRC.  A top of the line splash & go whetstone that will save you time and give outstanding results. 

DURABILITY

Based on the popular “Naniwa Chosera Stone”, the ARATA was made to be harder so there is less dishing over time.  These stones work fast and efficiently on stainless steel and high-carbon steel knives and tools.  Durability ranks it as one of the best.

HANDY CARRYING CASE / BASE

It comes inside a plastic carrying box that can fit up to two KAGAYAKIi stones.   The case is perforated on the bottom so water drains and acts as a stand when sharpening. On the bottom are 4 Silicon feet prevent the case from slipping when sharpening.  Light and compact to carry it protects your stones when traveling.  They can be set directly on water bridges or tables.

KIKUSUMI FIXIT ERASER

We also conveniently include a KIKUSUMI FIXIT Polishing/Rust Eraser for maintenance of the stone surface such as removing metal bits and stains.  If the stone’s performance is slowing down you can clean using a KIKUSUMI FIXIT eraser.  Wash the grinding stone with water and dry it thoroughly in the shade before storing it.

KIKUSUMI SHARPENING GUIDE

We developed a sharpening guide to help you get the most out of your Kikusumi knives & sharpening stones.  It covers the basics of good knife sharpening techniques based on the long history of Japanese methods.  How to prepare and care for your whetstones is also covered.

OVERALL  VALUE

Overall the ARATA series offers brilliant performance for splash & go whetstones that is portable and practical to use for professional cooks and sharpeners.  They are one of the fastest stones to sharpen on and should provide you with years of productive use for the professional.  We like the portability and quick usability of the ARATA series of stones and use it for Kikusumi pop-up events in Japan.  Naniwa is one of the most trusted brands in artificial whetstones and offers highest level of performance + reliability.  The thinner stones allow for better portability and access to high quality at a more reasonable price.

HOW TO USE 

Do not soak this whetstone. Simply set whetstone on the stand and apply water to the surface when ready to use. Rinse and wipe dry with a hand towel when done.  Use the Kikusumi FIXIT block to clean the whetstone after using.  Air dry at room temperature before storing in carrying case.  

*Do not leave whetstone in water.

HOW TO FLATTEN

It is important the whetstone is flat before each use.  Applying a nagura stone, dressing stone, or a flattening plate will help flatten the stone. Be sure to clean the entire surface of the whetstone when using any of these methods to optimize sharpening and ensure even wear of the whetstone’s surface.

WHY WHETSTONES?

To obtain a truly sharp edge, you must hand sharpen your Japanese knives with Japanese water stones. The process of sharpening on a stone is like sanding wood.  Each pass of the whetstone cuts away material from the blade .  Dividing the blade in stages allows the sharpener to shape and polish the metal to an acute edge. Water stones come in a broad range of grits, from very rough to fine, for this purpose. They are referred to as water stones as water is the lubricant adding the sharpening process.