Written by Maksim
I get questions about which stones to buy every week so I decided to make this guide. I divided the stones on my site into three categories already — For Knives, For Tools, For Razors — and here I show you exactly which order to use them in. You can replace JNS synthetic stones with other brands you already have. Same goes for strops and diamond plates.
For Knives
Three setups depending on budget and how serious you are. Start with at least Medium — Budget is fine to get started but you will want to expand it quickly.
Full Setup
Dark = synthetic | Gold = natural stone
Medium Setup
Dark = synthetic | Gold = natural stone
Budget Setup
Dark = synthetic | Gold = natural stone
For Razors
Razors need harder and finer stones than knives. If you are new to Jnats, do not start with razors — learn on knives first. When you understand slurry and pressure on softer stones, then move to razor work.
Full Setup
Dark = synthetic | Gold = natural stone | Use Asano Nagura on steps 5 and 6
Medium Setup
Dark = synthetic | Gold = natural stone | Use Toma Nagura on the natural stone step
Which Natural Stone to Pick
Once you know which setup you want, here is how to choose the natural stone for it:
| Use | Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen knives, beginner | Lv 1.5–3 | Soft and fast. Very forgiving. Great for learning. |
| Kitchen knives, advanced | Lv 3–4 | Finer finish. Good kasumi results on jigane. |
| Tools (chisels, planes) | Lv 2.5–4 | Same as knives. Suita stones work very well for tools. |
| Razor beginner | Lv 3–3.5 | Learn slurry and pressure here before going to Lv 5. |
| Razor pre-finisher | Lv 4–4.5 | Use with nagura. Bridge between synthetic and final finisher. |
| Razor final finisher | Lv 5+ | Very fine, very hard. Use with Koma or Tenjyou nagura. Experienced users only !!! |
About Nagura
Nagura are small stones you rub on your main stone to create slurry faster and control the cutting characteristics. For knives on softer Jnats you often do not need them — the stone raises slurry on its own. For harder stones and for razors, nagura are very important.
I only recommend and sell Asano certified nagura. The Asano stamp guarantees authenticity and quality. Many sellers offer uncertified nagura of very inconsistent quality — do not buy them.
| Nagura | Use for |
|---|---|
| Botan | Fastest slurry. Use on hard stones for knives or to start razor progression. |
| Tenjyou | Medium. Transition from Toma slurry to finer work. |
| Mejiro | Fine. Good for knives and razor prep on Lv 3.5–4 stones. |
| Koma | Very fine. For razor pre-finishing on Lv 4–4.5 stones. Scarce and expensive. |
| Tomo | Finest of all. For razor finishing on Lv 5 stones only. Very rare. |
Read more in the Naguras wiki page and the Diamond Plates vs Naguras page.
That's it :) If you are still not sure what to get, just message me on WhatsApp and I will tell you exactly what to buy for your knives or razors.