Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is a fine whetstone, the fact that it has a Shun logo stamped on it is beside the point really as it has no bearing on the performance and I am relatively positive it is not made by KAI/Kershaw anyways.
The reason I detract one star is because you can not achieve a factory 'mirrorlike' edge with this whetstone. The fine side of the stone is 1000 grit, whereas you need at least a 3000 grit and probably more realistically a 5-6000 grit stone as well as very good technique to achieve a mirror like professional edge. That is not to say you cannot achieve a very sharp edge with 1000grit, you can, but it does have noticably more drag when cutting things like tomatoes and it will not stay sharp as long.
Shun does sell another combination stone which is 1000/3000 grit so I would probably choose that one over this one if I was only going to have one whetstone. I would say it is not that often that your knives will get dull enough to really need the 300 grit coarse side on this one (although if they do get that dull you will be mighty thankful you have the 300 grit).
Aside from purchasing another whetstone with a finer grit, other options for getting a 'mirrorlike' finish are using a fine grit ceramic honing rod, or using a leather strop with aluminum oxide honing paste (an old leather belt with tripoli paste from any hardware store works fine, although a wider strop makes the process easier). I mention these as alternatives because a good quality 6000 grit whetstone is not cheap.
If you doubt the importance of having a 'mirrorlike' finish on your blade, just ask anyone who has ever used a straight razor. The drag from a razor sharpened with a 1000grit stone will pull on the hairs, which actually makes you much more likely to cut yourself, that is why owning a good strop (and good sharpening/honing technique) is mandatory for using a straight razor.
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Shun 300/1000 Combination WhetstoneThe dual-sided 300 grit over 1000 grit of the Shun Combination Whetstone allows for sharpening knives and then honing the edges to a smooth finish. A rough to medium grit, this stone works best when wet down for both lubrication and cleaning. It comes gift boxed, so it makes a great gift for any kitchen enthusiast or butcher. The stone easily stores in a kitchen drawer when not in use.
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