Water Stones

We offer Toishi Ohishi sharpening stones from Japan (many various grits) and a combination grit stone from Norton USA.

In Japan, sharpening is not simply a maintenance task—it is regarded as a fundamental art form and an essential part of craftsmanship. The Japanese hold the belief that exceptional work can only be achieved when using a blade that is perfectly sharpened. This deep cultural respect for sharpening reflects in every aspect of their woodworking tradition. It’s not only the high quality of Japanese tools that inspires admiration among craftsmen around the world, but also the precision and dedication with which these tools are maintained and sharpened.

Japanese edge tools—such as chisels, hand planes, kiridashis, and knives—are traditionally honed on finely crafted Japanese waterstones. These stones are specially formulated to deliver a superior edge with refined control and smoothness. Among these, Ohishi waterstones stand out for their consistent performance and ability to produce a razor-sharp edge with remarkable efficiency.

Ohishi stones have earned an outstanding reputation internationally. In the UK, renowned cabinetmaker and teacher John Lloyd has praised their effectiveness, and in the United States, the prestigious Lie-Nielsen Toolworks has adopted Ohishi as their sharpening stone of choice. Their endorsement is a testament to the stones' quality and reliability in professional settings.

At Classic Hand Tools, we are proud to offer the complete range of Ohishi sharpening stones. We have been selling these oustanding stones for over a deacde now and we always receive good feedback on their effectiveness. Whether you are a seasoned woodworker or a passionate hobbyist, these stones will help elevate your sharpening routine to a new level of precision and excellence.

Waterstones are synthetic stones designed to be softer than oil stones. These softer grade stones are used with water as the lubricant (versus oil) to develop a fast cutting slurry. 

The stones we offer here are all 8" (200mm) x 3" (75mm) x 1" (25mm) and are suitable for sharpening chisels, plane blades, kitchen knifes, cut throat razors etc. They can be used with honing guides from Lie- Nielsen Toolworks or Veritas.

We now only offer the combination stone 4000/8000 grit from Norton.