Niwaki Sharpening Stone
Whetstone

More Information

Fantastic sharpening stones, specially designed for secateurs but also great for shears, topiary clippers and other sharp stuff.

#220: coarse, for rough blades
#1000: fine, for regular sharpening - the most useful stone for regular sharpening: if you only get on stone, make it this one
#3000: super fine, for honing and detailed work

The bottom of each stone is slightly concave and designed in such a way that it fits the convex curve of the cutting blade perfectly on all our secateurs. This makes it easy to get the angle of attack correct, ensuring great sharpening results every time.

The flat face(s) of the stone are ideal for shears and topiary clippers and for removing the burr from reverse of the blade after you have used the concave face to sharpen secateurs.

They’re small enough to get into tight spots, so you can sharpen all the way along the blade, and come highly recommended by Japanese blacksmiths and our own master pruner, Jake Hobson.

Scroll down to watch an instructional video.

Tips

Soak until the bubbles stop rising before use (c.3 mins)
Be careful not to drop them – they will crack
Use the #1000 grit for a few minutes every week to keep your secateurs in top condition

#220	$19.50
#1000	$16.50
#3000	$19.50
All Three	$52.00
	exVAT

Delivering to US (Paying in USD) Edit

Niwaki Sharpening Stone • #220

136g
131 x 20 x 23mm
Made in Osaka, Japan
In Stock - Available to dispatch worldwide, contact us for showroom stock availability

Niwaki Sharpening Stone • #1000

136g
131 x 20 x 23mm
Made in Osaka, Japan
In Stock - Available to dispatch worldwide, contact us for showroom stock availability

Niwaki Sharpening Stone • #3000

136g
131 x 20 x 23mm
Made in Osaka, Japan
In Stock - Available to dispatch worldwide, contact us for showroom stock availability

Delivery

UK: (excluding Tripod Ladders)

Free delivery for orders over £100*
£4.00: Standard service via Royal Mail Tracked 48; typically 2–5 working days.
£7.50: Priority service via Royal Mail Tracked 24, DHL, FedEx, or UPS; typically delivered next working day by 6pm (excluding Sat/Sun and UK Bank Holidays) for orders received before 12pm GMT Mon–Fri (excluding UK Bank Holidays).

Global: (excluding Tripod Ladders)

Free delivery for orders over £/$/€100*
Price depends on location - adjust the COUNTRY tab in your basket to see the price.
We use DHL, FedEx, or UPS, and we’ll email you the tracking info.

*Customs fees may apply and are estimated during checkout. Surcharges may apply to some larger or heavier items to some areas.
* Please note Niwaki are not responsible for any import duty, taxes or fees incurred and these will be will be collected by our courier during customs clearance — For EU countries, when possible DHL will provide an estimate on the order confirmation page.

Sharpening Shears and Secateurs

Our Niwaki Stones work for just about every edged blade:

#220: coarse, for rough blades
#1000: fine, for regular sharpening - the most useful stone for every day sharpening
#3000: super fine, for honing and detailed work

For Secateurs:

NB. We strongly advise NOT taking your secateurs apart - they never go back together quite the same.

Soak stones in water for a few minutes before use, and keep wet during use
Use the concave edge of the stone, moving from the pivot towards the tip of the blade, following the curve as you go
FOR STRAIGHT BLADED SHEARS use the flat side of the stone
Then back again - back and forth along the whole length of the blade
Use as much of the stone as possible, not just the top inch
This is a gentle action - don’t use too much pressure
Next, turn the secateurs over, and use the flat side of the stone to smooth the burr off the inside of the blade, going slightly over, creating a very fine bevel
Use the convex edge of the stone to clean off the curved edge of the bypass
Finally, clean and dry the secateurs, and wipe with Camellia Oil

Caring For Your Tools

Most of our sharp tools are made from carbon steel - this means they may, through regular use, stain (and eventually rust) and gradually lose their edge. Caring for them involves three things…

1. Correct Use:

Japanese steel is hard and sharp, and can be more brittle than some people are used to - it will chip if abused
Do not cut wire, metal, stone, plastic or any other hard material (even bamboo fibres and some very hard woods, especially knots and burrs, can damage steel edges)
Do not twist or apply uneven pressure
Cut diagonally across branches (not straight across) so you cut along the fibres
Pay attention to our maximum cut dimensions, and don’t overdo it (shears are not loppers)
Use the base of the blades, not the tips, for heavier cuts

2. Keeping Them Clean:

Remove leaf resin, rust and gunk with a Crean Mate and water
Dry, wipe over with Camellia oil and store in a dry place

3. Keeping Them Sharp:

New tools won’t need sharpening for some time, but after a while you’ll notice them gradually lose their edge, especially if you’re box clipping (you need REALLY sharp blades to get a good finish with box). Use the Niwaki Sharpening Stones for best results (#1000 grit is best for general sharpening).