In cases where your knife is quite dull, this Shun Combination Whetstone is the right choice. One side offers 300-grit sharpening that will quickly remove material from the edge, helping reveal the sharpness once more. The other side, at 1000-grit, will smooth the edge even more. If you want an even more polished blade, look into our 1000/6000-grit Combination Whetstone. The Shun Combination Whetstone is a double-sided Japanese waterstone. You will need to thoroughly soak this whetstone before sharpening.