Naniwa Multi Combination Stone 220/1000

It depends on which series the stone belongs to:

Super Stone / Superstone (S1, S2) – do not soak. Splash water on the surface and sharpen (splash and go). Prolonged soaking can damage the stone.
Professional – does not need soaking. Wet the surface and keep it wet while sharpening.
Traditional and Aotoishi – soak the water stone for 10–15 minutes, until the bubbles stop.

Always let the stone dry at room temperature after use, not in the sun or on a radiator.

The grit indicates how coarse or fine the sharpening stone is. The lower the number, the coarser the stone:

220 – for repairing damaged or very dull edges and changing the bevel angle
1000 – basic sharpening, the most important stone if you only have one
1500–3000 – an intermediate step that gives a keener edge
5000–8000 – fine honing to a very sharp edge
10000–12000 – polishing to a mirror finish

A good start is a 1000 stone and a fine stone of 5000–8000. The 220/1000 and 1000/3000 combination stones give two grits in one stone.

There are several good ways to sharpen chisels and plane irons: water stones, diamond stones, oil stones and sharpening machines such as Tormek. All give sharp edges, but they differ in speed, maintenance and price.

A honing guide makes it easier to keep the same angle every time. The most important thing is to find a method you enjoy and use often. The guide helps you choose.

Read the guide here

Which water stone you need depends on how dull your edges are and how fine a finish you want. A common setup is a coarse stone around 1000 grit to shape the edge and a fine stone around 5000–8000 grit to polish it. For chipped edges you need a coarser stone too.

Water stones wear unevenly and need flattening regularly. The guide explains grits, brands and flattening.

Read the guide here