Grind in the context of "Japanese kitchen knife"

Grist is grain that has been separated from its chaff in preparation for grinding. It can also refer to grain that has been coarsely ground at a gristmill. The term derives from the Old English verb grindan, meaning "to grind."

Grist can be ground into meal or flour, depending on the fineness of the grind. Maize prepared as grist is called grits when coarsely ground, and cornmeal when ground more finely. Other grains such as wheat, oats, barley, and buckwheat are similarly ground and sifted into flour or farina.

Sharpening stones, or whetstones, are used to sharpen the edges of steel tools such as knives through grinding and honing.

Such stones come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and material compositions. They may be flat, for working flat edges, or shaped for more complex edges, such as those associated with some wood carving or woodturning tools. They may be composed of natural quarried material or from man-made material. They come in various grades, which refer to the grit size of the abrasive particles in the stone. (Grit size is given as a number, which indicates the spatial density of the particles; a higher number denotes a higher density and therefore smaller particles, which give a finer finish to the surface of the sharpened object.) Stones intended for use on a workbench are called bench stones, while small, portable ones, whose size makes it hard to draw large blades uniformly over them, especially "in the field", are called pocket stones.