Knife/Sharpener
Best Sharping Stones [Updated 2019] – For Your Sharp and Smooth Cutlery
You were an excellent chef with a super sharp knife set. Every day you used your knives to create different yummy dishes until one day, one of your knives got dull and couldn’t cut any. What would you do? Throw away and buy a new set? Would that be so wasteful? Well, many may advice you to use a knife sharpener, but actually, they are so bulky and wiry. You need a tiny, gentle that is portable. In that case, a perfect choice for you may be a small sharpening stone.
You think, oh, sharpening stone, is it available? Well, there are thousands of that products on the market and all of them are truly high-qualified and excellent. At first, I did not know anything about this area, however, after my spending some time looking for something on the internet and asking for some of my acquaintances, finally I came up with this list of more than ten best sharpening stones that deserve your money. These are such wonderful tools that you should own for your knives. Let’s start!
Here is the list of the Top Rated Sharping Stones on the market:
1. DMT W6FP 6-Inch Diamond Whetstone Sharpener – Fine with Plastic Box
This legendary DMT W6FP 6-inch diamond whetstone sharpener will definitely amaze you for the very first sight!
With simple design, this compact cube of stone is an ideal choice for sharpening all kinds of knives ranging from kitchen to paring, boning, putty knives. More than that, it can be useful to turn your axe, machete, spade or trowel, and other working tools into as honing as new. No matter how tough or serrated the knives are, it can handle all thanks to the monocrystalline diamond surface that DMT equips for this tool.
Sharing with you a little bit about this sort of surface. Well, DMT provides users with a special one which others don’t. The monocrystalline one is dense with diamond molecules which is like an ice cube, while others are much emptier which easily get sheared off if using for a long time. And it can be claimed that DMT offers users with the most durable stone sharpener that will save you more time and effort!
This stone is quite solid and hard; however, it is pretty lightweight. Besides, the fine that comes from each time using is really smooth, together with small holes on the surface decreases the friction between the knives and stone, making your blades sweetly sharp. Thanks to this product, you can finally cut a beautiful slice of thin cheese, meat or sushi, whose dishes require many cutting efforts.
The tool is a must-have one in your kitchen because it cuts fast and gives you full control. Almost every flat edged surface can be suitable with this one. Maintaining it is also rather simple. All you need is keeping it dry so as to keep the diamond structure for longer as well as store it in suitable place. There is nothing to be complained about this diamond sharpening stone so just bring it home and enjoy the convenience brought about.
2. DMT WM8FC-WB 8-Inch DuoSharp Plus Bench Stone – Fine/Coarse with Base
Another product coming from DMT brand that will not let you down is this DMT WM8FC WB 8-inch Duosharp plus bench stone.
Equipped with an additional base, this totally makes the stone become more sturdy and reliable while using because it won’t move or slip in the meantime. Quite similar to the former tool, this also supplies users with monocrystalline diamond surface that is proved to perform more excellently than others without this feature. Measured at 8” x 2.63”, the diamond sharpening stone can be applied with different kinds of knives or working tools whose blades are wide of narrow such as axe, spade, vainer or chisel, … But of course, this is still most recommended for cooking knives especially the one for cutting food from soft one like mozzarella cheese or vegetables, to hard one like tough meat, roots, or some difficult dishes such as shedding fish bones, …
The surface is full of polka dots whose usage is to collect metal fines, smoothing your working and saving you more time. Being one of the most versatile stone sharpeners, the axe sharpening stone provides users a safe and convenient place to mount the stone. Just put the tool on some kind of flat surface for example bench or counter to have the best performance. The whole one is made to be compact, yet still light and trouble-free for easy carriage.
One tip for you when using this tool is spreading some water onto it for better result and keeping it clean. To me, this is the best gift for your cutlery sets. Although some of you may find it a bit expensive, but thanks to the great abilities, this is deserved to appear in your kitchen, assisting your daily cooking job! A wonderful investment, isn’t it?
3. Whetstone Cutlery 20-10960 Knife Sharpening Stone-Dual Sided 400/1000 Grit Water Stone-Sharpener and Polishing Tool for Kitchen, Hunting and Pocket Knives or Blades by Whetstone
This is the one for those who don’t want to spend so much money on sharpening knives. Made of silicone carbide, this whetstone knife sharpener can last up to more than a decade as long as you use and care it properly. Thanks to the materials, the product is much lighter than the diamond one which won’t end up hurting you in case you drop it on the floor. Despite not owning the best surface like the one of DMT, this still offers users with the best quality that turns your dull and boring tools into easily cut ones.
One outstanding point of this is that it has two sides meaning two steps for sharpening, including fining for the darker side and polishing for the lighter one. There are up to 400 grits on the former side for the best performance and 1000 grits for a finished one. Those grits act as friction-reducing features for enhancing the sharpening ability for the tool.
You may wonder why it is called water stone. Well, it acts best when used with water. Just simply soak the product into water for about 10 minutes before every time use. And make sure add some water if you feel it is not effective enough. Then you will have a perfect stone for your sweetly sharp cooking knives, scissors, or cutting tools such as hunting knives and carving tools, …
Having the block shape, this 1000 sharpening stone is strong and solid enough to attach to your counter top for easy working with. However, you should put a damp cloth under the tool whenever using for more security because it is full of water. For the first-time use, you should bathe it with water for at least 24 hours with regular turns. At the end of the day, rinsing your stone under water tap to get rid of all the metal fines and store it somewhere dry.
Overall, this is such a great tool for keeping your knives and cutlery for a long time. Although the price is not very high, the quality and performance are still excellent and cannot be complained.
4. Premium Knife Sharpening Stone 2 Side Grit 1000/6000 Waterstone | Best Whetstone Sharpener | Nonslip Bamboo Base & Angle Guide
What is much greater if you own a super sharpening stone that far better than other competitors? This premium knife sharpening stone 2 side grits 1000/6000 Waterstone will show you!
With the special design together with the light blue color, this brings about the fresh feeling for your knives, even the neglected ones, as well as the scissors, wusthof, razor, chisel and so on. The bamboo base is also another wonderful feature for the whole tool, that will strongly prevent the stone from slippery in wet condition like water and oil.
Similar to other two-sided units, this chisel sharpening stone also owns two parts with a great number of grits for both sides, helping your sharpening job much simpler and faster. Just spend about 15 to 20 minutes and you will turn your super fake knife into a perfectly sharp one. Just imagine how beautiful the sushi or meat slice will be thanks to the sharpness of the knife that coming from this stone. How wonderful!
Easy to use and easy to store are two of the best things of this whetstone knife sharpener. You just don’t even need oil solution before using. And after using, just soak it in the water and then rinse it carefully and store in some place dry and suitable for next time use.
5. Bora 501057 Fine/Coarse Combination Sharpening Stone, Aluminum Oxide
The list wouldn’t be complete without this Bora 501057 combination sharpening stone, whose design is simple yet gentle enough for your kitchen.
Coming with the gray color, this 7” x 1” x 2” stone is large enough for all kinds of knives, even the biggest one for gardening work. Just imagine how sharp your knife will be after working with this wonderful tool, giving you beautifully cut slices of cheese and meat, sushi and sashimi, here you will be surprised at a new kind of material making of such stone: aluminum oxide. I must say I was so amazed at that news because it seems that everything made from it must be pretty heavy, but in this case, the product is lightweight and durable.
Similar to the above tools, this also owns two sides for two different purposes such as coarse and fine. The course has 150 grits and the other has 240 grits for making the knives as shiny and polish as possible. Although the number of grits on both sides is not as much as others, it is enough to make your old and dull knives turn back to the first condition.
Actually, this honing stone best works after one-minute soaking in oil as well as usually adding oil to the surface. This technique will make your job much simpler because oil helps to take away the unwanted metal fines coming out in the process. However, you can use water instead of oil if you don’t have any, but of course the most recommended is still oil. Besides, you can place it on the bench or countertop to start sharpening because it works on flat surface. Thanks to the material, it can attach strongly without easy slip.
The product is followed with a one-year warranty, so that you can feel alright and secured when making purchasing decision. To me, this is one of the cheapest and high-qualified stone sharpeners ever!
6. Smith’s Sharpening Stones TRI-6 Arkansas
I have always wondered which the best stone sharpener is but at the reasonable price until I saw this Smith’s tri-6 Arkansas tri-hone sharpening stone systems.
This model is remarkably different from other mentioned above because the design and the way to use are special and strange. The whole stone is made to be in a triangle shape with three different sides for different functions. They include two Arkansas sides for fine and medium whose grits are relatively 400 and 600, while the remaining is coarse synthetic stone which has about 1200 grits. All of them are specially made to sharpen your dull and old knives become new and hone like new!
The producer also added a solid and firm plastic base for safety reason into this tool so that you don’t need to worry about it being slippery because of oil or water. On the two ends, there are two small handles for switching the side of the stone which are attached strongly. You just rotate the handles and you will have another stone side for sharpening or polishing your knives.
Besides, on the edges, there is also a V-trough to catch the oil or the metal fines which are made of while processing, helping to reduce the friction between the blades and the stone surface, so that the work will take less time and faster.
This is an oil stone, therefore similar to the #5 product, you should add some oil before using so that it will show the best performance. The oil solution and the guide book showing how to use it properly are enclosed in the set, so that you can be confident in case you don’t know what kind of oil to use or how to handle with the stone rightly. Remember to use an enough amount of oil so that it won’t be wasteful, okay!
This Arkansas stone is so amazing and wonderful a gift for your kitchen that will definitely cheer you up whenever your knives start to be dull.
7. Lansky Puck – Dual Grit Multi-Purpose Sharpener – Blade & Tool Sharpener
This “soap” Lansky puck – dual grit multipurpose stone sharpener is so special because of its design and pocket size.
Ideal for sharpening lawnmower blades, machetes, hatchets, axe blades, and other working tools as well as chopping tools, this two-sided stone includes a coarse side with 120 grits and fine side with 280 ones. Different from the other ones that you have to place on a flat surface, to this product, you just hold it in your hand and start to work for ease and simplicity.
Don’t be fooled by the simple design, the tool is pretty compact and durable, and can last for long time. Moreover, you don’t have any heavy or weighty feelings at all with which may distracts you during working.
The most common question for this product is how to use it properly. Well, there are some steps for you to follow. First is to grip the knife or the axe in vise to prevent it from moving. Then add some oil to the product in case you have some, but don’t worry if you don’t have any, it’s still alright! Hold the stone tightly and start to sharpen the blades of your axe or knife, in a circular motion. And just try to keep the same angle between your palm and the edges for the best result, and the most recommended angle is 17 degrees.
Here are some tips that you may find useful. For the very dull and serrated knives, take the first coarse side for sharpening the blades properly and then turn to the fine side to hone and polish. And in case you just want your knives to be refine, just skip the coarse step for reducing time.
This is also followed with a one-year warranty that you can feel secured about this product. Moreover, the way to maintain it is also simple, not to mention the reasonable price, then what are you waiting for?
8. King Japanese Grit 1000/6000 Combination Sharpening Stone KW-65 and King #8000 Nagura Stone: Bundle – 2 Items
This Japanese standard sharpening stone is so high-qualified that will certainly satisfy all of you, even the most difficult taste!
The material for making of the product is Kingstone coming from Osaka in Japan, one of the strongest and most solid stone, allowing knives-sharpening to be faster and less demanding. Firm and sturdy as it may seem, the 1000 x 6000 grits together with the metal fines will definitely let your blades to be sharpened sweetly and fast as it will reduce the friction.
There are also two sides for two purposes such as fining and coursing. The darker side used for sharpening the normal knives for cutting meat, fish, while the lighter suitable for dishes require effort such as sushi or sashimi, … Everybody enjoys a beautifully cut slice of meat, sushi more than an ugly one. Thanks to this versatile stone, your boring job will be much funnier. Like other tools, this also includes a base for not moving around when using, so you will be safe with that case.
A perfect chef needs a perfectly sharp knife. A cannot buy a new one each time your knife is dull, that is not a good solution. Instead, using a Japanese standard stone may be the best choice because everything from japan all has great quality, so that not only you can save more money, but also you know a way to maintain your knife correctly.
Overall, this is a good Japanese sharpening stone for your boring sharpening work. At the end of the day, keeping the stone clean is also really important and necessary that you just rinse it under the water, and soak this with a bit water is alright!
9. BearMoo Whetstone 2-IN-1 Sharpening Stone 3000/8000 Grit Waterstone, Knife Sharpener Rubber Stone Holder Included
Another cube stone sharpener comes from bearmoo whetstone will impress you a lot thanks to its special color and performance.
This water stone is quite similar to the #3 one, but it still owns outstanding points that differ it from the others. Coming with the dark orange color, this 7.1” x 1.2” x 2.4” is suitable for not only all kinds of your knives but also for easy storage in your kitchen. The material made of the tool is white corundum which is one of the best and durable one for such a good stone. One the both sides, there are 3000 and 8000 grits for coarse and fine function so that your effort put on this job will be less demanding.
Like introduced in other model, you can know when to use the side for the best performance. And the tool is also followed by a silicon base for safety reason which is attached strongly to the tool. Moreover, the way to add water or soak in water before using for about five minutes are quite similar to other water stone. So just obey the instruction carefully so that your stone will act effectively.
You should remember to use the whole surface for sharpening rather than just the middle part because it will cause the unconventional problem that will soon break your tool down. Of course, the tool is equipped to be durable and long lasting, but you also have to care it properly. Every time working with the first side is recommended to take about 15 minutes and the second for about 10 minutes. You shouldn’t complain that it is too long, because only with that amount of time, your knives will be sweetly sharp as you want.
Many people find it pretty heavy, but to me, this weight is light enough to work with because you just place it on the bench or floor, and not to hold it in hand. In addition, the one-year warranty also protects users from fake and unwanted problem while buying the product. So be hurry or else you will be upset!
10. Kota Japan Premium Sharpening Stone 600-3000 Whetstone Knife Sharpener. EASY USE eBook & Blade Guide. No-Slip Bamboo Wood Base. GUARANTEED to Give You Razor Sharpness.
A different version of water stone is this Kota japan premium sharpening stone whetstone knife sharpener.
This is a perfect dupe version of the above #4 stone whose base is also made of bamboo. The bamboo is a kind of very dry and strong wood that is ideal for making such base and this’s also suitable for Japanese culture as well. In some cases, the base can act as a holder storing the stone if you don’t use it. So wonderful, right!
Almost every stone coming from Japanese brand are water stone that requires water every time use. But you just feel secured thanks to the base and start to sharpen your knives sharply without any worries. There are also two sides for two purposes of coursing and fining whose grits are 600 and 3000. Constructed with the special and excellent material, this Japanese sharpening stone is pretty durable and strong that can last up to years. Thus, I can say this investment is worth and profitable. And in case you don’t like it, there is still a life-time warranty for this product so that you may feel confident when buying this one.
The total size is about 8.6” x 4” x 2.3”, a little bigger than the other products, but it’s still usable for all kind of knives, even the working blades. The colors a are also eye-catchy and modern that will make your kitchen brighter.
There is something you should remember that after sharpening the knives, just wash them with hot soapy water to remove all the debris and rinse again for finer ones. And you shall have a perfectly sharp knife after all.
11. Combination Knife/Tool Sharpening Stone (2 SIDED – ULTRA FINE & MEDIUM GRIT) – Rectangle Sanding Stone Block
This is quite similar to the soap stone because the color and the material is the same. But there is something cannot replace this product.
This tool is considered to be the cheapest in the list but the quality is super excellent. Thanks to the rectangle block design, this can be place on the flat surface for easy sharpening. Although because of the aluminum oxide material making the stone much heavier than others, its size is suitable for all kinds of knives and blades, scissors and axes, …
Actually, this is most recommended for polishing because the fining side is pretty wonderful. Just add a little oil, together with 240 grits on the surface, this honing stone will help to refine your old blade into a sharper and newer one. But it is okay if you don’t want to use oil, since you can both sharpen dry or wet through this stone.
A sharp knife is a safe knife and this stone will allow you to keep your knife safe thanks to the two steps sharpening sides. Overall, this is such a great assisting utensil for all of the cutlery in your kitchen.
12. Japanese Whetstone Sharpening Stone Shapton Ceramic Kuromaku #8000
Another Japanese offer of the sharpening stone for you is from the Shapton to help you diversify your choice. The product is completely made of ceramic with the great strength and durability so that it can have a slower wear-out process than others on the market.
You don’t need to soak this ceramic sharpening stone in the water for a while, just splash a little on it and start the process. However, I found that this one is much more suitable for the fining process with the mirror finish for the edge than a coarse process.
Besides, the product measures 210x70x15 (mm), which can offer you with a quite large space enough to sharp your knife. The stone comes in a plastic case with 4 rubber layers to prevent the stone from slipping. After use, you can use the lid to cover the stone to keep it away from any impacts.
13. Norton Waterstone Starter Kit: 220/1000 grit stone, 4000/8000 grit stone, SiC flattening stone
You must love the Norton sharpening stone because this one comes with a set of tool kit that make your knife act like a brand new one and there is also a tool included to maintain the quality of the sharpening stone as well.
There are two waterstones which are particularly designed for each purpose. You can use the 220/1000- grit combination for repairing and establish the cutting edge. This one works like healing the wound caused to the edge, especially when you use the knife to cut the bone, which can destroy the edge.
After reforming the knife to the original blade, you can start the fining or polishing the blade with the 4000/8000-grit. This one can bring your knife back to the top-quality as it used to have, so you will definitely get the perfect slice after finishing these two processes.
Besides, I know that every material cannot preserve the original shapes and the sharpening stone is the exception. After each time taking on duty, the stone will be worn and not be flat anymore. Therefore, the brand also gives you the silicon carbide flattening stone to make the surface of those two stone flat again and smooth to help the sharpening process done perfectly as the first time use.
Moreover, you have to use some water as the lubricant to develop a slurry which act as a paste of grain and water to help you grinding the metal for reforming process much easily with less effort than oilstone.
14. Ib64 4X1 Round India Comb Bench Stone, Sold As 1 Each
You would like to find a different version of the sharpening stone, huh? I would like suggest you with an Indian offer of the round sharpening stone with a huge surface to help you carry one the process much easily.
This first time I saw this stone, I was shock because it looks so huge and the stone is also the combination of two grits with a great thickness. Therefore, I’m sure that it will take a century to wear the whole of this stone. You can freely sharpen your knives without any concerns about wearing out the stone unlike other smaller stones which have a shorter lifespan.
Besides, the stone has two separate colors of two difference functions of the stone. The grey side take on the duty for the coarse sharpening to help reform the blade into the precise angle meanwhile the other orange on is definitely designed for making the blade shiny as the brand new one and bringing back the ultimate sharpness of your knife that you can even cut a paper in your hand.
Moreover, the stone does not any base with rubber feet as other offers on the market because its huge surface can act perfectly as the suction base to keep the stone stay firmly in place when you are carrying on the process. Plus, the product also comes with the case where you can store it when not use to preserve the excellent condition.
15. KRAMER by ZWILLING 34999-203 Sharpening Stone Sink Bridge
I would like to offer you this sink bridge sharpening stone with the thoughtful design that can help you a lot in sharpening your knives. The stone really do a great job because it’s a combination of two grits for coarse and fine sharpening.
You just need to turn it upside down to change side for other function. The side for coarse sharpening is quite good because it does not take me much effort to get the blade into the precise angle meanwhile you can get the blade polished definitely in seconds with the fine sharpening side. The stone is quite thicker than the older version which can prolong the lifespan of the stone.
Besides, the great point of this product is about the bamboo bridge which ranges from 13” up to 21” in length so that it can cover most of ordinary sink in your kitchen. You know that sharpening on the sink is necessary because it can prevent the mess and you can use the faucet to directly get water for the stone to help the sharpening process much smoother.
Moreover, on the bridge, there is one designed place to put the lock the stock securely so that you don’t need to worry about dropping it into the sink. There are two screws on the back to lock the bridge firmly and they are completely made of stainless steel to prevent rust because they have constant contact with water.
16. Smith’s DCS4 4-Inch FINE & COARSE Diamond Combo Sharpening Stones
The last recommendation of my list is the offer from the Smith’s. As you may know, this brand is quite reputable in this field and its products are well-received around the world. Let’s see this sharpening stone with handle.
The product has a different design from any offers on the market which is primarily a stone being place on a base. But this one is quite portable because of the small side that you can easily take along on your journey as well. Plus, the product feature a handle for you to hold to keep the tool stable while sharpening your knives.
Besides, there are two sides of diamond sharpening stones which you can use for the coarse and fining process. The coarse is made of the 325-grit which has a great quality to offer you with the perfect performance to reform the shape of your knives. While the other side is 750-grit to help you knife finished with the shiny as the brand new one on the market with the ultimate sharpness you wish to have.
Moreover, each side has different color to help you distinguish. The yellow is for coarse process and the orange is for fine process. Plus, the product has a compact design where the storage can act as the ergonomic handle with the non-slip characteristic to help you hold the tool firmly. There is also a thumb guard to reduce any risk of getting your hand cut.
Bonus: How to sharpening a knife with a sharpening stone
Well, I have received this question by many housewives and even some amateur cooks. Actually, it is quite easy but you have to be careful and clever because knives are normally sharp and dangerous sometimes. To many water stones, in the review I’ve already mentioned soaking in water before using for about 10 minutes, haven’t I. And the situation is the same with the oil stone, but you can still use water if you don’t have suitable oil, which is also acceptable.
Place the stone in a fixed position and start to work. Hold the blade tightly and let the angle between your palm and the stone surface about 15 to 20 degree which is the most suggested angle for the best result. Light stokes with the edges to sharpen and equal number of stokes each side. You should start with a coarse side for about 10 minutes, and then turn to the lighter side for fine grits about another 10 minutes. With a proper process, your knife will soon get back to the first stage: sweetly cut even thin paper or cabbage peels.
So tired! Just kidding. Writing good and helpful reviews are my pleasure. I know start to use a new tool is not easy at all, but if doing so is deserved and economical, then I think you’d better have a try. I understand that you may not fully knowledgeable about this field just because of this review, but hopefully, you can gain some basic information about the stone as well as its usage. And you may find yourself a perfect stone that offers you the best benefits and conveniences. Thank you for reading!