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Bevel & Bone

HUB 02 · Sharpening

How to Use a Whetstone

The fundamentals of the stone itself — soaking, grit order, and keeping it flat — so the sharpening technique actually works.

By Stephen V.Updated How we choose
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A whetstone is simple, but a few fundamentals make the difference between a keen edge and a frustrating afternoon. This covers the stone — how to prep it, work through grits, and keep it flat; for the knife technique itself, see how to sharpen a chef's knife. A 1000/6000 combination stone is all most people need.

Step by step

How to do it

  1. 01

    Know your stone type

    Soft water stones (like the King) need soaking and give lots of feedback but dish over time. Hard ceramic 'splash-and-go' stones (Shapton) and diamond plates (Sharpal) need only wetting and stay flat. Oilstones use honing oil, not water, and that choice is permanent.

  2. 02

    Prep with water (or a splash)

    Soak a soft water stone for 5–10 minutes until air bubbles stop rising. Splash-and-go stones just need surface water. Keep water nearby to re-wet the stone as you work — the slurry that forms is part of what cuts, so don't wipe it all away.

  3. 03

    Secure the stone

    Set the stone on a damp towel, a rubber base, or its holder so it cannot slide. A moving stone is dangerous and makes a consistent angle impossible. The stone should sit rock-steady before the blade touches it.

  4. 04

    Work coarse to fine

    Start on the coarser grit (1000 for a normal edge; 400 or lower only to repair chips) to set the edge and raise a burr, then move to the finer grit (6000) to refine and polish. Never skip back to coarse after finishing on fine, or you'll undo the polish.

  5. 05

    Use light, consistent pressure

    Let the abrasive do the work with light, even pressure and a constant angle across the whole edge. Heavy pressure gouges the stone and rounds the edge. Cover the full length of the blade, heel to tip, on each pass.

  6. 06

    Keep the stone flat and clean

    Soft stones dish (hollow out) with use — flatten them periodically with a flattening stone or diamond plate, because a dished stone can't produce a straight edge. Rinse the stone after use and let it dry fully before storing so it doesn't crack or grow mildew.

Questions

Frequently asked

How long do you soak a whetstone?

A soft water stone: 5–10 minutes, until bubbles stop rising. Hard ceramic splash-and-go stones and diamond plates don't need soaking — just wet the surface.

Which side of the whetstone do I use first?

The coarser (lower-grit) side first, to set the edge, then the finer side to refine it. On a 1000/6000 stone that's 1000 first, 6000 second.

Why isn't my knife getting sharp on the stone?

Usually an inconsistent angle, not raising a full-length burr before flipping, or a dished stone. Keep the angle constant, confirm a burr along the whole edge, and flatten the stone if it's hollowed.

Keep reading

Related

Receipts

Sources

We do not run a test kitchen, and we do not pretend to. Specs are the manufacturer's published figures, attributed as such; where we could not verify something, we say so on the page rather than quietly leaving it out. Read our full method.