Whetstones

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Whetstones

A whetstone is a rectangular piece of stone/rock that is used to sharpen blades. They are call ‘whet’ stones rather than ‘wet’ stones as the word ‘whet’ means ‘to sharpen’. However, when using a whetstone, you do actually wet it, which is where some of the confusion comes from. They are also sometimes known and ‘bench’ stones.

There are a variety of different whetsone materials, some natural and some man-made.

Whetstones are often dual sided with a combination of coarse/medium or medium/fine, but other combinations and single grit stones are available.

The lower the number given for the grit, the coarser it is. The higher the grit number, the smoother the grit is.

A coarse grit is used to remove more of the blade edge material, ideal for removing nicks and chips, whereas a fine grit removes less blade edge material and is used for getting a smooth finish.

Whetstone
A coarse/fine dual sided whetstone

Using a whetstone is simple, but it does require time, patience and practice to get it right.

Step 1

Before you start, you need to get a few things prepared first.

You will need the following

  • Whetstone
  • Knife to be sharpened
  • A whetstone base or towel to prevent the whetstone from moving
  • Paper to test sharpness
  • Water
  • Cloth for cleaning the blade

Step 2

Submerge the whetstone fully in water, for up to 10 minutes or until bubbles are no longer rising from it. Once bubbles have stopped rising, the whetstone has absorbed the maximum amount of water and is ready to use.

Step 3

Secure the whetstone so that it can’t slip. Some whetstones come with a base for them to sit in. If your whetstone does not, you can use a towel or similar to create a non slip surface for the whetstone to sit on.

Step 4

If you knife is really dull, or has some damage (nicks, chips, burrs) then it is best to stat with the coarse side. Position the whetstone with the coarse side facing upwards.

Step 5

The edge on a blade is angled and depending on exactly what it is you are sharpening, this angle will differ. Most pocket, hunting, and bushcraft knives have an angle of 20 – 25 degrees. Things like axes and machetes may have an angle of 30 degree+.

Place your blade at the correct angle firmly against the surface of the whetstone.

Safety notice: Make sure that your fingers are away from the edge of the blade!

Step 6

Hold the knife by the handle with one hand, while the other hand applies pressure to the flat of the blade.

Then, draw the blade carefully across the surface of the whetstone from knife tip to handle. Do this as many times as needed to get the edge you require.

Repeat on reverse side of blade.

Check the sharpness of the blade periodically by carefully running your thumb perpendicular to the edge or by cutting a piece of paper.

Step 7

If you started with the coarse side of the whetstone, now is the time to flip the whetstone and repeat the proceeding steps using the finer side of the stone, checking the sharpness periodically.

Step 8

Once you are satisfied with how sharp the blade edge is, carefully wipe the blade with a cloth.

Safety notes: Always take care when handling a sharp blade. Accidents can happen easily and quickly so ensure that you ALWAYS take your time when handling knives and other cutting tools.

There are many variations on the whetstone, from large ones which need to rest upon a surface, to smaller portable whetstones for sharpening a blade in the field where a larger stone would not be practical.

Here are a few examples of the variety of whetstones available on blades.co.uk

Best Whetstones

DMT 3 – 6-in. Diamond Whetstone Models in Hard Wood Box

DMT 3 - 6-in. Diamond Whetstone Models in Hard Wood Box

A beautiful hardwood box of three 6″ Diamond Whetstone™ sharpeners makes a perfect gift. One of DMT’s most popular sharpening stones, it is a fit at home or in the shop offering a sharpening surface to satisfy a variety of edge care needs.

Lansky 6″ Combo Stone Fine/Coarse

A Lansky Dual-Grit ComboStone offers the convenience of having two grits in one stone and is great for sharpening: Pocket knives, hunting & fishing knives, utility knife blades, cutting tools for gardening, woodworking and industrial cutting tool edge maintenance.

Lansky Pocket Arkansas Stone

Lansky Pocket Arkansas Stone

The Hard, Super Arkansas Pocket Stone is formed from Arkansas novaculite. It has two special grooves on one face for sharpening pointed objects, a handy keychain and leather pouch. Pocket Stone Size: 3”x 1” x 1/4”

DMT 8-in. DuoSharpplus Bench Stone Extra Fine / Fine With Base

DMT 8-in. DuoSharpplus Bench Stone Extra Fine / FineWith Base

Innovative, precision flat two grit diamond sharpener featuring both interrupted and continuous diamond sharpening. 8″ DuoSharp®plus™ Bench Stone with non-skid mat provides excellent counter and bench sharpening.

Grinder Whetstone, 180/600grit

Excellent value dual sided whetstone, coarse and medium combo which is good for sharpening the majority of knives.


Whetstones are undoubtedly one of the best methods for getting a super fine edge on a blade, as they come with a choice of ‘grits’.

It is possible to take a damaged blunt blade to super sharpness with time and pateience using the whetstone method.