Whetstone

A whetstone is an essential tool in any kitchen, especially if you invest in high-quality knives. Sharpening your kitchen knives regularly is the best way to increase their longevity.

But first, what is a whetstone? Before you go ahead and browse through the knife sharpening options available to you, we're going to tell you exactly what a whetstone is and how to use a whetstone.

What is a Whetstone?

A whetstone is a solid block made from a variety of possible materials - either natural or synthetic. The most common materials that the former are made from are quarried stones like novaculite. If you're looking for a synthetic whetstone knife sharpener, you're likely to find them made from silicon carbide, ceramic, or aluminum oxide.

How do the materials whetstones are made of influence their effectiveness?

The simple answer is that one isn't necessarily better than the other, it's more about the grit of the stone and the knife you're working with. Whetstones with lower grit numbers are more abrasive, while the ones with higher grit numbers are more gentle and subtle when it comes to sharpening.

There's another reason that the best whetstones aren't necessarily the ones with more coarse grit (or vice versa). In fact, generally speaking, you get low grit whetstones (200-600), medium grit whetstones (800-1,500), and high grit whetstones (3,000-8,000), and they're used for different purposes. In fact, it's possible that a single knife will need to be sharpened with all three types of grit at some point, depending on the condition of the blade. So, you can only really say that a specific grit may be the best whetstone for a specific task.

Lower grit numbers are normally used for repairing or reshaping damaged blades. Medium grit numbers are used for general sharpening and knife maintenance - these are the most commonly used whetstones for knife sharpening. Finally, the highest grit numbers tend to be used for refining and polishing the edges of knives as they’re a lot gentler.

How to Use a Whetstone?

We're going to run you through the process step by step so that by the time you have your own whetstone at home, you'll know exactly how to use it!

1. Preparation: Place the whetstone on a flat, stable surface where it won't slip around. If it's a water stone, make sure you've soaked it.
2. Angle the Blade: Different knives require different angles, so again, check the manufacturer's advice - but most knives require a 15 to 20-degree angle.
3. Use a Sweeping Motion: Perfect the angle of the knife and slide the blade across the surface of the whetstone from the heel to the tip of the blade. Use moderate pressure. Start with the coarsest side of the stone and progress to the finest grit.
4. Alternate Sides: Repeat the process on the other side of the blade.
5. Clean the Blade: Gently wipe the blade with a damp cloth and remove knife residue.

Now that you know what a whetstone is and why it's best to choose whetstones for sharpening, you're ready to invest in one for your own kitchen!