How to Sharpen a Knife With a Whetstone, According to an Expert

While there are various tools available to sharpen knives, whetstones are the most recommended tool by experts because they provide control and precision. Using a whetstone — or a sharpening stone — removes the least amount of material from the knife blade, which extends its lifetime. 

Whetstones come in various types (wet and oil) and grits (ranging from 100 to 10,000). This number of variables may feel overwhelming initially, but it allows for customization at a level an electric or pull-through manual sharpener can’t match. 

“A whetstone allows the user to carefully remove the steel off the cutting edge with the ability to adjust as you go through each pass,” says Geoff Feder, a blacksmith and owner of Feder Knives and an award-winning knife-maker from the Hudson Valley. “It can be intimidating to find the angle and confidently and slowly remove the material on the edge. If you do it frequently, it requires less work.“

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