Buyer's Guide: Best Sharpening Stones
Size
Remember to look for a sharpening stone, which has the right width and length for your cutting tools. When you get a small whetstone, it will prevent you from sharpening a bigger knife. It will likewise make the process unsafe and frustrating.
If you want to use a sharpening stone for kitchen knives, you must get a tool that is around six inches long. If you plan to buy longer sharpening stones, you must consider purchasing a product with at least eight inches long.
Type
There are many types of sharpening stones available on the market, which have their own pros and cons. Let’s see the major types of whetstones and their features. One type of whetstones is water stones, which are the most widely used product. As the name indicates, most of these products require soaking in water before you use them.
Water stones are the best to choose – nonetheless, this does not mean there are no flaws in them. When you repeatedly soak and dry them, they can become brittle, which means you have to replace them after some time.
In contrast to water stones, we have oil stones available on the market. These stones require a splash of oil before you use them for sharpening knives. This way, the metal residues of the knife will be cleared away while you use it. Thus, it will prolong its lifespan.
Additionally, oil makes the process of sharpening much smoother. However, it is a little slower and messy. Remember, you only have one choice and that is to use the honing oil.
Grit
All grades of grittiness can sharpen knives but in different ways. Therefore, each of them has a different purpose. It depends on the number – for instance, all sharpening stones are divided into three categories, which are fine stones, medium stones, and coarse.
Coarse sharpening stones are those products, which have a number less than 1000. They are used primarily for dull and damaged knives. They usually don’t leave a nice and polished finish so you must avoid using them for less dulled or damaged knives.
Quality and Durability
You won’t spend money on a product that is made of low-quality material. This is not a good idea to spend money on something that won’t last long. So, you must choose the tool carefully – especially if you are planning on purchasing a more expensive ceramic or diamond sharpening stone.
At the same time, you must know that longevity does not have anything to do with the product’s quality. Water stones in this regard are less durable than other types of sharpening stones due to their low-quality material.