13 Best of the Best Sharpening Stones

Whether you’re in a warehouse opening boxes of product or out in the wilderness on a camping trip, a knife is an invaluable tool to have on you. Of course, this is only true if the blade is sharp; a dull knife is more a hinderance than anything else, after all.

So, how do you make sure your blade(s) are sharp? Well, there are many ways to sharpen a knife but the method that’s considered the best is to use a stone.

Okay, so when it comes to sharpening stones; you get synthetic stones and natural stones.

Synthetic stones are typically made of synthetic/artificial materials while natural stones are… well… natural: proper rocks and minerals that you can use to sharpen a knife.

With that in mind, what are some of the best stones to use? Well, let’s find out, shall we?

Synthetic Stones

Sharpening stones can be awfully expensive and not everyone has the cash to spare. The good news is that you don’t need to spend a ton of money to get a good stone.

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1: Lansky Puck

The Lansky Puck is a dual-grit oil sharpening stone that’s great for sharpening a variety of blades including lawnmower blades, axes, and other types of blades.

The coarse 120 grit side is used to sharpen the blade while the 280 grit medium side is used to refine/finish the edge.

Pros:

• ✅ Lightweight.
• ✅ Easy to Use.
• ✅ Can be used in the field.

Cons:

• ❌ Too coarse for fine touch-ups on blades.
• ❌ May put your fingers at risk of injury.
• ❌ May be too small for some uses.
• ❌ May leave scratches on your blade.

Overall, this is a decent stone that you can take with you wherever you need it. If you’d like to pick on up yourself, you can do so here.

2: MIDO 400/1000 Grit Whetstone w. Non-slip Base

A dual-grit sharpening stone, this one comes with 400 and 1000 grit stones and a non-slip rubber base.

The 400 grit stone puts an edge on your blades and the 1000 grit stone will polish the edge on your blade. The stone sits in a non-slip silicone base which prevents it from moving around while you’re sharpening your knives/tools.

Pros:

• ✅ Easy to use.
• ✅ Silicone non-slip base.
• ✅ Suitable for multiple plain edge blades.

Cons:

• ❌ Sharpening stone may be difficult to use for beginners.
• ❌ Can only use water on this stone.

You can get this one here.

3: Meterk Knife Sharpening Stone

This set from Meterk has 1000 and 6000 grit stones which sit securely in a bamboo base with a non-slip sole. It also comes with a flattening stone (to smooth the sharpening stone after use) and an angle guide.

The angle guide can be attached to the blade you want to sharpen and ensures that you’re sharpening the knife at the correct angle.

Pros:

• ✅ Non-slip base
• ✅ Easy to use.
• ✅ Easy to clean/maintain.
• ✅ Angle guide ensures the blade is in the correct position.

Cons:

• ❌ Angle guide may leave scratches on your blade.
• ❌ Stone is incredibly soft which may pose a problem when trying to put an edge on a blade.
• ❌ Instructions aren’t much help.

4: Benicci Deluxe Knife Sharpening Stone

Two dual-grit stones with silicone non-slip bases which are held in a bamboo base. Additionally, the kit comes with a flattening stone and an angle guide. You can work your way up and get the finest edge.

Starting with the 400-grit stone, you can put a good edge on your blades and the 1000, 3000, and 8000 grit stones will take that edge and refine it to give you a blade that’s scary-sharp! It doesn’t hurt that the stones are nice to look at in the bamboo either.

Pros:

• ✅ Aesthetically pleasing to look at.
• ✅ Easy to use and clean.
• ✅ Non-slip bases.
• ✅ Sharpens knives quickly and easily.

Cons:

• ❌ The angle guide may not work on smaller knives (i.e. pocket knives).
• ❌ The bamboo base doesn’t have a non-slip piece so you may have to put something under it to prevent slipping.
• ❌ Stones absorb a lot of water.
• ❌ One complaint about this set is that it didn’t come with instructions so that’s something to consider.
• ❌ The stones give off an odor when left out in the sun to dry.

This is a good sharpening stone kit to get if you’re on a tight budget and if you’d like to pick up a set for yourself, you can get it here.

5: Kerye Professional Japanese Sharpening Stone

If you need a sharpening kit and want to keep your fingers safe, this might be the set for you. Like the previous entry, this kit comes with two dual-grit stones with non-slip bases and a bamboo holder.

It also comes with a leather strop, angle guide, flattening stone, and get this, gloves. Yes, you read that correctly, this sharpening kit comes with gloves to keep your fingers from getting cut if your hands slip.

Pros:

• ✅ Nice to look at.
• ✅ Comes with gloves and strop.
• ✅ Comes with angle guide.

Cons:

• ❌ The gloves may be too small or too big for users.
• ❌ Angle guide may leave scratches on your blade.

A good stone set to get if you need one and you can get it here.

6: Ovanto Knife Sharpening Stone

Two dual-grit stones (400/1000 and 3000/8000), an angle guide, and a flattening stone with an attractive bamboo holder? Sign me up!

You can get a good edge on your knives using these stones and the whole lot fits comfortably in an elegant little box that makes a great kitchen ornament.

Pros:

• ✅ Good price.
• ✅ Easy to use.
• ✅ Easy to maintain.
• ✅ Aesthetically pleasing to look at.
• ✅ Non-slip bases.

Cons:

• ❌ Angle guide may leave scratches on the blade.
• ❌ There’s no discernible difference in the feeling on the stones.

You can get this set here.

7: Axuan Sharpening Stone

The Axuan Sharpening Stone Set comes with two double-sided stones (400/1000 and 3000/8000 grit), a leather strop, flattening stone, angle guide, and a polishing compound. The bamboo case is nice to look at and the non-slip bases on the stones and case prevent the stones from moving while you work.

These stones are reasonably priced, and apart from the angle guide possibly scratching your blades, I couldn’t find a single negative thing said about this set. You can get it here.

8: Sharp Pebble Sharpening Stone

The Sharp Pebble dual-grit sharpening stone comes with a 3000 and an 8000-grit stone, flattening stone, and a non-slip bamboo base. You can get a great edge on your knives with little difficulty.

The non-slip bamboo base looks good and keeps the stones in one place while in use – reducing the risk of injury.

Pros:

• ✅ Sharpens knives well.
• ✅ Easy to use.
• ✅ Looks good.
• ✅ Good Price.

Cons:

• ❌ 3000 grit stone is very soft and may dull the edge of your blade.
• ❌ Neither one produces a polished finish.
• ❌ The wood base can develop mold.

If you’re looking for a good first stone, this might be a good one for you to try. Pick it up here.

9: DMT Diamond Whetstone Sharpeners

This entry from Diamond Machining Technology is a set of three 6-inch diamond sharpening stones in a hardwood box. The diamond surface is super abrasive and puts a wicked-sharp edge on your knives with only a few passes.

As the stones use a diamond abrasive surface, you don’t need to add oil or water before using them. This makes them perfect for all conditions and environments.

Pros:

• ✅ Suitable for most/all environments.
• ✅ No need to add oil or water before use.
• ✅ Sharpens knives quickly.
• ✅ Easy to use.
• ✅ Easy to store.

Cons:

• ❌ Stones may be narrower than the blade that needs sharpening.
• ❌ Stones don’t fit snugly into the box and must be removed to use.
• ❌ Sharpening is a noisy process.
• ❌ Sharpening can be messy.

This set may take some getting used to but once you’ve got it, you’ve got it and you’ll be sharpening knives with the greatest of ease. If you’d like to get this set for yourself, you can get it here.

10: Shapton Ceramic Kuromaku

The Ceramic Kuromaku stones from Shapton are made in Japan and are available in 120, 320, 220 1000, 2000, 5000, 8000, 1500, 12000, 30000-grit stones.

These are great for sharpening a knife quickly and easily with the lower grits removing the old material and putting a fresh edge in place and the higher grits polishing and refining the edge.

Each stone comes with a case that doubles as a stone holder to keep it still while you’re working, and the typical slipperiness of ceramic stones is non-existent.

Pros:

• ✅ You don’t need to apply a lot of pressure to the stones to sharpen your knives.
• ✅ Knives are sharpened quickly.
• ✅ Doesn’t make a mess.
• ✅ Variety of grits from which to choose.
• ✅ Aesthetically pleasing.

Cons:

❌ The only problems about these stones is that they’re a bit slow with sharpening, and may crack in certain conditions. The US warranty also may not count for the Kuromaku series as it’s made in Japan.

Natural Stones

If you’re looking for something a bit fancier than your run-of-the-mill plain stones, you can get some natural stones that are cool and functional. The best part is you won’t have to spend a ridiculous amount of money to get them.

11: BodShell Double-Stone Whetstone Sharpening Set

This set from BodShell comes with two Arkansas Novaculite stones: a soft stone for putting an edge on the blade and a hard stone for finishing.

The stones come in a handcrafted wooden box (hardwood or cedar) and make an excellent decoration for a shelf or the countertop in your kitchen. You can put a good quality edge on any of your knives with these and they make a good conversation starter.

Pros:

• ✅ Looks good.
• ✅ Reasonably priced.
• ✅ Sharpens knives easily.
• ✅ Easy to use and maintain.

Cons:

• ❌ Box may not be too durable, but a bit of wood glue should be a quick fix.

Want one of these? Get it here.

12: Dalstrong Premium Portable Whetstone Set

Made of corundum (aluminum oxide crystal), this set from Dalstrong features a dual-grit stone (1000/6000-grit) in a handcrafted oakwood box which also has a non-slip silicone mat to prevent any slipping and sliding while you work.

The 1000 grit stone is great for a quick, sharp edge repair while the 6000-grit stone takes a sharp edge and makes it scary sharp! Transporting and setting up this stone will always be a great conversation starter.

Pros:

• ✅ Sharpens knives easily.
• ✅ Nice to look at.
• ✅ Easy to transport.
• ✅ Non-slip mat prevents the stone from sliding around during use.

Cons:

• ❌ I saw some complaints about the video instructions not being good and so that might be something to consider if you’re new to using stones. Otherwise, it shouldn’t be an issue.

This is a nice stone, but it may take some getting used to – especially if you’re new to stones. That said, if you want one of these it can be purchased here.

13: Wood-mounted Arkansas Sharpening Stone Set

3 10-inch Arkansas sharpening stones: Soft, Hard, and Black Arkansas stone. Each stone is mounted to a wooden base and can be used either hand-held or on a benchtop.

The soft stone is used to repair badly worn blades, the hard stone puts a fine edge in place, and the black stone produces an extra fine edge like the ones found on dental tools and straight razors.

Pros:

• ✅ Aesthetically pleasing.
• ✅ Can be either hand-held or benchtop stones.
• ✅ Can be used with a variety of bladed tools.
• ✅ Sharpens knives quickly.

Cons:

• ❌ May be narrower than in the pictures.
• ❌ The hard stone might have a rough patch.
• ❌ Can’t be removed from the bases.

If you want to get these for yourself, click here.

Just a Handful of Stones

This is just a handful of the stones available so if you don’t see something you like; you can look around for other options.

Now, with that in mind, it’s important to understand that sharpening with a stone isn’t something you just know how to do.

It’s not hard to learn but it can be a challenge – and a daunting one at that. Learning to use a stone is going to take time, practice, and patience but it’s a worthwhile investment.

With all that said, I hope you found this list helpful and informative and that you enjoyed it. Thanks, as always, for reading and I’ll see you all again in the next one!