Sharpening Stones: A Complete Beginner's Guide

What to know before you get started with sharpening stones.
Links for every product featured in this video below!

Products from this video (affiliate):
Oil Stones:

Diamond Stones:

Water Stones:

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Ron Hock:

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Become a member of this channel!

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Wood Work for Humans Tool List (affiliate):
*Cutting*
(Winner of the affordable dovetail-saw shootout.)
(Needs tune-up to work well.)
(Works out of the box)
(My favorite affordable new chisels.)
(I use these to make the DIY specialty planes, but I also like them for general work.)

*Sharpening*

*Marking and Measuring*
(For marking and the built-in awl).
(Excellent, inexpensive marking knife.)

*Drilling*

*Work-Holding*

Follow me on Instagram: @rexkrueger

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0:00 Intro
0:15 Humble beginnings
2:34 On water Stones
5:11 How to get started
6:15 Buying Oil Stones
8:17 Buying Diamond Stones
9:58 Buying Water Stones
11:19 Outro

[WDCallahan]

The first time you did a video on these diamond plates, they all sold out and the price went way up. I was just about to get a set finally, and you do this. 😝

[microwave]

I started with old oilstones half a lifetime ago, and fell in love with diamond as soon as it became available to me. Anything will work, it really is more about what you like. That, and a strop is almost magical for getting a razor edge

[alliboogaloo]

I bought a diamond plate just to flatten my water stones. I use Japanese style tools in my shop and you are spot on. I destroyed a few chisels using non-water stones to sharpen and avoid the flattening process. I kind of find sharpening a peaceful & meditative part of my woodworking.

[msup]

I started "woodworking" some years ago with diy musical instruments, but after watching this whole channel i realized i only scratched the surface! Love your content Rex

[terristroh]

I’ve learned so much from you. I’ve stayed at the sandpaper level as my use of hand tools is very limited due to health issues. But I appreciate that you don’t disparage or mock any level of sharpening.

[dertethra]

I tried all of it. I started with a King 800 and a King 6000. Then I tried Diamonds with a strop. After that I bought some natural Oilstones and really liked them. Actually I use Shapton Ha-no-Kuromaku Waterstones, which dont need to be soaked, sometimes followed by a modern thuringian natural waterstone. But for some blades I still like go back to my King stones. So I generally gone full circle and I think all systems work.
I have to say that I really like sharpening and that most of the stones were bought when I tried to sharpen straight razors. For woodworking the King stones and a diamond plate for flattening always did the job.
Greetings from Germany.

[jgo]

My setup is very simple, thanks to Face Edge, a different woodworking channel. Combination diamond stone 300/1000# + autosol on a block of wood. I only use the 300# when I need to reshape an edge otherwise its the 1000# and then autosol and thats it. Gets a glass smooth finish on wood surface and it doesn't get much simpler than that. Sharpening in woodworking is 98% fluff. Too many people try to sell their products instead of teach real sharpening. Oh and I don't waste my time or money on lubricant. I clean the diamond stone with a pink eraser like the ones you used to use in school, thanks to a different channel, Stavros Gakos.

Appreciate the honesty and candor, Rex.

[jcork]

I have had the cheap diamond stones and they have lasted over 18 months so far of regular use. They are mounted on a plywood board which helps keep them supported.

[pettere]

I got an electroplated, two sided (400/1000 grit) diamond stone branded Axminster Rider that I have been using the last year together with a strop. I am happy with the results.

[sagopalm]

I have a norton india stone from my grandfather and it still works great

[MoonlightFox]

I recently got myself a super cheap set with a guide, a two-sided stone and some oil.
it may not be amazing, but it's a huge improvement over nothing at all!

[ricardolandgrave]

I saw your cheap diamond plate video and immediately went ahead and wanted to purchase them. But I ended up buying a water stone kit that had leather and compound as well as a honing guide. My woodworking teacher didn't use a guide, but he did have water stones soaked in a big Tupper. To me, the guide included in the kit was the deciding factor, and even though neither my teacher used it or you mentioned it on the cheap diamond stone video, I still went with them. I was bummed when you said you didnt liked them but felt immediately better when you said basically choose one method and be good at it. So thanks and thanks again for all your videos and knowledge

[brucematthews]

Another great video! And I totally agree with the idea of picking one and sticking with it. I started with oil stones and still use them in my machine shop. But I hated all the oil on my wood working tools and moved on to water stones. I've bought and used a couple of diamond plates and so far so good. But mostly I use the 120/180 diamond plate for leveling the water stones. I WAS going to shift to diamond plates actually. But decided to try the 120/180 cheapie combo plate as a low cost intro. But in the end it was the perfect compliment to my water stones and that's where I'm now very happy. Plus, as you say, I've learned how best to use the water stones after a good 25 years of home hobby use.

A hint for the "stone pond" for those that decide that water stones are for them. Yeah, it's nasty when the stones sit down in the sludge on the bottom. And in time the water can become pretty funky. To keep the stones out of the sludge a grid or short raised plastic racking of some manner holds the stones a little off the bottom. A cut down dish drainer works well if you get the proper sort. And about once every few months a small squirt of bleach into the pond and using a cover keeps any growth in the water at bay.

[moonwolf]

I was given a set of Arkansas oil stone for Christmas from woodcraft and I love them

[BradsWorkbench]

Great info. Ive been using a Sharpal 325/1000 diamond stone for almost 2 years now. Love it. Great midgrade stone. And of course a strop for honing 🤙

[laroseauxboisrosewoodwoodw]

Hy Rex, i’ve been a cabinet maker for 30 + years now . For no reason, like you, after 28 + years of sharpening with one 2 sided oil stone, i bought the dimond stones 🤪😱 Now i’m back with the oil stone . Like my grand dad youse to say, when it works why change 😂😊🤷

[MattCampbell]

If the marketing jargon has any connection to the manufactured product, then I expect "monocrystalline diamond" means that each tiny piece of diamond grit embedded in the plate is composed of a single crystal, rather than a cluster of smaller crystals. On the larger grits, that means they are using larger (more expensive) diamonds in the grit, but probably reduces the likelihood that the grit will break down into finer grains over time.

[criswilson]

I have acquired many options for sharpening over the years. I have found that different tools sharpen better using different stones. For instance, my carving gouges seem to work better with water stones while my bench chisels seem to work better with diamond plates. On my knives I prefer the natural coticule edge. The shapton glass stones are nice and fast, but possibly a bit too fast for beginners, you can repair or damage the edge very quickly with them.

[darkounet]

Nice video rex. However a quick tip, if you know how to wear your oilstones properly, you don't need to flatten your stones anymore. The trick is : don't put the whole plane blade over the middle of the stone. Sharpen the right side of the blade on the left side of the stone (that means the left side of the blade overhangs) and vice versa. The wear is more even and the oilstone does not get hollow along its width. Of course you can also adjust how you wear the stone if you check it on a regular basis

[moleratical]

I got a two sided arkansas stone from Dan's for my kitchen knives (medium/fine), tried it on my chisel because I didn't have anything else, and it worked wonderfully.