How To Sharpen a Knife with a Whetstone - Kitchen Knife Sharpening

Sharpening a knife on a whetstone is both art and science. Whetstone or water stone knife sharpening is an excellent way to put a razor sharp edge on kitchen knives, pocket knives and most tools with an edge. The sharpening process is a labor of love, with practice and muscle memory the results can be amazing.

First soak your stone in water until no more bubbles come out... this usually takes 10-15 minutes.
Then secure your stone in a frame or base or on a towel.
Keep water close by and frequently wet the stone.
Sharpen one side on a coarse or medium grit with 10-15 strokes and then switch sides and sharpen the opposing side. Check for a burr.
A burr feels like a fine wire at the tip of the edge and will be on the opposite side from the side most recently sharpened.
Once a burr is raised along the full length of the blade switch to a fine stone.
Make 5-10 strokes per side with a lighter touch. After 10-20 strokes alternate strokes one stroke per side. for another 5-10 strokes.

[b.a.bricker]

Flashback. 1978. Me (8 years old)and my grandpa in his garage, stone in the vise on his workbench, teaching me how to stone sharpen on his barlows and old timers. Every year for my birthday he would let me pick one of his knives out of his knife drawer where there were always 10 or 15 knives of various sizes. It was love at first knife for me.

[tabiikat]

Thank you so much, I inherited my late Father's whetstone and had no idea how to use it, but I remember him using it fondly, hoping to make him proud. ❤

[stephaniecavano]

After 50 years of marriage and cooking, I am Italian lol, I decided an ole gal can learn new tricks!! Ordered the Work Sharp whetstone and took the advice of a reviewer and checked out your Youtube video...Wonderful instruction....Thank forward to the delivery of my Work Sharp whetstone!

[johnwayne]

I'm using my whet stone for the first time. I love it so far I'm a big out doors person I live in alaska and I find my self wanting to learn more and more about the tools I use and how to keep them well maintained. Using my own 2 hands and not Relying on other people to get the job done. I have both the whetstone and belt sharpener. I got to say this is not only vary helpful to have and learn with. It gives you lots of options to find your own way of doing things. I hope to give more details when I have tested everything out. Ps please put more information on how to properly clean and get your whetstone ready to put away. Thank you guys for some great videos and tips. Also thank you guys for really coming up with products for people that's want too learn life skills. Your fan so far John Wayne.

[maihuychung]

For a my set of high end kitchen knives, and an assortment of others, all of my knives are now sharper than when purchased. It’s fast and certainly effective.

[GRANTWORKMAN]

I've sharpened my knives for years and they use to get razor sharp but haven't recently. You methods and mine are slightly different and I'm going to try what I've learned from your video. Thanks, Grant Workman.

[lauramoy]

Thank you so much! I'm going to start sharpening my own kitchen knives.

[HikeHuntHaul]

I bought one of these and the other day. Awesome system! Super easy to sharpen all my kitchen knives and utility knives. It is science and a technique but you can master it quickly. I was able to revive all my knives and place them back to a razors edge. Key is water. Saturate the stone and keep a little bit of water as you sharpen and hone. Awesome system. Highly recommend. Thank you #worksharp

[sandeeprice]

Well I watched an now I'm doing it wow so fun and I'm just a lady for I lost my husband and I'm learning stuff you guys do but how fun thanks for your help

[frankmcdaniel]

I have a number of Work Sharp products including the Ken Onion belt sharpener and I really enjoy watching these videos.

[paulwiltzius]

Thank you I'm sixty two years old and my dad from world war two Taught me how to sharpen on a Stone. However I find this very informative. I have a Ken Onion sharpener I have struggled with for years. I bought Arkansas stones and can't quite get the edge I want 😩. I'm disabled I've shoulder issues that cost me my job. I'm waiting for a complete spine reconstruction. So go through a lot to get the sharpener right height and distance to work on. But as you said reword for working with stones. In the past I've ordered all sorts of belts for sharpening kitchen and hunting knives. Haven't hit the right ones yet. Any way I appreciated your video. Keep it sharp 😊

[briankendalll]

Just picked one up at Sportsman’s Warehouse for $29.99. Very impressed by this stone. Reset some very dull kitchen knife edges in only a few minutes each.

[edmundhendon]

Thanks very helpful, I have a drawer full of dull knives, thanks to your video cooking will be easier again.

[serenahubert]

Thank you for explaining the reasons things are done! My brain only seems to really get concepts when I understand the reasons for making the choices. Excellent tutorial here.

[mikemike]

Thank you you explain that much better than most people did I've been playing with sharpening knives for a long time and still don't have it down yet

[shawnolague]

This series has definitely made me a better knife sharpener.

[kevinfonseca]

Thank you for having your teaching videos. I have looked at several, as this one, many times. I keep seeing very useful tips that I may have missed the first few times.

[impatientpatient]

thank you good sir. it has been ages since i used an actual whetstone to sharpen. your video really helped me get back in to it.

[russelltownsley]

Always had trouble using a whetstone. This video gave me some good techniques when using a whetstone.

[robertfortman]

Thank you for demonstrating the proper way to use a whetstone and how to verify the correct angle..