Sharpening Set — Chef/Intermediate includes:

• Plated Diamond Sharpening Stone 250/1150 Grit
• Resin-Bonded Diamond Sharpening Stones 1000, 3000 Grit
• Sharpening Stone Holder
• Genuine Leather Strop with Bamboo Base
• Angle Guide

I have been sharpening my knives on whetstones for about 20 years.

(30+ minutes per knife)
In the beginning, I sharpened on cheap aluminum oxide stones that had to be soaked in water. I didn’t get the results I hoped for, and my skills didn’t improve no matter how much effort I put into it.

Later I discovered that sharpening well on soft aluminum oxide stones requires a lot of experience.
Partly because the stones are soft and remove very little material from the knife. This means you must be able to hold a completely stable angle by hand in order to sharpen at all on cheap stones.
Classic bootstrapping paradox!

(15 minutes or less per knife)
In my late twenties, I invested in Japanese splash-and-go whetstones, and that changed everything for me.
Naniwa and Shapton are great examples of makers of excellent Japanese splash-and-go stones.

In recent years, I have tested and studied hundreds of sharpening stones to find something I personally want to use — and sell.

(5 minutes or less per knife)
In 2024, I began testing plated and resin-bonded diamond stones, and that changed the game again.

Because diamond is harder than steel, it can sharpen any steel — and it does it fast.
From carbon steels without chromium carbides to HAP40 with high vanadium carbide content — diamond handles it all.

And good luck sharpening most super steels like ZDP189, HAP40 and similar on ceramic whetstones.
It’s going to take a very, very long time.

Beginners:

Use the free angle guide to learn how to hold the angle by hand.

1. #250 plated diamond

Shape the edge. Hold a stable angle. Use light to moderate pressure. Work until a small burr forms along the entire edge.

2. #1150 plated diamond

Refine the scratch pattern and reduce the burr. Use lighter pressure and flip the knife frequently.

3. Leather strop

Use only strokes away from the edge. Plain leather or a very small amount of diamond paste is fine.

Professionals:

1. #250 plated diamond (Edge profiling)

2. #1000 resin-bonded diamond stone (splash-and-go whetstone)

3. #3000 resin-bonded diamond stone (splash-and-go whetstone)

4. #6000 resin-bonded diamond stone (splash-and-go whetstone)

5. #12000 resin-bonded diamond stone (splash-and-go whetstone)

6. Leather strop with 1.5W diamond paste (1 micron)