162N Diamond Whetstone Knife Sharpener with Storage Base

I bought this following online reviews by people who are far more knowledgeable about knife sharpening than me. The reviewer said that he didn't know how they offer a diamond stone of such high quality, and durability for such a low price. After using this for a few months, I totally agree. It may take a little time to improve your skills, but I was improving the edge on my kitchen knives, and pocket knives almost immediately. The two grits on this item (325 and 1200) have turned out to be just what I needed for really good results (Yes, you can do a bit of stropping to finish off you like, but you can get really sharp without that). The product build is especially impressive - the stainless steel is a good, solid, heavy piece of metal, and the holder keeps it in place perfectly, and the rubber base keeps it in place very well, so it can be used on, pretty much, any decent flat surface. I'm not a big fan of the supplied angle gauge, personally, but maybe that's just me. I prefer to learn to hold the angles myself, and practice makes perfect (Though I'm definitely not there yet). I had previously used "Pull through" type sharpeners for my kitchen knives. I thought they were doing a reasonable job, but, no, I now know they really weren't. In fact, they were terrible. Expertise is not a pre-requisite with this product. Once your knives are in a reasonable condition, an occasional bit of maintenance is all that is needed to keep your knives cutting well.

This has so many other reviews it hardly seems worth reviewing it, but just to add to the chorus, this is an excellent package, get it, you won't regret it (Unless, I suppose, you're a hand-sharpening newbie and aren't prepared to put the practice in.) I originally saw this being tested and recommended by a YouTuber who is, it's fair to say, very obsessive about hand sharpening and testing knives, as well as being a maker of knives. He seemed to know what he was talking about, and got excellent results really quickly using just this stone and a diamond strop. I'd been struggling with a set of the ubiquitous Chinese two-sided whetstones, so I bought one of these, and since then the whetstones have stayed in their box. I've in fact bought two of these now, one for me and, after I tried it, another one as a gift. The price I originally paid - £60 - is very good value, especially compared with some other brands, the second one was even better value as it was discounted. You can go cheaper and still get good results, especially in coarser diamond plates, but the very cheap ones are usually flimsy and need bonding to stable bases, don't come with the combined non-slip working stand and storage box (itself well worth at least ten quid, arguably somewhat more). The finer grit cheapies tend to have too much grit contamination, though there are some bargains that are very similar to this Sharpal, albeit without the box and so on. The angle guide covers a useful range of bevel angles and very handy for getting your eye in. I also bought the well-finished leather strop that Sharpal offer, and some 1 micron diamond emulsion (Enzo brand, from Amazon, which seems to have a decent percentage of diamond) and I have to say that after a bit of practice, to my surprise and pleasure, I was able to get a blade to "hair whittling" sharpness using just these things. Generally, though, so long as the last few passes are light and on alternate sides, knives come off the 1200 side pretty much shaving sharp, albeit not "comfortable" shaving without a little refinement on a strop. Certainly more than sharp enough for kitchen use, though, or for field knives. Being diamond, this stone doesn't mind how tough a steel your knife is made from, and indeed it's not much bothered by tungsten carbide either, making it really useful for a whole variety of tools. I've not tried sharpening ceramic knives on it, and I have a strong feeling that even the 1200 side is too coarse for that, as ceramic blades sharpen (and wear) by chipping, rather than cutting. I have successfully sharpened a ceramic blade using a very fine (8000 grit) wet+dry abrasive paper flattened wet onto a glass plate and kept wet throughout, using it "backwards" like a strop. Took ages, though. I think ceramic knives could be honed on a very fine diamond strop, too - 1 micron is equivalent to around 14,000 grit, but go to 0.5µ or 0.25µ and it's more like 50,000 to 100,000 grit. However, I think if a ceramic knife needs significant re-profiling, i.e. if it's properly blunt or damaged, then the best option is going to be a fine, power driven, super-smooth wheel running in water, then maybe finish on a very fine diamond strop. At the more mundane end of the cutlery spectrum, I've sharpened some very cheap knives on this stone that, previously, have not taken or held an edge very well. A combination of a clean-cutting and properly flat stone like this, and more knowledge of how to sharpen, helps to get a clean, burr-free apex that is as good as it's going to get. My only slight reservations about this stone are the occasional review suggesting perhaps glitches in quality control once in a while, and the fact that, on mine, the mirror sides of the steel substrate have already corroded a little where I've been handling it, even though it's been kept dry and stored in its box along with silica gel. The working surfaces seem fine, though, and, as others have said, after a minimal bedding in they are nice and even, and remove metal surprisingly quickly. Summary: Strongly recommended for anyone who wants to hand-sharpen knives. As and when this stone wears out, I'll buy another one.

I have used a fair few different stones for sharpening knives over the years, with very mixed results. Success was never guaranteed at all. I had practiced a lot, and could hold an angle well, but it just wasn't enough, since the stones themselves often just dished out and became useless after a short time. I often found that a lot of stones were just too soft, and it was very hard to gauge pressure to get a good grind. I knew diamond plates would be the best option, as they do not dish out (go concave) after regular use, but they were too expensive at the time. Then I saw this diamond sharpener that was double sided and half the price of a single plate from a well known company. So I bought it. The box is sturdy, and it holds the whetstone well. It doesn't slip around on the work-surface either. The stone itself is just a steel plate with electro-plated diamond powder on it. While 325 grit might sound quite smooth compared to the grits of other coarse stones, because it's diamond it cuts very quickly. You can then flip it over to the other side to 1200, and this might sound like a large jump compared to normal whetstones, but you can get away with it here as the diamond just grinds away the steel with ease. Keep in mind that on first use, it will cut coarse and a bit uneven. This will wear down after a bit of use as the surface evens out and any loose diamond falls off. Once it settles, it cuts very consistently, with light pressure. I have used this stone extensively for months, and it has not faltered at all, and has been the best sharpening investment I have made in a long time. It does come with a blade angle guide, but it's a bit impractical to use. I don't use it, since I've had a fair bit of experience with whetstones over the years, so I can hold an angle quite well. For maintenance and cleaning, the best thing you can get is a kneadable eraser, the grey putty stuff used by artists. It will cling to the metal swarf/dust and clean the stone very easily, without the need to wash it. Also, do not use water with this stone, it does not need it like regular whetstones. The 1200 grit side is good enough for a very sharp knife, but not enough for a razor, although you don't need a razor to cut veg. If you do want to bring your knife to a razor sharpness (as in, you can shave with it), you'll need a leather strop and some 1-micron diamond powder. Do not get the diamond paste that comes in those coloured tubes, they are terrible, with a very low concentration of diamond in them. Get the pure diamond powder instead. It costs a bit more, but it lasts ages as you only use a tiny amount (it will feel like fine clay powder). Just rub that powder dry into the leather, then strop away - you'll get a razor in no time.

This is the whetstone to buy. It’s so much easier than traditional whetstones and far less messy. It’s a premium product with a very reasonable price tag. The angle guides are handy for beginners and the case it comes with is great as it is also a mount for the stone. Durability seems great and it helps that it doesn’t need to be flattened. I highly recommend.

I'm generally pleased with its performance. It comes nicely packaged, which immediately gives off a good impression of the quality. The inclusion of a little angle reference tool and a mini instruction booklet is a thoughtful touch, making it much easier for beginners or those looking to perfect their sharpening skills to get started. The stone itself is fairly heavy, which I appreciate as it stays put while in use, adding to the safety and precision of sharpening. However, I did notice a slight imperfection on the smooth edge of the stone. (See attached picture for reference.) While this hasn't majorly impacted its performance, it's something to be aware of. Overall, this product has been great for keeping my knives sharp and ready to use. Despite the minor flaw in the stone's edge, its quality, thoughtful accessories, and overall functionality make it a valuable tool for any kitchen.

I’m really impressed with this product. As a complete beginner, I was able to sharpen all my kitchen knives easily and effectively. The set comes in a well-designed box that keeps everything neatly organized—even includes a silica gel packet slot to protect against moisture. The angle guide is a great addition. It snaps securely onto the stone and doesn’t move at all during sharpening, which gave me a lot more confidence and consistency. Overall, this is an incredible value for the price. My cheap old kitchen knives now feel fantastic and are razor sharp. Highly recommended, especially if you're just getting started.

Amazing sharpening stone, the diamond surface is highly durable and the design so that it mounts to the storage box for holding the stone in place while you sharpen your blades is a great idea. Combined with Sharpals strop, that also fits on the storage box stone holder, I am able to get my kitchen knives to a hair shaving razor finish. Skip past all the other cheap stones, this is the best I've come across so far.

I bought this to replace a DMT 8x3 1200grit diamond stone. That stone has worn over 15 years or so, and isn’t cutting it any more. I’ve used this new stone a few times and have got past the bedding in phase where it is coarser to start with. I flattened the bottom of my block plane in a few minutes on the 325 side, and have sharpened several plane blades and chisels using both sides. The blades grind consistently and the edge is extremely fine from the 1200 grit side. I’m This certainly seems as good as the reviews suggest. The price is surprising considering the very high quality. I’ve used EZ-Lap and several DMT continuous monocrystalline diamond sharpening stones in the past. I’m convinced that this sharpal is a better quality stone in flatness and grit consistency. I am a cabinet maker/joiner/machinist/guitar maker and I highly recommend this diamond stone.

First impressions are great, I bought this to sharpen my wood carving knives and it raises a burr very quickly, I’m glad I bought this. I was also surprised by the weight and the quality of the base/ storage box. Very nice.

Wonderful diamond sharpening plate. #320 makes quick work for re-profiling and #1200 finish the job and you got a good working edge! Been using it for months and the diamond grit seems to be quite durable..I'm happy about this products!

Super

As many others have pointed out, I too was introduced to this stone from the Outdoors55 channel. And he's absolutely right! I have more expensive DMT Dia-Sharp diamond stones and honestly, they are pretty comparable... except for the fact that this doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. In fact the case serving as it's holder is so convenient and the fact that it's dual sided makes it typically the only stone ive been reaching for. Combine this with a nice good quality strop and diamond strop paste and you can easily get any knife to be hair popping sharp. Usually I would say that for the price this product is good, but in this case it's so good that regardless of the price this stone can compete right up there with the big dogs. Zero grit contamination, very smooth and predictable feel. I personally might have liked the fine side to have been a bit more fine but that's only because I like mirror finishes on my edges, functionally its plenty fine to give you an amazingly sharp edge. Really not many bad things I can say about this. If you're thinking about it, buy it.

Der Versuch, eine weiche Tomate mit einem stumpfen Küchenmesser sauber zu schneiden, endet regelmäßig in einer matschigen Sauerei auf dem Schneidebrett. Man drückt mühsam von oben auf die Schale, die Klinge rutscht seitlich ab und zerquetscht das Gemüse eher als es zu teilen und gleichzeitig fliegt einem die Tomatensoße gegen die weiße Tapete. Um den Messern in der Küche wieder einen ordentlichen Schliff zu verpassen, nutze ich den Diamant Schleifstein von SHARPAL. Die Platte ist recht groß und bietet eine grobe sowie eine feine Körnung und kommt komplett ohne Wasser oder Schleiföl aus. Durch die verhältnismäßig breite Fläche finden auch lange Kochmesser ausreichend Platz zum gleichmäßigen Drüberziehen. Die beiliegende Winkelhilfe unterstützt dabei, den passenden Winkel für die Klinge ohne großes Gerate durchgehend zu halten. Mit etwas Übung geht das schon. Ich habe ein paar alte Küchenmesser für die ersten Schleifversuche verwendet. Eine vollautomatische Industrieschleifstraße für den Messerhersteller holt man sich mit dieser flachen Platte verständlicherweise nicht auf die Arbeitsplatte, aber für das Schärfen von Küchenmessern oder Taschenmessern erweist sich die Vorrichtung als überaus durchdacht konstruiert. Man muss beim Schleifen etwas darauf achten, mit ganz wenig Druck zu arbeiten und die Diamanten die Arbeit machen zu lassen, da zu starkes Aufdrücken die Beschichtung auf Dauer beschädigen kann und die Klinge vom Messer nur kaputt reißt. Das nervige Quetschen beim Gemüseschneiden hat ein Ende, und die Klingen gleiten wieder sauber durch. Nach der Nutzung kann man die Schleifflächen mit einem Papiertuch vorsichtig abwischen und den Block im Regal verstauen. Simpel und einfach gestaltet. Wir sind mit dem Set zufrieden.