Customer Reviews

DMT W8F 8-Inch Diamond Whetstone Sharpener, Fine with Hardwood Box

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I've used many types of sharpening stones - the natural Arkansas washita stones you use with oil, electric sharpeners, and steels. For me nothing beats this stone for kitchen knives in terms of results vs. effort. You use water instead of oil (less clean-up) and it's fast. In a minute I can sharpen a knife that was too dull to easily start a slice in a tough-skinned tomatoes to a point it'll shave hairs off my arm and slice a tomato with zero slipping or hesitating against the tomato's skin. The larger 8 inch stones (W8F) is perfect - the larger 8 inch model is safer to use as you can keep your hand further away from the knife edge as you sharpen, and the 8 inch model gives you longer strokes. The W8F (the "F" signifies Fine grit - red based models by DMT) is the perfect grit for kitchen knives - no other stone is needed. To use the stone draw the blade across the stone as if you're taking slices off the stone. You don't go in swirls or circles or backwards - you act like you're taking slices off the stone. Hold the blade at about a 25 degree angle, and don't be afraid to press down fairly hard. The ideas is to take a little mettle off the blade - that's how you sharpen. Do 3-5 strokes on one side of the blade, then 3-5 strokes on the other side of the blade. Keeping doing it until the knife is sharp, and keep the stone wet with water. Then run the stone under warm water to rinse it, then dry it so the metal won't rust. I've been using this technique for 10-15 years, and my knives show minimal wear, and the stone still looks new.