SHARPAL 162N Diamond Whetstone Knife Sharpener with Storage Base

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.

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.

It certainly delivers. Much heavier than i was expecting, I'd spent no more than a couple of minutes in total and it was sharp. Once I'd also stopped my knife, I could shave the hair off my forearm with ease. More than pleased with this purchase, I'm glad I changed my mind and bought the larger version of this.

Before buying this I had tried a much cheaper thin plate. It was OK but this is a thing of beauty. Even the packaging is so nice I don't want to throw it out. The plastic housing is substantial and well made with a non slip base and a secure mounting for the tone on the top. The stone itself is nice and weighty with polished edges and just looks great. As for performance I have reground 2 chisels and it has worked perfectly. Not sure about the angle guide thing - seems a bit of a gimmick. This was 3 times more expensive than the previous one but money well spent I think

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.

This is a fantastic sharpening stone which I recommend to people new to sharpening their knives and experienced sharpeners alike. I've had a close look at this with a microscope and I can't find any evidence of grit contamination (particles from the coarse side finding their way onto the fine side). The flatness and consistency of each side are excellent. The included storage box / stone holder along with the (very handy) angle guide make this everything you need to get started. Add a strop with some 1 micron diamond paste and you can get some screaming sharp edges with just a little practice. This really is the best value starter set available. Avoid the very cheap diamond plates - they aren't flat, they have inconsistent grit sizes and they wear out quickly. Save up for a bit and get this dual grit stone from Sharpal (or the slightly smaller / cheaper version) - you won't regret it.

This beats oily messy oil stones hands down. It is excellent with the none slip base and the tough box to protect when you've finished sharpening and honing all of your cutting tools. All ten wood chisels honed in 25mins. Cleaned the stone with a pencil rubber, ready for next time. No water or oiled used.

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.

Es original