The "best" knife sharpening stone depends on your budget and experience level. For an everyday, reliable water stone, the Shapton Pro 1000 (or Kuromaku) is widely considered the gold standard for its fast-cutting ceramic material and mess-free "splash-and-go" design.
In other words, if your knife is very blunt or damaged, you want to use a whetstone with a grit under 1000; if your knife blade is dull but usable, a grit of 1000 will bring it back to good shape. Grits over 1000 are best for honing.
A sharpening stone, also known as a whetstone is a kitchen essential used by professional chefs across the globe. While honing rods take slightly less time to maintain knives than whetstones, they are incredibly durable and resilient and help your knife cut through any type of meat, fruit, or vegetable.
Diamond stones sharpen much faster and require minimal maintenance, making them ideal for people who want quick results. Whetstones produce superior edges but require more time and skill. Professional sharpeners often use both for different stages.
Gordon Ramsay primarily uses a traditional honing steel (or sharpening rod) to maintain knife edges before use, emphasizing safety and consistent 45° angles. While he often uses professional whetstones for deep sharpening, modern demonstrations (and fan-used products) have shown the Tumbler Rolling Sharpener to be highly effective for achieving a razor-sharp edge on his knives.
Sharpening steels, stones and whetstones are great for home chefs who only occasionally sharpen their blades, and butchers who sharpen one or two knives regularly. But, if you're a commercial butcher who uses multiple knives on a regular basis, an electric knife sharpener is often best for the job.
The "best" knife sharpener ultimately depends on your knives, skill level, and budget. For an intuitive, mess-free experience that produces a razor-sharp edge with zero skill, the Work Sharp Rolling Knife Sharpener is the best overall. If you prefer professional, guided systems, the Wicked Edge Gen 4 is unmatched.
Your stone will require lubrication to function well. In the sharpening phase, we do not recommend any current WD-40® Brand Products although some may be used later for storage & protection. For sharpening stones the lubrication can come from water or oil.
When using a whetstone, you should use both pushing and pulling strokes for the most effective sharpening session.
Pull-through sharpeners are bad for your knives because they aggressively scrape metal off the blade using fixed-angle carbide teeth. This removes excessive steel, ruins your knife's factory geometry, creates a jagged or wavy edge over time, and can severely damage the thick metal bolsters found on many chef's knives.
Here are the most common mistakes and proven ways to avoid them:
Gordon Ramsay was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer. He underwent successful surgery to have the cancerous cells removed from his jawline and used the opportunity to share photos of his stitches and a public service announcement encouraging fans to wear sunscreen.
Bobby Flay most frequently uses Shun knives, specifically the Shun Classic Western Chef's Knife. He loves these Japanese-crafted blades for their lightweight balance and versatility. For smaller, all-around prep, he has also been known to reach for the Shun Classic Hollow-Ground Santoku.
Cutting boards made of glass, granite, ceramic, or your dinner plate may look stylish or convenient, but they are the fastest way to destroy a knife's edge. These surfaces are harder than your knife's steel. So every time your blade contacts them, it suffers microscopic edge deformation, chipping, or even rolling.
Benchstones. Benchstones are the most commonly used sharpening stones and are also known as oilstones or whetstones. As the term oilstone suggests, a thin layer of oil is typically used as a lubricant on this type of stone to enhance sharpening performance and to keep the sharpening surface from loading or glazing.
Choosing the Best Grit for Sharpening Knives
For most home cooks, a 1000-grit stone is the best option to get started. Follow up with a 4000 or 6000 grit stone to polish the edge. An 8000 grit is very effective for those who want an exceptionally refined mirror finish.
For most home cooks and professionals, the Shapton Kuromaku (Professional) 1000 is the best overall sharpening stone. It is a "splash-and-go" stone that cuts quickly, doesn't require messy soaking, and remains perfectly flat over time.
The best way to sharpen knives at home is by using a whetstone (or water stone), which provides the most precise control and the sharpest edge. For a faster, beginner-friendly alternative, electric sharpeners or pull-through sharpeners are ideal.
The more you sharpen a knife, the sharper it will get
This is not true. Over-sharpening a knife can actually damage the edge and make it duller.
Yes, you can use WD-40 as a lubricant on oil-based sharpening stones, but it is not the best option. Because WD-40 is very thin, it fails to effectively float away metal shavings (swarf), which can clog your stone.
The Best Knife Sharpeners of 2026, Tested and Reviewed
Rule #1: It is important to use a knife adapted to what you want to do / food you want to prepare. For example, you shouldn't use a bread knife to slice a roast or use the blade of a paring knife and use it as a screwdriver (don't laugh, we've all done it!) Rule #2: Don't drop your knife on the floor.
Too much pressure on one side of the blade might result in dents and uneven sharpening. In contrast, being overly light-handed may not produce the desired effects. Remember that mild and continuous pressure, as well as keeping a consistent angle, are key.
3-Finger Test
Lightly place the knife edge on your fingers (sideways, not pointing down) and gently pull. A sharp blade will feel very "grabby" and not slip easily over your skin.