Sharpening stones include water stones (whetstones used with water) and oil stones (whetstones used with oil). Water and oil provide a lubricant on the surface to eliminate any extraneous friction, improve sharpening power, and prevent damage to the stone itself.
While some stones – like those made of diamond or ceramic – can be used dry, they still usually benefit from a little water. Soaking the whetstone is important because it helps protect the stone from damage and wear. Sharpening your knives with a dry stone won't hurt the knife, but it will damage the stone over time.
A couple reasons. Soaking stones are porous. If not soaked, water will seep into the stone and not stay on top. You'll constantly be adding water. Soaking also softens the binder a bit, releasing more grit which expedites the cutting of the steel and also helping to prevent the stone loading up.
Lubrication: Water acts as a lubricant between the knife blade and the sharpening surface (like a whetstone). This reduces friction, allowing the blade to glide more smoothly and effectively over the sharpening medium.
Soaking stones often provide a better feel and sometimes better results than 'splash and go' whetstones, but are not quite as quick to use. 'Splash and Go' whetstones just need water splashing on them.
Most pros would agree that pulling the blade edge across the whetstone produces the best results. Not only will it bring the knife to its sharpest but it's also a much more effective way to remove chips and imperfections from the blade.
Soak the whetstone: Soak your coarse grit whetstone for 15 to 20 minutes. Soak your fine grit whetstone for 5 minutes. 3. Remove the whetstone and set on a towel: After soaking, place your whetstone in the center of a kitchen towel.
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.
Another term often used for sharpening stones is whetstone. Both terms mean exactly the same. After all to whet is to sharpen! It is a rather dated term but one that is still used regularly.
It is a bit old-fashioned now, but the process of sharpening used to be called "whetting", so to sharpen a blade was to "whet" it. Any stone used for sharpening was therefore called a "whetstone" or "whet stone".
My Whetstone Is Not Staying Wet
Make sure that you aren't putting your whetstone on a towel when it is in use. The material of the towel will naturally soak up moisture from the whetstone causing it to require wetting more frequently. When your stone is new, you may need to flatten the surface using another stone.
Objects like metals or stones sink in water due to the fact that the density of metal or stone is more than the density of water, and hence it sinks.
Push the point you want to sharpen with your fingers. While keeping the angle and pushing the point with your fingers, stroke the blade until it reaches the other edge of the whetstone, then pull the blade back until it reaches the edge of the whetstone. This back and forth is counted as one stroke.
MAINTAIN YOUR EDGE
You should only have to get your whetstones out about once or twice a year at home if you look after your knives and maintain their edge with a honing rod or 'steel'.
Occasional application of oil to keep the stone lubricated and prevent it from becoming clogged with metal shavings. Clean periodically of any metal shavings and apply a light coat of oil to keep lubricated. Soak in water before use and clean regularly with a soft brush to prevent contamination.
This takes practice, and you have to be careful, as using a whetstone incorrectly could weaken or damage a blade's edge. It can be fixed, but still – practice and caution are key. Another thing to keep in mind about whetstones is grit, indicated by the numbers on the side of the stone.
Electric pull through sharpeners remove way too much metal and shorten the life of your knife by years. Ceramic wheel sharpeners tend to take chips and chunks out of thin Japanese blades. Because of the mechanics of use, it is impossible to apply the same amount of pressure throughout the blade.
Whetstones with a grit of less than 1000 are usually used for knife repair such as a chipped edge. Grits between 1000 and 3000 are used for general knife sharpening. Grits between 4000 and 8000 are known as finishing stones and these can be used to refine the knife edge.
While plain water, windex ect. will work, Krud Kutter is the best lubricant to use for diamond sharpening stones. It is economical and a quart bottle can be purchased at your local Lowes or Home Depot for around $8 and a quart is going to last you a very, very long time.
Plant-based edible oils. Olive, peanut, rapeseed oil, etc. Bear in mind that such liquids are highly viscous and can lead to clogging of the sharpening stone surface.
Pressure should be firm, but gentle. The blade should glide smoothly across the stone as you pull.
Depending on your knife you will need to hold the blade at a 10° to 20° angle to the stone. Rule of thumb is a German knife or a thicker blade requires an 18° to 20° angle. Thinner Japanese blades can go down to 10° or less , but unless you have a lot of experience with thin blades, a minimum of 15° is recommended.
To flatten a stone, wet it with water or oil (depending on the type of stone) and rub the flattening plate evenly over its entire surface until all grayish evidence of previous sharpenings has disappeared.