162N Diamond Whetstone Knife Sharpener with Storage Base | 2 Side Grit Coarse 325 / Extra Fine 1200 | Diamond Sharpening Stone | Non-Slip Base & Angle Guide (203 x 76mm / 8 x 3 Inch)

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 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.

I’ve used countless sharpening systems over the years, but this one stands out. The industrial monocrystalline diamond surface is fast, flat, and durable—no water or oil needed. It brought my old kitchen knife back to razor-sharp glory in minutes. The dual grit (325/1200), smart angle guide, and non-slip base make sharpening efficient and precise. This isn’t just a tool—it’s a proper upgrade to my knife care ritual. Verdict: SHARPAL didn’t just sharpen my knife. It revived it. And frankly, it revived the joy of using it again.

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!

Best stone for freehand sharpening

Very good. No need for a ToPek for your kitchen knives.

Zuerst war ich skeptisch. Und ich hatte bis vor dem Kauf noch mit dem Gedanken gespielt, mir eine Tormek T8 zu gönnen. Aber das Geld spare ich mir jetzt. Diamantbeschichtetes Metall hatte ich bislang noch nicht probiert. Dann wurde das Teil geliefert und alleine das Gewicht, die Haptik und Optik haben mich den relativ hohen Preis schnell vergessen lassen. Die mitgelieferte Winkellehre ist SUPER! Sie hilft ungemein, einen gleichen Winkel einzuhalten. Die grobe Seite schleift recht schnell Beschädigungen weg und hilft, dem Messer einen hervorragenden und bereits küchenfertigen Neuschliff zu verpassen. Das Endschleifen mit der feinen Seite macht die Messer tatsächlich rasiermesserscharf! Und das ohne großen Aufwand, ohne Wassersauerei und gefühlt ewigem Schleifen. Zieht man die Messer danach über einen Metzgerstahl (bei mir von Wüsthof), kann man sich tatsächlich rasieren und damit meine ich nicht nur Unterarme! Nach mittlerweile geschätztem 15-20 fachen Einsatz kann ich noch KEINE Abnutzungserscheinungen feststellen. Um das zu beurteilen habe ich ein Taschenmikroskop benutzt. Die Oberflächen sind nach wie vor im Neuzustand, sieht man von Metallspuren ab. Das hatte ich nicht erwartet, schon gar nicht von Werkzeug aus China. Geschliffen wurden damit Messer von Wüsthof, Herder, Global, Zwilling, Solicut und VG10 Messer aus China. Ich habe sie ALLE rattenscharf bekommen und die Schneide sieht unter dem Mikroskop hervorragend aus! Und weil das Teil so wunderbar funktioniert, habe ich mir jetzt - vom gleichen Hersteller - ein doppelseitiges Abziehleder mit Polierpaste gekauft. Nach dem Abziehen auf diesem Lederstreifen sind die Messer so scharf, dass die Haare wirklich "Ping" machen, wenn sie wegfliegen. Küchenkrepp kann ich mit einem Schnitt teilen, dass die Schnittkanten aussehen, als wären sie mit einem Laser geschnitten. Die Messer kann man seitlich auf eine frische Tomate aufsetzen, ohne dass sie abrutscht. Zeitungspaperi kann ich einfach durch die Schneide ziehen. Um solche Ergebnisse zu erzielen, habe ich vorher STUNDEN gebraucht, musste 4 verschiedene Schleifsteine nutzen und der Küchentisch sah danach aus wie ein Scheidungsgrund. Absolut uneingeschränkte Kaufempfehlung. Sobald das Teil mal im Angebot ist, werde ich mir definitiv ein zweites Exemplar sichern! Da ich kein Geld für meine Rezensionen bekomme, ist es mir auch vollkommen Wurscht, ob jemand meine Rezension als hilfreich anklickt.