{"id":3721,"date":"2026-11-10T08:52:46","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T00:52:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/?p=3721"},"modified":"2026-11-10T08:52:46","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T00:52:46","slug":"how-to-use-a-double-sided-sharpening-stone-4ab1-e42fd0","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/2026\/11\/10\/how-to-use-a-double-sided-sharpening-stone-4ab1-e42fd0\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use a double – sided sharpening stone?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey everyone, it\u2019s Jake here, and I\u2019m stoked to walk you through something I get asked about almost every single day at the shop: how to actually use a double-sided sharpening stone. I\u2019m the guy behind the counter at the sharpening stones supplier where I\u2019ve worked for 12 years\u2014you might\u2019ve picked up a Norton combination stone or a Shapton pro stone from me if you\u2019ve stopped by. For as long as I\u2019ve been doing this, I\u2019ve seen beginners overcomplicate it, and even experienced sharpeners skip small steps that make their edges feel dull a week later. A lot of that comes down to not understanding why a double-sided stone works better than a single-sided one, and how to switch between its coarse and fine sides correctly. Sharpening Stones<\/a><\/p>\n

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First, let\u2019s cut to what a double-sided sharpening stone is, because that\u2019s where most people get tripped up. It\u2019s literally two grits of abrasive material fused to the same base\u2014usually aluminum oxide for budget-friendly options like our standard combo stones, or silicon carbide for faster, more durable ones, even a ceramic base for premium setups. The coarse side is for fixing messed-up edges: chips, nicks, blades that are so dull they can barely slice paper. The fine side is for honing that edge to a razor sharpness, the kind that\u2019ll glide through a tomato without squishing it or slide through a piece of leather like butter. I tell new customers all the time: if you\u2019re only using a coarse stone, your edge will feel sharp but it\u2019ll chip and dull in two days. If you only use a fine stone, you\u2019ll spend 30 minutes grinding out a nick that would\u2019ve taken two minutes on the coarse side. That\u2019s the whole point of the double-sided design\u2014efficiency, no need to buy two separate stones.<\/p>\n

Now, the prep step that almost no one talks about, and it\u2019s make-or-break. You can\u2019t just pick up a dry stone and start grinding. For every type of stone, there\u2019s a soaking or rinsing rule, and get this: it\u2019s not just for lubrication. For water stones (the most common double-sided ones for home use), you need to soak the stone in room temperature water for 5 to 10 minutes, right? Wait, not too long\u2014if you leave it in for 20 minutes, the abrasive particles start to break down faster, and you\u2019ll have to replace it sooner. Oil stones are different: they need a light coat of honing oil, not soaking, to prevent metal shavings from clogging the pores. And if you\u2019re using a diamond double-sided stone? It\u2019s dry, no soaking, no oil\u2014just a quick wipe to remove dust before you start. Let\u2019s be real, I\u2019ve had customers bring back stones that looked like they crumbled because they soaked a diamond one. That\u2019s a rookie mistake.<\/p>\n

Next, the setup. You don\u2019t want the stone sliding all over your counter, right? I keep a rubber non-slip mat under mine at home, it\u2019s $5 at any hardware store, and it works way better than a damp paper towel that gets soaked and slips after two strokes. Your angle is non-negotiable here\u2014this is the part that separates people who get a sharp edge from people who end up with a wonky blade. For most kitchen knives, the sweet spot is 15 to 20 degrees. Hunting knives, pocket knives, that\u2019s 20 to 25 degrees. I tell beginners to use a cheap angle guide at first, or just hold the blade flat against your index finger, tilting it until the edge makes a straight line with your finger. If you\u2019re too steep, you\u2019ll wear down the top of the blade instead of sharpening the edge. Too shallow, and you\u2019ll take forever to get any metal off, and your edge will be rounded, not sharp.<\/p>\n

Okay, let\u2019s get to the actual process, starting with the coarse side. This is where all the work happens. Lay the stone on your non-slip mat, pick up your knife. Let\u2019s use a chef\u2019s knife as an example, that\u2019s what most people sharpen. Hold the knife with your dominant hand, grip the handle tight, and your other hand rests on the spine of the knife (the top flat part opposite the edge) to keep the angle steady. You\u2019re not pressing hard\u2014no need to bear down like you\u2019re splitting wood. Light, even pressure is all you need, so you don\u2019t wear the stone unevenly. Now, start with the edge facing the stone, pulling the knife toward you in a smooth arc, like you\u2019re slicing a thin layer off the stone. Then, flip the knife, do the same on the other side. That\u2019s one full cycle.<\/p>\n

How many cycles on the coarse side? Count the burr. A burr is that tiny metal lip that forms along the edge after you\u2019ve ground both sides evenly. You\u2019ll feel it if you run your finger along the edge gently, tip to heel, away from you. If it\u2019s not there, keep going\u2014usually 8 to 12 cycles per side, 16 to 24 total. If you have a big nick, add 4 to 6 extra. Once the burr is gone, you\u2019re done with the coarse side. If you skip this, or stop too early, the nick will stay, and when you go to the fine side, it\u2019ll still be there a week later. I once sharpened a customer\u2019s favorite paring knife that had a huge chip, and he told me he\u2019d spent months sanding it with a single fine stone\u2014no wonder it never got sharp. He followed the coarse side step I showed him, and he texted me a week later saying it cuts apples so clean he doesn\u2019t even peel them.<\/p>\n

Now the fine side. This is where you hone that burr off and get the edge to razor sharp. No pressure here at all\u2014almost zero. You\u2019re just gliding the knife over the stone to remove that tiny metal burr, and polish the edge. Same angle as the coarse side, 15 to 20 degrees for the chef\u2019s knife. Cycles? 5 to 8 per side, total 10 to 16. If you\u2019re using a very fine double-sided stone (like our 8000 grit side), you can even do 3 or 4 per side, just enough to get the burr off. The key here is that the fine side should never be used to fix nicks. That\u2019s why the two sides are different\u2014one for grinding, one for honing. I see people do this all the time, trying to fix a chip on the fine side, and they end up grinding the edge too thin, which makes it bend or chip later.<\/p>\n

After you\u2019re done, what\u2019s next? Flatten the stone. This is a step most people ignore, and it\u2019s why their stones get worn out unevenly. A rounded stone gives you a rounded edge on your knife, which is weak. Every 10 sharpening sessions, or if you notice the middle of your stone is lower than the edges, use a stone flattening tool or a piece of 200 grit sandpaper on a flat surface to flatten it. For combination double-sided stones, you can also flatten each side separately, obviously. And after every use, rinse the water stone with warm water, dry it with a towel, and store it in a cool, dry place. Don\u2019t leave it soaking in water overnight, and don\u2019t let it sit on a wet counter\u2014moisture will make the abrasive material break down faster.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s answer some common questions I get from customers, because that\u2019s what makes this practical. First, can I use a double-sided stone for tools, not just knives? Absolutely\u2014axes, machetes, chisels, all work. For axes, the angle is a bit steeper, 25 to 30 degrees, so that\u2019s a good use for a double-sided stone: coarse side to fix a nicked axe edge, fine side to make it sharp enough to split kindling. Second, how often do I need to sharpen? That depends on use\u2014if you\u2019re a home cook sharpening a chef\u2019s knife once a month, that\u2019s fine. If you\u2019re a line cook, once a week. Third, what if my stone is oil instead of water? Same process, just use honing oil instead of soaking, and wipe the stone down with a cloth after use to prevent oil buildup.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve tested all kinds of double-sided stones over the years, and the mistakes I see are almost always the same: wrong angle, skipping the coarse side, not flattening the stone, too much pressure. A lot of people think expensive stones work better, but honestly, a basic aluminum oxide double-sided combo stone can work just as well as a $200 Shapton if you use it right. The problem isn\u2019t the stone\u2014it\u2019s how you use it.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019ve tried sharpening with a double-sided stone and it didn\u2019t work, or you\u2019re looking to upgrade your set, I\u2019m here to help. We carry a full line of double-sided sharpening stones for home cooks, professional chefs, woodworkers, and anyone who needs a sharp edge. Whether you\u2019re picking out your first stone or restocking your shop, we can answer all your questions, help you pick the right grit for your needs, and walk you through any step of the process. Reach out to our team to discuss your requirements and find the perfect stone for you.<\/p>\n

Abrasive Belt Cut to Length Machine<\/a> References:<\/p>\n

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  1. Knife Sharpening: A Practical Guide, Culinary Institute of America, 2019.<\/li>\n
  2. Sharpening Stone Care and Maintenance, International Knife Collectors Association, 2021.<\/li>\n
  3. Abrasive Materials for Sharpening Tools, Woodworkers Guild of America, 2020.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    iSharp Abrasives Tools Science Institute<\/a>
    iSharp Abrasives Tools Science Institute is one of the leading sharpening stones manufacturers and suppliers in China, now brings you the best quality sharpening stones at competitive price from its professional factory. Should you are looking for high precision and reliable performance machine, please feel free to contact us.
    Address: A2507, Kai Xuan Men, Tong Bai Nan 238, Zheng Zhou, He Nan, 450006, China
    E-mail: office@isharp-tools.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.abrasives-machines.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Hey everyone, it\u2019s Jake here, and I\u2019m stoked to walk you through something I get asked … How to use a double – sided sharpening stone?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":562,"featured_media":3721,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3684],"class_list":["post-3721","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-sharpening-stones-4ddd-e4653f"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/562"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3721"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3721\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3721"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.behcity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}