SHARPAL 162N Double-sided Diamond Sharpening Stone Whetstone Knife Sharpener |Coarse 325 / Further Positive 1200 Grit | Storage Case with NonSlip Base & Angle Information (8 in. x 3 in.)

Top quality product that works exactly as designed, and a great price!
This is my very first “sharpening system” that I have purchased primarily for sharpening my woodworking tools. I always wanted to go straight to diamond whetstones due to their low maintenance and longevity compared to traditional oil or water stones, but I couldn’t bring myself to pay that initial expense. Then comes along this Sharpal system (I bought the 3″x8″ variety). The price was so good, I was a bit leary about the quality or whether or not it would last. Not having much experience sharpening hand woodworking tools, I wasn’t even sure if the basic two-grit system (325 and 1200 for this set) would work (including a leather strop, which I purchased separately).Sharpal’s description of their product checked all the right boxes: monocrystaline diamonds, electroplated bonding, super flat plate, storage and holding case. With the 3 year warranty and the great price, I decided I had nothing to lose, so I took the plunge.I used it for the first time yesterday (along with an off-brand “Eclipse” style honing guide that I also recently purchased). I had a #4 plane iron and a set of 4 chisels that needed sharpening. The iron is used (~100 years old) and just needed a basic touch-up, but the chisels were brand new and had never been set up or sharpened (except by the factory). In all cases, the Sharpal system performed fantastically well. All of my worries about only having a coarse and extra fine grit (and stroping) step in my sharpening process were laid to rest. These two grits along with the strop were all I needed to get hair-shaving-, magazine-paper-slicing-sharp edges on my tools.Sharpal says to sharpen dry, but I decided to use some Windex for this first go-around (based on what I’ve learned from the web). It worked just fine. I will likely try to sharpen dry, like Sharpal recommends, next time around. One thing I noticed is that, when I was all done, it took a bit of effort to clear out all of the metal dust, even though I was using the Windex to keep metal from building up. I have to wonder, then, if the Windex made much difference. In any case, when I was finished, I rinsed the plate under the sink and scrubbed it with my fingers (I didn’t have a nylon brush handy). It came clean at the expense of my finger prints. :)The base/case works very well. It protects the plate while stored, has a handy cutout to hold the “angle finder” pyramid and holds the plate perfectly still while sharpening due to its foam rubber bottom.Back to that angle finder pyramid. This was a pleasant little bonus. I have a few high end Japanese kitchen knives that I have traditionally sharpened with a Lansky sharpening system (the one with the the blade clamp and the skinny whetstones that go on the end of a metal rod). I decided to try sharpening my chef’s knife with the Sharpal whetstone. This particular knife has a 20° angle, so that’s the side I used on the pyramid. It was surprisingly easy to do this. I think I only made 10 passes on each side of the blade with the coarse grit, then the fine, then my stropping leather. That blade was easily the sharpest it has ever been. So, as a bonus, I now have a better, simpler way to sharpen my knives!I can’t really comment on longevity yet since I’ve only had it for a few days, but so far, it looks like something that will last WAY beyond its 3 year warranty.If you’re like me and you’ve been waiting on the fence to make the investment into diamond whetstones, no need to wait any longer. This is the set you want.

Very Effective Diamond Stone
This sharpening stone is effective, easy to use and (relatively) cost-effective. The 300 grit side is useful for quickly profiling an edge and bringing it to apex/burr. Careful use of the 1000 grit side can effectively remove the burr without requiring the use of a stropping operation. I highly recommend the 8″ length instead of the smaller 6″ length for both guided sharpening systems and hand sharpening as well. You’ll appreciate the additional length as it provides more surface area and allows for longer sharpening strokes leading to improved consistency and performance.

Excellent replacement for Japanese whetstone.
I have been using Japanese whetstones for a while, but the main drawbacks of these stones are the labor-intensive process and the increasing difficulty of the job once the stones develop belly curves. These curves lead to even more labor in maintaining the stones.This is why I decided to purchase a diamond stone. My main concern was that the diamond grit might wear off after some use. However, I decided to buy this product after reading several reviews praising its durability.For knife sharpening, do not follow the instructions on the label. Instead, use the traditional sharpening method, positioning the knife edge inward and pushing the knife outward. Thanks to the hardness of the diamond, my sharpening process is much shorter, less exhausting, and produces a more consistent edge.I recommend using a 3000 or 8000 grit whetstone to straighten the burr instead of using the 1000 grit side of this diamond stone. This is because metal unnecessarily falls off the knife, which may affect both the knife and the stone’s longevity.

High quality
Sharpens knives faster than most other stones, the included angle guide helps keep correct sharpening angle. Finish on a strop and should be razor sharp.

I’m pretty new at sharpening knives by hand. The little orange pyramid it comes with was really handy – I always reset to the correct angle each stroke. I was able to get a couple of kitchen knives pretty damn sharp using the two grits and a strop of leather.The case it comes in is really sturdy and the rubber on the bottom really grips the table. Not like one or two little feet – the whole bottom is rubber. Felt solid as a rock. And the way the case doubles as a holder is really nice, space efficient.This is the first diamond stone I’ve touched, so I don’t know what they should feel like, but this felt super heavy and really solid. I definitely recommend this over some cheap stones I tried previously! They were messy and I wasn’t able to keep a consistent angle (skill issue).

Un super produit ! Reçu rapidement et déballer aussitôt, j’ai essayé de suite cette pierre diamantée et le résultat était au rendez-vous… Très facile avec l’accessoire guide d’angle qui permet de garder un angle constant lors de l’utilisation. La plaque placée sur son emplacement est bien stable avec la semelle antidérapante. Le côté grain épais 325 permet de refaire le fil et celui de 1200 de finaliser l’aiguisage. Mes ciseaux de menuisier sont comme neuf et mes couteaux tranchent la feuille de papier sans soucisJe recommande vivement