There are several different methods of sharpening tools, including axes, machetes, hatchets and knives. Even the most expensive knife will dull at some point, and it is up to the user to bring it up to par. Of course, you can have your tool sharpened, but the greatest satisfaction comes from sharpening it yourself. Below you will find a range of flat whetstones, which are suitable for a number of applications aimed at bringing the blade to working value, factory value or even better! These are so-called sharpening stones, a simplified version of which everyone has in their kitchen, and certainly your dad or grandfather had such a tool. However, technology is moving forward and on the market you can choose among specialized whetstones of different gradations and made of different materials, depending on the steel and the tool you want to sharpen. Sharpening involves evenly and repetitively dragging the blade across the surface of the mold at the right angle so that the cutting edge is usable again.
The most important parameter is the gradation of a given whetstone, as they vary depending on the steel and the dullness of your tool. The more dull the knife or axe, the lower the gradation should be used. It is assumed that for very dull blades, a gradation in the range of 120-600 is the best. It will remove the first layer of steel, preparing the knife for sharpening to working value. Such quality will be provided by whetstones with a coarseness in the range of 600-1500. With such sharpening, your knife will regain its efficiency in the field and cope with most tasks. However, if your blade has been cutting through a sheet of paper smoothly without any problems, it will be necessary to use whetstones in the 1500 range, even up to six thousand! This is when the blade is smoothed to what is known as a mirror, which resembles or exceeds the manufacturer's factory sharpening.
In our store you will find many whetstones, differing not only in gradations, but also in the materials they are made of. The cheapest flat whetstones are ordinary stones of low gradation, intended for fixing axes, hatchets and machetes, since all these tools do not need specialized sharpening except for special exceptions. The case is different with knives - these have a clearly defined and more precisely sharpened cutting edge. If steel is the heart of the knife, then the cutting edge is its biceps - it is its profile that shapes the method of sharpening and its corresponding angle, ensuring comfortable and long use. Therefore, it is better to choose a slightly better stone or ceramic whetstone, which will not damage the said edge. For hard and high-rust steels such as 154CM, for example, we recommend the use of diamond whetstones, which will cope with the peeling of resistant steel and in the appropriate gradation will give the blade an unprecedented sharpness.
