Season Kitchen · The Care Guide

How to sharpen a knife with a whetstone

A whetstone puts the sharpest edge you can give a knife at home. It's also far less daunting than it looks. Here's how, step by step.

Sharpening your own knives sounds like something best left to professionals. It isn't. With a whetstone and a bit of know-how, it's one of the more satisfying things you can do in a kitchen, and one of the most useful. This video walks you through every step, on both Western and Japanese knives: soaking the stone, finding the angle, knowing when to switch sides, and keeping the edge for longer.

We remade it because the first version quietly became a favourite. We're clearly not the only ones who find this oddly absorbing. Whether you're rescuing a neglected blade or tuning up the knife you reach for every day, this will help you get it right.

How to sharpen your knife with a whetstone, step by step

Follow these steps to bring a chef's knife or Japanese blade back to a keen edge with your Season whetstone.

1. Soak your whetstone

   Soak your Season whetstone in water for at least 30 minutes before you start.

   Begin on the lower-numbered side, the 1000 grit, for the main sharpening. The higher numbers are finer, for finishing.

2. Prepare for sharpening

   Keep the stone wet as you work. A little water sprinkled on the surface is enough.

   Angles:

   • Japanese knives - a lower angle, 10-15°
   • Western knives - a higher angle, 17-20°

   Technique:

   • Place two fingers on the part of the blade you're sharpening.
   • Hold the blade away from you, at roughly 11 o'clock.
   • Work it up and down with moderate pressure, around 5-10 times on that section.
   • Move your fingers along the blade and repeat, section by section, until you reach the tip.
   • At the tip, gently pull the knife up and back towards you with light pressure.

   A tip: for the same angle every time, use the Season Sharpening Guide.

   Checking your progress Feel the edge carefully. A tiny burr, a slight catch under your fingertip, means that side is ready. If it still feels smooth, keep working that side.

3. Flip and sharpen the other side

   Turn the knife over and find the angle for this side.

   Repeat the process: two fingers on each section, 5-10 strokes per section, lighter pressure this time. The edge should feel even along its length when it's ready.

4. Fine-tune with the finer grit

   Flip the whetstone to the finer, higher-numbered side, the 6000 grit.

   Run the blade lightly up and down, about five times each side.

5. Polish on the leather strop

   Lay the knife on the coarser side of the Season leather strop.

   Draw the blade towards you three times in one spot, then move along and repeat.

   Finish with one long pass of the whole blade across the leather. That's your polished, keen edge.