Gift Recommendation - For the Beginner Hand Sharpener

My Recommendation for Beginning Sharpeners - Sharpening Supplies Water Stone Set

Getting started in hand sharpening can be daunting. It is often difficult for a beginner to know what they will need to start sharpening because there are so many different options.

To make the decision easier, I recommend the Double-Sided 8" Sharpening Supplies Water Stone Plus Kit. It has everything a beginner will need to to start sharpening, but also includes everything they will need as their skills advance. This kit will help the beginner focus on the skill of sharpening without having to worry about not having the right equipment.

Everything You'll Need in One Kit

This set features our Double-Sided Water Stones that measure 8" x 1 15/16" x 3/4". It includes the 220/1000 and the 3000/8000 grit water stones for sharpening, an 8" Double-Sided Paddle Strop and Green Honing Compound for finishing and maintenance, a Stone Holder for stable working, and the large 10" x 4" Double-Time Flattening Stone for maintaining the sharpening stones. A perfectly matched set ideal for just about any knife. Made in the US.

These are well-balanced stones. They emphasize fast-cutting action, some of the fastest we have seen. Yet they also keep their shape well, not requiring excessive resurfacing. We designed the set so four grits would make a well-matched set. The 220 is an aggressive stone for dull edges. The 1000 grit is used after the 220 or as a starting point for only moderately dull edges. The 3000 grit is a fine stone and provides a very edge and prepares it for the final grit. The 8000 grit will put a polished edge on any tool or knife.

A complete sharpening kit with 4 grits, a strop, strop compound and a stone holder.

The leather area on our 8" XL Paddle Strop measures 8" x 2" in size. The total length of the strop is over 12". This strop is suitable for many tools and especially knives. It has 1 suede side for use with the Green Honing Compound and 1 smooth side for an ultimate finish.

The fine chromium oxide and aluminum oxide Green Honing Compound is used on the suede side of the strop surfaces to achieve a smooth cutting, honed edge. With some compound on the suede side followed by the plain smooth leather, your strop will refine your blade edges and will help you achieve a mirror polish.

The Double-Time Flattening Stone has a very fast cutting 120 grit coarse side. Especially when working on coarse water stones, this side provides the necessary cutting action to effectively flatten the stone. We also put a 320 grit surface on the fine side. On water stones 1000 grit and higher, we recommend using the fine side to put a nice surface finish on the stone. The fine side can even be used alone on very fine water stones to put a fresh flat surface on your stone.

How I Use This Kit

I love using this kit because everything I need to sharpen knives is in there. I use the 220 grit stone as a starting point for fast reshaping of really dull or damaged knives. The 1000 git is my workhorse for refining after the 220, or my starting point for knives that aren't very dull yet. And the 3000 and 8000 I use to hone to a very sharp, mirror polished edge. The Universal Stone Holder is my favorite for a stable sharpening experience and I never work without it. I keep the strop and compound nearby both to finish after the stones and to maintain an edge between sharpenings. And I always have the Double-Time Flattening Stone on hand for fast resurfacing of the water stones. I love a simple but complete setup.

I use this kit to sharpen my knives. The four grits plus the strop allow me to turn very dull knives into razor sharp tools.

Special Kit Pricing

This kit not only makes the shopping easier, but the kit represents a substantial savings. With holiday pricing in effect, this kit is just $159.99, a savings of over $40 compared with the regular prices for these items.