Are you looking for sharpening stones for use in your home or commercial kitchen? There are various ways of sharpening your kitchen knives, and using sharpening stones is one of the best techniques. Unlike other devices like manual and electric sharpeners, a sharpening stone doesn’t damage the knife’s blade. What’s more, it is incredibly easy to use and can last for a long time. However, for you to enjoy these benefits, you first have to find the best sharpening stone on the market. Here are some factors that you should consider as you go shopping.
1. The Stone’s Grit
The grit refers to the coarseness of the sharpening stone. If your knives are blunt and have nooks and imperfections, you may want to choose a stone with coarse grit as it will effectively sharpen your knives. However, if your blades are in excellent condition and you need a sharpening stone for regular touch-ups, you can opt for one with fine grit.
High-quality stones such as Suehiro stones are available in low, medium, and high grit options. When shopping, you will find numbers such as 600, 700, 2000, and so on attached to the knife. Low values such as 100, 400, and 600 represent coarse grit for knives with surface imperfections while high values such as 1000 and 2000 indicate fine grit for refining. You can get two types of stones depending on the condition of your knives.
2. Size and Type of Stone
The next thing to consider is the size and type of stone. The size depends on the size of the knives you want to sharpen. For standard kitchen knives, you can go for averagely-sized sharpening stones. However, if you have large blades like those used in commercial kitchens and butcher shops, you may want to go for a larger stone. Using a small stone on a large knife will make the task laborious and time-consuming.
Stones are also available in various forms such as diamond, ceramic, synthetic, and natural stone. You can opt for any material, but natural water stones such as Japanese Suehiro stones are an excellent choice. We do not recommend diamond stones as they tend to cause a lot of damage while cutting. You have to polish the knife quite aggressively after using a diamond sharpener.
3. Lubrication Requirements
Sharpening stones require lubrication, and the top choices are water and oil. Water stones are the most convenient to use as you only need to add some water before using them. Some stones require a little water while others have to be soaked before use. Read the packaging carefully to understand the preparation requirements. Oil stones need specific types of oil for lubrication. You cannot use vegetable or olive oil. If you don’t have the required oil at hand, you won’t be able to use the stone.
Have the highlighted factors in mind when shopping for a sharpening stone for your kitchen. Assess your needs so that you can buy the best stone on the market. Also, go for a quality brand that will last long before needing replacement.
