Sharpening stones are one of the most important kitchen devices that every house needs because we frequently require to horn our knives at home. Although there are different types of sharpening stones available in the market, diamond stones are the most popular ones due to their versatility and convenience. But many people seem to ask the question, are diamond stones better than Whetstones?
Are you looking for the best diamond sharpening stones?
Honestly, there is no accurate answer to this question because each of these stones has its benefits that help the sharpener to achieve the sharpening goals. For instance, diamond stones are considered the fastest stones but they have a limited range of grits. On the other hand, Whetstones require regular maintenance and need to soak in lubricants before sharpening but they come in a wide range of grits.
Diamond Stone Vs Whetstones
So which stone is best for your kitchen knives and woodworking tools? Here is a complete breakdown of diamond stones and Whetstones alongside their advantages and possible drawbacks.
Material
Whetstones or Whetstones are the most common type of sharpening stones that are available both in man-made and natural materials. They are generally made of Aluminum oxide abrasive material and are designed to be softer and more porous than diamond stone, that’s why they offer more coarse grit. This means you can easily sharpen the dullest knife with a water stone.
On the other hand, Diamond stones have a metal surface which makes them harder than Whetstones. There are commonly two types of Diamond stones. The first one contains holes on the surface to capture the wharf while the other one has a continuous diamond surface without any holes. The porous diamond stone cuts faster and is used to sharpen the dullest and heavy-duty knives. While the continuous surface diamond stones sharpen the knives with pointy edges.
Maintenance
Whetstones require a lot of maintenance such as they need to be flattened regularly. Also, they need to be soaked in water or any lubricant for a specific time before sharpening. This can be a hassle for many people who don’t have a lot of spare time or are rookies in the sharpening world.
But that’s not the case with Diamond stones. They don’t need to be soaked in any lubricant before sharpening. You also don’t need to flatten them regularly, making them a perfect choice for beginners and busy people. [1]
Grits
Another advantage of Whetstones is that they come with a wide range of grits. They are available in grit as coarse as 120 and as fine as 30,0000. This means you can sharpen a wide variety of knives and woodworking tools on Whetstones.
On the other hand, diamond stones are available only in a limited range of grits. They are available in grit ranging from 220 to 1200. The finest diamond stones grit that is available in the market is 8000 grit only. [2]
Durability
Since Whetstones are soft in nature they are considered less durable than diamond stones which are harder in nature. Also, Whetstones tend to wear more quickly thus you need to flatten them regularly. Consequently, you need to buy a flattening stone with a whetstone. However, Diamond stones are more durable and don’t wear down easily, and don’t need to be flattened regularly.
Which kind of sharpening stone is good for your woodworking tools?
Final Verdict
To sum up, diamond stones are wildly popular for their durability, reliability, convenience, and ease of usage but Whetstones also have their benefits. For instance, diamond stones have a limited range of grits as compared to Whetstones but they require little maintenance. On the contrary, Whetstones have a wider range of grits but require regular maintenance. So, it’s just a matter of preference which is better than the other.
References
