How to Clean a Wet Sharpening Stone

Clean your sharpening stone with these techniques.

A wet sharpening stone can be used to keep the blades of your kitchen knives as sharp as they were when you first purchased them. Food particles and other items can accumulate on a sharpening stone, especially if the sharpening stone is left out on a table uncovered. Knowing the proper way to clean a wet sharpening stone will prevent you from accidentally damaging the sharpening stone while removing debris and bacteria.

Things You'll Need

• White vinegar
• 2 or 3 lint-free cloths
• Honing oil
• Water

Instructions

1. Pour one-third cup of vinegar (one-half cup for larger wet sharpening stones) onto the sharpening stone. Pour the vinegar slowly while moving from one side of the stone to the other so that the vinegar is spread out over the stone.

2. Wipe the surface of the sharpening stone with a lint-free cloth in order to spread the vinegar around the entire sharpening stone. Doing so will also help to remove debris from the stone.

3. Rinse the sharpening stone under a stream of lukewarm to warm (not hot) water from a faucet in order to remove the vinegar.

4. Wipe the stone again with a different cloth (or a dry portion of the first cloth).

5. Pour a tablespoon of honing oil (two tablespoons for larger stones) on the stone. Pour the honing oil on the stone as you did the vinegar, evenly distributing the oil on the stone.

6. Wipe the stone once more with a clean lint-free cloth in order to rub the oil into the stone.

Tips & Warnings

• Perform this process after every use to keep the sharpening stone clean and in good condition.

References

• Vinegar Tips: Cleaning with Vinegar

Resources

• Knife Art: Honing Oil for Sharpening Stone