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SHARPAL 156N Double-sided Diamond Sharpening Stone

SHARPAL 156N Double-sided Diamond Sharpening Stone

By SHARPAL · Knife Sharpening · Kitchen & Cooking · More from SHARPAL

  • 6'' x 2.5'' / 152 x 63 mm diamond whetstone
  • Dual grit: Coarse 325 (45 micron) / Extra Fine 1200 (12 micron)
  • MirrorFlat precision flatness ±0.002 in / 0.05 mm
  • Dry sharpening (no water or oil needed)
  • Includes storage box with non-slip base and Angle Pyramid guide (14/17/20/25°)

Lowest price seen
$45.95
from $45.95 at Edgeworks · Checked Oct 19, 2026

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Summary

A manual diamond bench stone with a coarse 325 grit face for setting an edge and an extra-fine 1200 grit face for honing, sold with a storage base that doubles as a non-slip stand and a clip-on angle guide. It is an inexpensive first diamond stone for kitchen knives and shop tools, but the 6-inch surface is short for long blades and it still rewards a steady freehand hand.

Strengths

  • The coarse 325 side resets a bevel quickly and the 1200 side leaves a polished edge.
  • Reviewers report the stone stays flat with no dishing.
  • The rubber-lined base grips the counter and the case packs away neatly.
  • The included Angle Pyramid gives 14°, 17°, 20° and 25° reference angles.
  • It runs dry, so there is no water, oil or soaking to manage.
  • It costs less than a single-sided DMT stone while offering two grits.

Weaknesses

  • The 6-inch surface is short for full-size chef’s knives and needs more strokes.
  • Freehand sharpening demands a steady hand; uneven bevels are a common beginner result.
  • One roundup reports the coarse side can lose its bite after heavy use on hard super-steels.
  • The Angle Pyramid only sets an angle; it is a clip-on guide, not a fixed jig.
  • SHARPAL rates the 1200 face at 12 micron while one retailer lists 9 micron, so the number is not settled.
  • Metal filings left on the surface can oxidize and look like rust, so the stone needs wiping and dry storage.

Verified specifications

Model156N (product number SHP156N); UPC 814744020282.
Typemanual double-sided diamond bench stone; no power source.
Abrasiveindustrial monocrystalline diamond electroplated in nickel onto a stainless steel base.
Gritscoarse 325 grit (45 micron) for setting an edge; extra-fine 1200 grit (12 micron) for honing.
FlatnessMirrorFlat precision, rated ±0.002 in (0.05 mm).
Usedry sharpening; no water or oil needed.
Includedstorage box with a non-slip rubber pad that doubles as a sharpening base, plus an Angle Pyramid guide with 14°, 17°, 20° and 25° reference angles.
Hard materialsSHARPAL says the stone sharpens high-speed steel, carbide, ceramic and cubic boron nitride.
Dimensionssharpening surface 6 × 2.5 in (152 × 63 mm); full product dimensions are listed as either 6.5 × 3.5 × 1.5 in or 6.5 × 3.27 × 1.26 in depending on the listing.
Weightlisted between 1.82 lb and 16 oz, depending on whether the case is counted.
Made in China.
Full research notes and sources

What it is and how it works

The 156N is a 6 by 2.5 inch dual-grit diamond stone with a coarse 325 grit (45 micron) face for setting or repairing an edge and an extra-fine 1200 grit (12 micron) face for honing. The abrasive is monocrystalline diamond electroplated in nickel onto a stainless steel base, and SHARPAL rates the flatness at ±0.002 in (0.05 mm) under its MirrorFlat claim.

The stone is meant to be used dry. There is no water to soak, no oil to wipe off and no flattening routine in normal use, which is what owners and reviewers single out. SHARPAL says the coarse side can flatten a water or oil stone in a pinch, but not often, because this is a sharpening stone rather than a dedicated flattening plate.

Grits and technique

The 1200 face refines that edge, and owners say the two grits together cover everything from a garden tool to a kitchen knife. SHARPAL says the stone also sharpens high-speed steel, carbide, ceramic and cubic boron nitride.

The limits are technique and length. The Angle Pyramid is a clip-on guide with a magnetic base that only shows the angle — 14°, 17°, 20° or 25° — and the rest is freehand, so a steady hand still matters. A thread about the larger 162N reports the same dragging feel, but that is a sibling-model signal, not a measured rate for the 156N.

Third-party retailers list the 156N at $45.95 (Edgeworks), $49.38 (Knife Country USA) and $49.99 in SHARPAL’s own store. That makes it one of the least expensive full-size dual-grit diamond bench stones with a case and an angle guide. For comparison, the larger 162N is listed at $69.99 and $70.00.

There are no running costs. The stone needs no water, oil, replacement plates or power; the only optional extra is a strop or diamond compound, which is an owner upgrade rather than a requirement. A replacement Angle Pyramid set is sold by SHARPAL for $7.99.

Upkeep is a wipe-down: clean the surface after use and store it dry so metal filings do not oxidize into a yellow discoloration. Dark patches are usually dried residue or metal particles; SHARPAL says to clean them first and only contact support if an area stays smooth with little cutting action. There are no wear parts and no user-serviceable internals.

SHARPAL’s pages for the larger 162N list a 3-year warranty and a 30-day return policy. The 156N page itself could not be read at check time, so treat 3 years as family evidence rather than a confirmed term for this model.

Is it worth it?

The dry operation, flat retention and included angle guide are the parts owners and reviewers keep praising, and the two grits cover setting and honing in one box.

Buy the larger 162N instead if you sharpen long blades often or want more surface. Skip diamond bench stones entirely and look at a guided system if you would rather not learn freehand angles. No independent lab has measured this model — Wirecutter says it chose not to test sharpening stones at all — so the flatness and edge claims rest on SHARPAL’s spec sheet and owner reports rather than instrumented testing.

Which model this is

This page covers the 156N dual-grit diamond whetstone (product number SHP156N, item number 156N, UPC 814744020282), a 6 × 2.5 inch stone. Do not confuse it with the larger 162N (8 × 3 inches) or the 163N (220/600 grit), which are different models. The US listing for this exact stone is ASIN B07GRWVT4F.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Buying guides for this category

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