Ever considered sharpening your own knives, scissors, chisels, or woodworking planes right at home? I sure have. Now, I wouldn’t call myself a sharpening expert, but I’ve found having a sharpening jig at home to be incredibly useful. That’s why I decided to put together a simple DIY knife sharpening system.
The setup consists of three main parts: a large plastic box, a smaller plastic box, and some spruce wood slats. The materials for this project can be picked up for under 20 dollars (excluding the cost of the whetstone).
The sharpening station is designed to be portable, so you can effortlessly use it on any benchtop. It features a sharpening table and an additional smaller box meant for water and whetstones. Plus, the sharpening table can be detached from the box and used on its own.
When not in use, you can store the whetstones either under the sharpening table or inside the smaller box, and then secure everything with a lid. The station also comes with an adjustable slider, making it possible to accommodate whetstones of various sizes, up to 20 cm in length.
This is a beginner-friendly project requiring very basic tools. Check out the jigs I used to build it (at the end of this post).
With the instructions in this blog post, you will learn step-by-step how to make a DIY knife-sharpening jig. I hope you enjoy it!
There are also several options available on the market, so if you’re not up for making your own, you can easily pick one of those instead.
DIY Knife Sharpening Jig Video
If you want to see how it is done, check out the video below for a step-by-step guide on how to make a DIY knife-sharpening jig.
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Table of Contents
*Safety is your responsibility. Make sure you know what you’re doing and take all necessary safety precautions while working with power tools. Safety comes first!
What you'll need to build the Knife Sharpening System
Sharpening Station:
2x Spruce wood (planed, preferably square) – (230 x 39 x 29 mm)
2x Spruce wood (planed, square) (160 x 9 x 12 mm)
Wood Slats Table:
2x Spruce wood (planed, preferably square) – (160 x 39 x 29 mm)
6x Spruce wood (planed, preferably rounded) – (240 x 29 x 19 mm)
1x Spruce wood (planed, preferably square) – (160 x 9 x 19 mm)
2x Spruce wood (planed, preferably square) – (140 x 9 x 19 mm)
Birch Plywood (12mm) for DIY Wood Knobs
Check all the Tools I Use
Tools:
Jigsaw – https://amzn.to/3S85cDr
Hand Drill – https://amzn.to/3HqLEnH
Hand Saw – https://amzn.to/48if4Qz
Large L Angle – https://amzn.to/4aGaT2D
Spring Clamps – https://amzn.to/41Nuh9D
F-Clamps – https://amzn.to/48ArzY1
Machinist Square / Speed Square
Other:
Whetstones – https://amzn.to/48FmWeI
Wood Glue – https://amzn.to/48ltKhJ
Double-Sided Woodworking Tape – https://amzn.to/3tPMGpM
4x Wood Screws – 3 x 20 mm
12x Wood Screws (Countersunk) – 3 x 40 mm
2x M6 Bolts, 2x M6 T-Nut
Larger plastic box (390 x 280 x 135 mm), Smaller plastic box (240 x 170 x 105 mm) – IKEA
Both of the boxes are available in Ikea, though I am sure you will be able to find some in your local home improvement store
Hardware Assortment Kit – https://amzn.to/41PodgQ
We may earn an affiliate commission when you buy something through our retail links. As an Amazon Associate AllFlavor Workshop earns from qualifying purchases.
How hard is it to build a DIY knife sharpening jig?
This woodworking project is perfect for beginners, as it requires only basic tools and straightforward techniques. The steps are clear, and the cuts are simple to execute.
You can finish building the sharpening station in just one day, making it a great weekend project. It’s a rewarding endeavor that brings both practicality and a sense of accomplishment.
What tools do I need?
For this project, you’ll need just a few basic tools that are commonly found in the workshop. Apart from a power drill, you can complete the entire project using only hand tools. Here are the main tools. See the entire list here.
- Power drill
- Hand saw (optional: jigsaw)
- Drill Press (optional)
What's the best angle for sharpening knives?
The angle you choose depends on the type of knife and its intended use.
Most kitchen knives have a bevel angle, which is the angle at which one side of the blade is ground down to form the cutting edge. For beginners, a common recommendation is to start with a 20-degree angle. This angle is versatile and works well for a variety of tasks. It provides a good balance between sharpness and durability.
Keep in mind that not all knives are the same. Thinner blades, like those on utility or fillet knives, may benefit from a slightly steeper angle, around 15 to 18 degrees, for finer and more delicate cuts. On the other hand, heavier blades, such as those on cleavers, can handle a slightly larger angle, around 25 degrees, to withstand tougher tasks.
Wet stone is made of highly durable and professional-grade corundum which is aluminum oxide.
Image: Amazon
Let's Start!
The knife sharpener consists of 3 main components:
- Larger box – contains a smaller box, a wooden slats table used for knife sharpening, and a sharpening station (base) on which stands the table
- Smaller box – used for water and soaking whetstones
- Wooden slats table – made out of spruce wood. Includes a ‘pocket’ for storing whetstones
I got the boxes from IKEA but I am sure you will be able to find some in your local hardware.
Ensure the overall height of the sharpening system, including the grinding stone, is taller than the box’s upper edge. This way, you’ll have ample room around the whetstone for sharpening without the knife/chisel hitting the box. After use, you can tuck the stone beneath the sharpening table and close the system with its lid for neat storage.
How To Make a DIY Knife Sharpening Jig
Step 1: Build the Base for the Sharpening Station
NOTE: The main purpose of the base is to lift the sharpening table and at the same time to serve as a stand that fixes the table in position.
To build the base start by measuring and cutting all the wood pieces (see all dimensions above – Sharpening station). You can make the cuts using a hand saw or a jigsaw.
Set the wooden stands inside the box and adjust them to fit properly. Make sure they accommodate the width of the second, smaller box so everything fits snugly.
Secure the guide rails in place with smaller wooden slats using wood glue. For extra stability, you can also screw them in
Temporarily fix the base in the box with double-sided tape. Run several screws from the outside of the box to make a permanent fix.
Step 2: Make a Wood Slats Table
Place in the second box and cut the length of the table legs accordingly so that the table fits in nicely.
Place the legs on the station right next to the base stoppers and start gluing wood slats on the top.
NOTE: Use wooden dowels as separators – 10mm and 6mm.
Additionally, fix the table slats with screws. Make sure the screws are flush with the surface.
Glue a wooden bar at the top of the table. The bar serves as a stopper for the whetstone.
Step 3: Make an Adjustable Tightening Bar
NOTE: To fix the whetstone to the table I made an adjustable bar that runs between the wooden slats.
Drill a hole on each side of the bar for a ø6 mm bolt. Use a drill press table to make accurate holes. If you don’t have one you can use a simple drill jig for straight holes.
Measure the distance between the holes so they match the slots on the sharpening table. Insert temporary bolts in and place the bar on the table.
NOTE: The bolts will be replaced with wooden star knobs later on.
The second bar fixes the first one from the bottom of the table. Drill a shallow hole on each side of the bar using a 15mm Forstner bit (to sink the T-nuts), drill 2 (7,5mm) holes in, and insert the T-nuts.
Make sure they are flush with the surface.
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Step 4: Make Wooden Knobs
To make the star knobs I used a DIY Star Knob Jig I built some time ago. Check out the post here for more information on how to build one – How to make Star Knobs with a Kob Jig
To make a knob cut out a circle with a saw hole. Place it on the knob jig and drill out a star knob.
To sand the edges, mount the knobs on a drill press and smooth them using a sanding wheel. Drill a 10mm hole in the knob using a Forstner bit and carve a hexagon around the hole to sink the bolt’s head.
You could add epoxy/glue to fix them permanently but there is no need for that – they hold up very well on their own.
Finally, assemble all parts together. Now the sharpening box is ready for use.
How To Use The Sharpening System for Knives
One of the standout features of his homemade knife-sharpening jig is its versatility. You can use it as a complete sharpening station having all the components stored in one box – sharpening table, box for water, whetstones. Plus, you can simply remove the sharpening table and use it by itself.
To use the knife sharpening system first mount the whetstone right up to the stopper and secure it with the adjustable bar. Whetstones of different sizes can be used. If built correctly the height of the whetstone should be higher than the upper edge of the box.
The smaller box can be used for water, soaking whetstones, or as additional storage. You can also store more whetstones under the table slats.
Once done with sharpening you can simply put everything back in the box and close it with a lid. A very handy and useful small workshop organization idea.
My Take
This was a fairly easy project. It was really fun to build and the wooden slats table looks just great.
Having a sharpening system in the workshop is a huge benefit. I can use the station any time I need to without making a lot of mess around. Plus, it’s not just for knives—I can also sharpen chisels, planes, and other blades with it. This is a project any woodworking beginner can make.
Now, I just need to improve my sharpening skills. 😉 HAPPY BUILDING!
NOTE: This article focused on creating a knife/chisel sharpening jig and didn’t cover the actual sharpening techniques in depth. I’m looking forward to exploring those techniques in a dedicated future article. 😊
