Gear guide
Best Knife Sharpening Wheels for a Bench Grinder
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
The stock gray wheel on a bench grinder is too coarse and too hot for knives: it can burn the thin edge and ruin the temper in seconds. Knife sharpening on a grinder uses different wheels. Paper wheel kits pair a grit-coated wheel that grinds the bevel with a slotted wheel and rouge that removes the burr and polishes. Leather wheels strop with compound. Fine aluminum oxide or silicon carbide wheels reshape tools and heavy blades. Whatever you choose, the wheel must rotate away from the edge, never into it, and you need to keep passes short to keep heat down. Check the diameter your grinder guard allows (most home grinders are 6 inch) and the arbor size (1/2, 5/8 or 3/4 inch). This guide compares six wheels and kits by type, size, arbor and what comes in the box.
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Top picks at a glance
Compare all picksClosest match for the job
Razor Sharp Edgemaking System, 8 in Kit
Complete kit: grit wheel, polishing wheel, spare grit, rouge, wax and instructions
See price on AmazonSee it on AmazonMost for the money on paper
Keen Edge 6 in Sharpening Wheel System, WKS600
6 inch wheels fit standard 6 inch grinders without guard changes
See price on AmazonSee it on AmazonMost complete listing
Keen Edge Knife Sharpening Wheel System
Adjustable arbors fit almost any grinder or buffer shaft
See price on AmazonSee it on Amazon
Compare the picks
- Razor Sharp Edgemaking System, 8 in Kit
- Keen Edge 6 in Sharpening Wheel System, WKS600
- Keen Edge Knife Sharpening Wheel System
- Pro Sharpening Supply Leather Honing Wheel, 6 in
- Powertec 15520 Bench Grinder Wheel, 6 in, 150 Grit
- POLIWELL Bench Grinder Wheel, 6 in, 150 Grit
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · Razor Sharp Edgemaking System
Razor Sharp Edgemaking System, 8 in Kit
See price on AmazonRazor Sharp Edgemaking Deluxe kit: 8 inch by 3/4 inch abrasive and polishing paper wheels, extra silicon carbide grit, rouge and wax, for a 5 or 6 inch grinder. Made in the USA.
What the listing offers
- Complete kit: grit wheel, polishing wheel, spare grit, rouge, wax and instructions
- Listing covers knives, chisels, gouges, broadheads and serrated blades
- The best-known paper wheel system, made in the USA
Limits to know
- 8 inch wheels on a 6 inch grinder usually mean removing the guards
- Most expensive wheel kit in this guide, at about $90
Pick 2 · Texas Knifemakers Supply
Keen Edge 6 in Sharpening Wheel System, WKS600
See price on AmazonKeen Edge 6 inch kit: 6 by 3/4 inch sharpening wheel, slotted honing wheel, 4 oz white rouge, lubricant and 220 grit silicon carbide, 5/8 inch arbor with 1/2 inch bushings.
What the listing offers
- 6 inch wheels fit standard 6 inch grinders without guard changes
- Lubricant included to keep the blade cool
- White rouge polishes without discoloring the blade
Limits to know
- Max speed 4200 RPM, check your grinder before mounting
- Wheels need reconditioning over time as described in the instructions
Pick 3 · Texas Knifemakers Supply
Keen Edge Knife Sharpening Wheel System
See price on AmazonKeen Edge Professional original kit: 7.5 inch sharpening wheel and slotted honing wheel with adjustable arbors for 1, 3/4, 5/8 and 1/2 inch shafts. Made in the USA.
What the listing offers
- Adjustable arbors fit almost any grinder or buffer shaft
- Larger 7.5 inch sharpening wheel than the 6 inch kit
- Rouge, lubricant and 220 grit powder included
Limits to know
- Larger wheel may not fit under the guards of a small 6 inch grinder
- Little cost saving over the 8 inch Razor Sharp kit
Pick 4 · Pro Sharpening Supply
Pro Sharpening Supply Leather Honing Wheel, 6 in
See price on AmazonPro Sharpening Supply leather honing wheel, 6.5 inch by 3/4 inch, stacked unglued leather on a molded bushing for 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4 inch arbors.
What the listing offers
- Stacked unglued leather lets air through so it runs cooler
- 6.5 inch diameter gives extra clearance from a 6 inch grinder body
- Bushing fits the three common arbor sizes
Limits to know
- Honing only: needs a compound and a separate wheel or stone to sharpen
- Single wheel, not a kit with a sharpening wheel
Pick 5 · POWERTEC
Powertec 15520 Bench Grinder Wheel, 6 in, 150 Grit
See price on AmazonPOWERTEC 6 by 3/4 inch aluminum oxide wheel, 150 grit, 1/2 inch arbor, rated to 4140 RPM, for blades, chisels and drill bits in carbon and tool steel.
What the listing offers
- 150 grit is finer than most stock grinder wheels, good for reshaping tool and axe bevels
- Standard 6 inch size and 1/2 inch arbor for home grinders
- Low price for a replacement grinder wheel
Limits to know
- Dry grinding wheel, easy to overheat a thin knife edge
- Not for carbide or ceramic, per the listing
Pick 6 · POLIWELL
POLIWELL Bench Grinder Wheel, 6 in, 150 Grit
See price on AmazonPOLIWELL 6 inch green silicon carbide wheel, 150 grit, 1/2 inch arbor, for grinding carbide tools and non-ferrous metals as well as knives.
What the listing offers
- Green silicon carbide also grinds carbide-tipped tools
- Standard 6 inch size and 1/2 inch arbor for home grinders
- Inexpensive spare wheel for a shop grinder
Limits to know
- Silicon carbide is aimed at carbide and non-ferrous work, aluminum oxide suits knife steel better
- Coarse for finishing a kitchen knife edge
Read before you buy
Stone and Strop chooses every product independently from what its Amazon listing states. We may earn a commission from the links above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.