Top Arkansas Stone Brands: Sharpen Your Edge with Quality

Arkansas stones have long been celebrated for their exceptional quality in sharpening and honing tools, offering a natural and durable solution for maintaining a keen edge. In the world of Arkansas stones, several brands stand out for their commitment to craftsmanship and performance, making them highly sought after by professionals and hobbyists alike. These stones, often made from Novaculite, are praised for their consistent grit and reliable results across various applications. If you're eager to discover which brands have earned the reputation as the best in producing high-quality Arkansas stones, continue on to explore the details below.

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Best brands of arkansas stones in 2025

Norton

Norton, a brand with a history dating back to 1823, is a top producer of Arkansas stones, which are natural novaculite stones quarried in Arkansas and are known for their fine, dense grain, and are used for creating razor-sharp edges; they offer both hard and soft Arkansas stones, with the hard stones being ideal for final honing and achieving a polished finish, while soft stones are used for sharpening and upgrading tool edges. Norton purchased Pike Manufacturing Company, which produced Arkansas stones in 1932, and the brand continues to offer a wide selection of sharpening stones. These stones should be used with oil to improve sharpening action and prevent clogging.

Dan's Whetstone Company

Dan's Whetstone Company, established in 1976 by a mining engineer, is a premier American producer of natural Arkansas whetstones, overseeing the process from quarry to finished product. Their product line boasts over 350 natural Arkansas products, including Soft (600-800 grit), Hard (800-1000 grit), Translucent (1200+ grit), and Black Arkansas (1200+ grit) stones, all hand-finished to ensure top quality. Known for their superior flatness and consistency, Dan's Whetstone Company stands as a symbol of excellence in the industry.

Smith's

Smith's, a brand with a legacy beginning in 1886, is a leading producer of Arkansas stones, with a history rooted in mining and selling novaculite, and they continue to innovate with a wide range of sharpening products, holding nearly 100 patents, and offering both natural Arkansas stones and other abrasives. The company evolved from raw stone mining to cutting and finishing stones in 1962, and now sells its products in over 40 countries. Smith's Arkansas stones are available in various grades, including soft, hard, black, and translucent, to cater to diverse sharpening needs, and they also offer a variety of kits that combine different types of stones.

Hall's Pro Edge

Hall's Pro Edge, a brand established in 1970 and now part of RH Preyda, is recognized as a top producer of Arkansas sharpening stones, offering various grades including soft, hard, and surgical black. These stones are renowned for creating durable and keen edges while removing less metal compared to other abrasives. They are widely used for knives, dental instruments, and woodworking tools. Although some of their stones have a less refined finish, they are still esteemed for their excellent sharpening capabilities.

RH Preyda

RH Preyda, founded in 2013, is a leading producer of 100% natural Arkansas sharpening stones, crafted from Novaculite, a unique silica material mined exclusively in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas, with the stones being composed of 99.9% pure silica. These hand-quarried stones are known for their superior sharpening performance, combining abrasiveness with durability, and are used across various industries, offering customizable options to meet specific needs; additionally, RH Preyda acquired Hall's Sharpening Stones in recent years, further solidifying its position in the market. You can find their products on their website.

Arkansas Sharpening Stones

Arkansas Sharpening Stones, established in 1976, is a premier manufacturer, known for producing some of the world's finest natural sharpening stones, with their Novaculite stones sourced directly from Arkansas quarries; around 80% of the world's supply comes from this area, ensuring consistently high quality; their stones come in a variety of grits and sizes, catering to diverse sharpening needs, and the company remains dedicated to providing top-tier honing solutions for professionals and hobbyists alike. For more information about Arkansas Sharpening Stones, visit their website.

Best Sharpening Stones

Best Sharpening Stones, established in 2007, is a leading online retailer specializing in sharpening supplies, offering a variety of Arkansas stones quarried from Novaculite, known for their unique crystalline structure that provides superior honing; the Soft Arkansas stone is approximately 1200 grit, while the Hard Arkansas stone is around 1500 grit, and the Black Arkansas stone has a grit of 2300-2500. They also carry other brands, providing a wide selection of sharpening stones for craftsmen, sportsmen, chefs, and butchers.

BearMoo

BearMoo, established in 2018, is recognized as a producer of high-quality sharpening stones, offering a range of dual-sided whetstones with grits like 3000/8000 and 400/1000 that are made from professional-grade white corundum. These stones are often recommended for both beginners and regular knife maintenance, with many of their products receiving an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 4,000 customer reviews. Priced affordably between $20 and $33, BearMoo's stones provide a good balance between metal removal and edge polishing, making them a popular choice for various grinding operations, including kitchen, hunting, and pocket knives. While not specifically sourcing Arkansas stones, BearMoo offers reliable sharpening tools.

UltraSharp

UltraSharp is renowned for producing high-quality sharpening tools, though they are not a primary producer of Arkansas stones. Instead, they offer diamond sharpening stones with grits ranging from 300 to 1200, often sold in sets of three, providing options for coarse profiling to fine edge refinement. While some users experience issues with grit contamination on finer stones, many find the coarse 300 grit effective for reshaping blades, making it an excellent value with a lifetime guarantee.

Lansky

Lansky, a recognized leader in knife sharpening for over 40 years since its founding in 1979, is a top producer of Arkansas stones, which are made from natural novaculite, sourced from the Ouachita Mountains. These stones are available in soft, hard, and black varieties for different sharpening needs, offering a very refined and polished edge, with the hard stones being ideal for achieving an exceptionally fine finish. These stones, often used with honing oil, can be purchased individually, in sets, or as part of Lansky's controlled-angle sharpening systems. You can find their Arkansas stones on their website.