The Dual-Grit Diamond Sharpening Stone and Base - OD55 Series is a complete freehand sharpening system designed in collaboration with sharpening expert Alex Garland of @Outdoors55. It pairs a 320/1200 dual-grit diamond stone with an adjustable cast aluminum base that securely holds the included stone, or most others that you already own.
That's what it is. Here's the thinking behind it, and why the base deserves as much attention as the stone.
Great Stones Are Easy to Find. Great Setups Aren't.
Freehand sharpening is about control, consistency, and repetition. And for decades, sharpeners have improvised the platform that control depends on: a two-by-four and double-stick tape to get the stone up to working height, or a drawer full of plastic bases that each fit exactly one stone and nothing else.
The stone gets all the attention. The thing holding it, the part responsible for your working height, your knuckle clearance, and your stability through every pass, has been an afterthought.
"For me, I just wanted something I could set on my workbench and not have to move, and put any stone that I have in there and have it work."
Alex Garland, Outdoors55
Stone Sharpening, Down to the Smallest Detail
The OD55 doesn't reinvent freehand sharpening. It takes the technique as it has always worked and engineers the often-overlooked details into one system. Four of them carry it.
A Platform Built for Precision
The adjustable cast aluminum base holds your stone at an ideal working height, creating the stability and clearance needed for smooth, controlled sharpening from the first pass to the last. At 4.3 pounds, the system stays planted on the bench instead of chasing your strokes.
Fits the Stones You Already Own
The universal base accommodates most 3" x 8" sharpening stones and adapts to 1" x 6" stones. That makes the OD55 more than one new stone: it's a home for the collection you already have, and room to grow the one you're building.
"It was essential for me to have something that worked with everything."
Removable 15, 17, and 20 Degree Angle Guides
The included guides cover the practical range, from steep slicing edges to hard-use working edges, and help sharpeners of every experience level build confidence and consistency. They're removable, so as your skills progress, the guides step aside and the platform stays.
Two Grits, Both Diamond: 320 and 1200
The included stone pairs Coarse Diamond 320 on one side with Fine Diamond 1200 on the other. The coarse side is where the edge gets built. The fine side refines it. And both are diamond, which keeps cutting where modern high-carbide steels wear conventional abrasives out.
"We actually thought a lot about the specific grits that are on this. The coarse grit was one of the things we talked about a lot, because that's probably the most important side."
A System Shaped by Alex Garland's Approach to the Craft
Alex Garland built Outdoors55 into one of the most trusted resources for freehand sharpening and edge education anywhere online. When Work Sharp set out to build this system, his testing and his frustrations shaped the details: the height, the fit, the guides, the grits.
Designed by Alex. Built for Better Edges. Read the full story.
OD55 Quick Answers
What is the Work Sharp OD55? A complete freehand sharpening system designed with Alex Garland of Outdoors55. It includes a 320/1200 dual grit diamond stone and an adjustable cast aluminum base.
What grits are included? Coarse Diamond 320 for building the edge and Fine Diamond 1200 for refining it.
Will the base fit stones I already own? Yes. The universal base accommodates most 3" x 8" sharpening stones and adapts to 1" x 6" stones.
What's the warranty? The OD55 carries Work Sharp's 3-year warranty, and orders over $99 ship free.
