Night Soil

No. 12 Autumn 2025

tools · No. 12

The Sharpening Stone Habit

Ten minutes with a stone at the end of the day keeps every tool honest.

Photograph accompanying this essay

Ten minutes with a stone at the end of the day keeps every tool honest. Dull tools are not slower; they are more dangerous, because they make you push.

Why we sharpen daily, how to choose a stone that suits your work, and the small ritual that keeps the workshop quiet and content through the winter.

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