Designed for serious sharpeners who value the skill and control of working by hand, the OD55 brings stability, versatility and precision to the sharpening bench
ASHLAND, OR, UNITED STATES, September 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Work Sharp, a leading manufacturer of knife and tool sharpeners, today announced the Benchstone OD55, a new freehand sharpening system developed in collaboration with YouTube creator/educator and sharpening expert, Alex Garland. Designed for serious sharpeners who value the skill and control of working by hand, the OD55 brings greater stability, versatility and precision to the sharpening bench without taking the craft out of the process.
Freehand stone sharpening is one of the oldest ways to put an edge on a blade. The fundamentals haven’t changed much, and that’s part of the appeal. But for experienced sharpeners like Garland, better results come from paying attention to the smallest details and developing a repeatable system around them. That philosophy helped shape the OD55.
“The smallest details make a huge difference in freehand sharpening,” said Garland. “I’ve spent years using and testing sharpening stones, so I was extremely excited when the opportunity came to develop a new stone and base system with Work Sharp. By combining some of my crazy ideas with Work Sharp’s ability to engineer and bring them to market, we designed a system that makes freehand sharpening easier to learn, works with the stones you already trust, and can grow with you as your skills evolve.”
For Garland, one priority was simple: the system needed to work with the stones sharpeners already own. Freehand enthusiasts often build a collection over time, choosing different stones for different steels, grits and personal preferences. The OD55 includes a dual-grit diamond sharpening stone; a coarse side with 320 grit and a fine side with 1200 grit. Importantly, the OD55 accommodates a wide range of 3″ x 8″ stones on its single platform, giving sharpeners the freedom to use the stones they trust today and add new ones to their collection without buying a different base for each.
That versatility is supported by a stable, purpose-built platform, an optimized working height, built-in angle references to help establish your edge angle, and a secure holder that keeps stones firmly in place while you work.
Alex understands freehand sharpening at a level few people do. “Alex is not only an exceptional freehand sharpener; he’s one of the premier educators in the space,” said Kyle Crawford, Director of Product, Work Sharp. “That made this collaboration a natural fit for Work Sharp because it gave us the opportunity to do more than develop a great product. Together, we can build a complete sharpening experience around the OD55 sharpener, pairing a purpose-built system with educational content that helps customers understand the technique, build confidence and ultimately get better results.”
The Work Sharp Benchstone OD55 is available for $139.99 exclusively on worksharptools.com and authorized retailers.
ABOUT ALEX GARLAND
Alex Garland is a respected voice in the YouTube sharpening community, known for his deep understanding of freehand technique and practical approach to developing a better edge. An outdoorsman and lifelong knife enthusiast, Garland has built his
expertise through years of hands-on sharpening, testing and teaching, helping others understand not just how to sharpen, but the details that make a repeatable sharpening system work.
ABOUT WORK SHARP
Work Sharp products are Fast, Easy To Use, and Work Every Time. Work Sharp is proud to be a 4th generation, family-owned, American company and has produced industry-leading sharpening tools for 50 years. Work Sharp is 100 co-workers strong and has sold nearly 10 million sharpeners.
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Michael May
Sinclair Communications
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