Reality Check: Can the Cheefarcuut 400 Sharpen Any Steel in Five Strokes?

Clarification:

We have never claimed that the Cheefarcuut 400-grit vitrified diamond stone can sharpen almost any steel knife in five strokes or less.

EdgeWorks Knife Studio is a sharpening-focused YouTube channel that does exactly the kind of testing forum knife nerds care about: freehand work on real kitchen knives, microscope shots of the bevel, and honest commentary on how stones actually feel in use.

In this video, EdgeWorks Knife Studio puts a bold marketing claim to the test: that the Cheefarcuut 400-grit vitrified diamond stone can sharpen almost any steel knife in five strokes or less. The result? The stone itself performs well and cuts fast, but the “five-stroke” idea simply doesn’t hold up if your goal is a genuinely good edge.

Video review

The “five strokes” claim under the microscope

• Core claim tested: The idea that you can take almost any steel knife and get it properly sharp on a Cheefarcuut 400-grit sintered diamond stone in five strokes or less.
• Real-world outcome: In practice, five strokes are not enough to sharpen a dull knife correctly—even on relatively soft steels. Often you don’t even get a full, continuous burr in that time.
• Heavy pressure isn’t the answer: You can sometimes force a burr in a few strokes by using very heavy pressure, but this produces a rough, uneven edge. The reviewer is clear: this is not good sharpening technique.

What good sharpening actually looks like

• Form a full burr: The creator emphasizes building a continuous burr from heel to tip with light to moderate pressure, not just a random spot of burr near the middle of the edge.
• Blend and even the bevel: After the burr is raised, the bevel needs to be evened out and blended so the edge is consistently sharp along the entire length, not “sharp here, dull there.”
• Technique over speed: Good sharpening is described as a slow, attentive, almost “zen” process. The focus is on edge quality, control, and repeatability—not on hitting some arbitrary stroke count.

About the Cheefarcuut 400-grit stone itself

• Fast-cutting stone: The Cheefarcuut 400 sintered diamond is acknowledged as a genuinely aggressive, fast-cutting stone. It removes steel quickly and is perfectly capable of doing serious work on a wide range of steels.
• Still needs proper time: Even with that speed, it cannot deliver a fully sharpened, properly deburred edge on “almost any” knife in five strokes. Physics and good technique still apply.
• Tool vs. expectations: The problem is not the stone—it’s the unrealistic expectation that it can bypass the fundamentals of sharpening.

Thoughts on gear, hype, and beginners

• High-end gear is optional: The reviewer points out that expensive stones and fancy systems are nice to have, but not required to get good results.
• Start simple, learn technique: Beginners are encouraged to start with affordable stones, learn how to form a proper burr, manage pressure, and control angles before worrying about premium setups.
• Beware marketing slogans: Claims like “sharpen any steel in five strokes” are criticized as misleading, especially for new sharpeners who don’t yet know what a truly good edge looks like.

Speed vs. edge quality

• Professional speed needs pro tools: For pros who honestly need maximum speed—high-volume restaurants, sharpening businesses, etc.—the video points toward belt grinders as the realistic solution.
• Hobbyists should prioritize quality: For home users and enthusiasts, the priority should be edge quality, consistency, and control, not shaving a few seconds off the process at the cost of a “garbage” edge.
• Evidence over hype: The reviewer calls for honest demonstrations and real evidence instead of catchy marketing lines, especially when talking to beginners.

Key takeaway for sharpeners

• The Cheefarcuut 400-grit sintered diamond stone is a strong performer and a legitimately fast cutter.
• However, it cannot magically sharpen almost any steel knife to a high standard in five strokes or less.
• Solid, repeatable technique—burr control, consistent angle, and careful deburring—matters far more than stroke count or marketing claims.

Watch the full discussion

For the full breakdown, live sharpening, and detailed commentary on technique, check out the full video here:
Full YouTube review – Cheefarcuut 400 and the “Five Stroke” Sharpening Claim