1.   Bench stones are rectangular blocks of abrasive material.

2.   Most people find that bench stones are better than papers because they last longer and are easier to hold in place.

3.   Pitting can be removed by grinding the blade on a coarse bench stone.

4.   Sharpen small knives like pocket knives or paring knives on a bench stone.

5.   Sottsass does not, after all, sit at a bench carving stone, like a medieval craftsman.

6.   They will, but they will also collect on the bench stone clogging its surface and causing it to glaze over.

7.   You can sharpen larger knives on a bench stone, but many people find it easier to use a hand-held slip-stone or a metal honing rod.