After all these years finally tried a Norton Crystolon stone

Kentucky

Kentucky

Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
2,986
I mostly dmt products these days and have been very satisfied. Also used(and still own a couple) good waterstones. Just for kicks I ordered a Norton crystolon stone to try. It was $26 shipped.. I have to say I was fairly impressed for such an economical stone. I re-beveled a esee izula 440c that had a way to thick edge. The coarse side of the SiC stone took it down fast and off the fine side it had no problem clean slicing news print and shaving arm hair after a few licks on the strop.
I think its a dang good stone for the money..:thumbup:
 
It's a funny thing on how sometimes something so simple from past era can be sooo effective.

Some years ago, I was poking around in the attic, and I found a box with my old boy scout stuff in it. Mess kit, canteen, and my old 'official' boy scout sharpening stone. The old 'Carborunum" stone. Just for yuks I used it on a kitchen knife. It did so well I went on and sharpened my edc pocket knife with it. With some very light finishing strokes and a strop on the back of a belt, it was shaving shape and whispered through news print.

It's my go to sharpening stone now. Looking back, I wonder why a wasted that money over the years on Arkansas stamens, diamond hones, and other over priced stuff. It's back to basics for me!

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I inherited a 50s vintage Sears combination stone my wife's Uncle, Silicon Carbide, 4" hone. I made a little travel kit for it - small bottle of oil, a cut down piece of Washboard, and a piece of hacksaw blade for making mud where needed.

These combi stones are crazy handy.
 
I just bought a new pike 175th anniversary combo crystolon 8" I am going to use it for coarse work instead on my dmt and atoma plates for awhile just because I can. I grew up on oil stones, now I grow old with them...

Russ
 
Just put on an edge bevel on a 52100 hunter last night, used the Crystolon to do it. After a few light swipes on the fine side I thought, "Man if all I could have is one stone....the Crystolon may be it....or a DiaSharp fine." Does a great job hogging off steel, even hard steel, and with good technique off of the fine side....can get a very nice aggressive, but seemingly somewhat refined edge. Finished on a Translucent Arkansas stone...haven't done that in a while.
 
Silicon carbide and aluminum oxide are the fundamental abrasives in nearly all non-diamond synthetic stones, including expensive synthetic water stones. There's a reason for that: it just plain works. That being said, the kind of bond used and the specific grade (not just grit) of those abrasives has a big impact on the performance qualities. But the simple answer is that aluminum oxide and silicon carbide stones from reputable manufacturers are much more effective than many give them credit for.
 
Agreed. "kind of bond and specific grade." ^ Still, this specific information is not easy to dig up. When it's hard enough trying to find out if the stone is SiC or aluminum oxide.
Then while finding this their web site contains errors, just on the basic information. DM
 
Ive used it several times this weekend. I really like being able to apply pressure and hog off with the coarse side. It took me by surprise the first time or two because I jerked up a gigantic burr so fast..Im use to taking it much slower and easier with the diasharps.
 
When it comes to sharpening, the Norton jb8 is a best value, and almost always the 1st stone any newly acquired knife (mine or someone else's) sees. Save the diamond plates for refining an already apexed edge..
 
I don't need one but I want one bad hahaha.

Never had the name brand oilstone. So I have always been super disappointed with the performance.

Bought the crystolon axe puck

I love it!

What's the consensus here for the best cutting fluid? Soapy water? Windex?
 
DeadboxHero said:
What's the consensus here for the best cutting fluid? Soapy water? Windex?
Click to expand...
My preference is the cheap drugstore mineral oil if the stone is pre loaded.
For a stone that doesn't come pre loaded, melt Vaseline into it, then mineral oil from there on.
 
Oddly enough, I like to use Norton Honing oil with my Norton stones.
 
Yea I did some research and I was blown away by the variety of different oils and fluids used.
 
I use usp mineral oil. It is cheap and food grade. Nothing like taking an inexpensive victorinox French knife and leaning into a crystolon to thin it out. For what you can accomplish these are and have always been a bargain.
Russ
 
DeadboxHero said:
I don't need one but I want one bad hahaha.

Never had the name brand oilstone. So I have always been super disappointed with the performance.

Bought the crystolon axe puck

I love it!

What's the consensus here for the best cutting fluid? Soapy water? Windex?
Click to expand...

When possible I use USP mineral oil, especially on my bench stones.

When using my puck, since its generally outside and in a camp environment I just flush it with a lot of water. It does seem to glaze a little more but not really an issue as I'm not expecting to win prizes with my hatchet or machete.

If I use with oil I'll reclaim the mud on a sheet of paper or dollar bill and use that for a strop. If out camping I'll still smear some of the mud on a piece of smooth wood or birch bark and strop on that.
 
A thin food-grade mineral oil is generally the recommended method to use. If the stone cuts too quickly for the intended task, use the vaseline trick. However, if the stone isn't pre-loaded I prefer to use water and/or liquid dish soap if it's available because it doesn't leave a residue on the stone when you're done. It does require more vigilance in flushing the metal fines from the stone surface to prevent grinding them into the stone, though. The greater lubricity of oil cuts best but is the messiest to deal with in transport or storage, and harder to come by in a field situation.
 
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