Bench stones and my experiences.

M

MRaymond

Joined
Jan 27, 2012
Messages
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I bought "Smith's Tri-Hone" because I want to familiarize (teach) myself with sharpening the old fashioned way. If you don't know, the tri-hone comes with 1 coarse stone, 1 medium Arkansas stone and 1 Fine Arkansas stone. I sharpened a Case CV sodbuster JR. an Esee 6, a Becker BK9, and a PM2. I didn't find the need to use anything other than the fine stone on the PM2 and the Sodbuster JR (since they had a really good working edge already). I used the medium, then the Fine on the esee 6 and bk9. My results were pretty encouraging. I would say they all ended up about the same sharpness (that sodbuster Jr is pretty darn sharp though). I didn't find the S30V on the PM2 that much more difficult to sharpen than the carbon steel on the others. That could be due good factory bevel.

My questions for the forum: What sharpening method do you use most? What is your favorite steel/Knife to sharpen? Do you have any knives in your collection that you dread sharpening?
 
Sticking with you current setup should be fine. I freehand as well. Work on you skills. The S30V will be harder than 1095 to sharpen. As you stated, all you have needed so far is the fine stone for your PM2. I would say a project would be trying to re-bevel some edges. This is still not exactly an easy task for me. Start with crap kitchen knives or chinese folders first.

To add to your setup I would get a strop with some compound or even just bare leather. It makes a difference when done properly.
 
P2P, thanks for the advice. I definitely need to work on my skills and practicing on a kitchen knife is a great idea, we have plenty that could use a good sharpening. As for the strop, I forgot to mention, I have some leather from an old couch that I glued to a 2x4 that I used to finish everything up. I don't have any compound on it, just bare leather. Any suggestions for compound?
 
I don't know much about leather but I have used Green compound. You might want to ask this in the Maintenance subforum.
 
raym0016@gmail.com said:
My questions for the forum: What sharpening method do you use most? What is your favorite steel/Knife to sharpen? Do you have any knives in your collection that you dread sharpening?
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Most used changes as I try out different methods. I'm coming off of a serious waterstone bender currently, but the one constant going back several decades is the combination silicon carbide stone. It seems to treat every steel equally. Lately, after reading some of Ankerson's posts detailing some very fine results, I've really begun to challenge myself re best practices and how far one can go with this simple tool.

The only knives I dread sharpening are other peoples'. Usually they have the double whammy of the original factory bevel and a ton of abusive wear. Still, very rewarding to see one of the knives I sharpened getting abused regularly and still cut well after many weeks.


For stropping, either with compound or without I have to recommend plain old newspaper wrapped around a bench stone. If it gets loaded up from stropping with compound, you just throw it away. Using it plain will put a nice finishing touch on a sharp edge. Simple and consistent.
 
P2P said:
Sticking with you current setup should be fine. I freehand as well. Work on you skills. The S30V will be harder than 1095 to sharpen. As you stated, all you have needed so far is the fine stone for your PM2. I would say a project would be trying to re-bevel some edges. This is still not exactly an easy task for me. Start with crap kitchen knives or chinese folders first.
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I agree. I bought some cheap kitchen knives at goodwill when I wanted to learn how to freehand
 
I use NOrton's JUM-3 a 2 grit large bench stone coarse/fine of SiC and Norton's IM-313 a holder with 3 large bench stones. In this I have DMT large stones, SiC or AO. Plus, several Arkansas's which I would not use to rebevel with, one of the others just mentioned would make this work easier. I really enjoy using this size stones. Plus, several leather stops with various slurry grits an like HH, I'll strop on newspaper with slurry as this works well. DM
 
I believe the Tri-stone uses oil, right? I wouldnt mind using one like that if it worked with water or dry.

I am looking for a nice setup that only uses water or works dry so I can learn to freehand. I have a 400/1200 combo Japanese waterstone but I am not sure if that stone would be considered coarse/fine, coarse/medium or medium/fine and based on that I dont know if it is what I should use.

Anyone use one of these combo stones or can suggest a better (but not too expensive) setup?

I love these kinds of threads talking about sharpening and read them all as well as subscribe to them so I can always see what in new. :D
 
I've recently been using a 1x42 belt sander. Works pretty good. Good old carbon steel is still faster but I make quick work of anything really. Havn't tried any super steels yet though as I don't own any and don't know anyone who does. Edges always come out easily shaving. I applaud those though that have the patience for hand sharpening
 
I think your Japanese water stone should be closer to fine at 1200.
I learned to sharpen using Arkansas stones and cheap ceramics. Then DMTs products helped me learn to reprofile edges. Spyderco's sharpmaker introduced me to their sharpening products and now I freehand with their dbl sided gray/white stones while watching Walker Texas Ranger. :)
 
HuntBomb said:
I think your Japanese water stone should be closer to fine at 1200.
I learned to sharpen using Arkansas stones and cheap ceramics. Then DMTs products helped me learn to reprofile edges. Spyderco's sharpmaker introduced me to their sharpening products and now I freehand with their dbl sided gray/white stones while watching Walker Texas Ranger. :)
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That gray/white double, is that the Double stuff one? I wish they made that alittle bigger and wider. Walker Texas Rangers.....good show,huh?
 
sir_mike said:
I believe the Tri-stone uses oil, right? I wouldnt mind using one like that if it worked with water or dry.
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Nothing wrong with oil unless you just don't care for the cleanup, there must be some advantages when mfg like Norton continue to supply them as oilstones and recommend they be used as such. Water, or better yet soap and water can keep a stone from clogging up fairly well, but oil can actually float the metal swarf off the surface of the stone. They can still be used dry, but will require more frequent cleaning/declogging - plenty of folks use them this way.


sir_mike said:
I am looking for a nice setup that only uses water or works dry so I can learn to freehand. I have a 400/1200 combo Japanese waterstone but I am not sure if that stone would be considered coarse/fine, coarse/medium or medium/fine and based on that I dont know if it is what I should use.
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What mfg is your combo stone? If King, the 1200 (IMHO) is somewhere between a grinding stone and a polishing stone - capable of whipping up a very nice edge that still has a little tooth - approx somewhere between fine and extra fine DMTs. The 400 is definitely coarse. Unless repairing a ding or changing bevel angles, the 1200 can go it alone - one of the most appreciated stones in my collection. I've done a number of machetes using the 1200 straight from a mill file and it'll have 'em popping hairs. Wipe up some of the mud with a sheet of newspaper, wrap it around the stone to use as a strop, and it can just get to tree topping leg hair.
 
HeavyHanded said:
Nothing wrong with oil unless you just don't care for the cleanup, there must be some advantages when mfg like Norton continue to supply them as oilstones and recommend they be used as such. Water, or better yet soap and water can keep a stone from clogging up fairly well, but oil can actually float the metal swarf off the surface of the stone. They can still be used dry, but will require more frequent cleaning/declogging - plenty of folks use them this way.

Yeah, I mainly dont want the cleanup! :)


What mfg is your combo stone? If King, the 1200 (IMHO) is somewhere between a grinding stone and a polishing stone - capable of whipping up a very nice edge that still has a little tooth - approx somewhere between fine and extra fine DMTs. The 400 is definitely coarse. Unless repairing a ding or changing bevel angles, the 1200 can go it alone - one of the most appreciated stones in my collection. I've done a number of machetes using the 1200 straight from a mill file and it'll have 'em popping hairs. Wipe up some of the mud with a sheet of newspaper, wrap it around the stone to use as a strop, and it can just get to tree topping leg hair.
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I dont know what brand it is but it came from Japan thru an Ebay seller that also sells King but dont remember seeing King on the package. I will have to check. For now, I think I will just use the Spydie medium, fine and ultra fine and sometime just pick up a DMT extra coarse in case I need some repair, which I really dont see the need!
 
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