Budget sharpening stone

[West Šenkovec]

Hi!

I used to use wet sandpaper for sharpening. It was too messy and complicated so now I'm using "dry" stones.

I need help picking out a stone because I'm confused with all the grits (I know about the grand unified grit chart). I don't let my knives get really dull and I don't have to remove a lot of metal so I need a fine stone.
I would also like to keep it as cheap as possible.

I have a Fallkniven DC (the fine, old one) and a cheap Chinese 3000/10000 stone.
The ceramic/synthetic sapphire Fallkniven stone is ok but it's not too fine. The red 3000# side of the cheap stone is ok. I don't like the 10000# side. It's some kind of natural stone and it doesn't cut well.


What should I get?

The Fallkniven CC4 would be a bit redundant because I already have the Fallkniven ceramic stone that's on one side. I don't know how fine is the white ceramic side. They claim 0,1 micron
It's $22 where I live.

The Spyderco double stuff is min. $45 and the fine pocket stone is $23
The triangle medium/fine stones are about $15 shipped each.
Ultra fine triangle stone is $29.
I feel like I don't need the medium since it's too coarse for my needs.

It's hard to choose something because the grits are not clearly stated.
If you have a suggestion feel free to chime in.

I also have strops with 1 and 0.5 micron diamond paste. Should I maybe add a few coarse grits for stropping to cover the jump?


Thank you!

 

[bucketstove]

Hi!

I used to use wet sandpaper for sharpening. It was too messy and complicated so now I'm using "dry" stones.

I need help picking out a stone because I'm confused with all the grits (I know about the grand unified grit chart). I don't let my knives get really dull and I don't have to remove a lot of metal so I need a fine stone.
I would also like to keep it as cheap as possible.

I have a Fallkniven DC (the fine, old one) and a cheap Chinese 3000/10000 stone.
The ceramic/synthetic sapphire Fallkniven stone is ok but it's not too fine. The red 3000# side of the cheap stone is ok. I don't like the 10000# side. It's some kind of natural stone and it doesn't cut well.


What should I get?

The Fallkniven CC4 would be a bit redundant because I already have the Fallkniven ceramic stone that's on one side. I don't know how fine is the white ceramic side. They claim 0,1 micron
It's $22 where I live.

The Spyderco double stuff is min. $45 and the fine pocket stone is $23
The triangle medium/fine stones are about $15 shipped each.
Ultra fine triangle stone is $29.
I feel like I don't need the medium since it's too coarse for my needs.

It's hard to choose something because the grits are not clearly stated.
If you have a suggestion feel free to chime in.

I also have strops with 1 and 0.5 micron diamond paste. Should I maybe add a few coarse grits for stropping to cover the jump?


Thank you!

Hi,
Have you lapped your fallkniven ceramic?
There is a report here that suggests they need a lapping
Fallkniven CC4 Ceramic Whetstone


Similarly have you lapped your chinese 3k/10k stones?
Have you tried them with lubricant other than water?


Similarly what are you after, what is your goal?
Are you using microbevels? Going from J3000 (5 micron) to 1micron doesn't sound like a big jump

 

[West Šenkovec]

Hi,
Have you lapped your fallkniven ceramic?
There is a report here that suggests they need a lapping
Fallkniven CC4 Ceramic Whetstone


Similarly have you lapped your chinese 3k/10k stones?
Have you tried them with lubricant other than water?


Similarly what are you after, what is your goal?
Are you using microbevels? Going from J3000 (5 micron) to 1micron doesn't sound like a big jump

I had that DC stone for 5, 6 years so I don't think it would help. It's broken in.
Keep in mind that I have the old version that has swirls and a smooth finish while the newer ones have a flat surface wich is more coarse. That one needed lapping or at least more time to wear in.

Thank you for the link. So it looks like the Spyderco medium is much finer and better than the Fallkniven gray ceramic. Thanks! I googled before posting this thread but I guess I didn't find it because they used only the first letter of the stones.

Regarding the 3000/10000 stone, no I din't use any other lubricant or lapped them.
I used them enough to wear them in. That stone is cheap so at least the 3000 is good. It feels smooth, flat and it cuts relativly good.
The 10000 side (agate stone?) is flat and smooth but you can feel the voids since it's a natural stone. It doesn't cut good and the edge I get isn't agressive or toothy. I understand that 10 000 won't produce a toothy edge like I would get from 1000 but the 1 micron paste leaves a toothier/stickier edge than that 10 k stone. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say.

My goal is to get finer stones
I'm trying to determine if it makes sense to buy one of these stones to get a better edge or if the medium/fine stones would be coarser than that 3000 stone and a waste of money. Like I said, I'm confused with grits. The sandpapers I used were fepa-p standard.


I think I'll also change my homemade strops to balsa strops because the strops feel too sticky and the knife picks up the paste even though the strop isn't overloaded. I get a better result if I put a tiny bit of paste on a paper that sits on a piece of glass.


I don't use microbevels and I don't oversharpen just to get a pretty edge.
If I use the strops and everything I can split/shave free hanging hair but not along the whole edge.