coarse grit waterstone discussion

samuraistuart

samuraistuart

Joined
Dec 21, 2006
Messages
3,158
Merry Christmas to all of you here on BF!!!! I enjoy this place WAY too much, thanks to each and every one of you! I am in the market for a few new sharpening stones, and would like to hear your thoughts. Any ideas are welcome, looking for a loose discussion....nothing set in .....oh wait for it.......stone. :)! I really need a coarse grit stone to set my initial bevels. You probably need to know what steels I mess with.....all of them! Seriously, for the most part it is low alloy high carbon stuff like W2, 52100, Blue#2, O7, etc. Some stainless like S30V and AEBL, and just a few CPM M4s that I have yet to finish out. For the vast majority, tho, we're talking high carbon low alloy. I do have in DMT DiaSharp the full line of 120, 220, 320, 600, and 1200. I do NOT like the 120 (XXC) stone, nor do I like the 1200 (XF) stone, so mainly trying to replace those. I also have a King 1000 grit waterstone, 4000 grit, 8000 grit, and 12000 grit. And the leather strop with green compound.

I am highly considering buying the 4 Atoma stones, 140, 400, 600, 1200. But I really don't need the 400 or 600 as the DiaSharps work well in those ranges for me. I have heard good reviews on the Sigma Power Select 120 grit for initial bevel setting, and am debating that stone vs the Atoma 140. Much cheaper. But the Shapton glass are interesting. I have heard great things about Bester.

So you can tell I am just all over the place here rambling. I honestly don't know now I am going to proceed. Definitely will be buying a low grit stone in the 120-220 range, and a stone to replace the 1200 grit.

Always interested in your thoughts! Thanks for any and all advice!
 
In the low range you can get an Arato-Kun 220 which is aluminum oxide and will take care of a larger range of metals when compared to silicon carbide. Sun tiger 220 is pretty standard and cheap but does it's job. I wouldn't recommend the Naniwa SS 220. There is also Bester 220 which is harder than most so it'll wear slower.

In the 1000 range I use a King Hyper 1000 which is a bit harder than Naniwa SS 1000's and also harder than King 1000's. It would work well with a Nortons, Naniwa Chosera/Professional, Mizuyama, and Naniwa Snow white 8k but is to hard to transition to Naniwa SS, and too soft for a transition to Shaptons, DMT, and Atoma's. Togiharu stones are ok, similar to King Deluxes. Mizuyama makes 1000 and 1200. They are nice stones. They cut faster than kings with less mud. Not as fast as a Sigma but they are less muddy that the Sigma which is a matter of choice in terms of what you like.
 
Your best option for bevel setting would be the Atoma 140, very fast and smooth cutting plate that also feels more like a stone. I mention that because I fully understand not liking the feel of the DMT XXC.

If you want a coarse brick look to the Nubatama Bamboo 150 grit, Argueably the best low grit waterstone on the market.

The 400 Atoma I would consider for lighter bevel work, those times a 1k is not enough but the 150 brick is too much. It also works better to flatten high grit waterstones.
 
Jason hit the nail on the head.

There are coarser options as well. 24 and 60 grit nubatamas.

The 140atoma , 150nubatama combo is my go to for stock removal though.
 
samuraistuart said:
I have heard good reviews on the Sigma Power Select 120 grit for initial bevel setting, and am debating that stone vs the Atoma 140.
Click to expand...

I only have experience w/ the atoma 140 on my Wicked Edge, but I found it to wear rather quickly ( I may have been using too much pressure though). I just ordered the SPS 120 and when I get it I am planning on mounting it to my wicked edge paddles for a comparison to the 100 grit stock diamonds.

Some information about the SPS 120...
 
Thank you so much for the advice. I may have to buy the full Atoma set and another stone.....either the Sigma or the Nubatama....which I need to look into as I am not familiar with that one. Josh, thanks for the link. I actually came across that essay during my research into that stone a week or two ago! Awesome info....thanks again.
 
You would be better served by getting just the Atoma 140 and upgrading to some better waterstones.
 
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