Coarse vs. Fine Stones For Finishing an Edge?

Thank you Jack and Ankerson for your gentlemenly comments. Two years ago when I stated these coarse/fine edge sharpened cutting test, the greatest challenge I ran into was burr removal with the coarse edge. As I was stumbling along with this difficulty I ordered some 300g diamond slurry to apply to my strop. Thinking the larger grit may help in burr removal with coarsely sharpened edges. Before the diamond slurry arrived Heavy Hand began posting on "coarsely sharpened edges need coarse slurry applied to a strop to assist in burr removal." I posted a reply to this, thinking he's on to something... As a result we've been friends ever since. I just can't thank him enough for connecting the dots. Thanks, DM
 
David Martin said:
Thank you Jack and Ankerson for your gentlemenly comments. Two years ago when I stated these coarse/fine edge sharpened cutting test, the greatest challenge I ran into was burr removal with the coarse edge. As I was stumbling along with this difficulty I ordered some 300g diamond slurry to apply to my strop. Thinking the larger grit may help in burr removal with coarsely sharpened edges. Before the diamond slurry arrived Heavy Hand began posting on "coarsely sharpened edges need coarse slurry applied to a strop to assist in burr removal." I posted a reply to this, thinking he's on to something... As a result we've been friends ever since. I just can't thank him enough for connecting the dots. Thanks, DM
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Anytime. :D

I am using Phil Wilsons method of loading the strop (Smooth side) with the slurry from the fine Sil Carbide stone. :)

Getting insane crazy sharp edges that way.
 
This is exactly what I began doing 2yrs. ago and have found the same results. When I want a knife with edge retention I sharpen either on my Jum-3 280g or X-coarse DMT 220g and strop using the slurry were speaking about for lasting edge retention. Right around this grit is the 'sweet spot' for me. I'd say somewhere near the 300g offers me all the refinement for all my cutting except for shaving . But thats a different catagory. DM
 
David Martin said:
This is exactly what I began doing 2yrs. ago and have found the same results. When I want a knife with edge retention I sharpen either on my Jum-3 280g or X-coarse DMT 220g and strop using the slurry were speaking about for lasting edge retention. Right around this grit is the 'sweet spot' for me. I'd say somewhere near the 300g offers me all the refinement for all my cutting except for shaving . But thats a different catagory. DM
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Yeah it will leave an extremely sharp edge that will cut like crazy. :D

In the High Vandium steels that edge can be very dangerous to some because it really bites hard and fast.
 
Got my EP blanks today so I mounted the Congress tools Sil Carbide stones (320, 400, and 600) and sharpened the Para 2 in S30V with them.

All I can say is they have replaced my stock EP stones. :D

Left almost no burr off the 600 grit stone so I just stopped it a few times and that was it, leaves a clean aggressive yet extremely sharp edge.

Gotta love Sil Carbide. :D
 
Ankerson said:
Got my EP blanks today so I mounted the Congress tools Sil Carbide stones (320, 400, and 600) and sharpened the Para 2 in S30V with them.

All I can say is they have replaced my stock EP stones. :D

Left almost no burr off the 600 grit stone so I just stopped it a few times and that was it, leaves a clean aggressive yet extremely sharp edge.

Gotta love Sil Carbide. :D
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How would you compare the 320 SiC to the 120 grit of the EP in how fast they cut?
 
singularity35 said:
How would you compare the 320 SiC to the 120 grit of the EP in how fast they cut?
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The 320 cuts pretty well really, but I would think that a coarser stone would be better for reprofiling, they make coarser ones.

These are polishing stones though, but being Sil Carbide they cut fast, hit S90V with them and they handled it easy.
 
The best balanced stone is the 400 grit, lowest cutting force with aggressiveness and leave a very nice looking edge finish and comes hair whittling sharp right off the stone in 3 different steels sofar, S90V, 20CP and S30V.
 
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Thanks for the reply Jim. Your tests are really very much appreciated. The time, effort, and money you spend is time, effort, and money the rest of us save because you do what you do. A lot of us who don't have the skill and money and time benefit greatly from your experiences.
 
singularity35 said:
Thanks for the reply Jim. Your tests are really very much appreciated. The time, effort, and money you spend is time, effort, and money the rest of us save because you do what you do. A lot of us who don't have the skill and money and time benefit greatly from your experiences.
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Thanks Chuck. :)

The 320 and 400 stones are very good and they cut fast and clean, don't develop a lot of slurry and leave a nice finish.

The 400 grit stone leaves a nice semi polished finish like the 600 grit EP stone, but it cuts faster and cleaner, so clean in fact that no stropping or changing of angle is needed to remove the burr.

Just dry the stone and make light passes and the burr is gone, TP slicing and hair whittling sharp right off the stone.

The 400 grit stone leaves and edge that will slice through Manila rope and cardboard like nothing and with very low pressure.

So one could jump from the 400 grit stone right to the 1000 grit EP stone then to the tapes for a high polished edge.
 
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Ankerson said:
I posted this in the other thread, just a little test to try. ;)

For anyone who doubts what we are saying I have a simple test for them to try. :D
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I just tryed this with my Spyderco ( Ch.MOV.13) I'm sold. I almost want to sell my waterstones I paid $250 bucks for. I got there just as fast, no flattening, no mess, no stone pond...just a $30 Sic. fine norton and a home-made strop with Cr02.
I've been trying to get a decent edge on this knife for a week. I just did it in 10 minutes. No BS.

All I got to say is wow. I've ignored these stones for a long time thinking they where cheap and there was always something better. I probably don't ever need to flatten these stones , i'll never wear it out , and the edge I got....that's the main point. If it does stainless like that, I have no doubt about it doing all my 1095 stuff ( Esee and Becker) either.

Thanks for re-introducing me to an old stand-by I often over-looked:thumbup::thumbup::)
 
hiwa said:
I just tryed this with my Spyderco ( Ch.MOV.13) I'm sold. I almost want to sell my waterstones I paid $250 bucks for. I got there just as fast, no flattening, no mess, no stone pond...just a $30 Sic. fine norton and a home-made strop with Cr02.
I've been trying to get a decent edge on this knife for a week. I just did it in 10 minutes. No BS.

All I got to say is wow. I've ignored these stones for a long time thinking they where cheap and there was always something better. I probably don't ever need to flatten these stones , i'll never wear it out , and the edge I got....that's the main point. If it does stainless like that, I have no doubt about it doing all my 1095 stuff ( Esee and Becker) either.

Thanks for re-introducing me to an old stand-by I often over-looked:thumbup::thumbup::)
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Cool. :)

Sil Carbide is really great stuff for the newer high alloy steels, now that I have got them for my EP too I am really set, paid under $4 a pop for them.
 
I don't have the edge-pro , but if they do the same thing in a controlled angle fashion as compared to freehand on a bench-stone , stuff will basically cut itself from fear:D
 
hiwa said:
I don't have the edge-pro , but if they do the same thing in a controlled angle fashion as compared to freehand on a bench-stone , stuff will basically cut itself from fear:D
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Yeah, tell me about it. :eek:

Got a hair Whittling and TP slicing edge off a 400 grit Sil Carbide stone on the EP with no stropping, changing angles to remove the burr, nothing, they cut that clean.....
 
Ankerson said:
Yeah, tell me about it. :eek:

Got a hair Whittling and TP slicing edge off a 400 grit Sil Carbide stone on the EP with no stropping, changing angles to remove the burr, nothing, they cut that clean.....
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Could you provide a link for the stones you used on the EP blanks or maybe the description they use on the Congress website? Thanks.

EDIT: I think I found them. Are they the Moldmaster 1x1/4x6?
 
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DMD08 said:
Could you provide a link for the stones you used on the EP blanks or maybe the description they use on the Congress website? Thanks.

EDIT: I think I found them. Are they the Moldmaster 1x1/4x6?
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Here you go.

1 x 1/8 x 6

http://www.congresstools.com/congresstools/catalog?action=getcat&parent=27

MOLDMASTER
HARD SILICON CARBIDE- A tough stone with minimum bonding material that permits fast cutting and breaks down slowly and evenly. Use on all hardened steels. Good performance on EDM surfaces.
GRITS: 80, 120, 150, 240, 320, 400, 600
Color: Dark Grey
 
This is S30V off the 400 grit stone.

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Thanks for all your input, Ankerson. I have a set of 120 and 240 grit silicon carbide Congress moldmaster stones I've been using with my Sharpmaker. I'm going to try those out, then finish with the diamond rods on my S30V and 20CP blades and see how I like the courser finish than I'm used to. My theory is that the high amount of vanadium carbides in those two steels will cut more aggressively with a courser finish. We'll just have to see.
 
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