Course stone question

MtnHawk1 said:
HeavyHanded, do you know how the WoodRiver stone compares to a DMT 120 or Atoma 140?

Thanks...
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It probably dead between an XXC and XC DMT. About like a freshly reconditioned Crystalon coarse. I don't know how it will hold up over time, but it really seems like in the last 5-6 years even the cheaper diamond plates have much better quality than in past decades.
 
DMT Dia-Sharp Extra Coarse (220 grit) easily puts an edge on high vanadium powder steels: S30V, S35Vn, CTS-XHP, etc.. I bought it to use on my Military in S110V. I've found a coarse edge works best for these steels, including D2.
 
wade7575, thanks again for your detailed info. :thumbsup: I always like to know all my sharpening options and didn't know much about these kinds of abrasives.

I am especially interested in the OCB resin stones which produce both toothy and polished edges. I usually carry a second 4.5" blade for redundancy but my primary knives for wilderness use are wood-chopping knives with around 10" blades. I like their great versatility, especially with a finger choil, and low weight and bulk compared to most other chopping tools, since I try to keep my pack weight down. The problem is that wood-chopping requires a smooth edge but I like a toothy edge for everything else, so am always trying to find a compromise. I will definitely check out the OCB resin 400, and the others as well.

David Martin said:
That's interesting since the dmt X coarse plate is 220 grit and their XX coarse is 120 grit.?? If you want s fast cutting diamond plate that would be it. My x coarse leaves deep scratches that I have to work out. Whereas, my coarse SiC not so much. DM
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Yes, I was surprised there's not a lot of difference between the DMT coarse stones: XXC - 120 mesh, XC - 220 mesh, C - 325 mesh (DMT uses "mesh" instead of "grit", probably to avoid the confusion caused by the different grit standards, but I think in this case they are at least close)

I was disappointed the XXC did not hog off metal as fast as I thought it would (patience isn't one of my strong points when it comes to freehand reprofiling) but didn't know until after I bought it that it shouldn't be used with much pressure. I was then curious how quickly stones could remove metal with pressure (within reason). This led to favoring silicon carbide for reprofiling, but at lower grits than most people seem to use, to speed up the process as much as possible. I still like diamonds to finish with and usually use 120-140 grit, then 325-400 for a toothy edge.
 
Yes ^ that's what I found, -- the diamond doesn't remove metal as quickly as a coarse SiC. DM
 
Tjstampa said:
View attachment 1209683 FortyTwoBlades FortyTwoBlades stone came in today. Do you recommend water or oil for the for the manticore.
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I use water, but you can use either, according to your preference. Oil will give higher lubricity, and so is functionally superior, but does also have the greater mess potential since oil deposits are much harder to clean up than water, for obvious reasons. The as-pressed finish can feel a little slick at first since the grains are so large that they align with the plunger surface during pressing and firing, so if you want to accelerate the break-in process you can drag the point of a nail over it to knock off some of the flat-faced surface grains and get the wear cycle initiated. Also, to avoid the possibility of scratching your blade up (as can happen with extra coarse stones), I suggest applying some masking tape or electrical tape behind the bevel. :)
 
Tjstampa, how did using the Manticore dry work out?

I have a couple and like them. I certainly agree that water is less messy than oil but I am always looking for ways to shortcut reprofiling and sharpening time without compromising the result. Thanks....
 
MtnHawk1 said:
Tjstampa, how did using the Manticore dry work out?

I have a couple and like them. I certainly agree that water is less messy than oil but I am always looking for ways to shortcut reprofiling and sharpening time without compromising the result. Thanks....
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When I asked my son he just shrugged his shoulders. Typical middle schooler
 
I finally had a chance to use the manticore today. I finally got the chip ground out. Took a little while but worked up a nice slurry. Also reground a hf machetes that I had lost all hope of getting an edge on. I would highly recommend this stone.
 
M MtnHawk1 i used it dry to reprofile an axe. It clogged with swarf fairly quick. It cleaned off quickly with a brush under running water.
 
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