Dedicated bench stone

LEGION 12

LEGION 12

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
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Hello my friends as title states need a new stone . Right now i use Dmt 4 inch stones i have all grits then a spyderco double stuff also 4 inch finish with a strop if needed. These stones works great for me no problem getting my blades as sharp as i want them. Problem is and im sure nobody here nows why ! My knife collection and the different kinds of blades i have has dramaticly increased in the past few years a mystery to me ? I now find myself in need of a decent bench stone i dont expect it to replace all the grits that i already have just a all purpose sharpener at least 8 inches prefably longer. Would be nice if it was diamonds but im open to anything i would love to buy some Dmt bench stones but right now theres no way just cant afford it . So does such a stone that is reasonabley priced out there. As always thanks for any advice. Rich
 
I don't yet have one, but the Norton India (aluminum oxide) has a great rep around here, as an all-around workhorse stone. Not very expensive either.
 
Start a set.

If you want a set of DMT's then start one at a time. Buy an XXC, save, buy a XC, save.....

It pays off wayyyyyyyyyyyy more if you buy nice sets of stones even if you need to do it slowly.
 
I've many DMT 8" benchstones, found XC most useful for crazy metal removal and flatten water&ceramic stones. If I limited to just 1 stone - Red brick 1K (Shingata Akamon), it's 8x3x2 inches. SiC sandpapers for low grit need. Please do not buy: dmt duosharp or any benchstone with metal-mesh because metal mesh in 2 of mine duosharp aren't flat - lenghtwise ridge line, it will stripes scratch the edge.

sadly - in less than 1 year, most of my dmt Coarse & higher stones are almost bare nickel now <= ungraceful impatience knut! I now use 8x3x1/8" balsa with monocrytallizediamond 30 to 0.1micron suspension water base, throw away when it's no longer cut.
 
I don't know how anyone wears out a DMT plate. I use my XXC to flatten other stones and its done a ton of it, even other 120 grit stones. I professionally sharpen and probably use my DMT's more in a year than most will ever sharpen in a lifetime and mine are just fine, getting better with age IMO.
 
What size of DMT is good enough? Are the six inch stones an issue because of being smaller?
 
I just found a DMT 6 inch combo set for $80 comes with XC, C, F, and XF.
 
knifenut1013 said:
I don't know how anyone wears out a DMT plate. I use my XXC to flatten other stones and its done a ton of it, even other 120 grit stones. I professionally sharpen and probably use my DMT's more in a year than most will ever sharpen in a lifetime and mine are just fine, getting better with age IMO.
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Apparently he either didn't phrase that right or he made a big boo boo.:p:confused:
 
Sure it was a boo boo -> just popeye (forearm) blade against DMT C,F,EF - usually the leading edge stroke do the damage. My XC has holes (but no bare nickel). Ruined my EEF when trying to flatten spyderco UF 8x3" stone.
 
P2P said:
What size of DMT is good enough? Are the six inch stones an issue because of being smaller?
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Sort of depends on what you're used to using. I've built all my sharpening habits around small hones; most are pocket-sized, up to about Dia-Fold size. I hold the hone in one hand, and the blade in the other. Except for some sandpaper sharpening, I almost never do any 'bench' sharpening. I have the XC/C and F/EF double-sided 6" DMTs, and they actually seem kind of 'big' to me (just a little bit longer than is comfortable to hold in hand, for me). I don't use them near as much as I know I should. I'm certain they'd be effective, but if one is already accustomed to using 8"+ bench stones, they might seem too small in the eyes of some. A larger working surface area of abrasive does speed things up, I'm sure. But if you're mostly sharpening small or medium-sized pocketknives, it may not be that important.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
Sort of depends on what you're used to using. I've built all my sharpening habits around small hones; most are pocket-sized, up to about Dia-Fold size. I hold the hone in one hand, and the blade in the other. Except for some sandpaper sharpening, I almost never do any 'bench' sharpening. I have the XC/C and F/EF double-sided 6" DMTs, and they actually seem kind of 'big' to me (just a little bit longer than is comfortable to hold in hand, for me). I don't use them near as much as I know I should. I'm certain they'd be effective, but if one is already accustomed to using 8"+ bench stones, they might seem too small in the eyes of some. A larger working surface area of abrasive does speed things up, I'm sure. But if you're mostly sharpening small or medium-sized pocketknives, it may not be that important.
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The reason im looking for a larger stone the 4 inch stones im using i set on a piece of leather and freehand just like they were benchstones thats not what there designed for they are made to go into the alighner stone holder . Not that it doesnt work it does but for longer blades say a 9 inch bowie i think that a larger stone 1 would be more stable the coarser stones tend to slide around a little to much and i am not using hardly any pressure . 2 a 9 inch blade has got to easier and faster to sharpen on a bigger stone i can always refine my edge on the smaller ones . Dave ive never tried to hold my stone in my hand and sharpen doesnt your hand get in the way or are yours just diafolds with a handle ? I have set my dmts in the aligner handle and sharpend that way i just feel i have more control when there set on a solid suface . Ive thought abought building something to set the stones in to raise the height and stabalize them but that still only gives me 4 inchs of stone . Also been seriosly thinking abought getting the stone you recommended yesterday the aluminum oxide india stone the price and size looks good to me will i need to oil these to use them . Rich
 
LEGION 12 said:
The reason im looking for a larger stone the 4 inch stones im using i set on a piece of leather and freehand just like they were benchstones thats not what there designed for they are made to go into the alighner stone holder . Not that it doesnt work it does but for longer blades say a 9 inch bowie i think that a larger stone 1 would be more stable the coarser stones tend to slide around a little to much and i am not using hardly any pressure . 2 a 9 inch blade has got to easier and faster to sharpen on a bigger stone i can always refine my edge on the smaller ones . Dave ive never tried to hold my stone in my hand and sharpen doesnt your hand get in the way or are yours just diafolds with a handle ? I have set my dmts in the aligner handle and sharpend that way i just feel i have more control when there set on a solid suface . Ive thought abought building something to set the stones in to raise the height and stabalize them but that still only gives me 4 inchs of stone . Also been seriosly thinking abought getting the stone you recommended yesterday the aluminum oxide india stone the price and size looks good to me will i need to oil these to use them . Rich
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Sounds like you really do want a larger bench stone. If you're more comfortable using your existing hones on a bench, a larger stone is obviously a good option.

Regarding holding my hones in my hand, that's just built on the habits I've formed. My earliest attempts at freehanding were in using a Spyderco DoubleStuff pocket hone. I held it with my middle and ring fingers at one end, and my thumb at the other, with my index finger folded underneath to support the hone. Even with my Dia-Folds, I often fold the handles to the side, and grip that hone the same way. I also use DMT's credit card hones in a similar hold. I have, on occasion, managed to cut my fingertips (usually my thumb) when getting a little too rushed or aggressive with the blade on the hone. But, as with learning any new method or technique, I've adapted and improved (more or less ;)).
 
I mostly use Norton Aluminum Oxides, and got tired of trying to hold them when honing my kitchen and other large knives. A piece of pine about 4 inches longer on each side than the stone did the trick...a little hard balsa wood glued to the pine on all 4 sides of the stone holds it nice and secure. Just lay the stone on the board, trace around it and you have your glue lines. Cost me next to nothing to make and my fingers are way far clear of any sharp steel :D plus the raw pine soaks up any oil drips...I'll post a pic if you are interested.
 
Here ya go! This rig can be clamped or scewed to your work surface freeing both hands for two handed guided honong...tips, chisel blade etc...
it doen't have to be pretty...CA glue ie any super glue recomended...


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don't forget your strop!

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Sharpening a pen knife right now useing a double stuff gave holding the stone a try i can see why you do it that way gives you angle control plus you can see your edge better . Gonna have to work on that i can see all lot of situations were that would come in handy .
 
Nice setup sitflyer! LEGION 12, I have the India Combination stone and the Crystolon Combination stone (Norton's), and would highly recommend them both. The India would be my choice if you're only going to get one, but the Crystolon works great if you need to do any reprofiling, etc. - raises a burr on D2 pretty quickly.

I've got the 8"x2"x1" stones and do 95% of my sharpening the same as David - stone in one hand, knife in the other.
 
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