DMT & Spyderco Bench Stone Progression - Christmas Present

[Tony18]

Jason,

I am interested in the working edge and not the polished edge.

Would you recommend the Shapton 2000 as a good place to stop for a working edge in the kitchen? Does the 2000 stand for 2000 grit? Most of the reading I'm doing leads me to a 1,200 grit, (DMT Fine, Green) being a good working edge without getting into the polishing.

Thank You.

I just got a set of Shapton Glass stones & I really like them so far, the 2k produces a nice clean edge with lots of bite to it. I think it would be a great all around edge for kitchen knives.

 

[samuraistuart]

Every now and again I come across some sharpening conundrum. Saw the thread, thought I would share. Using a clamp on guide for dead accurate angles throughout the sharpening session, so that variable is out the window. Using DMT Diasharp progression followed by Fine Spyderco Ceramic stone, done on my mother's VG-10 and 1095 knives. All 15° dps edges. After the DMT Fine 600 mesh stone, edge was very very sharp and aggressive to the touch, easily catching the thumb nail. Instantly digs into the nail. When I go to refine that DMT Fine with the Fine Spyderco Ceramic, just a few swipes per side, it kills the edge. Barely digs into thumbnail, does not feel aggressive at all. Back to the Fine DMT, edge comes right back with a couple strokes.

Sort of the same issue I was having earlier with setting bevels with a hard stone, then trying to refine it with softer stones, all the while with exactly the same angle. Learned that going from hard to soft stone, I need to lower the angle just a hair, so not to round off apex on softer stone. Thinking that is going on here with the DMT to Ceramic transition. Not that ceramic is soft by any means (duh), but different surfaces causing the apex to round off.

If this was done freehand, it may not be noticeable, or it may be exacerbated. I dunno. Starting to learn that if your angle is just dead constant, best to stick with the series of stones you start with. If ceramic...stick with ceramic. If diamond...stick with diamond. If soft stones....stick with soft stones. etc. That's just me in my shop with my sharpening habits. YMMV! Just thought Id share that.

 

[bgentry]

After the DMT Fine 600 mesh stone, edge was very very sharp and aggressive to the touch, easily catching the thumb nail. Instantly digs into the nail. When I go to refine that DMT Fine with the Fine Spyderco Ceramic, just a few swipes per side, it kills the edge. Barely digs into thumbnail, does not feel aggressive at all. Back to the Fine DMT, edge comes right back with a couple strokes.

After the Spyderco fine does the edge do other fine cutting tasks, like push cutting phonebook paper? It's been my experience that after some level of refinement, the edge won't bite my thumbnail any more, but it's still VERY sharp and will laser through phonebook paper, mow hair off my arm, etc.

I think thumbnail bite and three finger sticky are both due to micro-serrations in the edge due to a more coarse abrasive.

Brian.

 

[samuraistuart]

Bgentry, I did not try to do any cutting tests after the spyderco fine ceramic. I've never had that issue before, a knife not biting into my nail even after a very high polish finish. I know what you mean.....the more polished edge doesn't feel like it bites quite as well as a more toothy edge, but this basically would barely bite, and slide off the nail. Not sure about the guided systems, and how different abrasives with constant dead accurate angles may not work well together, but it REALLY seems that way when using the Razor Edge guides like I do. If I start with diamond and finish with the 1200 diamond....all is well. If I go thru the diamond progression and finish with the Fine Ceramic....it's like a step backwards. If I use hard waterstones to establish edge bevel, then finish on a soft stone....it's like a step or two back. I've learned to put a few layers of tape on the part of the guide that contacts the stone when using the hard waterstones to establish edge, then take the tape of when using the softer, finer, polishing stones. That seems to work very well. May have to try that same technique when switching from diamond to ceramic. Maybe the fact that the diamonds are "raised" above the stone surface, then transition to a ceramic surface that is dead flat, doesn't translate well when angle is exact same. Best to lower a fraction of degree then try again. I should do some testing and report.