Do-It-All stone... does it exist?

sorry but you cutting into the stone is not a stone problem ...

this kind of soft stones learn angle control. and this is priceless if you're into sharpening.
 
pwet said:
sorry but you cutting into the stone is not a stone problem ...

this kind of soft stones learn angle control. and this is priceless if you're into sharpening.
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Yeah, proper technique and familiarity make the "softer" water stones a quick-cutting option. That said, I have a whole pile of King and Norton waterstones that I hardly ever bother to soak anymore. I can get a really nice edge using SiC, alum-ox, diamond, Arkansas, and my current favorite - a belt sander. With the waterstones there isn't enough of a feel difference between riding the bevel and cutting into the shoulder or the edge. I can get good results, but have never been able to do so with the same confidence I have on the other options. I know they're a great choice, the crew over at Blade and Badger give em a great recommendation, but I'm not alone in having trouble getting comfortable with them. Also, if it's easy for the uninitiated to carve into them with a standard sized knife, how much easier will it be with a big, heavy, bush knife.

benajah said:
I have had the same 6" hard Arkansas stone from Smith's since 1985, and have never needed anything else other than a file for changing a grind. I have tried nearly everything on the market, and always come back to the Arkansas. Of course, it may take some serious elbow grease, but who doesn't enjoy sharpening a knife?
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My runner-up would be my soft or Washita Arkansas stone.
 
I can understand the difficulty of some waterstones. I have to say I would like a benchstone version of the EdgePro waterstones where you can feel free to mash down on the knives with abandon and not worry about gouging the stone. I would also think that sharpening becomes faster as well as the option to skip quite a few grits.

I typically freehand on my DMT Duosharp up to EF, then move to a Arashiyama 6000 stone, then a Kitayama 8000 stone. Going off the EF, there isn't a hint of a mirror finish, then it gets a mirror sheen after the Arashiyama, and moreso off the Kitayama, with about half an hour on each stone.

With the Edge Pro, the finish off the 320 grit stone seems similar to the finish on the DMT EF. After the 600 grit, there's a noticeable mirror shine, and after the 1000 grit stone it's more or less a perfect mirror finish. Total time going through all 3 is about half an hour, considerably less than the benchstones.

After watching SoLo's freehand video, I get the feeling that Spyderco's Ceramic Benchstones might be the right stone for me(can't gouge ceramic), as I don't feel like dishing out big bucks for the Shapton glass stones.
 
I don't have a lot of experience but theoretically I don't think it matters in terms of actually being able to sharpen a knife. All of the materials are a good deal harder than knives and are abrasive, hence they will cut away metal.
Some stones will wear away and need maintenance but they are also abrasive throughout. The diamond ones aren't going to wear away unless you do it improperly and use too much force. And if you rip the diamonds away then there is nothing below it.
They all have advantages and disadvantages but i think any stone will sharpen any knife.
 
pwet, I see what you are saying, I feel I'm pretty good free-hand, but that one knife just tore up the stone.
 
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