Help pls with confusion over sharpening stone grades for my new Pattada knife

[Fean0r]

Hi all! First post here and a bit of a newbie - please bear with me .

So I'm in Sardinia, and have just been to Pattada and have picked up a very nice Giagu knife from their workshop. (I'm assuming this will mean something to all of you - until yesterday it'd have meant nothing to me!)

Mrs Giagu (I presume) was kind enough to show me how to sharpen my new knife and she recommended that I get an oilstone. But I've been doing some research and I'm now very confused. Most of the sharpening stones available in the UK seem to be whetstones; oilstones seem to be limited, as the information on what grades are needed for what applications. I've also read that I should have 2-3 stones (or sides of stones) starting with about 1000 grade and finishing at 6000-8000, but not more because the very fine edge can then get easily damaged.

Now, I realise there are different ways of measuring coarseness. I've read the chart on this section of the website but the terminology doesn't mean much to me, and the guides I've read didn't specify what type of coarseness grade they were referring to but appeared to be using different measuring systems. Am I right that the grades used for India oilstones are different to those used for Japanese water stones?

I'm currently inclined to get the Norton India oilstone, but am unsure if the grade is fine enough to keep the edge at the same level of extreme sharpness it currently is (the knife is so sharp that I can shave with it comfortably!). Is "fine" the equivalent of about 6000-8000 grade for Japanese water stones?

Also, I have a number of nine year-old Global knives which could do with some TLC as until now I've used a Global compatible hand sharpening machine-thing. Can I use the India oilstone on those?

I'm a hands-on engineer but until now I've steered clear of sharpening knives myself freehand as I wasn't comfortable I knew enough about the technique. Now, though, I want to be sure I get the right equipment without spending silly amounts but the information out there is rather contradictory and full of jargon I'm not familiar with.

Thanks in advance!

 

[HeavyHanded]

The Norton India stone fine side is at best approx 600 grit, or approx 1000 on the Japanese waterstone scale. Norton would recommend you pick up a soft Arkansas, followed by a translucent or black Arkansas to maintain a face shaving edge. Realistically the fine India can make a face shaving edge but you will need to put a lot of hot lather on it first! It is best for a fairly toothy utility edge, but don't discount it. For most usage that is likely a better edge anyway, and much easier for a beginner to craft reliably.

If the steel is high carbon, you might consider using some waterestones, they will likely give you the best edge comparable to where it is now. At a minimum, a 1k and 4 or 6k will work well.

The options are endless really when it comes to honing stones. Whatever you go with, DO NOT learn on your new knife - learn on your kitchen knives or buy some super cheapos to learn on. Don't touch your nice cutlery till you have more understanding and confidence.

 

[Vicv]

I don't know that knife actually but that doesn't really matter. Heavy handed has given good advice. I'll add that as it seems you're new to sharpening a stone finer than 1000 grit will basically be useless to you for now. A Norton oilstone will get you by for now as you learn to sharpen as it takes practice. Trying to refine the edge by going up to a stone which really is only appropriate for a straight razor and single bevel sushi knife you're going to make mistakes and erase all the progress you did with your rougher stone
Don't let the terminology confuse. All sharpening stones are whetstones. Whetting is the act of running an edge on an abrasive surface. So sandpaper on a brick is a whetstone which by the way also works quite well!

 

[HeavyHanded]

As an afterthought, you might take a look at the website linked through my signature below. I make and sell a sharpening block that is intended to be a modular solution for a lot of sharpening jobs.

To that end I have a handful of videos and an electronic copy of the user's manual, both of which have lots of general content and not just applicable to my sharpening widget. Would be worth a look just as a primer even if you have no interest in buying one, as it gives a description of a normal sharpening progression and why one might stop at any given level of refinement. Much of the mechanical technique I demonstrate translates very well other abrasive media, particularly the softer waterstones found at the entry level.

 

[David Martin]

Show me where Norton recommends a India stone then soft Arkansas then a hard Arkansas? DM

 

[HeavyHanded]

Show me where Norton recommends a India stone then soft Arkansas then a hard Arkansas? DM

Alright, its implied. Pretty much any of their sets that have India stones and finer stones in the same set (ie some of their tri hone sets), use Arkansas stones to refine the edge.

Some go right to the fine Arkansas, but in their line the Arkansas are listed following the India.

 

[jackknife]

I very often carry a Sardinian resolza made by senior Salvatore Usai. It has a steel blade like most other knives, and like most other knives, doesn't seem to care what kind of stone it's sharpened on. I've used a DMT fine diamond hone, or the bottom ring on a coffee mug followed by a stropping on the bad of an old Dickies work belt It gets sharp no matter the medium.

 

[Fean0r]

The Norton India stone fine side is at best approx 600 grit, or approx 1000 on the Japanese waterstone scale. Norton would recommend you pick up a soft Arkansas, followed by a translucent or black Arkansas to maintain a face shaving edge. Realistically the fine India can make a face shaving edge but you will need to put a lot of hot lather on it first! It is best for a fairly toothy utility edge, but don't discount it. For most usage that is likely a better edge anyway, and much easier for a beginner to craft reliably.

If the steel is high carbon, you might consider using some waterestones, they will likely give you the best edge comparable to where it is now. At a minimum, a 1k and 4 or 6k will work well.

The options are endless really when it comes to honing stones. Whatever you go with, DO NOT learn on your new knife - learn on your kitchen knives or buy some super cheapos to learn on. Don't touch your nice cutlery till you have more understanding and confidence.

Thanks - very useful advice!

I don't know that knife actually but that doesn't really matter. Heavy handed has given good advice. I'll add that as it seems you're new to sharpening a stone finer than 1000 grit will basically be useless to you for now. A Norton oilstone will get you by for now as you learn to sharpen as it takes practice. Trying to refine the edge by going up to a stone which really is only appropriate for a straight razor and single bevel sushi knife you're going to make mistakes and erase all the progress you did with your rougher stone
Don't let the terminology confuse. All sharpening stones are whetstones. Whetting is the act of running an edge on an abrasive surface. So sandpaper on a brick is a whetstone which by the way also works quite well!

I suspected that was the case but wasn't sure so avoided the term whetstone. More confusing, though, was the terminology in the grade conversion chart! Thanks for the advice tho

As an afterthought, you might take a look at the website linked through my signature below. I make and sell a sharpening block that is intended to be a modular solution for a lot of sharpening jobs.

To that end I have a handful of videos and an electronic copy of the user's manual, both of which have lots of general content and not just applicable to my sharpening widget. Would be worth a look just as a primer even if you have no interest in buying one, as it gives a description of a normal sharpening progression and why one might stop at any given level of refinement. Much of the mechanical technique I demonstrate translates very well other abrasive media, particularly the softer waterstones found at the entry level.

I'll definitely have a look, thanks - Internet here in Sardinia is extremely slow though so I'm saving all the videos I want to watch till I'm back in Rome.

I very often carry a Sardinian resolza made by senior Salvatore Usai. It has a steel blade like most other knives, and like most other knives, doesn't seem to care what kind of stone it's sharpened on. I've used a DMT fine diamond hone, and the bottom ring on a coffee mug followed by a stropping on the bad of an old Dickies work belt It gets sharp no matter the medium.

Interesting - a very knowledgeable close friend of mine sharpens his tools & (cheaper) knives on all sorts of surfaces bit I've always been a bit unconvinced that it's a good idea with more expensive blades.

Anyway, here's my new knife in case anyone's interested.