Help w/Congress Stones for Edge Pro

[Sikas]

Hi all -

I'd like to introduce myself by first thanking all of you. I am a complete newbie who has yet to sharpen a knife. Although I'm new, I've been reading all your posts for quite some time & you've taught me alot...Thanks for sharing your knowledge...

So here's my deal...

I have a bunch of basic kitchen knives that have never been sharpened (totally dull) & a few that will need to be re-profiled. I don't have anything super fancy like Japanese knifes or anything like that...


I just acquired a used Edge Pro Apex but it didn't come with any stones. I'm on a super tight budget, and I don't want to practice with any super expensive (top of the line stones) like Shapton or Chosera stones. So I'm thinking of getting the stones from Congress. What I was thinking was:

1) Ruby 120 (for re-profiling)
2) Moldmaster 320
3) Moldmaster 400
4) Flex 600

My questions are:

1) What do you guys think about the Ruby 120 & the Flex 600?
2) Also, anybody use the Flex 600 dry? (I've read that creates a lot sludge build up when wet)
3) With Ruby, Moldmaster, Flex do you spray water, or spray soap/water, or soak in water before use?

Thanks for all your comments.
Sak...

 

[singularity35]

For heavy metal hogging, I just use moldmaster 150's, haven't tried the ruby though but the 150 grit eats steel fast. I've don'e 20CP, S90V, S110V, and K390 and didn't really have any trouble. The Flex 600 is a good finishing stone that polishes the edge and sets it up for a mirror polish if you are so inclined. I don't have a problem with sludge with the Flex 600 wet or dry, the moldmaster 600 is the sludge factory when used wet but it is also a pretty good finishing stone if used dry. I also prefer to use the equivalent of windex to lube my stones when I use the moldmasters. I find that zim keeps the stones cleaner longer than soapy water. You do need some aluminum blanks to stick the stones on but those are pretty cheap to make.

Hope that helps.

 

[bodog]

I have the ruby, it's not very good for knives. Clogs up, takes forever, etc. The moldmasters are pretty good. I don't use the blanks, I just put them in and tighten them down. Anyway, I use the cheap stones from amazon. There's a set that goes from like 60 to 3000 grit, but the default 5 stone set come with I think 180 to 2000 grit. They work better than the Congress stones for me and it's like 12 bucks for the set. They're pretty slow wearing and for the price, hard to beat. I'd suggest giving them a chance before blowing a wad of cash on anything else. To lube then I use mineral oil. You might have to use some glue to ensure they're stuck to the backing based on others' reviews, but I haven't had that problem. I had a set last me a year (sharpening and reprofiling at least once ow twice a week) with no leveling or anything necessary. When the dishing got too bad I just ordered another set and they're better than the first set. I get highly polished (not quite mirror) on the 2000 grit stone, but with stropping i get that hair popping, mirrored finish. And they take me less time than the Congress stones, too, be it the ruby, moldmasters, or the supersoft polishing stones up to 1200 grit.

Here ya go
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K8MKT2O/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=pe_385040_30332190_TE_3p_dp_1

 

[Sikas]

For heavy metal hogging, I just use moldmaster 150's, haven't tried the ruby though but the 150 grit eats steel fast. I've don'e 20CP, S90V, S110V, and K390 and didn't really have any trouble. The Flex 600 is a good finishing stone that polishes the edge and sets it up for a mirror polish if you are so inclined. I don't have a problem with sludge with the Flex 600 wet or dry, the moldmaster 600 is the sludge factory when used wet but it is also a pretty good finishing stone if used dry. I also prefer to use the equivalent of windex to lube my stones when I use the moldmasters. I find that zim keeps the stones cleaner longer than soapy water. You do need some aluminum blanks to stick the stones on but those are pretty cheap to make.

Hope that helps.

Hi Singularity -

Thanks for taking time to respond. Based on your response, I think I'll go with the moldmaster 150 as well. By the way, what is "zim"? Regarding the aluminum blanks, I was planning on making some...That shouldn't be a problem.

BTW, just to clarify, do you spray the stones (lightly), or are you soaking them (I think I've read that for some stones - not sure which ones, that people soak them).

Thanks again for all your comments.
Sak...

 

[singularity35]

Hi Singularity -

Thanks for taking time to respond. Based on your response, I think I'll go with the moldmaster 150 as well. By the way, what is "zim"? Regarding the aluminum blanks, I was planning on making some...That shouldn't be a problem.

BTW, just to clarify, do you spray the stones (lightly), or are you soaking them (I think I've read that for some stones - not sure which ones, that people soak them).

Thanks again for all your comments.
Sak...

Hey Sikas, you'll soon be producing laser edges. Zim is our version of Windex. I usually wash the stones before using them. I use an old toothbrush to scrub 'em before using so they'll be pretty wet by the time I start using them. One or two sprits of glass cleaner when I shift sides is plenty so a bottle will last a long time. You could also get the SiC powder from Congress Tools to lap your stones with, to level them or to lap them when they get loaded. Just buy a pane of glass from your local glass supply to use with the SiC powder for your leveling kit. The coarsest SiC Congress Tools has is 80 grit, not much difference from the 60 grit which Ben Dale sells which is pricier.

Good luck dude.

 

[Sikas]

I have the ruby, it's not very good for knives. Clogs up, takes forever, etc. The moldmasters are pretty good. I don't use the blanks, I just put them in and tighten them down. Anyway, I use the cheap stones from amazon. There's a set that goes from like 60 to 3000 grit, but the default 5 stone set come with I think 180 to 2000 grit. They work better than the Congress stones for me and it's like 12 bucks for the set. They're pretty slow wearing and for the price, hard to beat. I'd suggest giving them a chance before blowing a wad of cash on anything else. To lube then I use mineral oil. You might have to use some glue to ensure they're stuck to the backing based on others' reviews, but I haven't had that problem. I had a set last me a year (sharpening and reprofiling at least once ow twice a week) with no leveling or anything necessary. When the dishing got too bad I just ordered another set and they're better than the first set. I get highly polished (not quite mirror) on the 2000 grit stone, but with stropping i get that hair popping, mirrored finish. And they take me less time than the Congress stones, too, be it the ruby, moldmasters, or the supersoft polishing stones up to 1200 grit.

Here ya go
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K8MKT2O/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=pe_385040_30332190_TE_3p_dp_1

Ho Bodog -

Thanks for the link and the info. I'm surprised to hear that the ruby isn't that good. I still need to educate myself more before I jump in. Either way with Congress or Amazon stones, I wouldn't be spending that much...$12 Amazon vs approx $16 + shipping with congress.

Did you try using the mineral oil with the Congress stones? I'm wondering if that would improve their performance compared to the amazon ones...

Thanks again.
Sak...

 

[bodog]

Yeah, the oil on use I actually got from congress. It has a very similar feel to mineral oil and everything I can find says that it basically is. I've tried different things with the Congress stones to get them to work better, letting the oil soak in, brushing the oil and and going to work while there's still still a heavy layer on the top, using them dry, whatever. I've pretty much relegated them to sharpening other people's knives because they work, but they don't leave a great finish.

With the aaidee stones or whatever their name is, the ones on amazon, I just brush a light layer of oil on them and go. Once I finish the progression to 2000 grit, I dry the stone as much as possible then polish the edge with the dry stone. Leaves a very good finish. Then I strop up to 14000 grit with Diamond paste and get mirror finishes, but with very light streaks that are visible at a certain angle and not visible at others. If I went higher those streaks would disappear but I'm fine with the edge at that level. I can readily whittle hair, shave my face, cut through cardboard like butter, cut through plastic like it's not even there. So yeah, the stones are at least adequate. I can get knives just as sharp with the Congress stones but it takes longer and the finish is quite noticeably worse. So that there's the reason I leave them for other people's knives, especially if I'm simply doing them a favor on my own time. If they're paying me, I make sure the result is the best I can make it.

Give me a couple of minutes and I'll show you the results of my setup that cost about 60 bucks and some edges that I can get

 

[bodog]

 

[bodog]

Those scratches are really hard to get on camera. Took me about three minutes of messing with angles and lighting to get them to show up, but they're there.

 

[bodog]

Here's my wife's hair whittled on a little. I messed with the colors and stuff to get the pieces to show up better.

 

[Sikas]

Here's my wife's hair whittled on a little. I messed with the colors and stuff to get the pieces to show up better.

Wow!!
Thanks for the pics. Those pics are amazing, especially the hair! What a great testimonial for those stones..I can see why you like those stones.

Thanks.
Sak...

 

[bodog]

No problem man, the actual grit is almost definitely more uniform in something like chosera stones or whatever, but these are pretty good and I can buy what, like 2 whole sets for the price of one chosera cut down for an edge pro. The scratches are sufficiently shallow at the 2000 grit level to move on to finer strop pastes which are what really bring out the mirror finish.

My progression is 180, 400, 800, 1500, 2000 grit stones. I then move on to 3000, 8000, and 14000 grit diapaste strops freehanded. I could've and should've tried a different progression with the strops. 3000 to 8000 is a big jump and that's probably where those remaining scratches are from.