I can't obtain a sharp edge with waterstones

Finally got a good stand-alone edge with the 4,000 grit side of my King combostone tonight. Thanks, everyone!
 
sababa, bill deshivs gave you some good advise and has been making and sharpening knives for more years than most. listen to what he has to say ;):D
 
Bill DeShivs said:
You do know that waterstones require edge-trailing strokes?
Click to expand...

Maybe if you're starting out this is a good tip, but waterstone's don't require edge trailing strokes. You can, as Murray Carter does, finish an edge that way. But personal experience and just about every person I've seen use a waterstone with excellent results would disprove this statement. You are correct in your later post, if you use too much pressure (or make a pass at a bad angle) you can dig into the stone. But with practice, decent stones and good technique, you'll get much better edges (and faster) working a stone both ways. My personal experience is that you'll also get a better feel for how the bevel matches the stone working it both ways.

thombrogan said:
Finally got a good stand-alone edge with the 4,000 grit side of my King combostone tonight. Thanks, everyone!
Click to expand...

You don't get off that easy :) ... what did you do different?

Another good video to watch is here...

http://www.youtube.com/user/eceipretsam#p/u/4/rTxFtK4shVY

... a little different style, but he does a great job. (Also his more recent one...)

http://www.youtube.com/user/eceipretsam#p/u/0/Duwt8oMZRaA

cbw
 
cbwx34 said:
You don't get off that easy :) ... what did you do different?
Click to expand...

The answer is in your links. When I used to use Kings and Nortons more often, it was the two or three fingers on the edge/sharpen in segments thing. I've since moved on to copying C-Dawg's style (minus the gloves) but never went back to the Kings (other than a 1,200 grit thingy) to really retry them. Heck, I sharpen C-Dawg style with a Spyderco DoubleStuff when I can't get to the stones.
 
richard j said:
bill deshivs gave you some good advise and has been making and sharpening knives for more years than most. listen to what he has to say
Click to expand...

I used to never listen to Bill's advice because I 'knew better.' :rolleyes: Now that I'm not so smart anymore, I'm glad I listen more.
 
Thombrogan,
When I was 17 years old, I couldn't believe how utterly stupid my dad was. I was amazed just 8-9 years later at how much he'd learned!

Guys, I have been seriously screwing with knives for the better part of 40 years. Making, repairing, restoring, modifying, and designing them. I'm set in my ways, to the point, sometimes grumpy, and every once in a while I'm wrong. But, most of what I post here is from experience. I truly dislike the dissemination of incorrect information, and sometimes I come off as a know-it-all horse's backside-but I actually try to help.
 
hiwa said:
I've noticed this with my Norton's ( 220 & 1000) I just use light pressure and get good results. A 1000 grit stone and a few swipes on a Cro2 loaded strop is as fine as I go with my blades.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I do as well, though I finish up with natural leather instead of with compound. I think what Bill is saying is that instead of being required to finesse it with such fine pressure control, that edge-leading strokes can require considerably less effort and concentration to achieve the same if not better results.

Then there's also the thing to consider that the Norton 1K stone we use is also considerably harder than a lot of other stones, and gouging and scratching even becomes an issue with some of Norton's higher grits. I haven't used any other than my Norton 220/1K though, so that's just speculation.

I've tried using edge-trailing strokes only and didn't really see a significant improvement except on softer steels that are too easy to burr up. I suspect Bill is correct for the reasons why softer steels come out better with edge-trailing strokes for me.

I have a question though: Is the slurry beneficial or not?

I've seen that it helps in burr removal, but it the edges I get aren't as polished as usual. I've read John Juranitch's book ( forget the title ) where he says that oil and slurries just suspend metal that make random scratch patterns, and before I've gotten near mirror results by just keeping the stone wet and free of slurry.

So... Slurry or No Slurry?
 
Waterstone slurry helps the stone cut faster and more consistently and the wear that produces the slurry prevents loading. It does leave a duller finish. I don't use waterstones for sharpening, but I use them quite a bit for blade finishing.
 
if you can afford it,buy a bench grinder and the paper wheels. also read richardj's posts. ive tried over 8 different sharpening systems. and the wheels are imho are the best. i dont need to but i finish with stropping. i just makes me feel better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top