India stone

R

Robert Ptacel

Joined
Feb 1, 2007
Messages
314
I just got done touching up the edge on my 6" slicer kitchen knife with my India stone.For years I've used my SM and other crocksticks on them and been satisfied.When checking them out on newspaper and telephone paper I was amazed at how smoothly it cut them all out of proportion to their grit rating.I'm not saying the India is better but it is surprising that a 320 grit can cut that smoothly.
 
It does do well on the average stainless kitchen knife, and as you say, very smooth cutting for its grit.
 
Seems like simple stainless kitchen knives respond pretty well with a coarser grit stone. I've noticed a similar tendency with my Norton Economy stone (Crystolon/silicon carbide), which leaves a very toothy and very aggressively-cutting edge on my 'cheap' Japanese paring knife (unknown stainless). I've sinced re-touched the edge on it with some 320-grit SiC sandpaper (over glass), with the same impressive results. I have previously taken some of these kitchen knives to a higher finish on the edge (polished), but I think the steel's a little too soft to work well with that. Some toothy 'bite' in their edges seems to help.


David
 
The AlumOx abrasive and the binder Norton uses in these India stones are very tough. In use there is pretty much nothing but metal swarf on the stone, no abrasive shedding (or very very little). Makes for a very smooth cutting edge, and mighty clean for the rated grit value as long as one uses a light touch. In my opinion they're much closer to a 600 grit or so. They're a great value.
 
Agreed, gents. I've sharpened Many different steels on this same stone material, including some of the nice high end steels and the results are always the same. The edges comes out more refined than expected for a 320 grit stone.?? I think once you break it in it sharpens closer to a 400 grit maybe higher. Espically, should you strop the blade afterwards. For me this is a good sharpening grit level to stop at. DM
 
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