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Japanese waterstone, 250/1000 Grit a good combo?
- Thread starter lionken07
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250 is really coarse, 1000 is is medium at best. The 1000 side will be very good for raising a burr and setting the edge bevels. You will probably want a finer stone or a strop to finish things off though.
Keeping the stone in a container of water is easiest if you ask me. If you plan on letting it dry when not in use, I would use distilled water while sharpening to prevent mineral build up inside the stone.
Using it is just like any other bench stone. One trick you can use is to keep the surface soaked really well while your trying to remove a lot of material, then let it work down to a film on the surface of the stone when your finishing up.
Keeping the stone in a container of water is easiest if you ask me. If you plan on letting it dry when not in use, I would use distilled water while sharpening to prevent mineral build up inside the stone.
Using it is just like any other bench stone. One trick you can use is to keep the surface soaked really well while your trying to remove a lot of material, then let it work down to a film on the surface of the stone when your finishing up.
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The numbering system is different for Japanese waterstones. I remember seeing an excellent article on the differences somewhere online, but I've forgotten where.
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Check this link for a grit chart. I am finding it more useful to remember the micron numbers these days for comparison purposes. That way you don't have to remember the different grit grading systems.
That combo stone is a great one, in my opinion. The 250 will help thin out thick bevels quickly, and it will set your edve bevels nicely. The edge will be quite coarse though. Then you'll want to do strokes on the 1000 grit size and you'll end up with an edge still with some teeth on it. A 1000 grit stone is what Leonard Lee of Lee Valley Tools recommends for kitchen knives. For most purposes, that stone will be awrsome.
A couple of things. As Matt said, keep the stone in water (some kind of container with a lid). This will keep it ready at all times. Also, you will want some kind of base or holder for it. You can purchase many different commercial ones, or make a wooden base for it. You can also put it on a rubber sheet of sorts (check hardware stores for tool chest liners). Waterstones cut fast, but they also wear more quickly than other stones. Keep them flat! But DON'T WORRY! It is easy to flaten a stone. Put a sheet of wet/dry sandpaper on a flat surface and scrub the stone on it in figure eights. Once in a while flip the stone around, so that the end that was to your left is now to the right- this just helps keep things flat. You can quickly check your stone for flatness with a straight edge. Also, you can feel it- the ends of the stone will feel rougher (they were touching the paper, the middle isn't yet because it is scooped out from sharpening). The roughness will quickly move from both ends to the middle, and your stone will then be flat. The stone will also suck down on the paper as it approaches flat. For the 250 grit side I'd use 120 or 60 grit wet/dry paper, and on the 1000 grit side I'd use 400 grit if the stone isn't dished out too bad- otherwise use 220 grit.
Enjoy your stone! What brand is it?
That combo stone is a great one, in my opinion. The 250 will help thin out thick bevels quickly, and it will set your edve bevels nicely. The edge will be quite coarse though. Then you'll want to do strokes on the 1000 grit size and you'll end up with an edge still with some teeth on it. A 1000 grit stone is what Leonard Lee of Lee Valley Tools recommends for kitchen knives. For most purposes, that stone will be awrsome.
A couple of things. As Matt said, keep the stone in water (some kind of container with a lid). This will keep it ready at all times. Also, you will want some kind of base or holder for it. You can purchase many different commercial ones, or make a wooden base for it. You can also put it on a rubber sheet of sorts (check hardware stores for tool chest liners). Waterstones cut fast, but they also wear more quickly than other stones. Keep them flat! But DON'T WORRY! It is easy to flaten a stone. Put a sheet of wet/dry sandpaper on a flat surface and scrub the stone on it in figure eights. Once in a while flip the stone around, so that the end that was to your left is now to the right- this just helps keep things flat. You can quickly check your stone for flatness with a straight edge. Also, you can feel it- the ends of the stone will feel rougher (they were touching the paper, the middle isn't yet because it is scooped out from sharpening). The roughness will quickly move from both ends to the middle, and your stone will then be flat. The stone will also suck down on the paper as it approaches flat. For the 250 grit side I'd use 120 or 60 grit wet/dry paper, and on the 1000 grit side I'd use 400 grit if the stone isn't dished out too bad- otherwise use 220 grit.
Enjoy your stone! What brand is it?
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- Nov 24, 1999
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Thats why I stick with oil stones and ceramic 
I actually learned that the hard way by shelling out about 25 bucks for a 1000 grit king bench stone, a big one, looking to get a finer stone to compliment 220 silicon carbide, 2 soft arkansas, 2 hard arkansas, and fine whit ceramic stones I already had. Talk about getting something you DON'T need 
I think crayole meant to say 1000 when he said 100. 1000, is not incredibly coarse or anything. You just wouldn't pick it to touch up that straight razor every morning. If you use it right, you can get a pretty useable edge on most carbon steels if you follow it with a little stropping. Stainless, it will still be a little toothy, but some people like that.
I actually learned that the hard way by shelling out about 25 bucks for a 1000 grit king bench stone, a big one, looking to get a finer stone to compliment 220 silicon carbide, 2 soft arkansas, 2 hard arkansas, and fine whit ceramic stones I already had. Talk about getting something you DON'T need I think crayole meant to say 1000 when he said 100. 1000, is not incredibly coarse or anything. You just wouldn't pick it to touch up that straight razor every morning. If you use it right, you can get a pretty useable edge on most carbon steels if you follow it with a little stropping. Stainless, it will still be a little toothy, but some people like that.
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I have no idea what brand it is as it only have some Japanese writing on it (which I don't understand...)
Let me get this clear so I will only use 1000 if I sharpen my knife often. if it got really dull before I sharpen them I should use 250 first to get more of the metal off first before I go with the 1000? and of course keep it in water when I'm not in use.
Let me get this clear so I will only use 1000 if I sharpen my knife often. if it got really dull before I sharpen them I should use 250 first to get more of the metal off first before I go with the 1000? and of course keep it in water when I'm not in use.
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Thats about all there is too it. Might help also if you read the sharpening tutorial at the top of the page. If you click on the tutorial/FAQ link at the very top of the page you should be able to find it. Its got a lot of good info in it.
Klesk
Gold Member
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- Jan 5, 2003
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There's some good information (including a simple grit comparison chart, U.S. and Japan) at Woodcraft here: Woodcraft Waterstone Instructions. I myself prefer a ceramic stone, as waterstones need special care and can easisly be damaged. Spyderco makes some excellent bench stones, including an extra fine one should be useful in obtaining that "scary sharp" edge.
Cliff Stamp
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The Battle Rat is a large chopper, if you intend to do this kind of work with it, then as Matt noted you definately want to raise the finish beyond a 1000 grit hone as the edge retention will be quite poor for push cuts (which chopping is one example of) with that fough an edge finish. Go as high as you can for optimal edge retention in that area, I use 1000 and 4000 grit waterstones and follow by stropping on CrO loaded leather.
As for lapping, you can flatten on sandpaper but I prefer a concrete block or and some 80 grit SiC lapping compound (for a really fine hone, your would use glass instead of the block). This is much faster and cheaper. Plus the lapping compound can be used to load the coarse side of the hone to make it *really* coarse. If you want to be fairly frugal you can make field hones out of the used lapping compound by using it to load leather, cardboard, thick fabrics etc. . Same goes for the waste grit that you wash off the waterstones in use.
The best way to handle lapping in general is to do it on a regular basis before a hollow sets in. A large dish takes forever to remove and by that time the ability of the hone has severely diminished anyway. Hones work best when flat and fresh. I lapp mine lightly after every few extended uses.
-Cliff
As for lapping, you can flatten on sandpaper but I prefer a concrete block or and some 80 grit SiC lapping compound (for a really fine hone, your would use glass instead of the block). This is much faster and cheaper. Plus the lapping compound can be used to load the coarse side of the hone to make it *really* coarse. If you want to be fairly frugal you can make field hones out of the used lapping compound by using it to load leather, cardboard, thick fabrics etc. . Same goes for the waste grit that you wash off the waterstones in use.
The best way to handle lapping in general is to do it on a regular basis before a hollow sets in. A large dish takes forever to remove and by that time the ability of the hone has severely diminished anyway. Hones work best when flat and fresh. I lapp mine lightly after every few extended uses.
-Cliff