King 4000 and 6000 stone question

[thombrogan]

Does anyone have any experience with both of these stones? My 4000 grit stone initially seemed to cut and finish better than my 6000 stone, but now they seem too equal (more intent on rounding edges and getting gouged).

Does keeping them perpetually soaked degrade their performance? It doesn't on my 1000 grit Kings (the other side of both combination stones ), but then, the red clay binder isn't like the yellowish beige-ish binder and may behave differently.

Thanks.

 

[db]

I don't have either stone but it sounds like they are pretty soft. Maybe use a stropping, pull stroke , and not a push stroke on them.

 

[John Frankl]

Thom,

I have a 6000 King, and, while I haven't used it much, I like it and seem to remember advice to simply store it dry and spray it down with a spray bottle when using. Storing in water, if I remember correctly, will break down the bonding agent, making it too soft in use and eventually dissolving it altogether.

The cool thing about these stones is they seem to leave no burr. Even with a translucent Arkansas--which I like very much--I worry about burrs. But these high-grit Kings somehow take it right off.

John

 

[thombrogan]

Thanks guys! Just finished watching a video on sharpening with a cameo from the King 6000 (thanks, Curtis!) and the narrator mentioned not soaking the stones for more than 10 minutes (as opposed to 10 months like I've been doing ).