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What is the part number for the 6" x 1/2" triangular (ruby) hones?
Is the 320 grit the most aggessive available that fits the sharpmaker or are there other alternatives?

Thanks in advance. Intriguing idea.
 
Blues said:
What is the part number for the 6" x 1/2" triangular (ruby) hones?
Is the 320 grit the most aggessive available that fits the sharpmaker or are there other alternatives?

Thanks in advance. Intriguing idea.
Click to expand...
RU32012T6

the grit range is 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 220, 320.
 
30nkjs4.jpg

Here is a way to get 325 grit (blue) or 220 (black) for about $25.. Just hold the DMT Diafold against the sharpmaker stones.
 
Matt, I used to do the very same thing with my diafolds from time to time. Can be a bit cumbersome but it does work.
 
Thanks, hardheart.

Have you tried any of the other grits more aggressive than the 320?
 
Thanks, again. I may be tempted into it.
Seems I enjoy collecting sharpening paraphenalia as much as knives.
 
I called over to Congress this morning and after a little discussion, I've decided to try the "EDM" (orange aluminum oxide) triangular files in the 220 and 320 grits. Two pairs comes to about $16 plus shipping.

I'm guessing that since they are a "hard" aluminum oxide that they won't cut quite as fast as the "ruby" which should expose more sharp particles faster.
What I'm thinking, however, is that they may leave a less ragged edge which will be quicker to finish on the brown and white sharpmaker files afterward. (In any case, it'll be easy enough to experiment with other options down the road if need be.)

The link to the EDM's is:

http://www.congresstools.com/congresstools/catalog?action=getcat&parent=14

I notice that they also carry Norton India and Crystolon triangular files but I didn't want to pay the premium nor have an oil filled file to begin with.
 
(Just thinking out loud.)

The EDM rods are a little short, but it shouldn't matter if you are just hogging of metal with circular strokes on one side and then more on the other.

If there is more slop in the fit to the sharpmaker base sockets then the resultant bevel angle might be too large. So you could be at 33 degrees on the EDM's but 30 degrees on the Sharpmaker rods. The fine stones wouldn't touch the edge. Of course that won't be a problem if the EDM's are used in the back-bevel slots and the sharpmaker stones are then used in the edge-bevel slots.

Am i seeing this right?
 
The website indicated that they are 6" like the ruby and others. According to Dana over at Congress, the ruby stones and EDM's are all cut on site in their own facility and to the same tolerances. (When I called her back, she mentioned that if there were any issues to let her know and they'd take care of it.)

They will be 1" shorter than the Spyderco files but the 1/2" width per side should be virtually the same. Any small discrepancy in angle can be adjusted for easily enough with a shim or by changing the angle of the stroke.
 
I am using Sharpmaker for little over a year. In addition to the set I have ultra-fine stones and I am missing coarse. Diamond stones are quite expensive. I tried DMT coarse Dia-Sharp, leaning against flats. Probably I ruined it applying too much force and I was in the search of coarse stones for Sharpmaker again when I saw this thread about a week ago.
Congress Tool is a local company just a few miles away. I send them e-mail, asking if they have a front store to check their stones. The next day I received reply from Mark Froelick, that they don’t, but I welcome to stop by and somebody in the office will help me.
I had time to do this in a few days. I was lucky to catch Mark in the doors and explained him my needs. He helped me to find stones, which fit into base well; but if it is little bigger (their tolerances probably large, than on sharpmaker stones) it is possible to remove some material, using coarse benchstone or sandpaper.
I bought 150 and 320 grits ruby and flex. Mark was not sure that ruby is a good choice for me, but I wanted to buy anyway. He suggested to use moldmaster instead and gave me two 240 grit for free (it is good to be local :D ).
Yesterday I reprofiled my R2. I used all stones dry. Mark recommended using water.
I started with 320 flex, nice stone, but not that fast. I switched to 150 flex and didn’t notice much difference. Both stones leaving nice surface and do not shed. I tried 240 moldmaster and 150 ruby. 150 ruby is fastest, but leaving deep marks on the edge, so it took some time to remove it with 320 flex. Moldmaster is good, but probably 150 would be better.
This is my first impression. I like this stones. They made reprofiling much easier.
For future I will use 150 ruby, if I really need it and than 320 flex.
Also some time in future I would to try their res-cut stones and 150 moldmaster. Too many stones to choose from.
 
Hey I am bumping this thread to see how everyone who got some Congress Tool stones for their SM have made out.
I would like to get some wisdom from some folks who are using their stones.

How do they work with the SM?
What 2 or 3 stone combo best compliments the 2 standard SM ceramic stones?
Any problems with the stones being loose affecting the angles?
Thanks for any input.
Bill
 
I haven't tried them. The Spyderco system depends on stones that don't wear too quickly. I am curious if these Congress stones can hold their geometry long enough to be useful.
 
What should one order from Congress (or elsewhere) for maintaining a Barkie?

I've seen a couple of videos and got the general stropping idea, but the specifics of the leather / mouse pad / paste / etc approach remains confusing.

If someone could lay out a specific prescription for a beginner to follow, for taking a convex blade from the condition of moderate field abuse to scary sharp, this would be immensely appreciated.

This current inability to fix it myself keeps me babying the Barkie, whereas I'd much prefer to use it hard.

(And thanks for the tip on ordering EDM32012T6. I'll definitely get that for the SM.)

:thumbup:
 
I am using my stones for few months now, mostly ruby 150 and 320.
Using these stones I reprofiled Spyderco R2, Persian, Native and Adventura and it didn't take much time.
 
I'm wondering if the 1/4" wide hones would be better than the 1" ones for going around the curved part of a blade. And it might help with controlling the blade.
 
:D Yes, they're cheap enough. I'll get some stone blanks made. I've picked up Res-cut 120, 220, 400, 600, in 1/4" and 1" - the 1"for the sake of doing it without water. :confused: :D
They also have some little round hones that might be good for Spyderco serrations. Going by my Rescue, I need 6mm diameter and 1mm diameter. I think that might be better than the tapered diamond Duofold or Lansky kind, because I'd like to keep the serrations at least as polished as they are.
 
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