Looking for good cheap stones for light touch ups?

FlaMtnBkr

FlaMtnBkr

Joined
Oct 20, 2004
Messages
4,704
I am looking for some cheap stones for light touch ups. Probably something like and Fine and extra fine. I want something that I can lightly touch up an edge when it is still shaving but doesn't have that popping edge.

I was thinking about maybe some edge pro stones as they aren't very expensive unmounted. The spyderco stones are more than I want to spend but I have heard good things about them. Are the edge pro anywhere near as good?

Should I be looking for a certain type of material? Ceramic, AlOx, etc?

I see that DMT actually has their diasharps in a 4"x1" for about $14.

I would like to have some stones to do a light touch up to get back that hair popping edge and then lightly strop to further refine it.

I'm not to the point where I want all the crazy 60k grit waterstones. Just looking for something cheap and effective right now. I guess this will kind of be my sharpmaker alternative.

So any good suggestions? Thanks!

Ryan
 
Cheap would be mylar polishing tapes, bought as large sheets at your hardware store. They should be the step you're using right before the strop anyway.

Stitchawl
 
I will have to look for those polishing tapes as I have never seen them at any of the hardware stores I frequently visit.

However, I am looking for something slightly more aggressive like you would find on a sharpmaker. My thought is that I will use this as a sharpmaker substitute to bring back an edge that has been used a good amount throughout the day.

A couple swipes and then a strop or polishing tape to polish and refine the edge.

I want something that is similar to a sharpmaker but that I can freehand on and will be a little more versatile than the 2 angles you are stuck with on a sharpmaker.

Any other ideas?
 
Id go to congresstools.com They sell stones to tool and die makers and such. They are cheap and work as good as any stone i have ever used.
The y2k stones they sell are particularly nice and my 600 grit y2k, leaves a finish as nice as my edge pro's 1000 grit.
Their edm, res-cut, y2k, ruby are all nice and will last a very long time. they sell all sorts of shapes and sizes so you can mount them however ya want.
They sell rods too, and i think some diamond stuff.
 
It sounds like you could use a Lansky Turn Box. It's like a miniature less expensive Sharpmaker. There is a 2 rod model with fine rods and a 4 rod model with medium and fine.
 
I've been very pleased with my Spyderco Double Stuff stone (fine & extra fine). It's the only stone I use when I'm touching up free-hand, aside from stropping, which is how most of my edge maintenance gets done. The Double Stuff isn't quite 'cheap' perhaps, but the cost is quite reasonable IMHO (about $28 at KnifeCenter). It's also very pocketable (5" x 1" x 1/4" and comes with a leather pouch), so you can take it with you when you travel. It cleans up easily with a green 'Scotch-Brite' type pad and some Comet cleanser with water. And the ceramic will never wear out.
 
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