Norton India vs. Crystolon

T

THG

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May 18, 2008
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What's the difference between these two stones? Would you recommend one over the other?
 
The India is an aluminum oxide based stone and the Crystolon is a Silicon Carbide based stone. They are all fairly coarse, the finest stone being about 320 grit. That's all I got since I haven't tried either of them and don't know how they wear. Ideally the Crystolon should cut quicker than the India.
 
That's what I was looking for - whichever stone cuts faster. Thanks.
 
You would be suprised how fast and sharp you can get a blade off of a Fine Norton Sil Carbide stone, knock the burr off with ceramic or a loaded strop and you will be left with an extremely sharp great cutting edge.

Strop it a few more times with green compound and it will be hair whittling.

The Sil Carbide stone doesn't care what steel it is, even the high carbide steels like S90V are short work.
 
Ankerson said:
You would be suprised how fast and sharp you can get a blade off of a Fine Norton Sil Carbide stone, knock the burr off with ceramic or a loaded strop and you will be left with an extremely sharp great cutting edge.

Strop it a few more times with green compound and it will be hair whittling.

The Sil Carbide stone doesn't care what steel it is, even the high carbide steels like S90V are short work.
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Do you use the stone with oil and everything? Or do you just use water to rinse it out when it loads up?
 
Silicon carbide really surprised & educated me about abrasive properties, when I first tried it out (on wet/dry sandpaper). Prior to that, I'd been doing most of my sharpening with diamond & ceramics (aluminum oxide). Those do have their place in sharpening but, as Ankerson said, SiC doesn't care what steel it is (I've done S30V, D2, 440C and many others). It works very fast, even on paper backing, and all the way up to the finest grits. The 'evidence' is in the amount of steel dust that accumulates QUICKLY on the paper. I'm a believer now. I don't yet have a SiC stone, but I'm very tempted to try one out.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
Silicon carbide really surprised & educated me about abrasive properties, when I first tried it out (on wet/dry sandpaper). Prior to that, I'd been doing most of my sharpening with diamond & ceramics (aluminum oxide). Those do have their place in sharpening but, as Ankerson said, SiC doesn't care what steel it is (I've done S30V, D2, 440C and many others). It works very fast, even on paper backing, and all the way up to the finest grits. The 'evidence' is in the amount of steel dust that accumulates QUICKLY on the paper. I'm a believer now. I don't yet have a SiC stone, but I'm very tempted to try one out.
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Got some Sil Carbide stones for the EP, 320, 400 and 600 Grit to see how they work. :)

Waiting on the blanks to get here so I can mount them, I have a feeling that these will replace the stock AO stones in my kit.
 
This continues to amaze me how knowledgable persons state how coarse stones impart great edges to knife steels. Hair whittling edge quickly, coming off a 280g stone! So, glad to know others are seeing this too! DM
 
David Martin said:
This continues to amaze me how knowledgable persons state how coarse stones impart great edges to knife steels. Hair whittling edge quickly, coming off a 280g stone! So, glad to know others are seeing this too! DM
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That fine Sil Carbide stone my be rated at 280 grit, it seems to leave a more refined edge than that once it smooths nicely out after a few knives to break it in and it cuts very clean. :)

It doesn't wear very fast either from what I have noticed, it seems to be very hard and really is a high quality stone.
 
I just remembered a trick I learned years back when working with SIC stones - I rub a little bit of paraffin into the surface and it holds the (oil/ dish soap/ water etc) on the top of the stone instead of allowing it to soak in. Also smooths out the edge's passage over the stone. Gave it a try just a few minutes ago and the edge was noticeably cleaner with fewer burrs - almost didn't need to strop - almost. Someone remind me, Why do I have all these other types of grinding media when an 8$ stone, some sandpaper, and a 5$ strop is all one really needs?

In fact, if I learn the art of convexing on a bench stone I could get rid of my sandpaper too.
Hmmm

HH
 
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HeavyHanded said:
I just remembered a trick I learned years back when working with SIC stones - I rub a little bit of paraffin into the surface and it holds the (oil/ dish soap/ water etc) on the top of the stone instead of allowing it to soak in. Also smooths out the edge's passage over the stone. Gave it a try just a few minutes ago and the edge was noticeably cleaner with fewer burrs - almost didn't need to strop - almost. Someone remind me, Why do I have all these other types of grinding media when an 8$ stone, some sandpaper, and a 5$ strop is all one really needs?

In fact, if I learn the art of convexing on a bench stone I could get rid of my sandpaper too.
Hmmm

HH
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The stone I have is very dense (Norton Fine 8x3x1/2"), water will just sit on top of it, or the Windex I use.

There are different uses and needs, some need those highly refined edges for shaving and other things along with others that just want different edges.
 
I did a review of the CS-HD stones a while back. I'm not 100% certain that these are the same stones that Ankerson ordered, but it looks like they they may be. I look forward to seeing what he says about them.

IMO, binder is everything with SiC stones. If it is too hard, it prevents a good cut. If too soft, it causes the stone to melt away as you use it. I think the Boride 120-320 fit the former category and the Norton Waterstone 220 fits the latter. So far, my favorite SiC stone is the Sigma Power Carbon #700. The 700 grit (JIS) is roughly equivalent to about a 320 grit (FEPA F) over here. Even at this higher grit level, "fine" according to Norton, I can rebevel a knife in under a minute. It holds together and stays flat well too. After rebeveling, I haven't found better SiC stones than the Boride CS-HD's 400+ stones. From 400 to 1200, they aren't formulated the same as the 120 to 320 stones.

I really should grab a couple Crystolons and see how they compare to the Carbon #700. It's on my "to do" list.

Has anyone here found finer SiC stones, in the 400+ range, other than the Boride's?
 
changeofseasons said:
I did a review of the CS-HD stones a while back. I'm not 100% certain that these are the same stones that Ankerson ordered, but it looks like they they may be. I look forward to seeing what he says about them.

IMO, binder is everything with SiC stones. If it is too hard, it prevents a good cut. If too soft, it causes the stone to melt away as you use it. I think the Boride 120-320 fit the former category and the Norton Waterstone 220 fits the latter. So far, my favorite SiC stone is the Sigma Power Carbon #700. The 700 grit (JIS) is roughly equivalent to about a 320 grit (FEPA F) over here. Even at this higher grit level, "fine" according to Norton, I can rebevel a knife in under a minute. It holds together and stays flat well too. After rebeveling, I haven't found better SiC stones than the Boride CS-HD's 400+ stones. From 400 to 1200, they aren't formulated the same as the 120 to 320 stones.

I really should grab a couple Crystolons and see how they compare to the Carbon #700. It's on my "to do" list.

Has anyone here found finer SiC stones, in the 400+ range, other than the Boride's?
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Congress tools:

http://www.congresstools.com/congresstools/catalog?action=getcat&parent=27
 
Ankerson said:
Congress tools:

http://www.congresstools.com/congresstools/catalog?action=getcat&parent=27
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Hi Ankerson,

Not sure what you're saying here. I'm suspicious that the Boride and Congress stones are from the same manufacturer and just cut and labeled differently. It appears that that is the case with the Ruby stones at least. I dunno though.

If you're answering my question about other stone manufacturers making SiC stones in 400+ grits, unfortunately I don't trust Congress. Half of the stuff I've seen from them is poorly cut and misshapen. We'll see if your experience is the same.
 
changeofseasons said:
Hi Ankerson,

Not sure what you're saying here. I'm suspicious that the Boride and Congress stones are from the same manufacturer and just cut and labeled differently. It appears that that is the case with the Ruby stones at least. I dunno though.

If you're answering my question about other stone manufacturers making SiC stones in 400+ grits, unfortunately I don't trust Congress. Half of the stuff I've seen from them is poorly cut and misshapen. We'll see if your experience is the same.
Click to expand...

The stones I have from them are perfect.
 
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