David Martin
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Ankerson, Thank you for your input on this subject. DM
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Norton India vs. Crystolon
- Thread starter THG
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Ankerson
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Anytime.
For anyone who doubts what we are saying I have a simple test for them to try.
Take a paper towel and try and slice down through it lengthwise with a polished edge and see what happens.
Then do the same thing with a coarse edge.
This is taking into count that both edges are very sharp to start with.
Could be a real eye opener for some.
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Anytime.
For anyone who doubts what we are saying I have a simple test for them to try.
Take a paper towel and try and slice down through it lengthwise with a polished edge and see what happens.
Then do the same thing with a coarse edge.
This is taking into count that both edges are very sharp to start with.
Could be a real eye opener for some.
On this note, I guess I'd have to ask, what's the degree of 'polish', referred to here? Reason I ask is, I've been in the habit of finishing most of my edges with 2000 grit wet/dry paper (& well-used paper at that; I'm assuming the effective grit might be finer by now). I just tried this paper towel test with 7 different knives:
Spyderco Manix2 w/S90V (factory edge, lightly stropped, otherwise not altered)
Buck 112 2-dot, 440C convexed edge, finished to 2000 grit (& stropped w/compound)
Queen Country Cousin, D2, convexed, finished to 2000 grit & stropped with compound
Opinel #8, Sandvik stainless, finished to 2000 & stropped on balsa w/compound
A.G. Russell 'Cowboy' folder, 8Cr13MoV stainless, finished thru 2000 grit, stropped on balsa w/compound
Case Trapper, 'Tru-Sharp' (420HC) stainless, finished through 2000, stropped w/compound
A.G. Russell 'Brute' folder, hollow grind ATS-34, finished through 2000, stropped w/compound
I'm surprised (& happy) to see, each of them sliced cleanly through my paper towel, both lengthwise & across. I am a believer in making the apex of the edge as 'pure' as I can, regardless of the final finish. I think my efforts have paid off, based on what I found here.
Ankerson
Knife and Computer Geek
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Exactly what you should have found if all the edges were sharp.
A duller blade won't cut through a paper towel very well.
That's how I test my kitchen knives to make sure they are sharp.
I use USP mineral oil on my Corundum and Carborundum stones (Al2O3 and SiC). The stones are arranged in a triangular prism over an oil bath. The top stone in the array is the working stone which I coat with fresh oil before squeegeeing the oil off the stone and back iinto the bath. A rubber kitchen spatula does the job, and a turkey baster is useful for applying the oil. I wipe the blade with an old rag when switching grits to avoid carrying a coarser grit on to a finer stone.
Jason B.
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Well I just got my fine Sic stone the other day (Norton Fine grit) and it was pre oiled. I wanted to use water so I put a few drops of soap on the stone added water and went to work. The soap displaced what little oil the stone had and works like a waterstone now.
Jim, I'm a little confused by your paper towel test. What is the expected results?
I ask because I feel my answer to that test may not be what your implying.
Jim, I'm a little confused by your paper towel test. What is the expected results?
I ask because I feel my answer to that test may not be what your implying.
Ankerson
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To see if the knives are sharp or not.
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Has anyone tried using jointer stones for sharpening a regular knife blade? I'm wondering if they're too structurally "soft" for hand work, but it seems like they'd do a fine job. They come in grits up to 600 and are for honing/restoring tool steel.
HH
HH
Crap... I'm guessing that if it's pre-soaked with oil, I'll know because it repels water?
I ordered the combo grit stone. I'm not expecting to use it to finish edges, anyway; I just wanted a coarse stone whose entire block consisted of the abrasive material (as opposed to a surface coating like diamonds.) I'm hoping this was a good choice.
I ordered the combo grit stone. I'm not expecting to use it to finish edges, anyway; I just wanted a coarse stone whose entire block consisted of the abrasive material (as opposed to a surface coating like diamonds.) I'm hoping this was a good choice.
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"Pre-soaked" doesn't necessarily mean that the stone is dripping with oil and can't be used with water. One little known fact is that many of the EP stone's come pre-soaked with oil, and most people can't tell. They still absorb water just fine. I found this out while perusing the Boride website a couple years ago and asked Ben Dale about it. He admitted that there was some oil in it, but that the amount is negligible. He then suggested soaking the stone in acetone to remove it if I really wanted too. I'm guessing that soapy water would work OK too per knifenuts suggestion.
Am I the only one who uses the silicon carbide hones dry? I have the cheap Sears 7 inch long double sided hones and the coarse side dishes pretty quick but the fine doesn't. However I am pretty heavy handed when I use the coarse side and it eats steel fast. For the price it is hard to beat a cheap silicon hone. I do like my xxc diamond better but I could get 10 of the silicon hones for what I paid for the diamond.
David Martin
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db, I use mine dry as well. Mine stated pre-oiled but I can't tell the oil is present. After sharping or I noticed some build up I'll clean it with a shot of WD-40 and wipe. It all comes off. I've used the cheap stones from Harbor Freight or Home Depot (made in China)and while scraping your knife on them you can see the grit crumbling off. I've not seen that on my Norton. DM
The one I got from Home Depot actually was a Norton. It's called the "Economy" stone, and it's made in Brazil. The colors/materials appear to be the same on both this "Economy" and the Crystolon stones.
David Martin
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Good tell us which one works better. Mine is marked, made in Mexico. The ones I've used from China you can actually notice a dust cloud rolling up as you sharpen. DM
David Martin
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HA! I also have several others from 1980 forward that are USA made and they're of good quality too. Must be as I've not worn them out. I've noticed during these 30yrs. the grits changed. DM
It seems like they work about the same. The $6, 6x2" one from Home Depot was made in Brazil, and the 8x2" is from Mexico. They work about the same, except for the fact that the 8x2" is more coarse because it hasn't been finished on my sidewalk. Also, the 8x2" came with good fit and finish; it doesn't need any flattening or anything like that. The 6x2" had a huge dish on one side and a huge hump on the other.
Also, my knives were rolling up dust clouds at first on the 8x2", but I think the stone just needed to get worn-in a bit; that has already stopped.
I like both of these stones, by the way. I think they're a terrific buy. The only thing that's needed is some sort of base that will keep the stone from slipping.