Sharping stones forum members are using.

[snapshot2017]

What sharping stones are forum members using ,and could some recommend the stones that they find work the best.

 

[Stephen W Huyssoon]

Diamond Machining Technology (DMT) 12" diamond steel (fine,) double sided diafold sharpeners in extra coarse to extra fine.

These sharpening surfaces are superbly made. There is some skill required. My diamond steel is now my preferred tool but has taken me some while to learn how to use.

I started with DMT because they are USA made. Buck sells some also made in USA.

 

[miltmaldo]

DMT 8” coarse and fine .

 

[22-rimfire]

I primarily use multiple DMT sharpening "stones". Like the large diafold ones the best due to their size. I have coarse, fine, extra fine sizes and fine gets the most use overall.

I also use the inexpensive 8" Norton India stone a fair amount and like it. Puts a quick usable edge on my sak. Also use it on my machetes.

I have others including Arkansas stone, EZE-Lap, miscl hardware store stones, and so forth. But the ones mentioned get the dominant amount of use.

 

[Dangerously]

DMT from XXC to EEF, but most often just used from XC to C or F. Both benchstones in 8”x3”, and 8”x2” interrupted. And a set of folding ones from XC to EEF.

Spyderco ceramic benchstones (M, F, XF) and doublestuff 1&2, but often just the fine.

Wood and leather strops with black, green, white, and diamond paste, but often just 1 micron paste on basswood.

Naniwa waterstones, but mostly use the chosera/professional 400, aotoshi 2000 green brick of joy. And sometimes finish on an imanishi 5000.

Depending on steel and blade grind.

 

[jc57]

Norton oil stones (India and Crystolon). Natural Arkansas stones (soft/hard). Shapton Pro water stones. CKTG diamond plate. DMT diamond whetstones. Different stones for different purposes.

 

[oldtymer]

Norton India C/F combo & the Sharpmaker

 

[scottyj]

Sharpmaker.

 

[knoefz]

I have a bunch of natural and artificial stones from 240 to 5000 grit, but mostly usy my diamond stones in 400, 1000 and DMT xxf.
Then leather and balsa strops with various compounds.

Some of my sharpening gear is shown in this picture

Stops:

End result

 

[brando555]

For super steels or anything with a ton of carbides I really like the Venev Diamond stones and metallic bonded CBN stones from Gritomatic.

 

[Pilsner]

Depending on the steel, either Japanese water stones or diamond and then ceramic. Leather strops.

 

[DB_Cruiser]

Most of my blades are carbon steel or Inox stainless, so I use Soft, Hard and Hard Black Arkansas stones almost exclusively for my pocket knives and fixed blades. For very dull blades, I hit them with a fine DMT whetstone. I use 400, 1000 and 4000 grit Japanese water stones for the kitchen cutlery. I have one D2 blade and an XHP blade... I am thinking about some sort of guided sharpening system for those, as they have truly fine edges. The Arkies will probably not be terribly effective and I don't trust my freehand skills enough to maintain such perfect angles for the amount of time it will take to hone those steels.

 

[Lapedog]

I tend to freehand using a knife in one hand and Spyderco sharpmaker rods in the other alternating hands as I go.

So I use the Spyderco diamond rods and medium, fine and ultrafine AlOx ceramic rods.

Seems like it takes forever to reprofile a seriously rounded d2 edge even with the diamond rods. The diamonds seem to wear off super fast even when using virtually zero pressure.

 

[JJ_Colt45]

it all depends on the steels and the knives you have or want to sharpen ...

I upgraded alot this past year or so and added DMT Polka Dot pattern ... diamond stones both bench and the DMT Diafolds to handle some of the harder to sharpen steels in newer knives ... I will say for folders the DMT Diafolds are perfect (and handy to carry along anywhere you go) ... and even for small to medium sized fixed blades work great ... I use the big DMT diamond bench stones for bigger blades ... (I tried the continous diamond plates but just didn't like the feedback at all) ...

I added Shapton Glass Ceramic stones which are probably my favorite for most steels up to the higher carbide steels which the diamonds work better on ...

I also got some Chosera Pro Whetstones and they have a great feedback or feel to them ... and work well on most high carbon and stainless steels until you get into the "super steels" ... but they do require a bit more maintenance than diamonds or the Shapton Glass stones ... presoaking them and drying them standing on their sides to prevent cracking ... and the require flattening a bit more often ... but the "Brick of Joy" as it's called the thick 2000 grit stone is great to finish on ...

and I still use Norton India stones on many older knives and slipjoints in high carbon steels ... and Norton Crystolon oil stones ... are a less expensive stone that will work on the harder steels ...

I like the Baryonyx arctic fox stones ... the field stone is along in my pack most trips ... are good stones and very well priced ...

and I use Ceramic hones alot to touch up my knife at the end of the day ...

I do use strops to touch up or finish a sharpening at times or to polish edges once in awhile ... I prefer horse hide or kangaroo hide strops with Diamond pastes for the high end steels ...

and same type strops with the crayon blocks of compounds black and green mostly for softer steels ...

and I just started using balsa wood and basswood strops with diamond pastes and or Ken Schwartz sprays and emulsions ...

and if you want to convex an edge or maintain a convex a soft leather strop or something as simple as a mouse pad and sandpaper works great ...

if you want to have a small set up and not spend alot ... and want something that can sharpen any steel from high carbons up to high carbide steels ... I would pick the DMT Diafolds and a good ceramic hone ... and make a strop with wood and denim ... and use diamond or CBN paste or sprays ...

 

[Mo2]

Various brands of bonded diamond and cbn stones. Mostly for super steels with 3% or more Vanadium.

Otherwise SiC and ceramics work well on low or no Vanadium content knives in my collection.

 

[snapshot2017]

I thank everyone who replied with their advice, and products they have used.

 

[David Martin]

I enjoy sharpening on a 313 Tri-hone, with India and SiC stones. Sometimes I'll finish off on a diamond stone. DM

 

[Eli Chaps]

You might find something in this thread helpful: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/a-four-stone-gp-bench-stone-kit.1612819/#post-18421665

Most of my stones are 8"x2" or 3". I sharpen pocket to kitchen knives and steels from 8Cr13MoV to S90V.

I have soft, hard and black Arkansas stones that I love but they are not a good choice for steels with high-vanadium (say 3%+).

I know I'm in the minority when I say this but I'm not a huge fan of the Norton Crystolon stones. Not they are poor quality at all, just I personally never seem to get the edge I want with them. It's mostly me. I do like the India stones though so go figure...

I like UltraSharp diamonds that @HeavyHanded turned me onto. Currently have the 300 grit and the 600 and 1200 were on my Christmas list. If I get neither of them, then I'll buy myself the 600.

I intend for my "backbone bench stone kit" to be":

- 300 grit UltraSharp Diamond
- 600 grit UltraSharp Diamond
- Norton India Fine
- Combo Soft/Black Arkansas

I have and will have more stones than that to do specific things with specific knives if I want but I believe those four right there will be my most used and cover a broad spectrum.

 

[jpm2]

At home, Norton jb8, eze-lap coarse 6x2, eze-lap fine 6x2, eze-lap superfine 4x1, medium arkansas. I have others but these are used 95% of the time. I also use nicholson files on machetese/hatchet/axes.

At work I use dmt 11xsomething, eze-lap superfine 4x1, and assorted sic/alox sandpapers.

edit: the dmt is a coarse/fine combo.

 

[Ourorboros]

Mostly Kohetsu finished with Suehiro Debado - this has to do with order of purchase.
Shapton 500 when I need something coarser.
Shapton Pro 2000 when I don't have time/inclination to soak my waterstones.
Diamond when needed.

A lot of stones work fine, that's just what I've tried and has the best feel for me.