Recommendation? Skipping Grits?

Aquaholicc · May 31, 2017

I normally finish my knives at 1000 grit. I work up a primary/even bevel with my 120, then I move up 220,400,600 and finally the 1000. I'm looking to take that extra step just for a "liquid mirrorfinish"

My question to you gentlemen is this..
Can I say f-it and buy the Edge Pro 4000 grit stone and get the results I desire?
Or do I need to also purchase the 2300 grit stone?
OR
Can I purchase the 4K grit STONE and get the 2300 and 6000 grit polishing TAPES?

Thanks for the helps guys..

Kyle363 · May 31, 2017

If you skip from 1k to 4k it will work but it will take longer to refine the scratch pattern vs going from 1k to 2k to 4k. It will also put more wear on the 4k stone.

Diemaker · May 31, 2017

You should go with either the tapes or the polishing stones. If you want to mix then go with the 2300 polishing stone and then the 4k and 6k tapes. With this setup don't skip a grit, just drop the finest grit. The jump in edge quality from the 1k stone to the first polishing step is big.

I have never tried going from the 1k stone to the 4k polishing stone, something I will have to try and get back to you on.

I have some photos I took with my microscope using the different polishing tools that would be interesting, starting from a 1k stoned edge. I will try to post them later, right now I should be working.

Aquaholicc · May 31, 2017

Diemaker said:
You should go with either the tapes or the polishing stones. If you want to mix then go with the 2300 polishing stone and then the 4k and 6k tapes. With this setup don't skip a grit, just drop the finest grit. The jump in edge quality from the 1k stone to the first polishing step is big.

I have never tried going from the 1k stone to the 4k polishing stone, something I will have to try and get back to you on.

I have some photos I took with my microscope using the different polishing tools that would be interesting, starting from a 1k stoned edge. I will try to post them later, right now I should be working.

Awesome man, really appreciate you trying it out for me.
I was worried about the scratch pattern being too big of a jump as K Kyle363 explained.

Getting the 2300 stone and then finer polishing tapes makes much more sense then what I was planning on doing. I'm glad you're around Diemaker lol.

Diemaker · May 31, 2017

Here are some photos. Keep in mind they show a lot of sharpening mistakes but I was mainly interested in the polish. I know I have a lot to learn. The main bevel is around .01" wide for scale. The lighting really highlights the scratches on some of the photos, which is what I was trying to do. The knife is a Henkles paring.

1000 grit stone

2.3k polishing stone, obviously missing the edge here.

3k tape

4k polishing stone

6k tape

Aquaholicc · May 31, 2017

Diemaker said:
Here are some photos. Keep in mind they show a lot of sharpening mistakes but I was mainly interested in the polish. I know I have a lot to learn. The main bevel is around .01" wide for scale. The lighting really highlights the scratches on some of the photos, which is what I was trying to do. The knife is a Henkles paring.

1000 grit stone

2.3k polishing stone, obviously missing the edge here.

3k tape

4k polishing stone

6k tape

Appreciate the pictures my friend. Hmmm it looks like I can safely skip the 3k tape?..
Too bad they don't make a 4K tape ...sucks I'll have to spend 80 bucks just on the 2300 and 4K stone

Diemaker · Jun 1, 2017

If you go with the two polishing stones you will complain about the price for awhile. After a few years you will be glad you got them since they will last a lifetime of use and are virtually indestructable. The only thing you may want to further your polish is a 6k tape or stropping. The tapes are nice but high maintenance. They are very free cutting unlike the polishing stones. The polishing stones don't feel like they are doing anything when you use them, this is why I bought the camera for my microscope, so I could confirm with photos what was really happening. This lack of "feel" is the only real problem with them, IMO. They are a resin bond abrasive that is .062" thick. The price may seem high but you are buying several thousand tapes with each polishing stone, in the long run they are a lot cheaper than tapes.

I ran out of time last night so I didn't try going from the 1k stone to the 4k polishing stone. I will try to do it today, or night, and get back to you with the results, you got me currious about this as well.

Aquaholicc · Jun 1, 2017

Diemaker said:
If you go with the two polishing stones you will complain about the price for awhile. After a few years you will be glad you got them since they will last a lifetime of use and are virtually indestructable. The only thing you may want to further your polish is a 6k tape or stropping. The tapes are nice but high maintenance. They are very free cutting unlike the polishing stones. The polishing stones don't feel like they are doing anything when you use them, this is why I bought the camera for my microscope, so I could confirm with photos what was really happening. This lack of "feel" is the only real problem with them, IMO. They are a resin bond abrasive that is .062" thick. The price may seem high but you are buying several thousand tapes with each polishing stone, in the long run they are a lot cheaper than tapes.

I ran out of time last night so I didn't try going from the 1k stone to the 4k polishing stone. I will try to do it today, or night, and get back to you with the results, you got me currious about this as well.

This was exactly my internal struggle. I was finding every excuse in the book to buy the stones and just not mess around with the tapes. And the best/biggest one I could find is that I buy the stones once and I'm done..but with the tapes who knows how many I'll have to by over the course of my lifetime. I'll most likely just deal with my 1k stone for a bit longer and then drop some cash on the stones.

Just if you could let me know the results of going to 1k-4K. I'll at least try to save some money that way lol.
Once again thanks man

Ratman79 · Jun 1, 2017

In my routine, I go 325DMT, 600 DMT, 1k shapton glass then 4k sg and 6k followed by a few swipes on a strop (sometimes--lately I have been stopping at DMT600 and then a strop). It works. As some have said, the 1k to 4k jump without a 2k will make for more time spent on the 4k clearing out the 1k's scratch pattern completely. It makes the stone work and wear a little more. I do have a 2k but rarely use it unless I want a "show-off" edge--more for my own s___s and giggles than anything else.

An unofficial rule is to double your grit as you ascend. (325, 600, 1k, 2k and so on as one example)

Diemaker · Jun 1, 2017

Skipping the 2300 didn't work out too well. After polishing around 4 times longer many of the scratches from the 1k stone were still there, just polished over nicely. Much more polishing didn't really remove many more scratches. This was on a .09" wide bevel on a pair of scissors, all my good knives are sharp. If it was a micro bevel then it would work better and may work well enough. Problem is the grit progressions offered are what has been deemed best through much testing. Skipping one really does not work well, especially the finer you go.

Aquaholicc · Jun 1, 2017

Diemaker said:
Skipping the 2300 didn't work out too well. After polishing around 4 times longer many of the scratches from the 1k stone were still there, just polished over nicely. Much more polishing didn't really remove many more scratches. This was on a .09" wide bevel on a pair of scissors, all my good knives are sharp. If it was a micro bevel then it would work better and may work well enough. Problem is the grit progressions offered are what has been deemed best through much testing. Skipping one really does not work well, especially the finer you go.

Son of a b*tch, I had a feeling this would be the consensus. Oh well. I'll just pony up the money I guess. I'm already this far gone ..what's another 80 bucks huh? Lol