Trying to decide on a big bench stone

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Kirk_Ferentz

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Feb 16, 2010
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So I have tried many different types of sharpening systems out there and I really think a bigger bench stone is for me. I have gotten the best results from free hand sharpening and I enjoy it a lot more than the others.

I got the Fallkniven DC4 and I do the whole little nail in the wood thing and it is fine for the field, but when I am back at home, I would really like some more sharpening surface real estate to work with, and something that holds the surface in place very solidly would also be great. Especially when I am sharpening a knife with a blade longer than about 4 inches.

It seems like a the DMT Dia-Sharp Diamond Bench Stones are a great choice, and I am leaning towards getting a few of them. Maybe the coarse and the fine, or maybe I will add the extra-fine as well. I think the 8'' is plenty of surface for me, but also eyeing the 10'' versions.

Anyone have a better rec? I know spyderco makes some well regarded bench stones. Also, I'd be interested in hearing how the continuous surface stones compare to the DMT duo-sharp surfaces.

By the way, I'd like to be able to get a good holder to keep all of the stones that I get in place.

Also, a side question is what you all use for guidance in terms of knowing what angle you are sharpening at. That is, if I want to check up on myself and make sure I am sticking to a 20 degree angle, how do I do that. I'm not talking about something that guides my movement--I find that I can achieve pretty good consistency. But I'm not sure whether I am at 15 or 20 or 22.

Thanks in advance.
 
During a phone conversation someone brought up using a tire inner tube that had been cut into a strip and placed underneath the stone. If you did this I doubt the object would move.

Here is a good video that talks about freehand sharpening from Murray Carter. It applies to your situation and there are some fantastic shots of him sharpening in the other videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lxBVDAoqHM

As far as angle, generally it's by simply looking at where you're grinding away steel and feeling at what angle you're 'about' at. You could always use nickels. 2 nickels = 15º.
 
I like 8x3 stones because they are the most common stone size and with the DMT stones you are able to expand to any grit they offer without changing stone size.

What kind of steels do you sharpen most? carbon? high alloy super steels? low alloy stainless?

Choosing the right stones for the steels you sharpen can make a big difference.
 
somber said:
During a phone conversation someone brought up using a tire inner tube that had been cut into a strip and placed underneath the stone. If you did this I doubt the object would move.
Click to expand...

to keep my stones from moving i use either a folded wet paper towel or a piece of rubber cabinet shelf liner. if i want to raise a stone higher off the table/counter, i will wrap another stone in a wet paper towel (or two) and use that as a base.
 
Yeah I am also seeing that DMT sells a little pad for a few bucks as well. At first I was thinking that I would have to buy some sort of holder.

As for what steels I plan to sharpen, I think it is a wide variety of stainless and carbon steels. I have a mora clipper in 1095, a mora in their Sandvik stainless, a benchmade in 154CM, a big camp knife in AUS8A, and an old Gerber in that razor blade steel--can't remember the name. I also have SAKs that I sharpen.

For the top two, knifenut, you should be proud of me: SR-101 swamp rat and ZT in Elmax. If I remember, those are two of your favorites. I may top off the "A team" with a big INFI Busse or maybe just go the cheaper route and get a 1095 becker7 or 9 some day.

Man I never realized I have so many knives.

I also have an ESEE machete (1075?) and a Wetterlings hunter's axe, but I am thinking that I will not be using these stones for either one of these--it looks like for the axe, it would be better to use a small stone in your hand, and I guess I still haven't looked into how best to sharpen the machete.

Anyway, I'd like to be able to sharpen all of the above on whatever stones I choose, as well as kitchen knives or whatever knife I decide to sharpen. But if I have to choose, I think the carbon steels and the high carbon stainlesses are the ones that I am most concerned about right now.
 
jimnolimit said:
to keep my stones from moving i use either a folded wet paper towel or a piece of rubber cabinet shelf liner. if i want to raise a stone higher off the table/counter, i will wrap another stone in a wet paper towel (or two) and use that as a base.
Click to expand...

The idea was to create something like this:

5456650489_b229a26ecf_z.jpg


The smaller section is the same length as the inner dimensions of the sink with a layer of inner tube epoxied to the wooden base. Same concept as what you do with the rubber cabinet shelf liner.

It was an interesting, smart idea that I hadn't thought of.
 
Years ago I bought EZ-Lap diamond stones in the 3X8 size, They've held up, I've been happy with them and they've seen moderately hard use sharpening knives and tools. Are they better/worse than DMT? That's like asking "Ford or Chevy?"...

As for a jig to check your angle to the stone, you could cut some wood wedges at the appropriate angles, like little doorstops, and sit one on the stone where you begin your stroke
 
Mahoney said:
Years ago I bought EZ-Lap diamond stones in the 3X8 size, They've held up, I've been happy with them and they've seen moderately hard use sharpening knives and tools. Are they better/worse than DMT? That's like asking "Ford or Chevy?"...

As for a jig to check your angle to the stone, you could cut some wood wedges at the appropriate angles, like little doorstops, and sit one on the stone where you begin your stroke
Click to expand...

Wooden wedges is what I was thinking. I don't have the equipment to do that but my old man could whip a few up in a few minutes. I'll have him do a 15, 17, and 20 degree angle. As for the two nickels thing, I may be overlooking something, but doesn't the angle that is set by two nickels depend on how far up the blade it makes contact?
 
Kirk_Ferentz said:
Yeah I am also seeing that DMT sells a little pad for a few bucks as well. At first I was thinking that I would have to buy some sort of holder.

As for what steels I plan to sharpen, I think it is a wide variety of stainless and carbon steels. I have a mora clipper in 1095, a mora in their Sandvik stainless, a benchmade in 154CM, a big camp knife in AUS8A, and an old Gerber in that razor blade steel--can't remember the name. I also have SAKs that I sharpen.

For the top two, knifenut, you should be proud of me: SR-101 swamp rat and ZT in Elmax. If I remember, those are two of your favorites. I may top off the "A team" with a big INFI Busse or maybe just go the cheaper route and get a 1095 becker7 or 9 some day.

Man I never realized I have so many knives.

I also have an ESEE machete (1075?) and a Wetterlings hunter's axe, but I am thinking that I will not be using these stones for either one of these--it looks like for the axe, it would be better to use a small stone in your hand, and I guess I still haven't looked into how best to sharpen the machete.

Anyway, I'd like to be able to sharpen all of the above on whatever stones I choose, as well as kitchen knives or whatever knife I decide to sharpen. But if I have to choose, I think the carbon steels and the high carbon stainlesses are the ones that I am most concerned about right now.
Click to expand...

In that case I'd go waterstones.
 
another way to get more sharpening area is to get a piece of 3"x11" 3/8" glass and use it as a base, then put wet/dry sandpaper on top of it.

p.s. i've sharpened some pretty large blades on 8" long water stones.
 
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Interesting. Why waterstones for my knives rather than the DMTs? I'm also thinking about using a strop to go to after the stones.
 
I'm an old guy (67) and I like to free-hand sharpen my knives in a circular motion. Many of my knives are 1095, Case CV, 420HC, etc. and I use a "round" 4" diamater Norton combination fine/coarse, aluminum oxide, stone for most of my sharpening. This stone works well for all carbon steel and quite a few stainless steels.

nortonindia4inchaluminu.jpg


Now before you younger guys panic, I also use one of Norton's rectangular 8" combination fine/coarse, aluminum oxide, stones.

nortonindiaoilstone.jpg


I also have diamond bench stones that I use sometimes and I always have a DMT Double Sided Diafold (fine red/extra fine green) sharpener in each of my vehicles for edge touch-up in the field.

I've used (I have three) the Spyderco Sharpmaker in the past but haven't used it for some time now.

Give an Arkansas stone or Norton aluminum oxide stone a chance. Some of you guys will be surprised at how nice an edge and how sharp an edge you can get using these stones and in pretty quick order too.
 
I would go with Japanese waterstones,if you have the skill of sharpening freehand.
They are expensive but you get what you pay for,excellent edges on your knives.
 
i like and use king waterstones because they are high value. i have 3 king stones (among others) in 800, 1200 and 6000 grit and they have served me well over the years. i don't know how fine you want to go with your edges. the DC4 that you have now is about 800 grit diamond on one side and they're own ceramic stone on the other (im not sure of the grit). if you like the edges that the DC4 diamond side gives you, a king 1200 deluxe should be a step up and serve you well (for $25-$30). the king deluxe is 8 1/8" x 2 5/8" x 1 3/8". i would use the DC4 more as a field sharpener.

here is a pic of what the king deluxe 1200 looks like:

11H21.jpg
 
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Kirk_Ferentz said:
Wooden wedges is what I was thinking. I don't have the equipment to do that but my old man could whip a few up in a few minutes. I'll have him do a 15, 17, and 20 degree angle. As for the two nickels thing, I may be overlooking something, but doesn't the angle that is set by two nickels depend on how far up the blade it makes contact?
Click to expand...

For basic sharpening, my favorite is still the Norton Coarse/Fine combo stone pictured above. 8" stone is versatile and the shortest I like, though I've used 6" and even 3" stones. For angle control, you can just lift one end of the stone off the table. Raise the end of the 8" stone 2 3/4" inches off the table for a 20 degree angle. Then hold the knife level and sharpen. After a burr is raised on each side, I like to lift the end of the stone another 3/8" or so and take alternating strokes on the fine side to remove the burr and give the final edge. You can also touch up the knife a few times at this slightly higher angle before going back to the coarse side.
 
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