Waterstone Starter Recommendations

E

efaden

Joined
May 26, 2015
Messages
87
Hey all,

New to the forum and looking to get into using waterstones to sharpen my kitchen knives. I'm looking for a good setup for a beginner. I was looking at the Norton Kit. Is that good? Other recommendations?
 
The norton kit is good, but the 220 wears way too fast. I would grab the 1000/4000 and something like an imanashi pink brick or nubatama 220. I have no personal experience with the imanashi or nubatama, but just looking at them and the reviews they are substantially thicker and don't wear as fast. Grab a strop and some white compound and skip the 8k. A norton crystolon could also be used for an even cheaper alternative to the 220, and could be used for flattening as well. As long as you don't let your knives get butter knife dull, the 1k norton will do all the work necessary for resharpening, it's very fast and leaves a good finish. The 4k works best if you let it load up with slurry during the polishing, just sprinkling wter on it without rinsing the slurry off. They need about 15 mins of soaking presharpening.
 
I would recommend the Shapton pro 1k and 2k with a lapping plate. Hard and fast cutting stones that wear slow and only need a splash of water to work.
 
I am no expert in waterstones (in no other discipline either, really) but from what I have picked up over the last weeks here, the Shapton glass HR stones are the way to go. As hard as the Spyderco ceramic stones, they come in a lot of grit size, cut every steel and are reasonable prized. A diamond plate for fixing very abused or damaged edges comes in handy and can be used for lapping the Shaptons too. DMT XXC for instance.

One of my set ups was DMT Coarse, extra fine, Spyderco UF rod, then strop. I am too considering now ordering the Shapton Glass HR 500 and 2000 and the plan is to strop on my Balsa wood strop with Compound. Mother's Mag on Balsa is my next experiment ...
 
The Nubatama 150/1200 combo along with a 5000 stone is a good kit to start with. Along with, as Jason suggests, a flattening plate. Shapton stones are a good place to start too. I'm not a big fan personally but thats just personal preference as they work quite well. They have their place in progressions I use on certain items and steels. I'm speaking of the Shapton Pro stones.
 
Jason B. said:
I would recommend the Shapton pro 1k and 2k with a lapping plate. Hard and fast cutting stones that wear slow and only need a splash of water to work.
Click to expand...

Is this a set up for a beginner?

Or a good set up to start with that will last a long time and then later the addition of different grit stones?
 
neeman said:
Is this a set up for a beginner?

Or a good set up to start with that will last a long time and then later the addition of different grit stones?
Click to expand...

I must ask, what is a beginner set-up?

I would call it a good starter set because they are top of the line stones at an affordable price. I recommend them because they work and won't cause frustration while sharpening.
 
Jason B. said:
I must ask, what is a beginner set-up?

I would call it a good starter set because they are top of the line stones at an affordable price. I recommend them because they work and won't cause frustration while sharpening.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I presumed you had in mind
Thank you for the clarification
 
Jason B. said:
I must ask, what is a beginner set-up?

I would call it a good starter set because they are top of the line stones at an affordable price. I recommend them because they work and won't cause frustration while sharpening.
Click to expand...

What Lapping stone would you recommend?
 
The Atoma 140, expensive but worth it when lapping is the main goal.
 
Norton's lapping stone works well too if you need a cheaper alternative. It does eventually wear out especially with harder stones. A diamond plate is likely to last an entire lifetime. At 140 grit it could also be used to fix extremely dull edges or to quickly reprofile whereas the Norton cannot being ridged.
 
With the Shaptons, normal stone lapping plates are useless unless SiC powder is added to the surface.
 
Jason B. said:
With the Shaptons, normal stone lapping plates are useless unless SiC powder is added to the surface.
Click to expand...

So I settled on getting the Shapton glass stones... leaning towards exactly what you said Jason. Can you recommend a Lapping stone on the cheaper end for starting?

Would a DMT Diamond work? Or should I spring for the Atoma 140?

-Eric
 
if you want to flatten your stones on the cheap you can get some silicon carbide lapping grit and a piece of flat glass. Sprinkle some lapping grit and a bit of water on the glass and rub the stone on it til it's flat.
 
If going with the Shapton Glass there are a few things to consider. First, they are very thin and do not work well in normal stone holders. Next, the stone selection will change, the 500 and 2k are a better combo with the Glass Stones. And lastly, lapping, SiC on glass, DMT, or Atoma will all work here but it is recommended that the SGLP be used on the glass stones. I would and have gone with the Atoma 140 instead but the SGLP is on my list for future purchases. The Glass Stones are VERY FLAT when you get them and I feel like I have yet to see that level again with my Atoma or DMT plates (food for thought).
 
Is there any benefit to using the Atoma or DMT lapping plates compared to SiC grit on a glass? Or is it more of a personal preference thing?
 
SiC on glass tends to be very messy and IMO works best on stones below 300 grit. For higher grit stones you need finer powder or you gouge the stone and the process seems to really slow down when using a finer powder. Diamond plates, especially the Atoma lap finer stone quickly and efficiently making it a much better choice.

The Atoma plates also fit in the Shapton Stone Holder ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top