Most of the knives I keep handy these days have powdered steel or other hard core blades that are not easily sharpened on natural stones, so I have been reaching for diamond plates automatically for some time.
Recently I became interested in Japanese kitchen knives, so I had to put these thin hard blades on some water stones, to see how the masters do it. I pulled out some Shapton ceramic water stones that I had not used in years. I splashed on some clean water and put some different blades on there! AEB-L, tough old
West German stainless, M390, R2/SG2 at 63-64 RC.
The coarser stones cut really fast. The feel was even and controlled, it didn't sound like a cement mixer, but it removed steel a little faster than DMT's or Ultra Sharp diamond plates of the same grits. I think I could lower the number of strokes needed for the same job by 20 or 30%, which helps keep my bevels flat and crisp. The ceramic water stones handled the hardest steels easily, although those were thin blades and didn't require as much steel to be removed.
The stones kept that smooth feel and provided good feedback as I climbed the progression. I was getting a fresh and even scratch pattern more quickly than I could with diamond plates. I think learning to use the slurry effectively is going to make the process even better. A slightly toothy kitchen edge at 1K through 2K, a BESS-approved mirror finish beyond that, I could do anything with these ceramic water stones that I could do with my diamond plates. The water stones might produce a neater bevel by reducing the number of strokes from start to finish. As I used edge-leading strokes for the most part, I stropped on plain leather. No need to get crazy here.
If you factor in the time setting up for the wet mess and then cleaning it up afterward, it may take longer overall than using diamonds, but it might work better in some cases. And it sure does feel good when you set that edge on the wet stone, as you can really feel it as you creep up onto the bevel and start getting that portrait-flat geometry going!
The splash-and-go feature is very convenient, as you can do the whole job right on a kitchen counter or table and clean up in the sink with a few paper towels. No extended deep soaking or ankle deep water, you just need to keep the top of the stone wet. You can use the plastic box to hold the stone (It is the right height and it has rubber feet to hold it in place.), and keep it in a kitchen drawer so when you need a touch up you can do it in minutes without having to go anywhere. I gave the printed side and the other sides a coat of shellac so the stone doesn't absorb more water than is necessary. This might help prevent the stone from cracking over the years, and it speeds up drying.
I haven't used them enough to see how quickly they will dish, but a sharp, flat lapper is all we need to keep them up. Overall a very efficient way to go for some excellent results. The price is low through the grits I use, and that feel, that feedback really works for me.
