What grit do you finish your general purpose pocket knives?

C

ChasingSharpness

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Feb 18, 2025
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I was wondering where different people chose to stop for thier pocket folders for general all around use. Do you go for a high grit finish, or prefer coarser toothy edges?
 
I used to stop at 1000 grit on ceramic but more and more I'm finding that stopping at 600 on diamond plates lasts as long and cuts as well. I used to think a knife having a mirror finish or as close as you could get meant the sharpest you could get. Now it just doesn't seem necessary for anything I've found in my life so far.
 
My favorite edges are created using something like a Fine Norton India stone (360-400 ANSI) or a Fine DMT diamond hone (600). And then for followup light tuneups to keep the apex crisp, I like a medium ceramic like Spyderco's brown/gray rods for the Sharpmaker.

Another variation I really like is using an XC or C diamond hone (DMT's 220 or 325) to set the edge, and then apply a barely-there microbevel using either a medium or fine ceramic in just a pass or two per side. That makes for an extremely aggressive slicing edge.

All of these preferences of mine are intended to leave an obviously perceptible toothy 'bite' in the edge. Anything finer than that usually leaves the edge a bit too smooth for my likes, not as durable and not nearly as aggressive in slicing.
 
The term "grit" can be a little misleading, unless you specify which standard is being used (ANSI, JIS, DMT, etc.). Take a look at the "Grand Unified Grit Chart" in the sticky thread at the top of this forum, to get a better understanding of how one grit compares to another.

Generally, I sharpen up to a DMT Extra Fine diamond plate, but sometimes, I pull out the Spyderco medium and fine stones. It just depends on how I feel that day. And welcome to the forum!
 
Anywhere from 600 to 1000 works well for me. I'm generally using diamond because of the steels involved. Stones, not plates, because I don't like the experience of sharpening on plates.
 
600 to 1000. I have finer stones & like the idea of them, but (& maybe this is a “skill level problem”) I often have a hard time telling if I actually get my knives sharper after that.
 
for thier pocket folders for ge neral all around use
Click to expand...

Oh I used to end up around 12,000 or 16,000
Now I have relaxed A LOT and stop around 8,000
Not counting the very brief swipe on denim then finish side leather ; both with a hint of , almost ethereal , abrasive .
I have spent enough time experimenting with "toothy" to KNOW . . . for me . . . IT SUCKS !.
If I want toothy I reach for a saw .

specify which standard is being used (ANSI, JIS, DMT, etc.)
Click to expand...
OK, OK if we are going to take this all seriously
again
12,000 or 16,000 = ~ 1 micron
8,000 = ~ 2 microns
or DMT EEF ~ 3 microns (the good stuff that has a flesh colored backing plate and round holes in the metal plate the diamond is attatched to ; not those AWFUL plates with no holes . The holes don't matter but somehow they screw up the ones with no holes.)

Oh yes and there was that Edge Pro Diamond Matrix 4000 that is ____~5 microns_____
Which is misleading because it polishes as well as at least the 8,000 Norton water stone or the Shapton Pro 8,000 water stone or the 4000 Shapton Glass

Bottom line : if you can read letters in the reflection it will slide through critical work EASIER and you will have more CONTROL
If the edge is all toothy it will have more friction cutting stuff , the edge will pick up and hold material in the "teeth" and the strength of the actual APEX BE WILL WEAKER.

Your choice / I've made mine.
 
Last edited:
Wowbagger said:
Oh I used to end up around 12,000 or 16,000
Now I have relaxed A LOT and stop around 8,000
Not counting the very brief swipe on denim then finish side leather ; both with a hint of , almost ethereal , abrasive .
I have spent enough time experimenting with "toothy" to KNOW . . . for me . . . IT SUCKS !.
If I want toothy I reach for a saw .


OK, OK if we are going to take this all seriously
again
12,000 or 16,000 = ~ 1 micron
8,000 = ~ 2 microns
or DMT EEF ~ 3 microns (the good stuff that has a flesh colored backing plate and round holes in the metal plate the diamond is attatched to ; not those AWFUL plates with no holes . The holes don't matter but somehow they screw up the ones with no holes.)

Oh yes and there was that Edge Pro Diamond Matrix 4000 that is ____~5 microns_____
Which is misleading because it polishes as well as at least the 8,000 Norton water stone or the Shapton Pro 8,000 water stone or the 4000 Shapton Glass

Bottom line : if you can read letters in the reflection it will slide through critical work EASIER and you will have more CONTROL
If the edge is all toothy it will have more friction cutting stuff , the edge will pick up and hold material in the "teeth" and the strength of the actual APEX BE WILL WEAKER.

Your choice / I've made mine.
Click to expand...
It's been repeatedly demonstrated that a finer polish will perform better in pushing cuts over time but will quickly lose its aggression in slicing work, while toothy edges will retain their edge longer in slicing work but be prone to collapse in push-cutting work. It's a sliding scale and where you fall on it will depend on the nature of your work.
 
I stop at a 3000 grit stone for pretty much everything. Either a 3000 grit vitrified diamond stone or a Naniwa Pro 3000. Those two are pretty comparable scratch pattern wise.
 
I’m all over the place. It depends what steel and sometimes what the trend is. lol. For some super steels I go more coarse like 400 and a couple of strokes at the end with a 2000. For regular steels, I might go more polished up to 3000. Again, next week it might be something else.
 
Hinderer in M390 is my EDC

Either a DMT Coarse (325 or 400?) or Atoma 400.

Clean off the burr on a medium India.

Finer edges are impressive for shaving hair or slicing paper, but found the coarser edges cut better and last far longer for daily uses of mostly cutting cardboard, rope, and similar.
 
I generally stop at a Spyderco ceramic Fine stone. Sometimes I will take it to the Spyderco Ultra Fine stone. Usually my Spyderco medium and fine stones are what I use. Occasionally my DMT 320 grit course plate gets pulled out depending on how dull I let my edges get.
 
I stop, almost always, with the Spyderco gray bench stone for the Benchmades and Bucks (I generally carry a Mini-Presidio or the Bugout 535-BK2). I finish with the white one on my Wusthof kitchen knives (Chef, utility, and paring). For my SAKs, I use the Victorinox pocket sharpener. I'm a good working edge guy and no further. Don't have the patience.
 
A 400 grit (FEPA-F) is the last stone I use. But I always finish with a leather strop loaded with a 6 micron diamond emulsion.
 
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