What to buy for first stone

coyote711

coyote711

Joined
Sep 19, 2009
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Newbie here ... first post. Thanks to this forum and to the members who contribute to it, I now have a little knowledge about blades, sharpening methods, etc. They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and I can relate to that!

The 3 knives that I own (all purchased within the last month), are : Case Sodbuster Jr. CV, Browning Ice Storm VG10, and a Buck 112 with 420 HC. I'm a local haul freight truck driver, and use my knives to cut plastic strapping, shrink-wrap, cardboard, etc. Also just general use around the house, garage & yard. Previously just used a key-chain sized knife for all this.

Now that I've "discovered" how nice it is to use a sharp knife, I'd like to keep them sharp. I'm an old fart (60), and have decided against any sharpening system -- just personal preference. If I had to buy just one stone (of course, I was going to buy just one knife, too), what would you recommend based on my knives and how I use them? I have read most all the posts here, went to the sites of DMT, Spyderco, Norton, Amazon, etc. and am more confused than ever about which stone would be best for me! I'm leaning (at the moment) towards the DMT stones, but even there can't decide between the continuous surface or the ones with the "holes". I'd like to keep the cost under $100.00. Would I be better off getting 2 or 3 stones for that amount of money, or just put it into 1 premium stone?

I would appreciate any specific recommendations you could give me. Sorry for such a long post. Thank you in advance for any help you can send my way!
 
I'm sure better replies will be forthcoming, but since you've gone an hour with no replies, I would get a double-sided fine/extra fine DMT and just not let my knives get too dull. If you want to spend a little more I'd get another in med/course just to have the flexibility and be able to reprofile a bit.
 
DMT benchstones are nice but if you want simple and cheap then go for the Dia-folds, you can still get them in all the different grits plus they are very light and fun to use. With just two dia-folds you can have four different grits that will allow you to sharpen even the dullest blade and take it to hair splitting sharpness. I like using my benchstones but at the same time I like to hold the stone in one hand and the knife in the other, not something you can do with the benchstones, so when I want to sharpen that way or if I need a portable sharpener the dia-folds are the first thing I grab.

These are the two to look at
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=DMTFWFC
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=DMTFWEEE
 
Thank you MVF, Knifenut 1013, and Krieger. Looks like 3 for 3 on the DMT's! I'd been leaning that way after reading numerous posts on this forum over the past few weeks.

Right now I'm leaning heavily towards the 2 diafolds recommended by Knifenut.

Sidebar questions: Depending on how heavily I use the knives on any given day, is it good to touch them up every night with, say the extra fine, or extra, extra fine? I'm assuming that over time I'll develop a feel for this, but to start out, is it good to touch them up every night, or is that over-kill? Or should I wait until I feel a degradation in cutting ability, or is that waiting too long? Would a traditional butchers steel or leather strop be better in this case, or will the extra, extra fine stone serve to take the place (for my purposes) of a steel and strop?
 
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One or two passes on the XX-fine or a strop with compound is usually all thats needed for a daily touch-up, and yes you will over time get the feel for it.
 
Coyote,I'd get a 2x8 Norton India stone w/ two grits,coarse and fine(really 400).Right now you can get one delievered from Smoky Mountain Knife Works for 20$.Then get a med.Spyderco ceramic stone(600 grit) for 50$ and a leather strop.Thats as fine as you'll need for now.Later add the fine ceramic stone.The one 2 grit diamond stone will cost you over 100$.No need to sharpen them every night.Once you get them good and sharp just strop and that will bring back a good edge.The Buck 112 should do all the cutting you mention but the VG10 is a great blade steel. Good luck and let us know how it goes.DM
 
Thanks for an alternative to the DMT's, David. I had considered the Norton India's, but ruled them out due to needing to be oiled. Perhaps that's unfair. I kinda lean towards "the simpler, the better", and diamond & ceramic, if I remember right, can be used dry. BTW, the DMT's I'm looking at are hand-held and run about $30 each; not the $100+ ones! I also looked very seriously at the Spyderco ceramic stones, and they hold a great deal of appeal. Any discussion of diamond vs ceramic would be appreciated!
So far I'm really liking the Buck 112. It just feels good to me, and I don't mind using a belt sheath at work. I don't carry it off work, tho. The VG10 on the Ice Storm is really awesome to this novice. Made in Japan by Mcusta they tell me. I'm thinking of getting a Mcusta for weekend carry.
 
coyote711 said:
Thanks for an alternative to the DMT's, David. I had considered the Norton India's, but ruled them out due to needing to be oiled. Perhaps that's unfair. I kinda lean towards "the simpler, the better", and diamond & ceramic, if I remember right, can be used dry. BTW, the DMT's I'm looking at are hand-held and run about $30 each; not the $100+ ones! I also looked very seriously at the Spyderco ceramic stones, and they hold a great deal of appeal. Any discussion of diamond vs ceramic would be appreciated!
So far I'm really liking the Buck 112. It just feels good to me, and I don't mind using a belt sheath at work. I don't carry it off work, tho. The VG10 on the Ice Storm is really awesome to this novice. Made in Japan by Mcusta they tell me. I'm thinking of getting a Mcusta for weekend carry.
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Diamond's.
They are a sharpeners best friend.
 
I use my Norton stones as well as Arkansas's dry. Read John Juranitch's book The Razor Edge book of Sharpening.In there he tells why.Short version;they cut better, leaving a sharper edge.On diamond and ceramic your comparing apples to oranges.You need both one for shaping or rebeveling and the other for final edging.They use a different matrix and cut differently.The diamond stones I was refering to are 2x8" twin grit coarse and fine.I hope your looking at getting atleast a 2x6" twin grit stone.DM
 
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Well I ordered one thats a Norton india stone 2 sided stone that is really good, I havn't recieved mine yet but my friend has one and it works great.
 
I can't get my fine india stone to do anything except frustrate me. I wonder if I'm going something wrong, or if it's just incapable of producing a hair shaving edge. I normally skip it, going straight from medium silicon carbide, to medium spyderco ceramic.

Brian.
 
gentry,Whats the age of your fine India Norton stone? Because I've noticed that the fineness of that stone has changed thru the years. Yet their still labeled fine. Mine is the IB-8 from the late 80's when the plant was in USA. A twin grit stone w/the fine being 600.The stones today are made in Mexico an the grit is 400.I also have a older Norton AFB and the grit is closer to 800. I don't think they do that any more.So, it maybe harder to get a hair shaving edge from a 400 grit stone. You could lapp it w/ a fine diamond and this would bring it up to about 600 grit and improve the edge it gives. The Spyderco ceramic is 600.Does this give you a shaving edge? DM
 
Wow finally somebody else on BF that read his book, i haven't seen that mentioned to much here.After reading i started dry sharpening. My wife bought me one of his kits a few years ago and i love it. I don't use it exclusively but alot.
The only problem i have with the Norton stones,which i use alot also, is the ones i got from SMKW are preoiled and get gummed up. I resorted to cleaning them with honing oil immediately after sharpening, iwas amazed at how the oil brought everythingout. I them follwed with BarKeepers Friend.Norton makes stones that aren't preoiled but haven't found a source for them yet. I do have some that aren't preoiled but they came from a factory we did a job at.
 
Spike,In the kit your wife bought you;What grit are the stones and whats the cutting matrix? Thanks DM
 
David
I have had the same experience with Norton Indias. The older pink/orange ones seem to be the best.
 
Dave honestly I do not know. When i get time i will look thru the book, i remember Mr Juranitch talking about the stones and how he has a company make them for him.There are two stones. The coarse which seems just like a course India or Pike stone, but has sharpened some chisels, plane blades and knives that i was having trouble on other stones with. The fine is very hard and to me seems like a black hard arkansas stone.If you get a set get the dvd to go with it . The dvd explains the sytem better than the instructions and book.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
David
I have had the same experience with Norton Indias. The older pink/orange ones seem to be the best.
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Bill, I think they are as well.I'd guess many have seen this pattern in America among companies.They make a good product.Something happens.They move the company to a foreign country w/ a cheap labor source.Quality goes down,price stays the same.Net out come = more profit. DM
 
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