What's the next step up from a Spyderco UF stone?

[Kaizen1]

Hey folks,

After doing a little searching, I'm looking at the Shapton Glass Stones in either the 8k or 16k grit. Any suggestions on which might be a better choice? Open to other suggestions also.

Thanks

 

[Jason B.]

1 micron compound on balsa or a leather strop. The grit reduction from the UF to 1 micron is perfect and will give you bright mirror finish with a nice jump in sharpness.

 

[Kaizen1]

1 micron compound on balsa or a leather strop. The grit reduction from the UF to 1 micron is perfect and will give you bright mirror finish with a nice jump in sharpness.

I was hoping you'd respond, thanks. I think it was one of your posts that pointed me toward the Shapton Glass Stones. I currently strop with the green compound (not sure what grit it is), .5 micron diamond paste and .25 micron diamond paste on leather. I was thinking that a higher grit stone might help me get a clearer finish. Thoughts?

 

[Jason B.]

The UF is 3 microns about 8k grit, 1 micron is about 15k, 0.5 micron is about 50k and 0.25 is 100k. Chromium oxide QUALITY stuff is 0.5

The 1 micron will clean up any scratches left from the UF and give you a clean mirror finish. Follow with 0.5 and 0.25 if you want to replace your razor

Also if you use Cro after .5 diamond it will smooth out the edge making it less "toothy". I wouldn't continue to 0.25 after though unless you skip the Cro.

 

[nozh2002]

Hey folks,

After doing a little searching, I'm looking at the Shapton Glass Stones in either the 8k or 16k grit. Any suggestions on which might be a better choice? Open to other suggestions also.

Thanks

I tried many things. And it is usually hard to find something below 1 micron. There are diamond sprays, but they expensive and Green Rouge much much cheaper, but works even better. Because of amount you may use I guess.

I have Green Rouge from Jeweler Tools Store and from WoodCraft. One from Woodcraft too coarse - it is like fine sand. But one from Jeweler store is perfect and cheap. And until someone do something sharper then whittling hair, I guess this Green Rouge should be just enough.

Of course diamond sprays works good as well, but not better and much more expensive.

Other Jeweler solution like Red Rouge etc, is too soft for stainless steel, but may be used with electrical tool probably.

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[Kaizen1]

The UF is 3 microns about 8k grit, 1 micron is about 15k, 0.5 micron is about 50k and 0.25 is 100k. Chromium oxide QUALITY stuff is 0.5

The 1 micron will clean up any scratches left from the UF and give you a clean mirror finish. Follow with 0.5 and 0.25 if you want to replace your razor

Also if you use Cro after .5 diamond it will smooth out the edge making it less "toothy". I wouldn't continue to 0.25 after though unless you skip the Cro.

So you'd suggest getting a stropping compound over a stone at that grit level? Any particular reason for that? I'm wondering if I'll be able to remove enough metal with a stropping compound over a stone to get the shininess I'm looking for. Remember, I'd still finish the edge on a strop that has a higher grit level. Just looking for clarification, though. I've seen your edges and that's what I'm aiming for.

 

[Kaizen1]

I tried many things. And it is usually hard to find something below 1 micron. There are diamond sprays, but they expensive and Green Rouge much much cheaper, but works even better. Because of amount you may use I guess.

I have Green Rouge from Jeweler Tools Store and from WoodCraft. One from Woodcraft too coarse - it is like fine sand. But one from Jeweler store is perfect and cheap. And until someone do something sharper then whittling hair, I guess this Green Rouge should be just enough.

Of course diamond sprays works good as well, but not better and much more expensive.

Other Jeweler solution like Red Rouge etc, is too soft for stainless steel, but may be used with electrical tool probably.

Thanks, Vassili.

Thanks Vassili for the response. I currently do finish my edges on a strop with the green compound from Woodcraft, then to a .5 micron diamond paste, then a .25 micron diamond paste on leather. The stropping compounds I have don't seem to get rid of the small scratches I'm seeing on the edges no matter how much I strop. I'm pretty sure I'm going through the grits on the stones thoroughly enough. So it looks like I either need a higher grit stone and/or a lower grit stropping compound. Thoughts?

 

[Jason B.]

Most of what I show is finished at 1 micron. Using it on balsa will make it work faster and for its grit size it cuts as fast as.... well..... diamonds

Using it on leather will make it work slightly slower but it will produce a brighter finish and be ever so slightly sharper.

The 16k shapton would probably be nice if you had straight razors but I feel your still better off with the compound for its effectiveness on knives.

 

[nozh2002]

Thanks Vassili for the response. I currently do finish my edges on a strop with the green compound from Woodcraft, then to a .5 micron diamond paste, then a .25 micron diamond paste on leather. The stropping compounds I have don't seem to get rid of the small scratches I'm seeing on the edges no matter how much I strop. I'm pretty sure I'm going through the grits on the stones thoroughly enough. So it looks like I either need a higher grit stone and/or a lower grit stropping compound. Thoughts?

Woodcraft compound is too coarse. Old compound I have - I lost all marks and can not really say what it is.

But about month or two ago I got Koyo K-1 Green Rouge from Japan Woodworker sore. And just finish honing Cheburkov Scout knife with it - it does whittle hair after my regular 5-10 minutes routine (it was not very dull initially). So I guess this is better then one from Woodcraft. It also produce perfect mirror polish.

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=01.098&dept_id=13100

It is marked there as 0.5-1.5 microns (who knows it may be better then this, Japanese are known for being way ahead in quality over listed).

But right leather is as well important. At the end you your edge deal not with full size of compound particle, but whatever stick out from work surface formed in the process as well as with how light is your touch.

I mean that 0.5 micron on the glass may be more coarse then 1 micron on good leather because it will be only 0.25 of that particle stick out of the surface. As well as light touch results in not too deep scratches...

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[Kaizen1]

Most of what I show is finished at 1 micron. Using it on balsa will make it work faster and for its grit size it cuts as fast as.... well..... diamonds

Using it on leather will make it work slightly slower but it will produce a brighter finish and be ever so slightly sharper.

The 16k shapton would probably be nice if you had straight razors but I feel your still better off with the compound for its effectiveness on knives.

Any particular compound you suggest (and where to buy it)?

 

[Kaizen1]

Woodcraft compound is too coarse. Old compound I have - I lost all marks and can not really say what it is.

But about month or two ago I got Koyo K-1 Green Rouge from Japan Woodworker sore. And just finish honing Cheburkov Scout knife with it - it does whittle hair after my regular 5-10 minutes routine (it was not very dull initially). So I guess this is better then one from Woodcraft. It also produce perfect mirror polish.

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=01.098&dept_id=13100

It is marked there as 0.5-1.5 microns (who knows it may be better then this, Japanese are known for being way ahead in quality over listed).

But right leather is as well important. At the end you your edge deal not with full size of compound particle, but whatever stick out from work surface formed in the process as well as with how light is your touch.

I mean that 0.5 micron on the glass may be more coarse then 1 micron on good leather because it will be only 0.25 of that particle stick out of the surface. As well as light touch results in not too deep scratches...

Thanks, Vassili.

Thanks Vassili, I'll check it out.

 

[pwet]

also keep in mind that your strop may be contamined. the one i use for my kitchen knives is loaded with hand american 0,5 micron CrO it hzd very good rep and when the leather was new it produced an very fine mirror polish, today no matter how hard i try i get some scratches on my bevels that wasn't there after the 10k naniwa. i don't eve ntry to wash my strop as mirror polish isn't my goal as much as sharpness is.

 

[stitchawl]

[SNIP]
I mean that 0.5 micron on the glass may be more coarse then 1 micron on good leather because it will be only 0.25 of that particle stick out of the surface. As well as light touch results in not too deep scratches...

I think Vassili hit on something important to keep in mind as we get near the end of the sharpening process. :thumbup:


Stitchawl