What stones to get? Or something else?

Justin Presson

Well-Known Member
Hey guys with Christmas quickly approaching I usually get a little Christmas cash and want to get something for sharpening knives.
I currently have a lansky which is a good little unit but it is time consuming and the stones are small.
I thought about getting something like this but not really sure. My dad always sharpened his knives on a bench stone and I always kind of liked doing it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000X...+tri+stone&dpPl=1&dpID=41WdpyogqtL&ref=plSrch
Or should I get like a DMT diamond stone set?
I make mostly hunting knives and EDC so what grit do you like?
But I'm unsure of what to get or if I want to go with another better guided system.

I'm sure this topic is beat to death but just looking for some experienced makers info.

I don't use my grinder to sharpen with as it is not variable speed. It kind of scares me to ruin the temper on a knife I spent so much time on.

I guess another question, is it realistic to set the edge on a finished knife by hand and a bench stone or will I struggle?

I do have a 1x42 craftsman to that I have rigged to run a bit slower.

Any and all help is appreciated. Sorry for all the questions and questions within a question :)
Justin
 
Can't say what's best for YOU but I have a Lansky as well as a DMT Aligner set. I prefer the DMT stones because their wider and give ME a better edge but I prefer the Lansky holder because it holds a rounded spine blade better. I use the bench mount from Lansky even on my DMT holder (I drilled it to accept the Lansky "knob" on the bench holder) but it doesn't hold a rounded spine without some degree of "tilting".....
 
Sounds like you need to use your Christmas cash to upgrade to variable speed.:biggrin: Well, I'm no more experienced than you are, probably less by now, but I really like the Lansky for "sharpening". Not for establishing the secondary bevel though, you'll be there all day. I shape the secondary bevel on a 400 grit belt, grinder running slow and in reverse. Then polish with 600 and 800 grit belts. Then buff with a belt turned inside out with compound on the cloth side. The finish with leather strop.

I think to save a ton of time, you need to use the grinder to at least get it close before going to stones. The big advantage to the Lansky is the jig function keeps the secondary bevel very uniform and clean. With a regular stone, I'm too scared I'll mess up the finish or scratch the blade.

I've got one friend, not a maker, that swears by this big paper disk sharpening setup that goes on a bench grinder. Another swears his WorkSharp belt sharpener is awesome, and yet another that says the WorkSharp sucks. Big help, huh!
 
I'm a big fan of waterstones- but I'll be honest. I haven't used stones since I got my belt grinder. I used to have immense pride in my skills with stones. Now I get the same results in minutes.

even belts on a 1x30 HF and a leather strop is my preference over stones now. i like a convex edge, though.

if you have your heart aet on stones, I like King 1000 and 6000 waterstones along with a good holder. (Murray Carter devotee)


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I probably should save up for VFD in all reality. I think I would like to be able to set the edge initially on a the grinder then maybe move to the stones to finish up.

Bailey I did see the DMT aligner and like the stone set up and stone holder but that base that holds the knife looks kind of cheap but like you said could use the lansky base.
 
if you like the Lansky, isn't the Edge Pro basically a Lansky on steroids?

of course, the Edge Pro costs the same as a 2HP KBAC drive......just sayin


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I have an Edge Pro Plus, I think it is called. It works for sharpening a knife. It is horrible for cutting a secondary bevel.

It is a little bit on the time consuming side. I like to sharpen several knives at one time so you share the set up time of each stage.

I would like to get a recommendation on a flat stone for touch ups, not necessarily a big sharpening job . . . if anyone has one to give.

DeMo
 
Just my low buck experience but if you use a scrapped blade, ie one that warped or broke to practice the secondary bevel cutting on a 1x30 or 42 with a 180 grit belt on the slack above the platen, it is not that hard to do then fine tune with the stones.
If you mess up on scrap then isn't a learning experience?
Also if its scrap then grinding off the blue or straw wont matter.
 
One thing you might try is to use sandpaper. It might sound kind of back-woodsy, but it's been used for years by woodcarvers to sharpen their tools for a highly polished and razor-sharp edge. Cut the paper into small pieces (2"x6" works good) and glue them to something flat like a piece of plate glass with some contact cement (good old Elmer's Rubber Cement works great). Any grit of paper available can be used for either roughing in the edge or polishing it to a razor edge. Follow up with a piece of leather charged with some stropping compound. You can either change paper grits or have several different blocks for each grit you use. Even if you still decide to get some stones, you can at least get a feel for sharpening by hand with this method.

For all of my sharpening, I still use sandpaper glued to melamine disks on my shop-built horizontal disk sander. Here's a picture of it if you're interested. I built it out of an old foot massager that I picked up at the second hand store. It's reversible and variable speed. I built the whole thing for $30 bucks and I've been using it for going on 5 years now. I've sharpened literally hundreds of knives and it still works great.

SANY2792.JPGSANY2795.JPG
 
One thing you might try is to use sandpaper. It might sound kind of back-woodsy, but it's been used for years by woodcarvers to sharpen their tools for a highly polished and razor-sharp edge. Cut the paper into small pieces (2"x6" works good) and glue them to something flat like a piece of plate glass with some contact cement (good old Elmer's Rubber Cement works great). Any grit of paper available can be used for either roughing in the edge or polishing it to a razor edge. Follow up with a piece of leather charged with some stropping compound. You can either change paper grits or have several different blocks for each grit you use. Even if you still decide to get some stones, you can at least get a feel for sharpening by hand with this method.

For all of my sharpening, I still use sandpaper glued to melamine disks on my shop-built horizontal disk sander. Here's a picture of it if you're interested. I built it out of an old foot massager that I picked up at the second hand store. It's reversible and variable speed. I built the whole thing for $30 bucks and I've been using it for going on 5 years now. I've sharpened literally hundreds of knives and it still works great.

View attachment 57335View attachment 57336
That is actually pretty dang slick Brandant!!
 
I guess I should take a step back and let's say I can set my initial secondary bevel on the grinder and want to move to stones after that, also i would like to sharpen my knives i have already made and my own kitchen knives and such, a
re the Norton's I posted in the link a good option?
 
Last edited:
https://www.fine-tools.com/japwas.html

I would support your will to sharpen by hand with water cooling! The link will help you understand the different stones (you will get yours anywhere in the USA).

I'd give you my .2 cents on whetstones:

1) get a big, coarse diamond benchstone...use it with water....you'll set your bevels in no time.
2) get a 1000 or 2000 WS... will erase the diamond scratch in no time
3) Optional: get a 5000 WS, preparing for final honing
4) Get a 8000+ WS finishing stone: get an hard one (Naniwa professional stone, or shapton....), here things start getting spendy but it is a good investment.
5) Strop...
 
https://www.fine-tools.com/japwas.html

I would support your will to sharpen by hand with water cooling! The link will help you understand the different stones (you will get yours anywhere in the USA).

I'd give you my .2 cents on whetstones:

1) get a big, coarse diamond benchstone...use it with water....you'll set your bevels in no time.
2) get a 1000 or 2000 WS... will erase the diamond scratch in no time
3) Optional: get a 5000 WS, preparing for final honing
4) Get a 8000+ WS finishing stone: get an hard one (Naniwa professional stone, or shapton....), here things start getting spendy but it is a good investment.
5) Strop...
Thanks for the info stezann.
 
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