Lapping stones with dmt xxc 120 micron

[UglyJoe]

A dish brush is fine for the dmt as well? Plastic brissle? Woah, those are very inexpensive. Certainly within my budget. Everytime I think my stone/sharpening set is complete I find new things to add to it. Funny, after I got all my stones, I found Youtube videos of Murray Carter and his two stone technique ><. Hehehehe. I am very happy with my set, although I can't help but think how much happier I might have been with a large dual 1000/6000 and a new sujihiki.

I am concerned about using a 700 diamond on my 220 and 700 stones, would this plate be fine? Or is this for stones above 700?

NO NO. That's for higher grit stones. The 700 and definitely the 220 stone will destroy it with a quickness.

Murray's philosophy is great to a point. That's how I started, and I still use a King 1000 and 6000 in my progression. But you have to understand, Murray isn't the biggest on a nice, even finish - just look at the posts about his knives recently. Don't get me wrong, he makes a killer knife, and sharpens exceptionally well, but you're not getting anything finished like a Shigefusa with Murray's method. Still, I think a lot of people would be better suited and understand sharpening better if the limited themselves just to 1kish and 6kish stones in the beginning till they really learn how to sharpen, then add to that to fit their particular needs as they go.

[UglyJoe]

Hmm, how long does it take to break in the dmt? I am practicing with my first set of knives that I don't care too much about and trying to sharpen at least once every other day. I have read it is good to lap every time to start with a flat surface.

Don't worry about that too much. Just make sure your stones are smooth after lapping and no particles from the DMT are stuck in the surface of the stone and you are good to go.

[sel1k1]

Rinsing with water works fine. Just feel the stone thoroughly to make sure there aren't any higher grit particles on it, and while wet, look at it in the light across the surface at eye level - any particles will cause the water to swell up around them so you can see them. As for the natural stone, price is too random to bother quoting anything. Talk to a reputable vendor (I bought mine from Maksim at www.japanesenaturalstones.com), let them know what you are looking for, and make sure that whatever else they've used and know the quality of any stone they are selling. Price will vary wildly based on where the stone is from, how hard it is, what the size is, what the composition is, etc.

Indeed, that is what I have come across when looking at a few natural stones. So far I have found they range from $300 - $700 for the polishing category. Thank you.

[UglyJoe]

Indeed, that is what I have come across when looking at a few natural stones. So far I have found they range from $300 - $700 for the polishing category. Thank you.

You can definitely find them cheaper than that. Talk to a good vendor. You might not get the prettiest or biggest stone, but if you have a good vendor they can get you a stone that works very well at half that price.

[sel1k1]

NO NO. That's for higher grit stones. The 700 and definitely the 220 stone will destroy it with a quickness.

Murray's philosophy is great to a point. That's how I started, and I still use a King 1000 and 6000 in my progression. But you have to understand, Murray isn't the biggest on a nice, even finish - just look at the posts about his knives recently. Don't get me wrong, he makes a killer knife, and sharpens exceptionally well, but you're not getting anything finished like a Shigefusa with Murray's method. Still, I think a lot of people would be better suited and understand sharpening better if the limited themselves just to 1kish and 6kish stones in the beginning till they really learn how to sharpen, then add to that to fit their particular needs as they go.

Okay, just wanted to make sure. Thank you.

I have also read exactly that regarding Murray knives and sharpening with touching up on higher grit out of the box.

[tk59]

I start at high grit and work my way down. I don't find I have any grit contamination issues that way. If I'm wanting to make slurry, I'll use a little diamond nagura. I've tried several and the all release the occasional diamond into the slurry.

[Seb]

Seb,
have you noticed any diamond release from those Diaflex in the slurry?
DMT usually release until they are well broken in and I do not like them for that reason.

Nope, none whatsoever.

[sel1k1]

I start at high grit and work my way down. I don't find I have any grit contamination issues that way. If I'm wanting to make slurry, I'll use a little diamond nagura. I've tried several and the all release the occasional diamond into the slurry.

Of course I read this after I lap all of my stones in the reverse ><. The plate and the stones were rinsed between use. Even with the higher grit stones nothing stuck to the plate much. I should have gotten the plate when I purchased my last polishing stone.

I havn't seen or really looked for a nagura with diamond, only seen the common nagura usually given away when purchasing a polishing stone.

After going over the stones with the dmt a few times and rinsing, I did use it to create a slurry and tried to feel and view for diamonds. I couldn't tell completely if there were any leftover or not, didn't notice any imperfections, looked great.

The edge that I got last night on my 210mm, high carbon 52hrc(yep 52) stainless chef knife is almost cutting through paper effortlessly. I am thinking it's the lapping of the stones after using the same technique. I want to do a clamshell edge.

[sel1k1]

Nope, none whatsoever.

I didn't notice anything leftover from the dmt on any of the stones. Rinsed between use, maybe the 220 grit helped with the absense of loose diamonds. Not sure.

[Eamon Burke]

FWIW you can use the fine grit stone with the gouge in it. It really won't matter.

Unless it is lined up precisely with the edge, or you stick your knife tip in it(which would gouge most 8ks anyways), the gouge won't affect how the stone sharpens.