Drayquan
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 21, 2018
- Messages
- 68
- Reaction score
- 4
My current setup/situation:
To start out sharpening knives a couple years ago, I picked up a basic setup of the budget corundum stones you see all over Amazon -
a $20 combo 1k/4k, and a single 8k for finishing (flat granite kitchen counter with newspaper and/or my good leather belt for stropping on).
The 1k/4k combo has had about 80% of its material worn away since (still usable though), so I picked up a King KDS as its replacement. It's interesting that the 6k KDS can put a nice near-mirror polish on edges, and the so-called 8k corundum can't. The 8k hasn't worn much, it's still a good stone to have around for refining certain edges, and it's great for clearing load-up off the KDS 6k side.
Quick note: The cheaper 1k feels more coarse than the KDS 1k and cuts noticeably faster than the KDS 1k as well.
With a very dull blade, I'll usually start it on the thin remnants of the faster cutting cheap 1k stone, then move onto the new KDS 1k.
So far for edge damage repair, to save money I've simply used an old metal file, along with a fairly flat cement surface (with water), which I found atop a raised garden siding in the backyard (which I've also used for flattening my 1k whetstones. I use water + fine sandpaper ontop my flat granite kitchen counter to flatten my higher grit stones). I haven't tried the drywall screen + water method, is it any good? I'll try it, maybe it won't wear out as fast as sandpaper does when flattening whetstones.
(I've improved a lot in the past years - utilizing most of the stone's surface area to minimize dishing, but I recognize the benefit of flattening after prolonged heavy usage)
I've helped out lots of family/friends/neighbours sharpening their knives, and some have recently requested I do some of their gardening and camping blades: Hedge trimmers/pruning shears, hatchets, lawnmower blades, etc. For the bulky/rusty items, I've simply used my metal file/backyard cement surface, then finished with my cheap 1k, and so far they've turned out surprisingly well. That old 1k is really wearing out super fast with this abuse though.
For some bulky items (mower blades/edgers, etc) nothing more than a rough metal filing job is really needed, but cleaning up that roughly filed edge with a proper coarse stone would make a big difference and give that extra bite. My question though is for the more refined items that would really benefit from a precision edge (pruners, small shears, even axe heads, etc) that come to me damaged/rusty.
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================================
My question / TLDR:
I've barely squeezed by so far without a proper coarse whetstone by using metal files, flat cement surfaces, and because my cheap 1k is actually pretty rough itself. However, now that my cheap 1k is fading away into oblivion, its time for a proper coarse stone. I'm looking for one that will not only prepare dull/damaged kitchen knives for my primary King KDS whetstone but will also hold up during harsh use on old rusty gardening tools.
I've done a lot of searching and reading here to come up with some options, however, can you guys recommend some good/better ones given my situation?
$80 USD ($100 Canadian) is my limit, but would prefer less if possible.
==============
So far I've been considering: (note - I currently have a credit on Amazon.CA, so it'll help if I purchase there.)
My leading choice so far:
Atoma 400
Pros- Durable plate, should hold up well to both hard kitchen knives as well as gardening blade metal. Multi-use: Coarse stone, plus a flattening plate for my King KDS (and 8k corundum + whats left of my 1k/4k stone).
Cons- very expensive pushing the limit of my budget at $101.53 up here on Canadian Amazon!
Looking into the American Amazon shipping options to Canada, I don't have prime, but may still get it cheaper this way. Also considering better places to buy (heard about metal master here but his stock is dry on eBay).
Is this worth the extra money? Maybe it is, considering its potential longevity and multi-use, but its gonna sting the budget. I'd love to hear your opinions on this for my described situation and consider cheaper options.
secondary options:
Shapton KUROMAKU 320
Pros- good price/quality, good for the first stage on dull/damaged kitchen knives
Cons- unsure if I'd want to use it on gardening blades though since it seems thin, and question whether I should abuse it with heavier garden blades, assuming this stone is purely meant for kitchen knives.
Unlike the Atoma, this option will need a flattener itself and will leave me without a real flattener for my KDS (but I still have makeshift cheap flattening methods!)
Chosera super ceramic 400
Pros- High quality, fast cutting
Cons- a little on the pricey side (but probably worth it).
Unlike the Atoma, this option will need its own flattener, also leaves me without a real flattener for my KDS (but still have home-made cheap flattening methods!)
King PB-05 Japanese Combination Whetstone Sharpener 220/800 Grit
Pros- affordable, 2 options with 220 + 800 combo, could use 220 for rusty/chipped blades, and 800 to prepare for my 1k King KDS
Cons- ? I assume it will wear fast but I'm not sure, have never used this one.
What about more affordable diamond or DMT plates that could double as coarse stone + flattener?
Any other suggestions would be great, thanks
To start out sharpening knives a couple years ago, I picked up a basic setup of the budget corundum stones you see all over Amazon -
a $20 combo 1k/4k, and a single 8k for finishing (flat granite kitchen counter with newspaper and/or my good leather belt for stropping on).
The 1k/4k combo has had about 80% of its material worn away since (still usable though), so I picked up a King KDS as its replacement. It's interesting that the 6k KDS can put a nice near-mirror polish on edges, and the so-called 8k corundum can't. The 8k hasn't worn much, it's still a good stone to have around for refining certain edges, and it's great for clearing load-up off the KDS 6k side.
Quick note: The cheaper 1k feels more coarse than the KDS 1k and cuts noticeably faster than the KDS 1k as well.
With a very dull blade, I'll usually start it on the thin remnants of the faster cutting cheap 1k stone, then move onto the new KDS 1k.
So far for edge damage repair, to save money I've simply used an old metal file, along with a fairly flat cement surface (with water), which I found atop a raised garden siding in the backyard (which I've also used for flattening my 1k whetstones. I use water + fine sandpaper ontop my flat granite kitchen counter to flatten my higher grit stones). I haven't tried the drywall screen + water method, is it any good? I'll try it, maybe it won't wear out as fast as sandpaper does when flattening whetstones.
(I've improved a lot in the past years - utilizing most of the stone's surface area to minimize dishing, but I recognize the benefit of flattening after prolonged heavy usage)
I've helped out lots of family/friends/neighbours sharpening their knives, and some have recently requested I do some of their gardening and camping blades: Hedge trimmers/pruning shears, hatchets, lawnmower blades, etc. For the bulky/rusty items, I've simply used my metal file/backyard cement surface, then finished with my cheap 1k, and so far they've turned out surprisingly well. That old 1k is really wearing out super fast with this abuse though.
For some bulky items (mower blades/edgers, etc) nothing more than a rough metal filing job is really needed, but cleaning up that roughly filed edge with a proper coarse stone would make a big difference and give that extra bite. My question though is for the more refined items that would really benefit from a precision edge (pruners, small shears, even axe heads, etc) that come to me damaged/rusty.
================================
================================
My question / TLDR:
I've barely squeezed by so far without a proper coarse whetstone by using metal files, flat cement surfaces, and because my cheap 1k is actually pretty rough itself. However, now that my cheap 1k is fading away into oblivion, its time for a proper coarse stone. I'm looking for one that will not only prepare dull/damaged kitchen knives for my primary King KDS whetstone but will also hold up during harsh use on old rusty gardening tools.
I've done a lot of searching and reading here to come up with some options, however, can you guys recommend some good/better ones given my situation?
$80 USD ($100 Canadian) is my limit, but would prefer less if possible.
==============
So far I've been considering: (note - I currently have a credit on Amazon.CA, so it'll help if I purchase there.)
My leading choice so far:
Atoma 400
Pros- Durable plate, should hold up well to both hard kitchen knives as well as gardening blade metal. Multi-use: Coarse stone, plus a flattening plate for my King KDS (and 8k corundum + whats left of my 1k/4k stone).
Cons- very expensive pushing the limit of my budget at $101.53 up here on Canadian Amazon!
Looking into the American Amazon shipping options to Canada, I don't have prime, but may still get it cheaper this way. Also considering better places to buy (heard about metal master here but his stock is dry on eBay).
Is this worth the extra money? Maybe it is, considering its potential longevity and multi-use, but its gonna sting the budget. I'd love to hear your opinions on this for my described situation and consider cheaper options.
secondary options:
Shapton KUROMAKU 320
Pros- good price/quality, good for the first stage on dull/damaged kitchen knives
Cons- unsure if I'd want to use it on gardening blades though since it seems thin, and question whether I should abuse it with heavier garden blades, assuming this stone is purely meant for kitchen knives.
Unlike the Atoma, this option will need a flattener itself and will leave me without a real flattener for my KDS (but I still have makeshift cheap flattening methods!)
Chosera super ceramic 400
Pros- High quality, fast cutting
Cons- a little on the pricey side (but probably worth it).
Unlike the Atoma, this option will need its own flattener, also leaves me without a real flattener for my KDS (but still have home-made cheap flattening methods!)
King PB-05 Japanese Combination Whetstone Sharpener 220/800 Grit
Pros- affordable, 2 options with 220 + 800 combo, could use 220 for rusty/chipped blades, and 800 to prepare for my 1k King KDS
Cons- ? I assume it will wear fast but I'm not sure, have never used this one.
What about more affordable diamond or DMT plates that could double as coarse stone + flattener?
Any other suggestions would be great, thanks