Another 'What Stones Should I Get' and Other Dopey Q's Thread

[Ploppy Blobby]

Hi,
Need some help choosing stones and if someone can help clear up something for me that'd be great.

First up, why when sharpening do all the videos and recommended methods show sharpening both sides of the blade with the same hand on the handle and the knife being sharpened edge facing forward for one side and then edge facing back for the other? I've always switched hands and sharpened edge facing away.

Currently have some eBay specials (£10.99 each, woohoo!) 400/1000 and 1000/6000 combi and use an old carborundum stone to put the initial bevel on when have finished making a knife.
These stones get the knives sharp. Yeah, honestly, really sharp, but assume there is more to get with better stones. Or maybe not?

Anyway, budget is an issue so was thinking Cerax 1000 and Rika 5000 (would these work together?) but am wondering about that first stone.
The 400 takes an age to get the initial bevel on, would the Naniwa 220 suit?
Thanks in advance

 

[Yet-Another-Dave]

... Cerax 1000 and Rika 5000 (would these work together?) ...

Yes those work together. (In fact they work together well enough a, now closed, woodworking shop had a custom run made attaching them into a double thick combo stone. (Are they the "best"? So much personal preference in answering that... well you'll get more comments.)

For a coarser stone, to go with those, I like the Cerax 320. Someone here, daveb?, suggested it was awful and a chunk of sidewalk would be as good. He's not wrong exactly, but all those coarse stones are pretty miserable and, of the ones I've tried, the Cerax 320 sucks least (IMO!). You can get different feels and cutting speeds at different price points but "your mileage *WILL* vary".

 

[daveb]

First up, why when sharpening do all the videos and recommended methods show sharpening both sides of the blade with the same hand on the handle and the knife being sharpened edge facing forward for one side and then edge facing back for the other? I

The Flipper vs Switcher topic comes up every year or so. It always seems to split about 50/50. If you're a switcher it's ok. Vincent from Korin used to do switcher videos and you can probably find some on-line. Everything I've seen him do lately has been flipper. IIRC, Jon at JKI touches on some of the differences in one of his intro vids.

 

[da_mich*]

Anyway, budget is an issue so was thinking Cerax 1000 and Rika 5000 (would these work together?) but am wondering about that first stone.
The 400 takes an age to get the initial bevel on, would the Naniwa 220 suit?
Thanks in advance

I have both. The cerax 1k and the Rika 5k. Both are very very nice stones. Maybe the best stones in my collection. With the Rika 5k you can get a very beautiful finish on kasumi single bevel knives and chisels. Between both stones I use a Naniwa Chosera 3k. From one grit to another the max. step should be 2x or 3x.

Example:
120-> 240 -> 400 -> 1000 -> 2k(or 3k) - > 5k -> 10k

Before I used professional stones I used the same cheap combi stones. I think bearmoo was the brand. I hate this stones. After 3 knifes the stone was only half size big and the knife not really razor sharp.
Buy the Cerax and Rika you will love it.

 

[M1k3]

The Naniwa Super Stone 220 really really REALLY REALLY sucks at setting a bevel. It excels at leaving a nice finish for it's grit and removing rust, oxidation, crud and whatnot.

Tools From Japan used to sell the Cerax 1k and Rika 5k as a combo, glued together or separate.

 

[Helmore]

From one grit to another the max. step should be 2x or 3x.

I'd say this depends on personal preference. I've seen plenty of people talk about jumping from 1k to 8k and being perfectly happy with that. That example may be a little iffy, as going over 6k on a kitchen knife is usually not really considered worth it, but it was more to "prove a point". Jumping from 1k to 5k is considered perfectly reasonably by most people as far as I'm aware. Keep in mind that this holds for kitchen knives. Razors and other tools may have different principles.

 

[M1k3]

I do 500 to 4k jump regularly

 

[ian]

Yea. I basically never stay within 3x. Waste of time, imo.

Edit: unless we’re talking polishing. for that, I do a tighter progression.

 

[M1k3]

When I sharpen good steel that's not stopping at 1-2k, I do 500 to 4k or 6k. Polishing 120->220->500->1k->2k->4k->6k and stop here, or go to 1k+ sandpaper.

 

[Ploppy Blobby]

I do 500 to 4k jump regularly

Yea, I find the 400 > 1000 > 6000 works just fine, am not really a polishing type of guy