I have only a few bench stones. I want to learn to use them properly before I consider adding another.
Background: most of my sharpening time has accrued on an Edge Pro where I learned pressure control, angles, and deburring, but not methods that I read about here like slurry and slurry mixing, and where stone feedback takes a lower priority after cutting speed and shape holding. I have been moving toward freehand sharpening, starting from the need to thin then coming to sharpen small blades to a working edge by holding a 6" stone in one hand for convenience. I recently did a benchstone-only edge on a good quality knife for the first time in a while and I enjoyed the process and the minimal gear.
Existing bench stones: Zandstra FOSS 7205, Suehiro Cerax 320, King Neo 800 ST-2, King Deluxe 1200, Naniwa Hayabusa 4000.
The FOSS stone is a large coarse dual-grit silicon carbide stone from a speed-skate brand. I don't expect others have it but it seems to me a straightforward stone to use. The coarse side is just as vulgar feeling as other porous coarse stones but strikes a good balance of hardness. The finer side actually feels pretty nice to me; I hope it lasts.
The Cerax 320 I find very slow for the grit and it wears super quickly. I can see it being useful for cosmetic finishing but I haven't gone down that path yet. I really don't know what else to do with it and it sits unused.
I think the King 1200 was my first water stone and I have used it now and again over the years when I needed a bench stone of some sort but I have never come to like it. As with the Cerax 320 I find it very slow, but with tolerable wear. I tried soaking it for several days after reading here that "permasoaking" made it better but I still was not impressed with its speed or the edge I got. I'll grant that it feels nice to use but I still find myself avoiding it. I don't want to perma-soak stones, I don't like how long it takes to dry.
The Hayabusa 4k gives me a high polish and a sharp edge and I really like the fact that it dries quickly. I find its feel strange, kind of sticky, almost like leather-hard clay. The rubbery Naniwa Super Stones make more sense to me in that my senses accept what they are, whereas I keep feeling like there is something off about the Hayabusa even though it seems to work well enough.
The King Neo #800 is my latest purchase and I have only used it once. I was going to wait until the King 1200 was worn out to get another medium but I realized that since I kept avoiding it that would never happen. @Deadboxhero recommended this one for working on a broad range of steel. It feels finer than expected for #800, and seems like a direct replacement that works faster. It needs some soaking but dries a lot faster than the Deluxe 1200. At the moment I don't know why I would ever use the KDS 1200 again.
Where to go from here?
I am open to guidance on using any and all of these stones, though I am particularly interested in maximizing the Hayabusa and Neo #800. I think I am just the wrong person for the Cerax 320.
The King 1200 is interesting in that I struggle to get good edges from it and I suspect this most clearly shows my lack of freehand skill as I've had plenty of opportunity. I haven't gotten the sharp, toothy edge described by @KingShapton and @branwell among others. But even freehand I get better edges from BORIDE stones of similar grit that I use with the Edge Pro. Should I retire the KDS 1200 now that I have the Neo, or is there something special in there I have yet to reveal?
The Hayabusa leaves me feeling like I am doing something wrong even though I cannot complain about the result. This stone does not seem to create any mud by itself; maybe I need to raise one?
Background: most of my sharpening time has accrued on an Edge Pro where I learned pressure control, angles, and deburring, but not methods that I read about here like slurry and slurry mixing, and where stone feedback takes a lower priority after cutting speed and shape holding. I have been moving toward freehand sharpening, starting from the need to thin then coming to sharpen small blades to a working edge by holding a 6" stone in one hand for convenience. I recently did a benchstone-only edge on a good quality knife for the first time in a while and I enjoyed the process and the minimal gear.
Existing bench stones: Zandstra FOSS 7205, Suehiro Cerax 320, King Neo 800 ST-2, King Deluxe 1200, Naniwa Hayabusa 4000.
The FOSS stone is a large coarse dual-grit silicon carbide stone from a speed-skate brand. I don't expect others have it but it seems to me a straightforward stone to use. The coarse side is just as vulgar feeling as other porous coarse stones but strikes a good balance of hardness. The finer side actually feels pretty nice to me; I hope it lasts.
The Cerax 320 I find very slow for the grit and it wears super quickly. I can see it being useful for cosmetic finishing but I haven't gone down that path yet. I really don't know what else to do with it and it sits unused.
I think the King 1200 was my first water stone and I have used it now and again over the years when I needed a bench stone of some sort but I have never come to like it. As with the Cerax 320 I find it very slow, but with tolerable wear. I tried soaking it for several days after reading here that "permasoaking" made it better but I still was not impressed with its speed or the edge I got. I'll grant that it feels nice to use but I still find myself avoiding it. I don't want to perma-soak stones, I don't like how long it takes to dry.
The Hayabusa 4k gives me a high polish and a sharp edge and I really like the fact that it dries quickly. I find its feel strange, kind of sticky, almost like leather-hard clay. The rubbery Naniwa Super Stones make more sense to me in that my senses accept what they are, whereas I keep feeling like there is something off about the Hayabusa even though it seems to work well enough.
The King Neo #800 is my latest purchase and I have only used it once. I was going to wait until the King 1200 was worn out to get another medium but I realized that since I kept avoiding it that would never happen. @Deadboxhero recommended this one for working on a broad range of steel. It feels finer than expected for #800, and seems like a direct replacement that works faster. It needs some soaking but dries a lot faster than the Deluxe 1200. At the moment I don't know why I would ever use the KDS 1200 again.
Where to go from here?
I am open to guidance on using any and all of these stones, though I am particularly interested in maximizing the Hayabusa and Neo #800. I think I am just the wrong person for the Cerax 320.
The King 1200 is interesting in that I struggle to get good edges from it and I suspect this most clearly shows my lack of freehand skill as I've had plenty of opportunity. I haven't gotten the sharp, toothy edge described by @KingShapton and @branwell among others. But even freehand I get better edges from BORIDE stones of similar grit that I use with the Edge Pro. Should I retire the KDS 1200 now that I have the Neo, or is there something special in there I have yet to reveal?
The Hayabusa leaves me feeling like I am doing something wrong even though I cannot complain about the result. This stone does not seem to create any mud by itself; maybe I need to raise one?
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