Ahh the grittiest of the gritty (almost). For those who can’t access the manticore or some monster 60 grit sic stone.
I’ve hated this stone for a long time. It’s glassy when used outside of ideal conditions, inconsistent when new, and impossible to flatten. A couple tips for those who have one and have a hard time using it, or for those looking into thinning and heavy steel removal.
- work with some mud. You want to feed the grittiness with pressure that keeps exposing new abrasive. When used with too much water and/or too light of a touch, cutting power drops off a cliff. Feel the horrible grinding and maintain it with water management.
- unless you have @benuser’s magic glass polishing thing, sic powder and glass plate for flattening and resurfacing. Required. Other methods either I haven’t figured out or are a waste of time. This stone will grind a hole in your neighbor’s sidewalk.
- you don’t have to flatten it all the time, but be wary of the lip on the edges that develop when it starts dishing. This will cut an irreparable groove into your knife that you’ll hate yourself for. Be aware of it and check your work often, especially near the heel or during heavy use.
Happy thinning!!
I’ve hated this stone for a long time. It’s glassy when used outside of ideal conditions, inconsistent when new, and impossible to flatten. A couple tips for those who have one and have a hard time using it, or for those looking into thinning and heavy steel removal.
- work with some mud. You want to feed the grittiness with pressure that keeps exposing new abrasive. When used with too much water and/or too light of a touch, cutting power drops off a cliff. Feel the horrible grinding and maintain it with water management.
- unless you have @benuser’s magic glass polishing thing, sic powder and glass plate for flattening and resurfacing. Required. Other methods either I haven’t figured out or are a waste of time. This stone will grind a hole in your neighbor’s sidewalk.
- you don’t have to flatten it all the time, but be wary of the lip on the edges that develop when it starts dishing. This will cut an irreparable groove into your knife that you’ll hate yourself for. Be aware of it and check your work often, especially near the heel or during heavy use.
Happy thinning!!
