Sharpening set overhaul

[Dc2123]

Hi I feel like I need to add some stones into my rotation. I’m a
Novice sharpener and haven’t seen great results due to my own experience
And short comings and for what my friend says I lack in stones.

I have a dmt 120 grit flattening plate from Cktg. (Not sure if I need something to make a slurry on the stone first)

400 naniwa
1000 shapton pro
2000 green brick of joy
(I’ve gouged the green brick a few times, and just haven’t seen any results when I finish on it. Not sure what’s going on)

 

[daveb]

Between the Naniwa and the SP1000 you should be getting a pretty servicable edge on most any knife. (I've never used the green brick but heard enough that it's prob a decent stone) Suggest you make sure you have fundamentals down before you try and buy proficiency.

JKI and Knife Planet both offer good tutorials via utube. Watch, sharpen, watch, sharpen.

If you like the SP1000 (and I do) then the SP2000 is a good next stone.

 

[bahamaroot]

Ditch the GBJ(overrated and sucks) and get a Naniwa Pro 3k. You can thank me later.

 

[PappaG]

I don't think new stones will make you a better sharpener. If you are intent on buying new stones, try some soakers: Cerax 320, 1000 and rika 5000. They are softer stones and may be a little more forgiving.... but again, stones will not make you a better sharpener...

 

[vicv]

I disagree on the green brick. While there are definitely better stones out there it does serve its purpose. Actually the whole gouging property of that stone makes it good for a novice sharpener. That stone really helped me learn angle control. I don't use it much anymore but there's nothing wrong with it.
to the Opie. You don't need new Stones. You just need practice and experience the equipment you have is just fine and will do everything you could ever need

 

[Kitchen-Samurai]

You don’t need new stones. However, I can understand that you want to try different stones to see what your preferences are. You did not mention which Naniwa stone you have. Is it the traditional, the professional, the sharpening stone? I can also see that it is a bit tricky for a beginner to start on a very hard 1K stone, and then switch to the soft green brick. Therefore, if you are happy with the 1k stone, you might want to consider the Shapton pro 2K.
Other good options might be the Chosera 3k, the Shapton Glass 2K or 3k, the Gesshin 2K....
But don’t expect to get sharper knives with any of these stones. That only comes with improved skills/technique. And to this end I can only second the knife sharpening videos from Jon Broida and Peter Nowlan.

 

[DaM0w]

Use the back of a moritaka as a honing rod

 

[dough]

Like everyone said your lack of results is not due to the stones but new stones are more fun then new knives. Also getting new stones might make you excited to practice sharpening more and that will improve your results so in a way new stones might help.
As far as which stones to target I think you gotta give people more to go on like what you want to spend or what you don’t like about your current stones or what is missing in your results.

 

[SeattleBen]

If you're gouging you might also get some mileage out of swapping to trailing strokes for a while.

 

[esoo]

While I would consider myself somewhat of an amateur, I've used a Naniwa 400 Superstone and GBOJ combo to get quite usable edges on my knives.

The GBOJ is a decisive stone - it either works for you or it doesn't. I got it for dirt cheap from a co-worker who hated it. For me, it works well, but for some reason I don't find that it muds up at all so I think that make it a better sharpener as opposed to a polisher.

 

[bahamaroot]

I don't think new stones will make you a better sharpener...

New stones might not make you a better sharpener but better or different stones can make sharpening easier.

 

[vicv]

While I would consider myself somewhat of an amateur, I've used a Naniwa 400 Superstone and GBOJ combo to get quite usable edges on my knives.

The GBOJ is a decisive stone - it either works for you or it doesn't. I got it for dirt cheap from a co-worker who hated it. For me, it works well, but for some reason I don't find that it muds up at all so I think that make it a better sharpener as opposed to a polisher.

Actually it "mudding" up makes for sharpening better. When it dries is when it starts to polish

 

[inferno]

the glass3k is cheap and good imo.

 

[milkbaby]

The biggest bang for your buck is a sharpie and practice. However, as mentioned above, new stones may make you more excited to practice which is worth something.