SinDoc Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 I was looking around in the knife making section, but did not manage to find a post talking about sharpening. It is 100% probable that I missed or overlooked some, in which case I apologize. Does anyone have any recommendations for whetstones? I was looking around online for some, and that big online retailer everyone knows about has several different grit packs. I would assume as with everything that some are better than others, but dont know what to look for as I have never used whetstones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30841-knife-class-log-107-sharpening/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinDoc Posted May 21, 2021 Author Share Posted May 21, 2021 I knew I probably overlooked it. Thanks Steve! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 Well I like to buy old whetstones and recondition them; *much* cheaper and you can often get some really good stones that way. I remember when the market was flooded with US$1.50 chinese whetstones and they were terrible as they didn't wear exposing new grit, they just clogged and stopped working---too hard!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinDoc Posted May 21, 2021 Author Share Posted May 21, 2021 Yeah I was looking at a two stone set w/ base on Amazon. One stone was 300/1000 and the other was 3000/8000. Reviews didn't have anything terrible to say other than lack of instructions on how to actually use them. I may grab them and see how they do. They're only $40ish anyways so aren't expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 Clogging is why I like oil stones, the cuttings don't stick as easily. I have a pair of ceramic sticks I use to keep my knives honed and only go to the bench stone to repair a damaged edge. Stropping is a nice final treatment, it really improves edge holding properties. A lot depends on what you're using the knife for, I keep a bench stone on the kitchen sink and use it with water for kitchen knives. A wire edged stropped knife doesn't cut veggies as well as one that's just been touched to the fine side of the stone. The "rough" edge snag and pierces thin skin like on a tomato effortlessly. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 2 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Well I like to buy old whetstones and recondition them; *much* cheaper and you can often get some really good stones that way. My old woodworking teacher did the same, usually by boiling them in strong detergent in a pan he didn't plan to use for cooking any more. He would then lubricate them with soapy water rather than oil, since it would rinse off his hands easily and not stain the wood. Now I'm thinking about whether a soak in Simple Green would be good for unclogging an old oilstone. All that said, I do my fine sharpening with Japanese waterstones, left over from my days as a professional woodworker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 Why I like my skinning knives to not be excessively hard, a quick zip on the stone every now and then gives a very aggressive edge to work with. Now if you want to never sleep for the rest of your short life---I've been told that running them through the dishwasher multiple times does a good clean up. SWMBO has indicated that my doing so will result in me being "metabolically challenged" forthwith! (The old books talk of soaking them in Kerosene and baking them; but I certainly would NOT try that in the house! (I may try it in a charcoal grill sometimes with a "junk" stone.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 Thomas: Run the knives or stones through the dishwasher? I run my kitchen oil stone through the dishwasher when it starts to load up. I don't use oil on that stone and it's MY kitchen. Deb doesn't ask permission but doesn't "arrange" thing without risk. For badly loaded stones a soak in muriatic acid works wonders. Flush, neutralize and rinse several more times. It's kind of cool watching your sharpening stone foam when you neutralize the acid in baking soda water. I've only had to do that once, I wash them often enough I don't have to clean them with acid. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 You can clean your ceramic rods with oil and a magic eraser or the scrubber side of a dish sponge if they get loaded. I found an old broken one with no handle that cleaned up pretty well. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 The ceramic sticks I have aren't round, they're rectangular with a sort of bull nosed edge running full length. Calling them "sticks" was misleading, my bad. I have another ceramic sharpening "stone" that's 3/8" x 1 1/2" x 5 7/8" and very fine. I didn't think about even though it's plainly visible from where I'm sitting but it's too fine I rarely use it. If you put a drop or two of water on one while you sharpen a blade it cleans right up. The harder the steal the better they cut and less they load up. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Griffin Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 Try a tungsten electrode for tig welding. IMO works better than ceramic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinDoc Posted May 24, 2021 Author Share Posted May 24, 2021 I ended up buying a set of King sharpening stones over the weekend. Should be here by the end of the week then maybe I can try to get my dull, junky kitchen knifes back in shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 I found a like new Norton commercial kitchen sharpener at a garage sale for $20. The stones had no discoloration from being used. The stones are 11.5" long, and make short work of sharpening kitchen knives. I saw it on a shelf in the guy's garage, and asked about it. He said he didn't set it out because he didn't think anyone would know what it was. He then tells me, "These run around $120, how does $20 sound? " Sold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinDoc Posted May 24, 2021 Author Share Posted May 24, 2021 I was looking at those but couldn't justify the cost for a first time user. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 Yup that's the way to find them cheap! Constant Vigilance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted May 25, 2021 Share Posted May 25, 2021 I use an EZE LAP diamond stone to sharpen most knives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisCA Posted May 25, 2021 Share Posted May 25, 2021 I use my belt sander a lot of the time, with a fine diamond belt, then I can usually strop that and I get hair shaving sharpness. I have two arkansas oilstones but only for maintaining an edge in good shape. I also have a big powered grindstone, think Tormek but the wheel is 50x10 centimeters in size, roughly 20 x 4 inches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted May 25, 2021 Share Posted May 25, 2021 You can impregnate leather with lapping compound and make your own sharpeners. I have a wooden dowel somewhere that's covered in valve lapping compound impregnated leather. It works well. I have to go to the storage unit today to get my frame pack. I think I'll look for it. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Brandl Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 Those King water stones are good starter stones. Just soak them in water until the air stops bubbling from them. Never wash them, don't keep them soaking in water when not in use, and buy a DMT plate or some other kind to keep them flat. Also with those, try not to wipe the "mud" off. It helps in the polishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Sawyers Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 The tube inside of a High Pressure Sodium lamp works great. Most Electrical workers have access to burnout ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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