Thread: Testing Middle Stones?

Lot's of discussions about testing final polish: HHT, and and and... These make it simple to evaluate the 'goodness' of a stone, with 'goodness' being defined as something like "the speed of which it gets me to HHT4 or 5 or..."

But what about the middle stones? The 3k's and 5k's and Aoto's and DMT greens etc. I ask because I have too many such stones, and want a way to form a more informed opinion of their 'goodness'. Sometimes I use these to set a bevel on a razor or as middle stones for all sorts of edge tools. All the edge tools get a final treatment--either strop or 'stone' depending on what I'm doing with it.

Then there's the knives. My pocket knife I do like a razor. But the scads of kitchen knives typically stop at one of the middle stones and this is the conundrum. Frankly, I'm as lazy with Kitchen knives as I am overly-neurotic with razors, chisels, and my pocket knife. Edge tools, razors, I want the best possible edge. Kitchen knives, I want the fastest way to fix the shameful abuse my wife and children heap on the CCC (Crappy Chicago Cutlery) blades while spending only that time necessary to get the minimal edge that won't irritate me when cutting an onion.

Sometimes I do the sequence: 140gr atoma, a 1k Chosera or Ikarashi or Soft Arky, then 'finish' with one of a couple Aoto's or a hard arky or a DMT green. Sometimes I just pick up a middle stone like Aoto or hard arky and start grinding away. If I'm SUPER particularly lazy, I turn on the grinder and run the blade across the chrome-oxide felt wheel until I'm bored. Frankly, I can't figure out which method is best. I'm particularly irritated by not being able to choose 'best' between two aotos and a hard arky.

The confusion comes down to: what's the right sharpness test for the kitchen knife? I don't always have tomatoes lying around? I'd like to do some testing but don't know the criteria I should use. What say you?

Bob Kramer one of the best kitchen knife makers, has some good videos on YouTube on the subject.

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I, like you, am quite lazy with sharpening my kitchen knife and abuse the heck out of it.

As a result, no sharpness tests. Plus I'm not wasting food to try out my edge. I'll test it the next time I use it.

If you're skilled with the TPT, you could do that. Paper maybe?

What I do is just run the edge through a 2-stage diamond hone, that has the angle set in the plastic housing. They're probably in the neighborhood of 500 grit and 1000. Once the blade starts to cut poorly, I bring it out and do about 20 back and forth passes. Hasn't failed me yet. However, it is pretty useless for serrated blades and you have to get used to holding the blade consistently vertical or you get wonky bevels.

I got one of these for my kitchen knives at "time of use". https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/D...argBoCiH7w_wcB

I am a firm believer in Testing a cutting edge by using it to cut what it was designed to cut


Razor = Shave
Kitchen Knife = Food
Axe = Wood
Hunting knife = Hide and Viscera
Lathe Tools = Turning material

Etc: Etc : Etc:

But then again I am old fashioned that way

If you want to test a middle hone, shave off of it. The shave off a Norton 8k should be good enough that you wouldn't mind living without any finer stone (strictly for shaving). Back when I cared, I shaved off everything I had that wasn't a 1k, preferably with matching razors or the same razor.

When I honed more, I decided that, for middle hones, my preference was for something reasonably fast, gentle on the razor, and, above all else, reliable. A "standard" routine should work for at least 90% (made that number up) of razors you try. Probably a higher %, now that I think of it. Them's good middle hones.

But how to test that? I do my standard (which is circles followed by X's), and test shave something (usually arm hair for me, but you could do whatever). Then a little more, then test. If better, repeat. If the same, stop. Subtract the last pattern, and that's your number. Then try it on another razor. If it's the same number, keep it. If you need more, up it. But don't drop the number unless you're restarting your whole evaluation. Then pick another razor. And another. And so on. Eventually you figure out the minimum that is whatever % reliable. Then start again with another hone. If it take fewer strokes to get the same result, it's "better" by one definition. Of course, you have to like using the hone, it can't cause microchipping, it needs to lead into your next hone nicely, etc.

The fastest way I've found to sharpen knives is with the "Razor Sharp Edgemaking System". Do a YouTube search and you'll run across several demonstrations of it. I

wouldn't get near it with my razors, but it works like a charm for knives. As far as testing goes, I want my kitchen knives to cleanly cut paper and shave hair. The final test

is how well it performs for it's intended use.

For kitchen knife, a 1k edge is plenty for a working knife. My wife is also hard on knife edges, so her favorites hit the stones, when I have them out and an old Norton 1k, will easily bring them back. She does have 3 favorites.

We also keep several knives in the blocks of the knife drawers, so there is always a sharp knife at hand, a dozen or so.

You can take edges higher, for specialty use, but for most kitchen use, a 1k is plenty. A Diamond and Ceramic rod, stored in the knife drawers, will tune an edge, in a pinch and hold off a honing.

A large Washita will bring back an edge that, is too far gone or 300 Diamond plate, if needed.

Most any quality synthetic stone, will easily free hand a kitchen knife in a few minutes. For folders or EDC, there are very good jigs out, that do great jobs on smaller knives for good looking bevels.

I simply raise a bur, remove the bur and use a thumb pad test. A sharpie will ensure you are honing to the edge and tell you if you have any chips.

You can learn to freehand hone a knife with just a bit of practice, there are tons of videos demonstrating the technique.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I am a firm believer in Testing a cutting edge by using it to cut what it was designed to cut


Razor = Shave
Kitchen Knife = Food
Axe = Wood
Hunting knife = Hide and Viscera
Lathe Tools = Turning material

Etc: Etc : Etc:

But then again I am old fashioned that way

That's too sensible Glen. And here was I thinking you'd moved with the times & used cherry tomatoes & A4 paper for your tests

As far back as I can remember the test for a knife in my family was shaving the hair off an arm. My dad and brothers would amaze everyone with the sharpness of their knives by pulling them out and shaving a bit of arm hair showing that they were "razor" sharp. We were all in awe and that became the standard. Of course now I know what "razor" sharp really means but I still use the arm hair as a MINIMUM sharpness test on my knives. I use Arkansas stones for all my sharpening needs from knife to razor. I get my knives sharper than most find useful and I like to keep them there.