Originally Posted by
Euclid440
Interesting stones, but if you are going to end up at 20k or a natural edge, the bevel setter and middle stones really don’t make a difference how you get there.
I have most of the popular stones and tons of naturals, lately I have been using Kings, (Just because I like the feel of the 1k, kind of muddy) 1k and 6k, finish on 20 or natural or paste
I dunk in a tub of water and do a quick lap with a 600-diamond plate, then flood with a squirt bottle while on the holder. I do this with all stones, even naturals. I add water with the squirt bottle as needed. And let dry on edge on a wooden plate rack after use.
No warping, no issues, except for my 8K Snow White, that crazed a couple years ago, but you cannot feel it with a thumb nail and it does not affect its polishing ability. I bought a new 8k, about a year ago after hearing a rumor on a knife site, that they were going to stop making the Snow-White Fuji, hasn’t happened. I have not unboxed the new one and the crazed 8k is still producing near mirror bevels. I do like that stone it is a great jumping off point to a natural and is both aggressive and a polisher.
When I first got my 20k years ago I had a problem with it scratching and it did not feel like it was cutting smoothly. I had lapped with a 300 and 400 plate. I had been babying the stone, reading all the, ”Hone with the weight of the blade and take care to not over hone” ,reviews.
One day I gridded it with a lumber pencil and lapped the creap out of it aggressively, with a 140 plate, a few times and finished on a 600. I has worked just fine since.
Like the guy who hit the mule between the eyes with a 2X4 said, “First you got to get their attention.”
I kind of subscribe to the take it to the limit, go over the limit, then back it off a notch or two, theory. Otherwise, how do you really know where the limit is?