Thread: Japanese waterstones info...

I have the .5 and the .25 Amplex pastes, and I have no idea if the grain size is accurate or not. After the Shapton 15k, IF I go to a pasted strop, I go to the .25 micron. I don't use the .5 any more. Just the sound of a blade stropping on the .5 micron sounds too aggressive to me. It sounds gritty, if that makes sense. Like there is sand embedded in the strop, only not that extreme. I don't have the exact answer to your question, but I get very good results skipping the .5 micron and going right to the .25 for about 20 -40 laps, depending on type steel. ..................Jeff

Originally Posted by Ravenflight

Would going to the .5 micron pasted strop be the next step after the 15k or would the .5 be the same or be a step backward?

Ya it does! Thanks! Perfect.

Originally Posted by threeputt

jmorehead, I have the 15k pro from shapton and LOVE it. I go from a yellow coticule straight to the 15k as a finishing hone and it does wonders for me. Not sure if that answered your question or not... ......Jeff

PS Randy, that is a fantastic post. Thanks for sharing the fruits of your research!

Originally Posted by jmorehead

Is that a recommendation to get a Shapton 10k instead of the 15k?
I was getting ready to push the BUY button when I read this!!!

Lee was talking about a Naniwa Superstone in 10k. This seems to be a hot stone right now in knife circles. Pickapeppa knows his stuff, so I wouldn't doubt that it's a good stone.

Originally Posted by threeputt

I have the .5 and the .25 Amplex pastes, and I have no idea if the grain size is accurate or not. After the Shapton 15k, IF I go to a pasted strop, I go to the .25 micron. I don't use the .5 any more. Just the sound of a blade stropping on the .5 micron sounds too aggressive to me. It sounds gritty, if that makes sense. Like there is sand embedded in the strop, only not that extreme. I don't have the exact answer to your question, but I get very good results skipping the .5 micron and going right to the .25 for about 20 -40 laps, depending on type steel. ..................Jeff

Yep, that's the kind of answer I needed. I got a 3 1/4 x 14 Tony Miller 2 sided special on the way and have been trying to decide what to do with the two sides (both smooth non-oil leather- one polished one matte). I was going to do .5 on one and leave the other plain. Now I'm thinking just strop dressing on one and the other plain.

I was going to get the 8k Shapton next (thinking Shapton 8k = Norton 8k) Now I find I need at least 2 more Shaptons (5k & 8k) just to get down to the Norton 8k. And another (2k) to get down to Norton 4k. When can I stop buying stones and start buying Ebay specials to practice on??? A thousand dollars later worth of stones and strops and pastes to sharpen up a couple of 5.00 Ebay specials ought to do it right?

Ravenflight......and don't forget the $300 microscope so you can see all the nice edges your going to polish (lol)

Originally Posted by jim28277

Ravenflight......and don't forget the $300 microscope so you can see all the nice edges your going to polish (lol)

Yeah, no kidding! I'm already getting burned out on my 10.00 RadioShack 60-100x special. The eyepiece is just so small and it's hard to hold it in steady focus with just your hand. I find myself wishing for a nice binocular scope that I can just sit down and slide the blade along without burning my eyes out. But even at 100x on the RadioShack I can't see the structure of the edge (just looks like a line with scratches leading up to it) I'm thinking 'if I could just go to 150x'. But therein I detect a slippery slope with some 15,000.00 Zeiss wonderscope waiting at the bottom of it.

I wonder if the QX5 is any better? Its about $75 and I have heard a lot of people talking about it.

Ravenflight,
Just remember, until you also try both the Belgian Yellow Coticule and the Blue you won't really know if the Shaptons and Nortons are the right stone for you <g>
Then there are the pastes, diamond, Dovo red or black (tube style or waxy blocks) Thiers-Issard white ??? Dovo strops, my strops, Jemico strops, Hand American, Georges?????
When one is all done a TI Damascus with a $20 Lynn sharpening is looking like a bargain!

Tony (who is slowly aquiring the above list)

hi
if there someone which have the internet link from Suehiro Cerax Stone?

Thx for help

Originally Posted by fundgrube

hi
if there someone which have the internet link from Suehiro Cerax Stone?

Thx for help

Where do you live? I've only seen them sold in Germany and Japan.