Thread: finishing hone?

Mike,

I think the best "bang for the buck" is the Chinese 12K. It is very important to finish lap it with 1500 to 2000 grit Silicon Carbide paper. If lapped well, it will take out 8000 - 10,000 grit scratches. The other stones mentioned above are good too. But, it is hard to beat the Chinese stone, if it is lapped well. This is coming from a guy that still has four Eschers...

I just finished an article for Knives 2014 that will show micrographs of how the edge is refined between 4000 grit and the final stropping. While I was doing the microscope photos, I was shocked at the difference that was made by changing the lapping on the finish stones. I will check with F&W to see if I can release a few of the photos.

0.5 Micron Chromium Oxide on Balsa will completely remove all scratches from a well lapped 12K stone. It is important that the Chromium Oxide just fills the pores of the Balsa, and is not a thick layer on the top.

Come up sometime. We will drag out the microscope, and I'll show you how things work.

I hope this helps.

Tim Z.

Thanks a ton Tim!!! I had forgotten what stone you had said and didn't want to call and bug you again. I wrote it down, and lost the paper i wrote it on. I will get that ordered this week and see if i can get a good edge I will for sure take you up on the offer, but it is looking like it will be after christmas.
Thanks
Mike

Originally Posted by MikeDavis

Sorry, i should have been more informative about what i have. I have a Shapton 320, a bester 500, beston 1200, a king 800/6k combo, a shapton 5k and a 10k jnat. I am using a homemade strop that is clean with no compounds, cowhide. I know it is not optimal, just what i have right now lol

Jnats do not have grit ratings, so it is impossible to have a 10k rated Jnat.
The question is is it not giving you the edge that you like because you are not using it correctly or because it is not a finisher.

How do you use that stone?

After a nice talk with Tim, i found out 2 things. I was lapping my stone wrong, and i don't think it is a jnat. It is marked 10000 on one end. I have minimal knowledge about stones, and i either was misinformed or misread, my fault...no biggie. I was lapping it on a fine diamond plate, which works great for getting them flat, but it leaves a harsh finish. I am going to relap my stone and try again. As far as how i am sharpening, i put tape on the spine, and do edge trailing strokes, with very little pressure. Here is a picture of the stone.

Not that a picture is very helpful, it is medium hard, i can still score it if i am not careful, but for a kitchen knife, it leaves a decent edge. Excited to see how it will work with a nice lap.
Mike

Originally Posted by MikeDavis

As far as how i am sharpening, i put tape on the spine, and do edge trailing strokes,

So in effect you're using your hone as if it was a strop ? AFAIC edge leading strokes is a better way to hone. I won't even qualify that with YMMV. Give it a try while you're experimenting, you may like the results.

Thanks! I will. I will test it tonight for sure, and let you know how it works out!

Hi Mike,

I saw your intro in member introductions and you have quite a bit of experience with knives. One of the hardest things for knife sharpeners to accept, and I was one, is that the razor is a totally different animal and you just can't treat them the same. Here's a link to gssixgun, Glen's honing videos. He covers technique for razors and on most any hone generally accepted as good for razors. YouTube

Good Luck!!

Regards,
Howard.

Originally Posted by MikeDavis

Thanks! I will. I will test it tonight for sure, and let you know how it works out!

Mike,
I just realized you are also on KKF, recognized the 10k JKS stone.
If that stone is anything like 10k Super stone you should be getting good edges from it to shave. Use a CrO or Diamond spray bench strop after the stone and then hanging fabric/leather strop and you are set. If you want to go higher on the finishing end of the stone spectrum, you have many options.