# One and done travel stone for the holidays



## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

Hey stone-heads. Stoners? I dunno.

I'm going to be at several relatives houses for the holidays, will need to sharpen their knives. I've gotten a bit of a reputation, and people want to see what it's all about. So here we go...

I want a travel stone in the 1-3k range with a couple specific requirements:

Not a soaker (at least not a permasoaker)
Resistant to dishing (I'm guessing this means fairly hard?)
Cuts quickly
Not a huge brick (you know, travel size?)
Synthetic or natural makes _no difference _to me.
bonus points if it cleans up 220 scratches, but that's not the main goal
If anyone's had some success with a good travel stone, I'm open to ideas.

I like my JKI 2k stone, and ticks all these boxes except the soaking bit. That said, I _think _I know where this recommendation thread is going, but I also want to see if I can be surprised by a creative answer...Especially if there's a natural out there with my name on it. Makes me seem better at it than I acktshually am when I'm on the big stage.


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## ian (Nov 15, 2020)

Shapton Glass 500, obviously. Your grit range is misguided.


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

Here are a couple contenders in my mind (don't peek until you recommend)


Spoiler: No peeking!












Gesshin 800 Grit Vitrified Diamond Stone


Product Description Detailed Specs Measurements The Gesshin 800 grit Vitrified Diamond stone is the most used stone in my personal collection. Since starting to use these a few years ago, they quickly became my favorite. I believe that most professional sharpeners are always on a quest for the...




www.japaneseknifeimports.com










Spoiler: Really, don't peek!












Maido 2000 Stone


Product Description Detailed Specs Measurements During a recent trip to Japan, I was talking with a stone company that we are close with out there, and the owner and I got into an in depth discussion about the beginning of his career as a stone maker. When he first started, he began by making...




www.japaneseknifeimports.com


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

ian said:


> Shapton Glass 500, obviously. Your grit range is misguided.


Haha! There it is, #1. 
Why the 500 over the 1k/2k?


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## IsoJ (Nov 15, 2020)

Trick question? Sg500


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

I've never used any Shapton products before, I really have no context on them at all. Anyone up for a short "what to expect from it" elevator speech? Comparison to JKI stones?


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## inferno (Nov 15, 2020)

a glass 500 and the 3k glass is a good combo. and they fit in a shapton pro box. but not if you get the double thick 500.
the glass 220 is a good coarse stone which i guess you will need often.

glass stone7 series is very compact too. i have the 500.
maybe a full size 220 and then glass7 for the rest??


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

inferno said:


> a glass 500 and the 3k glass is a good combo. and they fit in a shapton pro box. but not if you get the double thick 500.
> the glass 220 is a good coarse stone which i guess you will need often.
> 
> glass stone7 series is very compact too. i have the 500.
> maybe a full size 220 and then glass7 for the rest??


That's a good tip for home, for sure. I'm really thinking of a one-and-done for travel. I don't expect the knives I sharpen to stay in amazing shape, just need to get them good enough for the weekend, and make the owners happy.


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## inferno (Nov 15, 2020)

glass stones are hardish, true splash and go, low wear, fast, feel quite nice.


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## inferno (Nov 15, 2020)

captaincaed said:


> That's a good tip for home, for sure. I'm really thinking of a one-and-done for travel. I don't expect the knives I sharpen to stay in amazing shape, just need to get them good enough for the weekend, and make the owners happy.



glass7 500 and a 2-4k? they fit in a pocket.


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

A Shapton Glass user, upon hearing another knife sharpener uses JKI (2020*, colorized)
* The photographer was later shot, and is unavailable for comment


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## M1k3 (Nov 15, 2020)

Shapton Glass 500 and 4k in a Pro box. I can let you borrow them @captaincaed


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## inferno (Nov 15, 2020)

here is the size again


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

inferno said:


> glass7 500 and a 2-4k? they fit in a pocket.


Oh nice, I didn't realize this was even a thing, thanks.


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

M1k3 said:


> Shapton Glass 500 and 4k in a Pro box. I can let you borrow them @captaincaed


WUUUT. You don't need a firstborn as collateral do you?


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## M1k3 (Nov 15, 2020)

captaincaed said:


> WUUUT. You don't need a firstborn as collateral do you?


Nope. Just your address and the promise of returning them.


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## Alder26 (Nov 15, 2020)

Chosera 800 would be my pick. Very fast, splash n go, finishes more like a 1200, cuts almost all steels well


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## pleue (Nov 15, 2020)

You're going to have some dull soft stainless to contend with. I'd bring some sand paper or a low grit diamond plate to set bevels on perhaps. I generally bring a shapton 500 and jki diamond 1k with me when traveling to friends places but I'd guess I'd bring the 500 if I had to pick, just knowing what most knives are that I'll be working on.

You can use the back of the stone to glue some automotive wet sand paper to as well if space is an issue.


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## spaceconvoy (Nov 15, 2020)

Shapton Pro 1500 takes a little more time than the GS500 but is surprisingly fast. If I only had one stone the finer finish would be worth the trade off.


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## parbaked (Nov 15, 2020)

spaceconvoy said:


> Shapton Pro 1500 takes a little more time than the GS500 but is surprisingly fast. If I only had one stone the finer finish would be worth the trade off.


I bought a Shapton Pro 2000 for this purpose and wish I bought the 1500...


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

OK that's good to know, thank you. Just not enough HP to get through chips?


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## Slim278 (Nov 15, 2020)

Over in another knife forum I visit, diamond stones are highly regarded. Probably for the ability to quickly abrade the more complex stainless steels. One of these diamond stones may be worth looking into for a travel stone. They certainly fit the requirements you have listed.


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

Slim278 said:


> Over in another knife forum I visit, diamond stones are highly regarded. Probably for the ability to quickly abrade the more complex stainless steels. One of these diamond stones may be worth looking into for a travel stone. They certainly fit the requirements you have listed.


I do have a 1k diamond, but honestly, I'm a little protective of it. That may be wrong. Maybe I'll ease up once it's not brand new.


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## inferno (Nov 15, 2020)

i usually sharpen my coworkers knives. (not chefs)
these range from globals to other more or less crappy soft stainless.
they sharpen them on rods/steels, pull through sharpeners or not at all. 
they all need chips removed. usually reprofiling. and almost always thinning.
and they run them in the dishwasher. the knives you will encounter will look juuust the same as this!!

so at first i had the shapton pro 1k and 2k at work. but even with the 1k doing a typical knife takes about 15-30 minutes.
so then i brought my atoma 400, and while its faster, its not that much faster. and you also wear it out very fast.
*glass220 and pro220 is fast enough*. then 1k and 2k. that works.
right now i have a bester 2k and a sigma 240 SiC. that works too.

a 1 stone solution will not work. its too slow, you are gonna be sharpening for hours and hours then. unless you want to finish at 500 that is. 

------------------
sand paper works. but you need a device to hold the sandpaper tight, preferably some raised device so it sits above the table by a few inches. just like a stone in a holder.

the bigger the stones the faster. but if you want to travel light you may need to look into kme/edgepro/whatever 1x6 stones. these comes in all different kinds of types. i personally wouldn't go below 250 with diamonds, because those scratches will take ages to grind out!
-------------------

where are you planning to finish these knives? 8k, 4k, 2k, 1k, 500?
if you are finishing on 2k you will need more stones than 1. probably 3.
for 1k you need 2.
for 500 you need one. but really, 500? thats a saw.
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i personally would not start sharpening other peoples ****** knives without a 220-ish stone. even the 500 glass is too slow for most of this crap. but it will work if you accept the extra time it takes. 
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how fast do you want this to go? how light/small does the whole package need to be?
220 glass and a 1k glass will fit in a shapton pro box. its self contained, and the box is the holder.
500 and 2-4k will work too. 
this is quite a light and small kit. about 1kg.


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## spaceconvoy (Nov 15, 2020)

captaincaed said:


> OK that's good to know, thank you. Just not enough HP to get through chips?


I guess my relatives are pretty good about their knives. They're all foodie-ish and mostly have Shuns and wooden cutting boards. But no, I wouldn't use it on a chipped Wusthof that's been abused.


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

I can live with Shuns and wood boards. Even with dings, they make a good dinner.


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## Barmoley (Nov 15, 2020)

King neo st2 800 is good on most steels, the only thing it is not as dish resistant as shapton. Just bring your diamond stone though.


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## captaincaed (Nov 15, 2020)

Anyone tried the 800 vitrified diamond? It's alluring. But expensive. But alluring.
I feel like a cat standing the back door...


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## ian (Nov 15, 2020)

I will buy that one once I’m certain I’m good enough at sharpening that I can keep it flat, given that basically nothing seems to work as a flattener for it.


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## jwthaparc (Nov 15, 2020)

Alder26 said:


> Chosera 800 would be my pick. Very fast, splash n go, finishes more like a 1200, cuts almost all steels well


I second this.


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## dafox (Nov 15, 2020)

For my family's knives I would take a Shapton pro 220 and 1000.


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## ian (Nov 15, 2020)

Cho 800 is too big, imo. You don't got room for that in your suitcase, with the base and everything! Plus, I took it on a trip with me once to sharpen some knives, and had to do some really dull ones. Took forever.

Maybe you should just bring an Atoma 140 and be done with it. 

PS. Did you get a SG 500 yet? Come on, man.

PPS. For a 2 stone combo, SG 220 and 1000 is probably a good idea, as @dafox says. I've never used the 1k, but the 220's fast. And if you stack them they're still thinner than Cho 800.


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## JDC (Nov 15, 2020)

I just bought this:








Naniwa “Ryky Edition” Professional #800/3000 Combo Mini Stone Set


This is a mini set. For regular sized set, please click here. Ryky regularly gets product recommendation requests from EDC (Every Day Carry) and pocket knife owners. They want something compact, relative to normal-sized whetstones, but offer the same sharpening and polishing experience as one...




store.burrfection.com





Small enough for me


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## M1k3 (Nov 15, 2020)

ian said:


> Cho 800 is too big, imo. You don't got room for that in your suitcase, with the base and everything! Plus, I took it on a trip with me once to sharpen some knives, and had to do some really dull ones. Took forever.
> 
> Maybe you should just bring an Atoma 140 and be done with it.
> 
> ...


Glue cardboard to the other side of the atoma.


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## JDC (Nov 15, 2020)

p.s. as everyone suggested, I’d bring a coarse stone or even a diamond one if dull cheap steel’s awaiting


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## Staystrapped (Nov 15, 2020)

Sp 1000 done


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## Alder26 (Nov 15, 2020)

ian said:


> Cho 800 is too big, imo. You don't got room for that in your suitcase, with the base and everything! Plus, I took it on a trip with me once to sharpen some knives, and had to do some really dull ones. Took forever.



I always forget about the base. All my chosera’s have no base which makes them very travel friendly but they’re a little less common than the ones with the base. 

Shapton pro 1k would be the other choice. Finishes substantially more coarse than the naniwa but it’s definitely enough polish for crappy steel. Plus it has the nice little travel case. Nice and cheap too!


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## Unstoppabo (Nov 15, 2020)

DMT duosharp coarse/extra coarse + a SG 1k-3k should do the trick for any stainless knives. Less than 1 inch tall combined and you'll be able to keep your stone flat too. Atoma cuts faster but the DMT style diamond plates are better for SS knives IMO.


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## Marek07 (Nov 15, 2020)

I tried travelling with a Naniwa combo stone but found it too small and too slow. At the time I nabbed a smallish Aizu and it performed quite well. Playing around with slurry & water levels I was able to tackle quite a range of knives. If I had to buy just the one stone that would travel well as per the OP's question, it would be the Shapton Pro 1k. It's pretty quick, handles a variety of steels and comes in a box that doubles as a stand.


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## daveb (Nov 15, 2020)

My travel kit usually involves Shaptons, this year I think it's going to be SG500, SP1000, SG4000. If I know I'm visting someone with a Shun or three I might take the Gesshin 1 and 6K plates and the SG500 to get things started. 

I too prefer the Gesshin soakers for my home use but for use on the road, the Shaptons are the easy button.


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## Bolek (Nov 16, 2020)

Slim278 said:


> Over in another knife forum I visit, diamond stones are highly regarded. Probably for the ability to quickly abrade the more complex stainless steels. One of these diamond stones may be worth looking into for a travel stone. They certainly fit the requirements you have listed.


Do you have any additional information about diamond stones.


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## adam92 (Nov 17, 2020)

Get shapton glass, grid depands on what you gonna sharp & steel. Won't regrets.


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## btbyrd (Nov 17, 2020)

Unstoppabo said:


> DMT duosharp coarse/extra coarse + a SG 1k-3k should do the trick for any stainless knives. Less than 1 inch tall combined and you'll be able to keep your stone flat too. Atoma cuts faster but the DMT style diamond plates are better for SS knives IMO.



This is a great suggestion and is exactly my travel setup (Duosharp + Shapton Glass 1k) for sharpening the soft stainless knives of friends and relatives. I just used it last week to resharpen my own old and inexpensive set of stainless steak knives and it made quick work of an unpleasant task.


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## captaincaed (Nov 17, 2020)

Sorry I'm late to return to this, site stopped pinging me with updates.

I'm going to pull the trigger on the SG500, may the double-stuff since it's got the travel case as well. I can also use it to remove 220 scratches when thinning. I do have a 1k diamond as a 'break glass in an emergency' stone. 

One day on that vitrified 800, but probably not today.


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## captaincaed (Nov 17, 2020)

Anyone know a good place to support to get a SG500 double-stuff?


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## M1k3 (Nov 17, 2020)

captaincaed said:


> Anyone know a good place to support to get a SG500 double-stuff?


Sharpeningsupplies.com ?


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## battlecry501 (Nov 17, 2020)

MTC Kitchen has a 20% off sale right now. Free shipping over $100 for stones too.


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## M1k3 (Nov 17, 2020)

battlecry501 said:


> MTC Kitchen has a 20% off sale right now. Free shipping over $100 for stones too.


Or this!


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## captaincaed (Nov 17, 2020)

I just got paid, here I go!

Also, if anyone has a good octopus recipe for thanksgiving, I'm looking for one of those too. Right now I'm looking at this Galican style app, but I'm open to ideas. Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician Style Octopus)


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## Kawa (Nov 19, 2020)

If your relatives are the same as most relatives in the way they threat their knives, a 1-2k will not be sufficient.
Thats only enough for when *you* call your knives very dull..

Prepare to see all kinds of chips on soft crappy knives, which will need a 200-kinda range stone to be efficient.

So either you take that one stone and make coarse edges which still give a sharper edge on their knives then they were before, or accept you need 2 stones to go to your relatives, unless you want to avoid them while you visit them  Then I would suggest take your 4k stone only


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## captaincaed (Nov 21, 2020)

God love Japan for their packaging. $55 well spent


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## captaincaed (Nov 21, 2020)

Leaves an edge as mean as my scorned ex. Stropped on bare balsa.


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## demirtasem (Nov 23, 2020)

SG220 and 1k is really good idea! I have a question though. About flattening, how SG performs wearing? Do you flatten them often like other whetsones?


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## M1k3 (Nov 24, 2020)

I flatten them usually every time I actually use them. If I just do a few swipes across them, I don't bother flattening again. They don't dish that fast. They don't stay flat forever either.


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## Rangen (Nov 25, 2020)

captaincaed said:


> Anyone tried the 800 vitrified diamond? It's alluring. But expensive. But alluring.
> I feel like a cat standing the back door...



Yeah. It’s pretty great. Fast, very resistant to dishing, fun to use. It’s become a routine choice for re-beveling.


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## captaincaed (Nov 25, 2020)

One day...


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## Dakota Day Trader (Nov 26, 2020)

What 800 grit vitrified diamond stone are we talking about/drooling over?


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## Rangen (Nov 26, 2020)

Dakota Day Trader said:


> What 800 grit vitrified diamond stone are we talking about/drooling over?



The JKI one


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## Dakota Day Trader (Nov 26, 2020)

Thanks! 

I saw the 1k and 6k, but didn’t catch the 800 one further down the page.


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## Barmoley (Nov 26, 2020)

Dakota Day Trader said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I saw the 1k and 6k, but didn’t catch the 800 one further down the page.


Yeah, that one is supposed to be great. I tried 1/6k combo and they are excellent too.


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## Dakota Day Trader (Nov 26, 2020)

I am REALLY looking forward to trying out Spyderco's new 400/800 CBN stone when it hits the place I buy from. 

That just *might* be the one and done stone I've been looking for as well!


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## daveb (Nov 26, 2020)

Will spydeco make it or are they re-branding another stone?


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## Barmoley (Nov 26, 2020)

Should be a good "stone" except for the feel. The feel is expected to be more like dmt diamond plates.


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## Dakota Day Trader (Nov 26, 2020)

daveb said:


> Will spydeco make it or are they re-branding another stone?



I believe this is their stone. I have the Ultra Fine Bench stone and love it, so if this is as good as that, I will be a happy man!


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## captaincaed (Nov 26, 2020)

I should've listened to the 220 crowd. 500 is not enough for this family!


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## Barmoley (Nov 26, 2020)

Or 400 diamond.......


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## Qapla' (Nov 26, 2020)

Where do things like the Shapton Glass 320, Naniwa Pro 600, and Morihei 500 rank in this sort of thing?


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## dafox (Nov 26, 2020)

captaincaed said:


> I should've listened to the 220 crowd. 500 is not enough for this family!


We told you so


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## captaincaed (Nov 26, 2020)

I should've listened!
I've also worn thru a finger tip


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## ian (Nov 26, 2020)

captaincaed said:


> I should've listened to the 220 crowd. 500 is not enough for this family!



I blame the faulty premise/title of the thread.


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## nakiriknaifuwaifu (Nov 27, 2020)

If you're doing a lot of knives for family and friends, there are cheap diamond plates that don't have backing for <$10 on Ebay. Barely takes up any extra space when traveling. You could get a lot done with one of those plates, any 1k - 3k medium grit stone, and a strop.



@Kippington uses one here, I think.

I set the bevel on those, 1k, strop, done.


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## captaincaed (Nov 27, 2020)

Yeah, Kippington is great at taking the mystery out of these operations, and talking sense.

My main issue was grinding out heavy nicks. I ended up bringing a couple home to the 220 pink brick. Dull is one thing, beat to hell is another.


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## inferno (Nov 28, 2020)

we told you.


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## demirtasem (Nov 28, 2020)

Sorry OP I’m gonna hijack your thread. I’m in the same situation with captaincaed. I have Chosera 400,800,3k combination and really happy with them. Trying to find Shapton Glass versions of them via traveling. (Especially 400 and 800). So which combination do you think give me kind of same performance?


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## M1k3 (Nov 28, 2020)

500 and 4k. 220 or 320 for the dull and chipped stuff.


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## captaincaed (Nov 28, 2020)

I didn't realize that 500 is for a knife that is _merely_ very dull, not beat to hell.


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