# Stone Question



## CaptPat (Oct 3, 2011)

I'm interested in starting to free hand sharpen my knives. My current stone inventory includes:

King 800 and 1200
Norton Combination 4k/8k

I got the Kings originally to sharpen chisels and other woodworking equipment and the Norton for staight razors. Should I look to get something coarser than the King 800 or something between the King 1200 and the Norton?

TIA

Pat


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## JohnnyChance (Oct 3, 2011)

Do you currently have anything to keep your stones flat, like a DMT or Atoma diamond plate? If you don't, I would add one of these. You can also use it for repair work instead of getting a 400-500 grit stone to go before the King 800. I do not think you need a stone between 1200 and 4k. I often go from 400 or 1200, right to 5k.

Other than that, I think you have a pretty good grit range. There might be some better performing stones in each of those grits, but I don't think it is worth upgrading yet.


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## Citizen Snips (Oct 3, 2011)

JohnnyChance said:


> Do you currently have anything to keep your stones flat, like a DMT or Atoma diamond plate? If you don't, I would add one of these. You can also use it for repair work instead of getting a 400-500 grit stone to go before the King 800. I do not think you need a stone between 1200 and 4k. I often go from 400 or 1200, right to 5k.
> 
> Other than that, I think you have a pretty good grit range. There might be some better performing stones in each of those grits, but I don't think it is worth upgrading yet.


 
+1

just get something to flatten those stones. after they have worn down you can upgrade knowing that you have put in some hours and are beginning to learn what the different grits do for you and for the purpose you want from them

experience is worth way more than new pretty stones


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## Seb (Oct 3, 2011)

+1 on getting the flattener. There seems to be two schools of opinion emerging: (1) that the DMT 'C' or Atoma #400 will do an ok job and is cheaper; and (2) that the DMT 'XX' or Atoma #140 is the way to go. I prefer option (2): the extra-extra coarse plates are faster and stick less to the stones, expecially muddy, resin-based stones like the Naniwa SuperStone series.

When you are in the market for a very coarse stone, this one (which I haven't tried yet) looks to be the emerging contender with a little bit of buzz around it: King #300-grit. Otherwise the standard choices in this grit range are Beston #500, Chocera #400 (I have this one) or Shapton Pro or GlassStone #320.


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## JohnnyChance (Oct 3, 2011)

Seb said:


> When you are in the market for a very coarse stone, this one (which I haven't tried yet) looks to be the emerging contender with a little bit of buzz around it: King #300-grit. Otherwise the standard choices in this grit range are Beston #500, Chocera #400 (I have this one) or Shapton Pro or GlassStone #320.



I haven't heard anything about the King 300, and I also have a Chosera 400, but another stone in this range people do seem to really love is the Gesshin 400.


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## Citizen Snips (Oct 3, 2011)

ya lets not forget the gesshin 400. very fast, slow to dish, and great feedback. my coarse of choice


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## memorael (Oct 3, 2011)

Anyone have any info on the king 300?


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## Dave Martell (Oct 3, 2011)

I've had a King 300x for about 1.5 yrs in my bucket. I say save your money - it's King of a Loser


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## tk59 (Oct 3, 2011)

CaptPat said:


> I'm interested in starting to free hand sharpen my knives. My current stone inventory includes:
> 
> King 800 and 1200
> Norton Combination 4k/8k
> ...


 
I'd say go with the flattener and you're good to go. Once you decide you want something different or "better" you can spend all your money on knives and stones like the rest of us.


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## memorael (Oct 3, 2011)

ok so no 300x for me. 

On the other hand isn't a norton 8k about 4k Japanese ? so what about the 4k? about 2k?


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## Dave Martell (Oct 3, 2011)

FWIW the King 300x is the slowest cutting coarse stone you'd ever want to meet. It never really dishes though so I guess that's something.


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## EdipisReks (Oct 3, 2011)

Dave Martell said:


> FWIW the King 300x is the slowest cutting coarse stone you'd ever want to meet. It never really dishes though so I guess that's something.


 
sounds like you might as well use a pane of glass. would have the same attributes!


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## tk59 (Oct 3, 2011)

memorael said:


> ok so no 300x for me.
> 
> On the other hand isn't a norton 8k about 4k Japanese ? so what about the 4k? about 2k?


 
I've used these a few times. I don't think they are THAT far off but definitely you don't get the type of keeness you would expect from a 4k and 8k. I once lost an informal sharpening competition to unkajonet using these. I was trying to prove that all 8k's give 8k edges and then I lost. I think he was using Dave's standard setup beston, bester, rika, kit or something like that and I used beston, norton 1k, norton 4k, norton 8k. My edge wasn't dull but I clearly lost.


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## JBroida (Oct 4, 2011)

i think its one of the most common misconceptions with stones... grit doesn not equal grit... variables like grit type, grit density, binder density, binder material, stone hardness, and the amount of mud used all make a difference in finishes... very few equal grit stones work in the same way (but i know you already know this  )


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## memorael (Oct 4, 2011)

I would have given my right arm to see TK in that competition lol... actually I would give a foot or something else my arms are needed for my knife fix. BTW someone should go over to the straight razor forums and raise hell by saying nortons aren't 8k perse, I bet there would be a heated debate in less than a minute.


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## Eamon Burke (Oct 4, 2011)

strop strop strop


Get/make a strop.


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## CaptPat (Oct 5, 2011)

Thanks guys. A stone flattener it is.

Pat


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