Atoma 140’s… re-profiling made easy!

[Josh]

Don’t get me wrong, I like my 50/80 combo from WEPS 😛 but, I don’t use them anymore… my Atoma 140 grit’s cut for the WE paddles are the perfect fix. I have been using them for about 6mo to a year now and they work GREAT at heavy metal removal and are my favorite stone now below 400… actually, I jump straight from the 140’s to my 400’s!

I don’t understand how they work this efficiently though… How can they remove so much metal that fast yet not leave the deep scratches of the 50/80 grit? I have checked carefully(alternating grind direction) and my 400’s completely erase the scratches of the 140’s.

Anyway, I don’t know if anyone has considered these (especially for you farmers market guys) but you may want to… And Clay, you may want to consider offering them!

I have pulled some pics off of Tom Blodgett’s blog[/url] (Jende Industries) of a side by side comparison of the Atoma 140’s and the DMT extra course diamond stones. Anyone else have experience w/ these?

Thanks Tom for the pics!

#140 Atoma Diamond Plate – Macro

Extra Coarse DMT Diamond Plate – Macro

#140 Atoma Diamond Plate – Micro

Extra Coarse DMT Diamond Plate – Micro

[Eamon Mc Gowan]

Josh,
Coming from you I take this to heart. Going straight to 400’s is really saying something! Can you give us a link where to get them?
Eamon

[Jed Bowen]

Josh now you are talking about an extra 2 steps I can leave out as in the 100 and 200 grit paddles. Also I can set up a smaller travel kit with leaving out extra paddles to carry. I may start with getting a set of blank paddles and add the 140 Atomas and hopefully find another stone that cuts like the 400 and finishes like the 600. Then get a second paddle with a fine ceramic paddle and a strop on the other side. So it will be a 4 step process and only have to change out paddles one time.

This could be a big break to us in the farmers market gig. Clay could make up a set for sale with something like that but I have to say it may be better for someone else to build up to sell. Things around here do not seem to happen quickly in the production department. I have been waiting on a serration sharpener and a scissor sharpener for quite a long time.

So I guess it is time to do some more research on some sharpening techniques and start building up a farmers market sharpening kit that may only take 4 steps for myself. I am getting excited thinking about the possibility of an even quicker sharpening process. Which equals more money for my time.

[Josh]

Exactly! Taking steps out is what I’m all about! I am curious as to if anyone else has experience with these and are having similar results?

Eamon, I got them from Ken Schwartz and had to mount them myself. I actually just took my 80 grit stones off the paddle and put the 140’s there instead… But I never use the 80’s anymore 🙂

[wickededge]

Josh,

What’s the wear been like for you with those stones? I have a set from a few years ago but I felt like they wore out pretty quickly, especially given the cost. I’m hoping your experience has been different. I know that Ken would love to supply them for us, so it would be pretty easy to get set up and offer them for sale.

–Clay

-Clay

[Josh]

I can’t say exactly how many knives I’ve reprofiled with them… Probably only 20-30,but some of that was pretty heavy metal removal. I did notice that there was an initial “Breaking in” like the stock stones, but I haven’t noticed any degradation after that. How many knives have you used yours on roughly?

[Eamon Mc Gowan]

Hi guys, Just wanted to update this old thread. I finally got to a place where I could order the 140’s. Now I got to say that I do not like my 50/80’s like Josh? I think the 50’s are more trouble then their worth? I have only used them a half dozen times and regretted it every time! Now the 80’s I can make work but still they require a lot to fix the fix?
Now for the Atoma’s? They are everything that Josh says they are and more! They are off the hook! I have used them enough now to be completely SOLD on them!
They have cut down on my time I’m thinking in half? I was going to time them today just to see, but the day went south and I never got it done?
Josh is absolutly right you can go from the 140’s straight to 400. That is now just a given. The amount of time it takes for stock removal this is where I think the time is in half? It just blows me away how efficiently and cleanly they do it? This folks is a game changer! If the jury has been out on this one? Think no more get em!
I called Bob Nash (Oldawan Tools) who has always taken really good care of me. And asked why didn’t you sell these to me before this? He said he thought I was happy with the 50/80’s? I told Bob “never ever hold out on me again! Always sell me stuff that is going to save me time!” He promised to never do that again! Did I say that I like these things 😛 🙂 :woohoo:

So just for the record this is now how I’m doing it? Preset at 20 degress> 140> 400/600> 800> Big bench strop loaded with color green. I will time myself Tuesday.

[Mark76]

Wow, interesting! I now see Bob (Oldawan) has a full range of Atoma stones cut for the WE!

Are they the same thickness as the stock WE stones?

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Dennis Gocong]

So what’s the price on the Atoma 140’s again? If the price is right, then it would be a no brainer to convert. I’m not in the sharpening biz, but I sure want to cut down my time reprofiling as well, so I can watch more of NFL football. As to Clay’s question on wear, I’d like to know that too, and would general sonic cleaning on a periodic basis make a difference???? I know it does for the 100/200 plates….so when my cutting/reprofiling slows down, time to sonicate…and it’s back to normal, but I like the fact that the deep scratches on the 140’s are minimized, always a plus.

[Josh]

So what’s the price on the Atoma 140’s again? If the price is right, then it would be a no brainer to convert. I’m not in the sharpening biz, but I sure want to cut down my time reprofiling as well, so I can watch more of NFL football. As to Clay’s question on wear, I’d like to know that too, and would general sonic cleaning on a periodic basis make a difference???? I know it does for the 100/200 plates….so when my cutting/reprofiling slows down, time to sonicate…and it’s back to normal, but I like the fact that the deep scratches on the 140’s are minimized, always a plus.

I have started to pay attention to mine to see if they were breaking down and “wearing out” at all and have noticed that it seems like they have slowed down some. But then again, I have never cleaned them lol. That is a great idea about the ultra sonic cleaner, I think I will try that and report back!

Eamon, keep track of how many knives you sharpen with those and how the stones do…

[Eamon Mc Gowan]

DAUG, 140 Atoma = $100.and thanks for the sonic cleaning tip! It never even dawned on me to do that?

Mark, they appear to be the same size? I did not put them on the calibers but I did not realize a difference with the angle gauge? I will double check this evening.

Josh, I will start a inventory today.

[Eamon Mc Gowan]

Hi guys,
Okay I took a leap of faith today. I got to thinking about the Atoma’s and decided that if a little was good? Then a lot would be wonderful! So back on the phone with Bob Nash and ordered a Atoma 600/1200 paddle combo. I justified it with that cost is same as “a morning and afternoon at the rifle/pistol range”.
So give me a few days to get them in and test the theory?
I wonder which emotion it will be? :blink: 😉 :woohoo:

[Mark76]

Cool, Eamon! Really interested in your experiences.

In addition to the questions asked above, I’d really like to know whether the jump from 600 grit to 1200 grit is not too large.

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Eamon Mc Gowan]

Cool, Eamon! Really interested in your experiences.

In addition to the questions asked above, I’d really like to know whether the jump from 600 grit to 1200 grit is not too large.

Wondering myself? Decided to roll the dice? The worst that can happen is they work for texturing my waterstones and or different blade grinds? Like I said though I shoot this much in ammo at least once a week and with that all I have is empty brass. :blink:

[Mark76]

Mark, they appear to be the same size? I did not put them on the calibers but I did not realize a difference with the angle gauge? I will double check this evening.

Did you check this Eamon? And did you mount these plates yourself on WE paddles (how?) or did you ask Bob to do this for you?

I realize I am pushing a bit. But I must have missed this thread when it first started and the idea of Atoma plates for the WE suddenly makes me very enthusiastic. I am inclined to give Bob (or Ken?) a call right now to order all four of them, but my rational self tells me not to act instinctively 🙂 . So does my girlfriend 😉

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Author]

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