Ceramic Stones

[Mark]

Hi everyone. I have a question for you guru’s. I have the WE130 . Stones include 100-2000. I am thinking of purchasing the superfine 1.4 and .6 ceramic stones to use before going to my leather strops. Currently have the 5 micron 3 micron and 1 micron  also the .5 strops. Is this a good progression?

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Dwight Glass

[Marc H]

Mark, why do you want to add finer grit stones to your sharpening progression?  What are you looking to accomplish? A sharper edge or a finer polished bevels?

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

[Mark]

I was thinking that the ceramics may help with polishing. I am not having any problems getting a very sharp edge. Just wanting to smooth the grit marks. Don’t really want to get into the tapes.

[Organic]

The ceramic stones do help improve the polish and would fit pretty well after your 2200 diamond stone. If you really want to improve the polish on your bevels (and don’t want to go to lapping films) then I suggest spending a lot of time using your strops.

 

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Mark, Brewbear, Marc H

[Marc H]

Mark, it’s hard to beat the diamond lapping films for producing a polished edge.  A good effort with strops does help, maybe a 4 or 5 grit strop progression with a lot of time, strokes, and attention to detail.  But nothing is as fast and effective as the films.  I still do follow the films with the strops.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

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Mark, Brewbear, Organic

[Brewbear]

Marc H wrote:

Mark, it’s hard to beat the diamond lapping films for producing a polished edge. A good effort with strops does help, maybe a 4 or 5 grit strop progression with a lot of time, strokes, and attention to detail. But nothing is as fast and effective as the films. I still do follow the films with the strops.

I really need more coffee, I had to look twice…..OK, three times, at your answer before it dawned on me you weren’t answering to yourself. The difference between Marc and Mark was hard to see when the coffee supply was depleted in the blood stream.

All that aside, I will agree that DLFs are hard to beat in getting a mirrored polish. I am using them quite a bit on my knives but now I’m considering a set of the micro fine ceramics for those days when a mirrored edge is not required.

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Mark

[Mark]

Maybe I should reconsider the film. What grits do you guys recommend?

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Dwight Glass

[Marc H]

I usually start with 6µ then progress down only to 0.5µ, (no finer). Be aware to only use edge trailing, that is up and off the knife edge strokes.  I find very light pressure works best for me.  Be sure to clean the bevel first with rubbing alchohol  on a clean towel, before starting the films and also between each grit.  It’ll help avoid some very fine stray scratches.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

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Organic, Mark, Brewbear

[Organic]

I also start my diamond film progression (on those knives where I choose to use them) at 6 micron. I follow that up with 3 micron and 1.5 micron films and then the 4 / 2 micron strops. I don’t currently own any of the finer films (1, 0.5, 0.1). Most knives I sharpen get diamonds up to 3000 grit, then the 1.4 / 0.6 micron ceramic stones followed by strops. If I’m just sharpening to get it sharp then I will use only the 4 / 2 micron strops. this edge is shinny and reflective but not a clear mirrored finish. If I’m going for a full mirrored finish then I use a full progression of strops (14, 10, 4, 2, 1, 0.5 micron).

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Brewbear, Marc H, Mark

[Author]

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