Correct beginner stone/grit progression?

[Christopher Chaplow]

Hello all,

This is my first post. I just ordered the WE basic and some extra stones and was hoping for some feedback whether my choices are okay or not.
Below is what I have coming:

100/200 diamond
400-600 diamond
800/1000 chosera waterstone
1200/1600 ceramic
5/3.5 diamond balsa strops

Am I missing anything? Is the grit progression and types of stones okay?

Thanks for your help. I feel like a kid before Christmas waiting on these.

Chris

[Ken Buzbee]

Congrats & welcome!

You’ll be fine.

General recommendation is to drop back a grit moving to the Choseras eg 600 diamond->400 Chosera-> as the diamonds cut deeper scratches.

But it all depends on what you want… Many here are OCD about getting the most polished bevel they can. When you think Chosera think “polish” so going back a level helps to remove those deeper diamond scratches.

But you can still get nice and sharp without that level of polish.

As to the ceramics, I very much prefer the micro fine and would have picked those over the 1200/1600.

I tend to go diamond 100…->1000->micro fine-> 2000 Chosera->and up if I’m polishing an edge that fine.

Ken

[cbwx34]

Below is what I have coming:

100/200 diamond
400-600 diamond
800/1000 chosera waterstone
1200/1600 ceramic
5/3.5 diamond balsa strops

Am I missing anything? Is the grit progression and types of stones okay?

Welcome to the forum.

Looks good… you can work with this setup for a bit, give your diamond stones a chance to break in, and then decide if you need (or more likely want) anything else.

Have fun!

[Johpe]

The stone that would be the next I line (at lest for me) in your setup would be the 800/1000 weps diamond. For me that one is invaluable, is you’re not going for polish it gives a great toothy working edge and to be able to move to higher grits it is also good for removing scratches.

[Mark76]

Welcome! Exactly what I started with, with the exception that I started with the WE 800/1000 diamond stones. Your setup should work fine. However, be aware that the Choseras are very nice stones and they work addictively…

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[cbwx34]

The stone that would be the next I line (at lest for me) in your setup would be the 800/1000 weps diamond. For me that one is invaluable, is you’re not going for polish it gives a great toothy working edge and to be able to move to higher grits it is also good for removing scratches.

Glad you added this, I saw 800/1000, and my mind interpreted he already had them (even though I read Chosera too). 😳

This stone will also save wear & tear on the Choseras.

[Christopher Chaplow]

Thanks Guys! I really appreciate it. I just ordered the 800/1000 diamond. I guess I should have asked my question prior to ordering but I am a bit impulsive. Below are the stones that will be arriving soon.

100/200 diamond
400-600 diamond
800/1000 diamond
800/1000 chosera waterstone
1200/1600 ceramic
5/3.5 diamond balsa strops

I understand now that the diamonds will cut deeper so following up with a coarser chosera is appropriate. Does it make sense to follow 800/1000 diamond with 800/1000 chosera?

Also, I am not sure that I fully understand the Ceramic vs strop. Looking at the grit comparison chart the 1200 ceramic is the same grit size as the 5u diamond paste, 5. The 3.5u diamond paste is 3.5 while the 1600 ceramic is 2.85. What would be the progression here and why?

Thanks again!

[Mikedoh]

I don’t think there is a short answer here, other than grits ain’t grits. Despite having similar grit sizes, different materials will perform differently. Some materials break down into smaller sizes and have more of a polishing effect. So the extent to which a material maintains its original shape / size will make a difference on the sort of edge it produces.

That’s the very basic gist of it. Lots to consider here.

http://www.wickededgeusa.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=14&id=5051&Itemid=63

[Ken Buzbee]

Also, I am not sure that I fully understand the Ceramic vs strop. Looking at the grit comparison chart the 1200 ceramic is the same grit size as the 5u diamond paste, 5. The 3.5u diamond paste is 3.5 while the 1600 ceramic is 2.85. What would be the progression here and why?

Thanks again!

Remember ceramics are hard. Their grits are fixed into this surface. Strops are soft. The grits bury into them, exposing only a very slight bit. So you can have a large grit in a soft strop but only exposed 3% it will yield much finer results than the grit would indicate.

Ken

[Phil Pasteur]

Hi and welcome,

I use that same progression quite a bit. Though quite often I don’t worry about the ceramic stones.
I think that you will like your edges …

[Phil Pasteur]

Also, I am not sure that I fully understand the Ceramic vs strop. Looking at the grit comparison chart the 1200 ceramic is the same grit size as the 5u diamond paste, 5. The 3.5u diamond paste is 3.5 while the 1600 ceramic is 2.85. What would be the progression here and why?

Thanks again!

Remember ceramics are hard. Their grits are fixed into this surface. Strops are soft. The grits bury into them, exposing only a very slight bit. So you can have a large grit in a soft strop but only exposed 3% it will yield much finer results than the grit would indicate.

Ken[/quote]

To add just a little to what Ken said.. The “grit” in stones is much more concentrated than you can get… no matter how much abrasive you put on leather. They will cut much faster. Stones are for sharpening… strops are for… well stropping 🙂

Think of stropping as a sort of final polish or micro-refinement, rather then removing metal as with the stones. This is a simplification, of course… but it conveys the basic idea.

[Ken Buzbee]

Great point Phil!

Ken

[Christopher Chaplow]

Thanks so much everyone. Seems like a great group here, very knowledgable and helpful. I have a much better understanding now. Still a lot more to learn but I think I’ve got a good start. I’m looking forward to getting started and delving deeper into this.

[Ken Buzbee]

You’re off to a great start.

But beware, you’re right at the mouth of the rabbit hole 😉 Enter and there is no coming back 😉

Ken

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