1. NATURAL WATERSTONES:
• Mined From Sedimentary Rock, Porous, Soft And Dish Easily
• Require Water For Lubrication And May Require Soaking In Water Prior To Use
• Vary In Density And Grit Within The Same Stone
• Grit Range Coarse To Extra Fine
• Require Special Care To Keep From Delaminating
$$$ To $$$$
2. NATURAL ARKANSAS STONES:
• Mined From Sedimentary Rock
• Hard And Do Not Dish Easily
• Require Water Or Oil As A Lubricant
• Grit Range 250 To 12,000
• Known For Their Dual Action Of Cutting And Polishing
$$ To $$$$
SYNTHETIC STONES:
3. OILSTONES:
• Aluminum Oxide Or Silicon Carbide
• Hard, Durable And Do Not Dish Easily
• Require Oil As A Lubricant
• Grit Range 100 To 600
• Long Lasting
$ To $$
4. WATERSTONES:
• Abrasive Material Varies
• May Be Soft And Dish Easily Or Hard And Durable
• Require Water For Lubrication – May Require Soaking Prior To Use Or Not At All
• Widest Range Of Grits Available
• Grit Range 100 To 30,000
$ To $$$$$
5. DIAMOND STONES:
• Real Diamonds Imbedded In A Coating On A Metal Plate
• Durable, Long Lasting
• Lubrication Not Required But Water May Be Used
• Grit Range 250 To 8,000
• Fast Cutting, May Be Used As A Stone To Flatten Other Natural And Man-Made Stones
$$ To $$$
COMBINATION STONES:
6. WATER, OIL OR DIAMOND STONES:
• The Double Grit Stones Allow For Two Sharpening Surfaces In One Stone
• Grit Range 220 To 8,000
• Best Value For Beginner, Intermediate And Pro
$ To $$$
ALL ABOUT GRITS AND WHAT YOU NEED:
COARSE STONES 100 To 800 Grit:
• Best Used For Re-Establishing A Bevel, Repairing An Edge, Breaking In A Stone And A Must-Have For Any Shop
MEDIUM STONES 1,000 To 2,000 Grit:
• These Stones Help Establish The Cutting Edge
• Can Also Be Used For Taking Out Small Imperfections In Your Edge
• 1,200 To 2,000 Grit Are Ideal Stones For Kitchen Knives
FINE POLISHING STONES 3,000 To 6,000 Grit:
• Refining And Polishing Your Cutting Edge
SUPER FINE POLISHING STONES 7,000 To 30,000 Grit:
• Further Refinement Of The Edge
• The Finer The Grit The More Expensive The Stone
PREPARING YOUR STONE FOR SHARPENING:
Some stones require soaking prior to use, while some do not, so it is best to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for preparing the stone for use.
1. NEW STONE BREAK IN:
• All Stones Require Breaking In
• Easiest Way To Break In Stone Is By Rubbing Your Stone With Another Stone
2. LABEL THE STONE:
• Lots Of Stones Are Color Coded Or Marked
• Use A Waterproof Marker To Label The Stones As A Backup
3. FLATTEN THE STONE:
• Prior To Sharpening Chisels, Plane Irons And Some Knives, Flatten Stone Prior To Using – Every Time (Except Diamond Stones)
• Any Irregularity In Flatness Will Frustrate You And Make Sharpening More Difficult
4. LUBRICATE THE STONE:
• Lubrication Is Essential To The Sharpening Process
• Prepare Your Work Areas Appropriately And Use Only The Recommended Lubricant For The Stone
• Don’t Mix Lubricants
5. SECURE THE STONE:
• Make Sure The Stone Is Secure
• Use A Nonslip Pad Or A Stone Holder
SHARPENING SEQUENCE WITH STONES:
The choice of stone grit depends on how much material needs to be removed from the bevel in order to restore it to a clean, true edge.
1. COARSE STONE Establish A Flat Bevel And Remove Nicks:
• Choose A Stone Grit Based On The Amount Of Metal To Be Removed
• 700, 800 Or 1,000 Grit Stones Cut Faster, If Alot Of Metal Must Be Removed, 80 To 400 Grit Are Good Choices
• Place Stone On A Flat, Secure Surface So That It Will Not Shift During Use
• Rub Tool Back And Forth On Stone
• If The Stone’s Surface Begins To Dry Out Add Lubricant As Needed
2. MEDIUM COARSE STONE Establish A Burr:
• Transfer To A Medium Coarse Stone To Remove Scratches, Refine The Edge And Establish A Burr
• If There Are No Nicks, Scratches Or Defects, The 1,000 To 2,000 Grit Stones Are The Best Choice
3. FINISH STONE After “Burr” Is Obtained:
• Alternately Hone Tool On Back And Bevel Sides Using A Finish Stone Until The “Burr” Is Totally Removed
• Remove Burr With Any Stone From 3,000 To 8,000 Grit
• Create A Better Edge By First Honing On A 3,000 Or 4,000 Grit Stone Prior To Final Polishing On 6,000 Or Higher Grit Stone
4. POLISHING STONE
• Fine-Tune The Cutting Edge And Polish
• Available Up To A 30,000 Grit
