I have a Pike Lilly White and a Norton Hard Arkansas that are my work horses, they are reasonably fast, with great "feel" but either could be replaced with another stone with little loss and I have a number of very nice JNats for finishing stones that are close to interchangeable. Being natural stones they have their quirks, and different feel of steel on stone but for the most part it makes no never mind which one I use. But there is one that is special, a Takashima "Ooban" is the name that was given by the seller. It is a relatively soft stone and easily makes a slurry. After being set up with the Arkansas stones it takes just a few passes on the Takashima for the cutter's edge to have a beautiful smokey appearance and when viewing the edge with a 10X loupe it has a matte surface with almost no visible scratches. Of course the real test is how does the cutter cut and last. It passes that test as well.
I guess the real reason for this post, other than a chance to phrase a wonderful stone, is to ask if others have a special stone. One that may be irreplaceable and is the one you reach for when you want the best edge you can get.
ken
I'm in love with my diamond stones and doing the final polish on a 8k japanese water stone.
ReplyDeleteRalph,
DeleteI've a 8k Shapton that puts a hell of a shine on a cutter. You'd love it.
ken
Absolutely! You can see it on my blog post today. A tan stone with grey and white speckles. Soft and lovely as a beautiful woman, but it never asks me to take out the garbage.
ReplyDeleteStan,
DeleteGood post and good looking stone. I think of JNats as Goldilocks stones. The best ones fit in the middle but whatever it is wonderful when you find one.
ken
No matter what I start to use (so many choices :-), i'll always finish on my King 4000 stone with a natural Nagura stone on it. Then I strop often as I work. That would be the theory I try to subscribed, but I have so many tools, it easier just to grab a fresher one :-)
ReplyDeleteMy name is Bob and I have a problem... :-)
Bob,
Delete"My name is Bob and I have a problem... :-)". I know it well.
While I enjoy the sharpening process, I can only enjoy it a little at a time or it becomes work and the results suffer.
This last week was different in that sharpening was about all I could do in the shop. I still only did one at a time with good breaks in between.
MsBubba is still giving the side eye if I mention moving benches or going through the wood pile but both are soon to come.
I've been using diamond stones since my beginning into hand tool work 7 years ago. I found an old Pike's Lily White Washita stone, along with a double sided coarse/medium Norton Corundum oilstone, at a garage sale a couple years ago and refurbished them. I'd like to use them more, but I don't know enough about oilstones. I have gotten a nice edge from the Washita. But my go-to method is still with diamond plates and strop.
ReplyDeleteMatt,
DeleteDiamond plates work pretty good and are for the most part low maintenance. I will use diamond stones for grinding but for honing and polishing I like a natural stone which I think leaves a better scratch pattern and longer lasting cutting edge.
There isn't much to using Arkansas stones other than use a good honing oil, one that is thick enough to suspend the cuttings but light enough to let iron touch stone. Other than your polishing stone give a very occasional refresh with a diamond plate and work the whole stone. They are slower cutting than water stones but less time is spent on maintenance. You end up with a wash between the two as far as speed goes.
ken