What's your favorite sharpening stone?

You all have a preference? There are many different types, in finding, but a plain old double sided one from a hardware store has been by go-to for a while.

Thinking of changing it up so I can practice re best maintenance possible, though, so would like to hear your all's thoughts

I think it is hard to have just one stone to use to put a good edge on a knife or tool. I like a medium stone to get a basic edge on a blade, but use a fairly smooth washita stone to get it sharp. At that point I move to a steel. I also have one of those cheap ceramic sharpeners in the kitchen drawer that I like for kitchen knives. It makes getting a good edge on a blade in the kitchen almost fool proof. If we haven't attended to a blade, then the ceramic works best if the blade is first brought back on a medium stone.

I carry a couple of those washita stones in my truck and car for use when away from home. They are the little ones about an inch wide by 4 inches long.

I've got and have used most everything from 60 micron synthetic to surgical black Arkansas and at this point most frequently go to diamond stones. They remain flat and run on water. Convenience.

I've got 3 DMT diamond stones 6 inches in length in fine medium an course that I have had for 25 yrs an they still do an excellent job :hatsoff:

I keep a DMT Dia-sharp fine credit card sized sharpener in my wallet. I glued some 1000 grit grinding film to the back of it. For the period though a 2 sided Norton stone or 2 sided puck is what I grew up with.

Blue 2 inch by 8 inch DMT Diamond what ever grit it is. Been in the kitchen for 25 yrs or so.

For most I use a Lansky kit now, however I do have oil bathed 3x12 stones for some uses every 5-6 years.

I also have a 3 stone oil bath kit that one stone has been in oil for at least 8 years.

The Lansky kit now gets most use other than my 2 inch belt grinder used for shaping.

I use DMT diamond steel, 8" x 2", in coarse, fine and extra fine. They use water and take care of 95% of my needs. The man who makes my wood carving knives has used them for decades and he ought to know. :bow: I do keep a DMT Diafold, with the fold over plastic cover, in fine and XX fine for quick touch ups.

If I was in the field, I could get by quite well with the Lansky puck for ax or hatchet and two of the DMT Diafold, four grits, for the knives.

Jeff

I am not much for carrying a knife. But I am very particular about my kitchen knives. Have three better grade Wusthoffs that I am in love with. Got an extra fine Ouashita Stone That I use to sharpen them. For the few old carbon steel hollow ground OlD Hickory knives, I use a medium synthetic stone that I found at a flea market. Hawks and hard use items are sharpened with a fine mill file.

Sharpening is a skill....
Stones are for the most part irrelevant.

But to answer your question, my favorite stone is older than I am.....and judging by the wear on the stone when I got it compared to the wear I have given it....I would say it is much, much, older than me....I have never seen another like it.....This stone alone will put a razor edge on a knife....

There are many, many ways to sharpen a knife.....

I sharpen my hawk with a file and strop....and it will shave hair.......

Learn the skill of sharpening and forget about stones..... :v

I carry a natural Arkansas, but just for s&g I have done some nice edges with a piece of lime stone picked up off the ground :idunno:

There is a really old, really fine stone hiding in an antique store near me. I have no idea of its grit or anything, but I have a feeling it'll put s killer edge on.

Ive managed to sharpen a pretty good edge with a cheap aluminum oxide stone, but its a bit rough for a new blade. Ive watched a few tutorials from Japanese chefs in their sharpening techniques; lots of water and consistent angle are key, it seems. I might make a wedge to help train yield in the angle (about 15 degrees)

Ive also learned that touching up the edge is a heck of a lot easier than putting a new one on

Thanks for the input gents. One of those things that there are so many options it's bewildering.

I carry an original K Bar Arkansas stone come with instructions on how to sharpen a knife in a nice leather case..

There is one gent that insists the bottom of a coffee mug is as good as any. As noted: skill is more important than anything else.

Longshot47 said:

I've got and have used most everything from 60 micron synthetic to surgical black Arkansas and at this point most frequently go to diamond stones. They remain flat and run on water. Convenience.

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I'm with you Longshot :wink: . Been making knives on and off since the mid sixties. I started with a 2" X 4" Buck honing kit then 2" X 8" Smiths Arkansas soft stones then Japanese water stones now diamond plates. I find the diamond stays flat and gives a consistant angle on the blade then I go to my grandfathers surgical black Arkansas stone then to a leather strop -- works well for me. For my Henkel kitchen knives I use the Smiths Arkansas soft stones - they don't need any more then that.

For me it will be the next one I try.
I have tried almost everything out there. Arkansas stones are great. The diamond ones are OK. I have used my 1" belt grinder/sander but cannot find belts with a fine enough grit to suit my fussy needs.

When you say "stays flat," do you mean it won't erode, wear down in the middle over time?

Favorite is a Japanese water stone my late father in law brought back from Tokyo during the Korean War.

How do you get the gunk out of them once they're clogged up with the metal from sharpening?

Col. Batguano said:

How do you get the gunk out of them once they're clogged up with the metal from sharpening?

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Conditioning of a Japanese water stone is done with a Nagura stone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfxy6tILsYE

Norton also makes a flattening stone that does much the same as a Nagura stone.

Fantastic!

Thank you!