Sharpening Stones

[jbo9]

After nearly 15 years of moderate use, the cheap sharpening stone I purchased from Wally world can't keep up with a good hunting season and processing livestock. I have a couple of the "wonder gadget sharpeners", but they don't put the same edge as a good stone. What do you use or recommend for a good set of stones? And where did you buy yours?

[Raymond James]

Hardware store do not recall brand but I think it might have been called an Arkansas wet stone.

I also have a small stone just good for knives that I was given with a Boy Scout knife in 1966. Both the knife and the sharpener have the BS logo. It is just about worn thru and only use it to put the final touch on a knife.

I prefer the larger stone to finish an ax , machete.

[simi-steading]

I have one similar to this... Mine is an old version of what they are making now..

Search for Arkansas Tri stone.... Three grits.. Good stuff.. They are making them with diamonds now.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

get a Dexter Russel diamond steel and don't look back

http://www.minntrapprod.com/Diamond-...ctinfo/DEX-12/

I have had mine for 6-7 years i sharpen knives almost daily , it cuts fast but doesn't take to much , a few strokes on the diamond steel then about 30 minutes of de-boning depending on the knife , then a few more strokes to put it right back to smooth slicing

I also prefer carbon steel , the Russell Green River blades are about perfect in my opinion for time to take and edge vs time they hold the edge

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

green river knives
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/453/1

hard to find better steel for the price , or really 3-4 times the price

[Ozarks Tom]

I've been using the Eze Lap fine diamond stone on a wood base for many years. Best I've found. They also have medium and coarse.

http://www.amazon.com/EZE-LAP-62F-Di...ywords=eze-lap

[Forerunner]

Me olde Grandpop got me started on the Carborundum57 when I was just a wee lad.

I've found three or four at flea markets and garage sales......one from an old farmer in north central Michigan....mint condition....50 cents.

I also like the old scythe stones, cuz I find a lot of 'em scrappin' and they're handy enough.

[RichInPA]

Lansky 5 stone set.

[topofmountain]

I'm a custom knifemaker. I have been building & selling my work for 14 years. I only build carbon steel blades from 1095 or 01 tool steel.
So I sharpen my share of knives.
I use a Lansky Diamond set. It gives me a true angle every time, it also by using the same angle you don't sharpen your knife blade to nothing as the old timers use to do to their pocket knives. I have a ton of old Schrades, Camllus, Western, etc pocket knives I use for parts because the blades are sharpen to nothing.

Originally Posted by simi-steading

I have one similar to this... Mine is an old version of what they are making now..
Search for Arkansas Tri stone.... Three grits.. Good stuff.. They are making them with diamonds now.

Be aware buying Arkansas Hard Stones today are most likely imported from China. There was a warning about this 5 years ago. The only company I'm aware of that sells or use to anyway true Arkansas Hard Stones was Queen Steel out of New York. A True Arkansas Hard Stone will cost a lot today. They are rare because they aren't mining them anymore in the USA or on a very small scale.

Originally Posted by Ozarks Tom

I've been using the Eze Lap fine diamond stone on a wood base for many years. Best I've found. They also have medium and coarse.

http://www.amazon.com/EZE-LAP-62F-Di...ywords=eze-lap

Originally Posted by RichInPA

Lansky 5 stone set.

Very good choice in my opinion.

[Old Vet]

I have a Arkansas hard stone for making the edge sharp. I went out and found mine.

[michael ark]

smith makes a good Arkansas tri stone.http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...arping%20stone

[JawjaBoy]

I have been using an old Smith's Medium Grit Arkansas Stone for more years than I care to count and it works great. As long as the blade isn't just flat dull, that is. Then it is a bear to get the blade back where it should be.

I picked up a Lansky 3 stone set a few years back for those occasions and it works like a charm! Added a Sapphire stone to the set last year and it will put an edge on a blade that will scare you!

[joebill]

I am also a knife maker and use the Arkansas hard stone for finish work. I use it with water, not oil, and give it a good scrubbing from time to time to open the grain back up.

A good substitute for daimond lapping plates are the flat laps that are used for lapidairy work. Those are available cheap on Ebay in most grits and will last nearly forever when being used for hand work instead of spinning on a motor.

Of course, I have to send new knives out with a smooth razor edge, but often folks who are cutting meat want a bit of a toothy edge, and need slightly coarser stone or lapping plate. The hard black Ankansas stone will give the smoothest edge, next to a strop.....Joe

[topofmountain]

Originally Posted by joebill

I am also a knife maker and use the Arkansas hard stone for finish work. I use it with water, not oil, and give it a good scrubbing from time to time to open the grain back up.

A good substitute for daimond lapping plates are the flat laps that are used for lapidairy work. Those are available cheap on Ebay in most grits and will last nearly forever when being used for hand work instead of spinning on a motor.

Of course, I have to send new knives out with a smooth razor edge, but often folks who are cutting meat want a bit of a toothy edge, and need slightly coarser stone or lapping plate. The hard black Ankansas stone will give the smoothest edge, next to a strop.....Joe

I finish with a fine ceramic stone followed by a leather strop with rouge. I use a green chrome rouge.

Where is Smiths getting there stones? You guys in Arkansas are there still mines mining commercial hard stones. The last I was told by a few knifemakers from your area there were not. But that has been 5 years ago. In fact they were some that told me about the imports.

[diamondtim]

Originally Posted by jbo9

After nearly 15 years of moderate use, the cheap sharpening stone I purchased from Wally world can't keep up with a good hunting season and processing livestock. I have a couple of the "wonder gadget sharpeners", but they don't put the same edge as a good stone. What do you use or recommend for a good set of stones? And where did you buy yours?

I have Arkansas stones that I've accumulated over the years.

[dkhern]

take a sheet of 400 grit sandpaper and a flat surface and clean the pours on the stone and it should come back like new.

[Allen W]

Originally Posted by Forerunner

Me olde Grandpop got me started on the Carborundum57 when I was just a wee lad.

I've found three or four at flea markets and garage sales......one from an old farmer in north central Michigan....mint condition....50 cents.

I also like the old scythe stones, cuz I find a lot of 'em scrappin' and they're handy enough.

I've two carborundum stones laying here by the computer, one average size and one pocket stone. Son has a double sided carborundum and a yankee clipper double sided stone in his room. Plus what ever is laying around here not in a box, there is a pocket full of pocket stones around here.

[jbo9]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

Perhaps cheap wasn't quite the proper word for what I had purchased, but inexpensive and small. It was a pair of Smith's Arkansas stones, med and fine grit. But they are not very big, which makes the task of honing an edge even more tedious. The fine stone is only an inch by 4; holding it down and sharpening a long bladed knife requires extra care or extra bandaids. It is about the perfect size for throwing in a pocket or pack, wrapped in an oil-cloth, and touching up a blade or broad head in the field.

Once again, thank you for the suggestions. I knew there were some people here with knowledgeable opinions. Now, if only the local hardware store would carry something not made in China.

[Usingmyrights]

One thing I didn't see mentioned is a strop. That really adds the hairpopping edge.