Whetstone Recommendation

I've never used one but I'd be pretty confident using one (I've read up on them and watched videos), I currently use a steel which is quite similar.
 
I meant similar as to keeping an the correct angle and using the whole of the blade against the length of the steel.

Yeah I read that knife thread when it first went up. I'm willing to learn a new skill!
 
NeverWinter said:
I meant similar as to keeping an the correct angle and using the whole of the blade against the length of the steel.

Yeah I read that knife thread when it first went up. I'm willing to learn a new skill!
Click to expand...

Okay. Fair enough. I'm not trying to be purposefully unhelpful - just pointing out my own experiences :)

Hopefully someone will be along shortly to recommend a decent whetstone for you.
 
FrenchTart said:
Okay. Fair enough. I'm not trying to be purposefully unhelpful - just pointing out my own experiences :)

Hopefully someone will be along shortly to recommend a decent whetstone for you.
Click to expand...

No I appreciate your opinion, I'm quite set on getting one but if I find I don't get on with it I'll be sure to let you know I got a Lansky ;)
 
Just chiming in to agree with FrenchTart - I got a whetstone thinking it'd be a lot easier than it was. After a couple of hours with them I'd wrecked two nice knives and was no closer to being able to achieve an sharper edge than before. Also they're nothing like using a honing steel. In my humble (and sometimes overstated) opinion, life is too short to spend hours learning how to get a good edge with a whetstone when there are so many sharpening systems (Lansky, Edge Pro etc) that cost the same and achieve exactly the same result without the need of any skills.

That aside, I'd suggest that'd need a coarser grit whetstone (something like a 500) in addition to the ones you've listed otherwise you'll be there all day trying to start an edge on a blunt knife.
 
I got one of these:

http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/875-Ice-Bear-Japanese-Waterstone-Sharpening-Kit/

These are good stones and for me the right combo for medium and fine sharpening

used an old knife to practice on and after 15mins of practice was confident to sort all my expensive blades.

the 800 grit is coarse enough to take a bit of material away without being too harsh on the blade and the 6000 puts a super smooth mirror finish honed polish on the edge and the knives are sharp enough to glide through paper. its really not that difficult with a bit of care in my opinion and very satisfying

If your knives are totally blunt then you might want a more aggressive stone but generally the idea is not to let them get too far. i use a ceramic steel in the interim and then after 6 months or so when the knife holds its edge its edge for less than a week or two of daily use (resistance on an onion is the best test) i go at it with the water stone and usually get the edge back to new (or better) condition
 
Last edited:
If you go for a water stone you'll also need a course diamond stone to flatten the water stone from time to time. I prefer diamond stones to water stones, no messing about soaking them, they will never dip in the middle and pretty much last forever. DMT or Eze-lap make decent stones. Expensive, but they should last a lifetime.

If you want a super polished edge you can strop it with some fine metal paste on a piece of leather. I tend to just go to 1000g diamond for kitchen knives.
 
Mark A said:
If you go for a water stone you'll also need a course diamond stone to flatten the water stone from time to time. I prefer diamond stones to water stones, no messing about soaking them, they will never dip in the middle and pretty much last forever. DMT or Eze-lap make decent stones. Expensive, but they should last a lifetime.
Click to expand...

The set above includes a nagura stone for flattening or easier still a piece of wet and dry sandpaper on a flat surface will do the trick
 
Last edited:
To be honest as long as you have got a duel stone, coarse and fine, you cant go wrong with any from any DIY shop. I use these on a daily basis for the last 20 years and have had a selection from B&Q, Focus (when they where still running) and some random ones from general hardware shops etc. The one get from work on expences is ok but the coarse side wears down very fast. Only had the current one for a little over a year and it already 3mm from other side.

As to actually using it, it is a little bit of an art form.. there are a few techniques and all work but that only depends on how you sharpen the blades and what you use the blade for.
 
I also bought a whetstone thinking it wouldn't be too hard to learn, I watched loads of videos etc.

As it turns out it's a real pain in the arse and takes a lot of practice to get the hang of it, so I gave up and bought an electric sharpener, much easier and less faff.
 
Agreed with the whetstone issues, they are trickier to use and no cheaper. Just buy a good edge sharpening kit and be done with it.
 
One of these:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/japanese-combination-waterstones in 1000/6000.

+ bit of flat wood, leather and some smurf poo (starkie blue) or autosol.

Bowl of water, bit of practice.

That's what I use, knives are scary sharp. OOI I stuck them under a microscope at work and compared to a scalpel blade; my spyderco looked 'smoother' after a bit of TLC.

If you can get a sharper knife for £50's worth of kit, I'd love to know.
 
Nobody has said you can, or that the kits are £50. They've said that it's easier to get a decent edge with a kit rather than learn how to use a whetstone effectively.
 
FrenchTart said:
Nobody has said you can, or that the kits are £50. They've said that it's easier to get a decent edge with a kit rather than learn how to use a whetstone effectively.
Click to expand...

Sorry French, that didn't come across like it meant to; I meant I'd love to know as I'd want to try it! Not a snarky comment. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom