Beginner stone set advice
Beginner stone set advice
Hello. I want to start learning to use stones. And my son needs to learn as well as he wants to be a professional chef.
I currently have a 175mm blue 2 gyuto and a 220mm hap40 gyuto. I just bought him a Tojiro 270mm white yanagiba and 180mm usubo.
Can anyone recommend some stones and whatever else I need to get started with learning to sharpen?
Thanks!
I currently have a 175mm blue 2 gyuto and a 220mm hap40 gyuto. I just bought him a Tojiro 270mm white yanagiba and 180mm usubo.
Can anyone recommend some stones and whatever else I need to get started with learning to sharpen?
Thanks!
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
You will need a flattening plate. It can also serve as your coarsest stone if you need to set a bevel. This is a diamond plate you use to flatten your water stones.
After that, a coarse, medium, and fine stone are normal. You should spend your time learning on the medium stone though.
The Shapton Pro 320, 1K, and 5K are relatively cost effective for the quality.
There are actually a lot of good stones out there, don't get caught up too much in marginal details when making a choice.
Mark also has a beginner set. He doesn't really sell junk, so don't worry about making a bad pick. Just don't double up on stones in the same range (two medium stones, for example).
After that, a coarse, medium, and fine stone are normal. You should spend your time learning on the medium stone though.
The Shapton Pro 320, 1K, and 5K are relatively cost effective for the quality.
There are actually a lot of good stones out there, don't get caught up too much in marginal details when making a choice.
Mark also has a beginner set. He doesn't really sell junk, so don't worry about making a bad pick. Just don't double up on stones in the same range (two medium stones, for example).
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
I recognize this from another thread. If you're looking to make a bigger investment, there are numerous options.
First, the Shapton Glass double-thick 500 grit is loved by many who do not do regular repairs or don't deal with abused knives. There's no real reason to go below 500 grit if you are sharpening good knives regularly and don't have a massive kit, and starting at 500 allows a smoother progression to the next stone.
For mid-grit stones, there are zillions of options. I really like the Shapton pro 1500 and 2000k stones as basic, very convenience, splash-and-go options. I think you could easily jump from the 500 glass to the 2000k, which actually feels like a slightly lower grit (in contrast, the 1500 feels like a slightly higher grit than listed). In my experience (and in some very old observations of others when the stone came out), the 1500 seems to excel at reactive steels...or is slightly less fun to use with stainless ones, depending on how you want to interpret that. The 2000 is just a gem.
As you go higher than mid-grit, things get overwhelming. I don't care much about high-grit stones because I like toothy edges that are durable and last long in the kitchen regardless of food or technique. So often, I just finish some knives, especially my stainless ones, with a strop loaded with a little compound (Mark sells a strop kit that comes with a balsa wood strop and compound you can add https://www.chefknivestogo.com/haamstkit.html ). However, for harder, more refined steels, a lot of people like to stop at the 5k-6k range, and there are some frequent recommendations to consider in that range (see viewtopic.php?t=17078 for but one example of discussion).
HOWEVER, as someone new to sharpening, I can tell you from my own experience and that of many, many threads on the forum that it is hard to get good results above about 2k when learning how to sharpen. It takes a lot of practice. And the payoff is not necessarily a better working edge in the kitchen...it is much more about polish and feel above 2-3k in particular, and some people like it while other people (including many Japanese professionals, including many run-of-the-mill sushi chefs) prefer mid-grit finishes. Stropping takes a lot less practice. So you might consider starting by using a strop as the final stage, and then experimenting with a higher-grit stone here and there to avoid frustration. If this sounds awkward, consider that the hardest part of a high-grit stone is getting the final, finishing apex without any microburrs...and that a strop can easily help remove or break such microburrs. So even if you put on a problematic 5-6k edge on the stone, you can get by with it by stropping a bit between uses for a while before trying again.
And this relates to my final point: patience. One thing you do not want to do is to keep trying and trying on a stone as a newbee. If you can't get a good 6k edge, drop back down to a midgrit, finish it off, and try another day. Good sharpening is primarily about controlling very light pressure and very specific movements...and a lack of patience and increasingly tight or sore muscles really go against achieving those things!
First, the Shapton Glass double-thick 500 grit is loved by many who do not do regular repairs or don't deal with abused knives. There's no real reason to go below 500 grit if you are sharpening good knives regularly and don't have a massive kit, and starting at 500 allows a smoother progression to the next stone.
For mid-grit stones, there are zillions of options. I really like the Shapton pro 1500 and 2000k stones as basic, very convenience, splash-and-go options. I think you could easily jump from the 500 glass to the 2000k, which actually feels like a slightly lower grit (in contrast, the 1500 feels like a slightly higher grit than listed). In my experience (and in some very old observations of others when the stone came out), the 1500 seems to excel at reactive steels...or is slightly less fun to use with stainless ones, depending on how you want to interpret that. The 2000 is just a gem.
As you go higher than mid-grit, things get overwhelming. I don't care much about high-grit stones because I like toothy edges that are durable and last long in the kitchen regardless of food or technique. So often, I just finish some knives, especially my stainless ones, with a strop loaded with a little compound (Mark sells a strop kit that comes with a balsa wood strop and compound you can add https://www.chefknivestogo.com/haamstkit.html ). However, for harder, more refined steels, a lot of people like to stop at the 5k-6k range, and there are some frequent recommendations to consider in that range (see viewtopic.php?t=17078 for but one example of discussion).
HOWEVER, as someone new to sharpening, I can tell you from my own experience and that of many, many threads on the forum that it is hard to get good results above about 2k when learning how to sharpen. It takes a lot of practice. And the payoff is not necessarily a better working edge in the kitchen...it is much more about polish and feel above 2-3k in particular, and some people like it while other people (including many Japanese professionals, including many run-of-the-mill sushi chefs) prefer mid-grit finishes. Stropping takes a lot less practice. So you might consider starting by using a strop as the final stage, and then experimenting with a higher-grit stone here and there to avoid frustration. If this sounds awkward, consider that the hardest part of a high-grit stone is getting the final, finishing apex without any microburrs...and that a strop can easily help remove or break such microburrs. So even if you put on a problematic 5-6k edge on the stone, you can get by with it by stropping a bit between uses for a while before trying again.
And this relates to my final point: patience. One thing you do not want to do is to keep trying and trying on a stone as a newbee. If you can't get a good 6k edge, drop back down to a midgrit, finish it off, and try another day. Good sharpening is primarily about controlling very light pressure and very specific movements...and a lack of patience and increasingly tight or sore muscles really go against achieving those things!
~J
Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and have tried dozens of brands over the years.
Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and have tried dozens of brands over the years.
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
I would also suggest the 140 grit diamond plate for flattening your other stones. From there the double thickness Shapton Glass 500, as mentioned above, is a great stone. Following that I would suggest the Kohetsu 2,000 Grit Sharpening Stone, here https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ko2grst.html and from there a Shapton Glass 4000 (or altrnatively a Shapton Pro 5000 should it come back into stock).
Again as mentioned above go for one of Mark's Sharpening Stone Sets here https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shstse.html when they come back into stock.
HTH
Again as mentioned above go for one of Mark's Sharpening Stone Sets here https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shstse.html when they come back into stock.
HTH
Cheers Grant
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Re: Beginner stone set advice
https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/co ... ided-stone
or
https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/co ... -stone-set
these are resinoid diamond stones (diamond particles as the abrasive in a resinoid matrix). you can use them on the fanciest, most wear resistant alloys. it will save you time and headaches if you ever get such knives.
even if you don't have that kind of steel, these are a good idea because a normal person (who doesn't sharpen all day professionally) basically won't have to flatten them. they are also very low mess. just spray a little water on them and rinse them off when you're done sharpening. it's diamond stones for me from here on out. i'll never go back.
or
https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/co ... -stone-set
these are resinoid diamond stones (diamond particles as the abrasive in a resinoid matrix). you can use them on the fanciest, most wear resistant alloys. it will save you time and headaches if you ever get such knives.
even if you don't have that kind of steel, these are a good idea because a normal person (who doesn't sharpen all day professionally) basically won't have to flatten them. they are also very low mess. just spray a little water on them and rinse them off when you're done sharpening. it's diamond stones for me from here on out. i'll never go back.
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
I haven't found a steel that needs strictly diamond stones yet? I've used Magnacut, CruWear, Elmax, M390, CPM 20CV, S90V, as well as the HAP40, R2/SG2, AS, Blue and white steels, etc. The single bevels will need something coarse to flatten the blade roads when you get to that point, so I would look at a good coarse stone that will work quick and not leave deep scratches. Do those resinoid stones leave the typical deep scratches I got with other diamond sharpening plates I have tried? That would be bad for the single bevels and having to get those deeper gouges out if they do!
For stone flattening, I use sandpaper on a granite reference plate, but a flat piece of tile or Corian would work as well. I start at 60 grit and work up from there are needed. Much faster than a stone and more surface area! I have a flattening stone and coarse diamond plates and just use the sandpaper now.
I have a Shapton Glass 320: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shaptonglass1.html I got recently that I use for bevel setting and flattening and it does a great job, especially on fancier/harder alloys! The Latte 400: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ri400grwast.html is my other flattening/bevel setting stone as well and is a good stone, too. The coarse stones work fast to set a good bevel and make it easier to go to the medium and fine stone. You may not need the coarse stone every time you sharpen, but they are nice to have!
It's been in my soaking bucket with the Bester 1200: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/bester1200.html and Rika 5K: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/suri50grst.html stones, which I highly recommend as well. They are excellent beginner stones and work very well on a wide variety of steels. I leave them in my soaking bucket and they are a bit softer than Shapton Pro/Glass, so they may be more forgiving on the Single bevels when you go to clean up the blade roads. A good 1K is your main sharpening stone and can be used to remove smaller chips and to reset a bevel that needs some TLC, but doesn't need to go back to the coarse stone. If it's not sharp at 1K, it won't be sharp at the higher grits! Once you have deburred the 1K edge and it feels smooth, it's time to go up in grit. I recommend a hard felt block, cork or rough side leather to strop on to remove all burr that is raised before going past 1K. I even stropped a 1K stone edge with 8 micron, 2 micron and 1 micron strops and it gave an amazing edge that is really bitey and aggressive, but slices receipt paper cleanly and smoothly.
Besides the Shapton Glass 320, I have the Shapton Pro 2K. It works nice as a touch up stone, but I don't care for hard feeling stones at medium grits? I like them for coarser stones (Shapton GlassStone 320) and at higher grits (I have some really hard J Nats I like at much higher grits), but not mediums. Hard vs soft stones is a personal choice and people debate it a lot. You may find you really prefer one over the other! They give good feedback and give crisp edges, but it's the feel of the blade on the stone I don't like. It feels glassy/slippery?
I usually recommend strops for after a 5K stone, but with the single bevels in there, I would use a high (6K or higher) to finish those off. I am concerned stropping may round the edge a bit, so I think a stone would be better for that. This one is getting good reviews on the forum here: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/takenoko8000.html The Rika 5K people say is more 3-5K which is great for normal kitchen use (strop on bare leather after the Rika 5K for a wicked edge!!!), but for the single bevels, you may want more polish.
I would look look for a 320-500 grit for a coarse stone, 1000-1200 for your medium and something in the 5K+ range. You could even do some combo stones, too, like the Cerax https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ce1kcost.html or https://www.chefknivestogo.com/imtwosi1kst.html and pick up the Shapton GlassStone 320 and be under $150. You will probably add more stones down the line, but the combo stones will get you sharpening!
For stone flattening, I use sandpaper on a granite reference plate, but a flat piece of tile or Corian would work as well. I start at 60 grit and work up from there are needed. Much faster than a stone and more surface area! I have a flattening stone and coarse diamond plates and just use the sandpaper now.
I have a Shapton Glass 320: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shaptonglass1.html I got recently that I use for bevel setting and flattening and it does a great job, especially on fancier/harder alloys! The Latte 400: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ri400grwast.html is my other flattening/bevel setting stone as well and is a good stone, too. The coarse stones work fast to set a good bevel and make it easier to go to the medium and fine stone. You may not need the coarse stone every time you sharpen, but they are nice to have!
It's been in my soaking bucket with the Bester 1200: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/bester1200.html and Rika 5K: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/suri50grst.html stones, which I highly recommend as well. They are excellent beginner stones and work very well on a wide variety of steels. I leave them in my soaking bucket and they are a bit softer than Shapton Pro/Glass, so they may be more forgiving on the Single bevels when you go to clean up the blade roads. A good 1K is your main sharpening stone and can be used to remove smaller chips and to reset a bevel that needs some TLC, but doesn't need to go back to the coarse stone. If it's not sharp at 1K, it won't be sharp at the higher grits! Once you have deburred the 1K edge and it feels smooth, it's time to go up in grit. I recommend a hard felt block, cork or rough side leather to strop on to remove all burr that is raised before going past 1K. I even stropped a 1K stone edge with 8 micron, 2 micron and 1 micron strops and it gave an amazing edge that is really bitey and aggressive, but slices receipt paper cleanly and smoothly.
Besides the Shapton Glass 320, I have the Shapton Pro 2K. It works nice as a touch up stone, but I don't care for hard feeling stones at medium grits? I like them for coarser stones (Shapton GlassStone 320) and at higher grits (I have some really hard J Nats I like at much higher grits), but not mediums. Hard vs soft stones is a personal choice and people debate it a lot. You may find you really prefer one over the other! They give good feedback and give crisp edges, but it's the feel of the blade on the stone I don't like. It feels glassy/slippery?
I usually recommend strops for after a 5K stone, but with the single bevels in there, I would use a high (6K or higher) to finish those off. I am concerned stropping may round the edge a bit, so I think a stone would be better for that. This one is getting good reviews on the forum here: https://www.chefknivestogo.com/takenoko8000.html The Rika 5K people say is more 3-5K which is great for normal kitchen use (strop on bare leather after the Rika 5K for a wicked edge!!!), but for the single bevels, you may want more polish.
I would look look for a 320-500 grit for a coarse stone, 1000-1200 for your medium and something in the 5K+ range. You could even do some combo stones, too, like the Cerax https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ce1kcost.html or https://www.chefknivestogo.com/imtwosi1kst.html and pick up the Shapton GlassStone 320 and be under $150. You will probably add more stones down the line, but the combo stones will get you sharpening!
Re: Beginner stone set advice
i have never had a single bevel knife or super wear resistant steel knife. the most high tech steel i have atm is SG2. i also only use a diamond plate to flatten traditional synthetic ceramic soaker stones (which i rarely use anymore).taz575 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 10, 2022 8:47 am I haven't found a steel that needs strictly diamond stones yet? I've used Magnacut, CruWear, Elmax, M390, CPM 20CV, S90V, as well as the HAP40, R2/SG2, AS, Blue and white steels, etc. The single bevels will need something coarse to flatten the blade roads when you get to that point, so I would look at a good coarse stone that will work quick and not leave deep scratches. Do those resinoid stones leave the typical deep scratches I got with other diamond sharpening plates I have tried? That would be bad for the single bevels and having to get those deeper gouges out if they do!
also, i've only sharpened double bevel knives. i've never thinned, polished, cleaned up a blade road, etc.
that said, nothing i've read indicates that resinoid or vitrified diamond stones leave hardcore scratches like diamond plates. people say that they cut exceptionally fast for their grit, so you can often start at a bit higher grit than you normally would. on a diamond plate, the abrasive sits mostly proud of the surface. in a stone, the abrasive is much more integrated, so it's not cutting as deep.
since the abrasive is so hard (diamond!), it lasts a long time. that's why the matrix in a diamond stone is quite hard and is designed to release abrasive very slowly. this means the stone itself is commonly only a few mm thick, and yet it presents longevity/value comparable to a traditional full thickness stone. it wears and dishes extremely slowly which mostly eliminates the need to flatten. i expect that for my meager use, i'll have to flatten 5 years from now at the absolute earliest. probably longer. also, since virtually no material is being released from the stone in a normal sharpening, there is basically no mess beyond metal removed from the blade. no more splashing water all over the place and working in a dirty environment. i work directly on the kitchen table, misting the stone with a little water occasionally. then i rinse the stone off in the sink afterwards and put it away. these stones are splash-and-go, btw, in case that wasn't clear.
if you're wondering how to flatten... i've never done it, but i think resinoid stones can be flattened with synthetic nagura (included). vitrified ceramic stones apparently can be flattened on a glass plate with loose SiC if a nagura isn't cutting it.
i have the two JKI resinoid stones i linked to (1k and 6k, unknown manufacturer). i also have a vitrified ceramic 1k stone from tripleBhandmade (manufactured by FSK in japan).
those resinoid stones are awesome, and i highly recommend them. they feel pretty decent to sharpen on. much better than rubbing steel on a diamond plate.
vitrified stones are more expensive. mine feels more like a traditional stone than the resinoid ones do, and supposedly it wears even slower.
i suspect that either just might suit the lifetime sharpening needs of a nonprofessional, especially if you focus on the minimal steel removal philosophy of sharpening. using a soft cutting board (like rubber) helps a lot, too.
i keep my knives tuned up with a strop loaded with 10µ diamond spray for as long as possible. when that stops working, i do gentle edge leading strokes on the 6k diamond stone and go back to the strop. only when both of those no longer give satisfactory results do i return to the 1k stone and start over with a fresh edge (raise a burr).
infrequently, i very gently rub a nagura (included with the stone) over it to clean up the surface a little bit and maybe expose a bit of fresh abrasive. it only takes a minute.
i have a 240mm rex121 gyuto on the way, and i'm on the hunt for something i like in 210mm in magnacut. no doubt the diamond stones will help a nonexpert sharpener like me get a crisp edge with less convexing and slop.
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
Maxamet. That is how I learned not to apply pressure, even light pressure, on the diamond plates. Just let the diamonds work. None of the other stones would cut it. I do not think steels that hard are practical and do not plan on sharpening Maxamet or anything that extreme again. I am very excited about Magnacut though!
Sam
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
I sharpened Magnacut with my normal stones. Shapton Glass 320, Bester 1200, Rika 5K, Yaginoshima Asagi j nat and strops. I sliced through several cardboard soda can cases (single layer cardboard) and it was still stupidly sharp after that and using it for cooking. I really like the steel and am looking forward to using it more!
- billk1002
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
For your first set of stones to learn on think hard splash and go. My first set of stones were soft soakers and I gouged quite a few stones and you can’t just grab them to practice.
I have the Shapton pro 320, 1K, 2K and 5K they are great stones, I use them to sharpen my friends knives at their homes and I use them to travel with, I find them very enjoyable to use.
If you would like to spend a few more $’s the Shapton Glass stones are excellent investment considering you will own either set for decades as a home sharpener.
Learning to sharpen free hand is one of the most empowering things that you can do for yourself as a knife owner, I throughly enjoy sharpening and find it very therapeutic and rewarding.
Have Fun!
I have the Shapton pro 320, 1K, 2K and 5K they are great stones, I use them to sharpen my friends knives at their homes and I use them to travel with, I find them very enjoyable to use.
If you would like to spend a few more $’s the Shapton Glass stones are excellent investment considering you will own either set for decades as a home sharpener.
Learning to sharpen free hand is one of the most empowering things that you can do for yourself as a knife owner, I throughly enjoy sharpening and find it very therapeutic and rewarding.
Have Fun!
Home cook, addicted to knives, stones, food and new recipes.
Bill
Bill
Re: Beginner stone set advice
will i need a flattening stone for the shaptons if i'm also sharpening some single bevel knives?billk1002 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 10, 2022 10:24 pm For your first set of stones to learn on think hard splash and go. My first set of stones were soft soakers and I gouged quite a few stones and you can’t just grab them to practice.
I have the Shapton pro 320, 1K, 2K and 5K they are great stones, I use them to sharpen my friends knives at their homes and I use them to travel with, I find them very enjoyable to use.
If you would like to spend a few more $’s the Shapton Glass stones are excellent investment considering you will own either set for decades as a home sharpener.
- ronnie_suburban
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
Definitely. In fact, I'd say when the stone dish, not if.
=R=
Half of cooking is thinking about cooking.
Half of cooking is thinking about cooking.
Re: Beginner stone set advice
true. however, they effectively might not dish if the stones are very hard (like vitrified diamond) and you only maintain a few knives in a home setting. not for a really long time...
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
My Shapton Pro stones came with a weird coating on them, I had to clean them with a 140 DP before I used them.
Home cook, addicted to knives, stones, food and new recipes.
Bill
Bill
- Jeff B
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
I've been reading this thread, waiting for someone to suggest the cktg 140 diamond plate, which is perfectly effective as the atoma at a lower price. thank you Jeff!I'd say get a set of lesser stones to learn on, then purchase your long term set. My suggestion is the shapton glass, 320 as Taz suggested, then 1k, 2 and or 4k. Then I like to go with the Naniwa 8k snow white. I prefer splash n go, that soaking bucket is pretty gross looking at this point Taz old buddy! I beat up those clunky sharp pebble combo stones for $30. came with everything you need, albeit rudimentary at best. Anyone who wishes to borrow said stones may do so simply by PMing me anytime. I have some diamond stones, including some nice naniwa but they cut deep and you can't put metal back. A newbie has no business touching anything diamond until they fully learn to sharpen. $300. is quite a bit of money, JKI isn't cheap. This is CKTG isn't it? Try amazon or even amazon.jp and get them at a more moderate price if you're set on having them. Sharpening is a joy, so take your time learning it and doing it. No rushing things and have fun! Like most things knives, stones, strops, etc. it's all about preference so take your time and btw, someone above mentioned some sort of coating on a nw stone. I've also noticed that to be the case lately so first order of business with a new stone is to flatten it thoroughly and at the same time remove any coating of whatever kind it may be. Stropping wiht 1 or .5 micron on a roo strop does very nicely to finish a good sharpening session. Then touch up your knives after each use with your strop and you won't have to sharpen for awhile. Take your time and have fun!!
In the immortal words of Ken Schwartz-"Master The 1K."
Re: Beginner stone set advice
i just answered the question asked and gave my opinion. if i were starting over with 0 experience and 0 equipment, that's what would be best for me. i believe they make the job faster, easier, and less messy for anyone at any experience level. also, they don't leave deep scratches ime. nothing like a plate.
buy once, cry once.
OP can't really go wrong either way though. rub metal on abrasive surface. metal gets sharp. kinda not much to it.
for non-diamond synthetics, my suggestion would probably be shapton pro and shapton glass. which specific stones depends on how many he's willing to buy and what steels he's using.
buy once, cry once.
OP can't really go wrong either way though. rub metal on abrasive surface. metal gets sharp. kinda not much to it.
for non-diamond synthetics, my suggestion would probably be shapton pro and shapton glass. which specific stones depends on how many he's willing to buy and what steels he's using.
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
You were right on, I actually like the diamond sometimes. Gives you a quick, clean edge to start on say a 400, which is my naniwa diamond. I just like the feel of quality steel on a shapton glass or Nubatama or Naniwa whetstone. More fun! Somebody new is bound to use too much pressure and chew up steel on a diamond stone starting out. Better to learn on something slow so as not to cause too much damage.sansho wrote: ↑Wed Dec 14, 2022 8:16 pm i just answered the question as asked and gave my opinion. if i were starting over with 0 experience and 0 equipment, that's what i'd get. i believe they make the job faster, easier, and less messy for anyone at any experience level. also, they don't leave deep scratches ime. nothing like a plate.
buy once, cry once.
OP can't really go wrong either way though. rub metal on abrasive surface. metal gets sharp. kinda not much to it.
In the immortal words of Ken Schwartz-"Master The 1K."
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Re: Beginner stone set advice
I'm not sure what you're responding to here, but I think the point of the thread is for people to offer differing opinions based on different experiences. One thing I learned a long time ago is that a lot of people on this forum are very modest. Some have hundreds of knives and dozens of stones, and have been into exotic knives and steels for multiple decades. Some - not all - of the people that come to the forum appreciate that kind of experience. We often call this the "rabbit hole," referring to the fact that easy, one-step solutions are great for some, but that for many people who hang out on the forum, they appreciate the nuance and complexity that centuries of knife-making and sharpening brings to the table even as we celebrate all things new and find that even the best recommendations leave them wanting to try other, different things.sansho wrote: ↑Wed Dec 14, 2022 8:16 pm i just answered the question asked and gave my opinion. if i were starting over with 0 experience and 0 equipment, that's what would be best for me. i believe they make the job faster, easier, and less messy for anyone at any experience level. also, they don't leave deep scratches ime. nothing like a plate.
buy once, cry once.
OP can't really go wrong either way though. rub metal on abrasive surface. metal gets sharp. kinda not much to it.
for non-diamond synthetics, my suggestion would probably be shapton pro and shapton glass. which specific stones depends on how many he's willing to buy and what steels he's using.
For me, this means trying to make one-and-done recommendations that also allow room for growth. For others, who knows. And it is true that we can always simply things: I've been known to sharpen knives using the bottom of mugs when at an AirBnB because yes, rubbing metal on an abrasive surface works. Other people have used sidewalks, cinderblocks, and the like. But I enjoy the conversation that results from trying to learn new and potentially more fun methods when others are willing to share, and I've certainly learned a hell of a lot by trying different stones on different steels over the years. I hope the OP can enjoy the same richness and satisfaction I have, regardless of whether these are the first, last, or first and last stones they ever buy.
~J
Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and have tried dozens of brands over the years.
Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and have tried dozens of brands over the years.