Benchstones

J

jefroman

Joined
May 17, 2001
Messages
770
I am thinking of getting the medium and the ultra-fine Spyderco benchstones and I was wondering if they came with instructions that tell you how to use them?
 
Flat bench stones are probably the hardest method of sharpening to learn. Pretty frustrating if just starting out. I still don't know how to use them properly, but could pick this technique up with some work, now that I know these other methods.

I use, in order of frequency:
1. Lansky for folders and fixed blades to 5"
2. Bench grinder, with a 200 something grit side and a hard cardboard wheel & rouge (larger knives, but any knife, for a slightly convex and polished edge)
3. Chef's Choice Edgepro 120 for kitchen knives
4. Spyderco 204, for serrations mostly, and quick touchups/edge straightening.

Someday, I'll tackle bench stones... maybe. That bench grinder works great with some practice. And fast (that "fast" is a double edged sword).

Read Talmadge's FAQ on this forum for a good approach towards benchstones (magic marker method).

See also this book for an excellent treatise on the basics of "getting a burr" first and foremost.

www.razoredgesystems.com
 
Being an "Old Fart" :D I learned to sharpen on a man-made double-sided bench stone. The grits were "really rough" and "not so rough". I still have the worn out thing. But all of the time Dad spent teaching me and letting me ruin a couple of cheap knives has paid off over the years. I use DMT large duo-sided bench stones usually with a DMT Diamond Steel. I also have a very old DMT Duo-stone, one of their first, used in a "lansky" type clamp. I usually use this one because it's fast. I also have a GATCO set, a Lansky diamond set, a Spyderco 204, the set of 4 Spyderco slip stones, and an old Buck Arkansas stone. If it can't be sharpened with any of these it probably doesn't need to be sharpened.

Learn to use a bench stone. You won’t regret it.

Take your time, use a “cheap” knife that you can afford to screw up, use the marker method, and learn what a “burr” is. Use another method if, and when, you need it fast or to change the angle of the blade or whenever you want it easy.
 
Get the medium and fine benchstones. IMO the Ultra-fine is just too fine for most knife uses, and the cost is much greater than the fine. The Ultrafine is just a fine stone that has had the surface milled to a much smoother finish, that's why they are somewhat thinner than the fine and medium. If you like the medium and fine, and have good results, then you may want to splurge for the Ultra.

Just my $.02.

Paul
 
I learned how to sharpen on a benchstone. I have about 8 of different grits on my room, and just recently got spyderco's DoubleStuff ,after 2 generatons my 1200 grit stone was worn out. I use the DoubleStuff to touch up my knives, my other 3 2-sided stones go camping and for major jobs.

takes me about 20minutes to sharpen a knife that won't even cut paper to shaving sharp, and about 5-10 for most jobs.

I know I'll buy a spyderco medium benchstone for camping and a 204 sometime in the future(I just want one for play;) )

IMHO buy the benchstones and learn how to do it. It is worth it.
 
I definitely don't recommend benchstones for a beginner. It's frustrating enough learning how to raise a burr, grind it off, pick the right angle and finishing grit, etc., without also trying to hold the angle perfect.

I don't sharpen freehand enough to be great at it, but once you've got the basics down, you can pick it up quick. Perhaps the best thing you can do for yourself, if you want to learn how to use benchstones, is to buy yourself the clamps from Razor Edge (rdangerer provided the link above). Those clamps will hold the angle perfectly. And, unlike any other system -- 204, Edge Pro, Lansky, etc. -- the Razor Edge uses the exact same movements you would use freehand. To some extent, the motions do get worked into muscle memory. I learned on the Razor Edge, and almost magically, after a few months I could remove the clamps and get a decent edge freehand for the first time in my life.

When I sharpen freehand, I make extensive use of my thumbs and fingers. I feel the distance between the stone and blade spine. After a while, you also develop some sensitivity and can feel if you're grinding along the edge bevel, or if you're off.

Joe
 
Which mean even I can use it.

Any of the Clamp on the blade shapeners are the best as far as I am concerned. I started out with a Lansky Delux (5 grits). Now I use DMT diamond mostly Coarse and Fine (just the two). This procedure protects the sides of your blade from inadvertantly scratching them. It also allows you to repeat the same angle again and again. I settled on 20 degrees. At the end, I might do a couple of swipes with the finest (Lansky) stone on a higher degree like 25.

You may not have the sense of mastery that you gain with bench stones... but you won't ruin as many good knives in the learning process.
 
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