Edge Pro Matrix resin bond diamond stones

Basedlarrydavid said:
I’ve probably done 50 sharpenings with my set and I can say with all certainty that they are nowhere near 1/3rd worn. Depending on technique and lapping, I think I could get thousands of sharpenings out of them.

I’m not at all trying to call him out nor start drama, but I’ve always taken his videos with a grain of salt. We all have our techniques and preferences, mine are simply different. But I want to say that David and EP explicitly say to only use alcohol, dish soap, and water to clean the stones between lapping. Anything else can harm the resin.

EDIT: I also wanted to pop in here and say that I lapped the big 80 grit with the EP flattening kit and the SiC powder. It did a great job after the grains broke down a little. I would recommend giving the stone a good scrub afterward to ensure all of the SiC has been removed.

Also, to your question, I clean my stones as I go. I use my finger to loosen up the loading with some soapy water and wipe it off. I give the 650, 1100, 2300, and 4000 grits a brief lapping session with the flattening kit and AlOx powder about every 5 sharpening jobs. It isn’t necessary, but I really like the aggressiveness of the stones when they’re freshly lapped. I also prefer a really aggressive edge. If you’re looking for a super fine, very smooth polished edge, the stones do better in that regard when they’re a little loaded up.
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Agree. Hard to claim the stones don't last when you're not following the prescribed cleaning routine.

Great point about cleaning them with ALOx and aggressiveness. I like how they cut after cleaning. They do polish better when loaded. I'm also finding that I need to keep them very clean to avoid random scratches when getting polished edges. It doesn't take much for a scratch to show up. My polishing sessions have this pattern: "Almost done... just about there... what the heck?"

How much water are you guys adding to the ALOx? Do I want a paste or something more fluid? I've been using a pasty mixture.
 
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You want just enough water that the abrasive will move around, if it is a slurry and hard to keep on your plate you used too much. If it is too dry it will clump and not spread out easily while dressing. I will have to watch that video before responding. I base my wear rate predictions on the stones EP uses and measure with good calipers or a tenths micrometer. They do not wear much from proper use, but the 650 and finer stones you can remove .001" in 1-1/2 minutes when dressing them if you really try. Sandpaper will not dress them flat, it wears the corners down.

Well now I know how he wears them out in 150 knives, yikes! Sandpaper used that way is the way to do it. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd best ways to dress these stones is with loose abrasive on a flat plate, there is no other way to do it that works remotely as well.

I always wipe the knife off between stones and the table as it needs it to avoid contaminating the next stone with the grit and swarf from the last, this really helps reduce contamination with the 2300 and 4k stones.
 
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I watched that vid. He let those stones get very loaded with blade steel. Even as a pro I think he could mitigate that with some alcohol cleaning after each use(?).
 
First step is do not let them dry out when in use, they turn black real fast if used dry. If you keep them wet during use then a light rinse and finger scrub should suffice between knives. Other than that alcohol to clean until they need to be dressed. EP was dressing them after every couple of knives for the first few months then got tired of it and just used them. They really don't need to be dressed that often, as long as you don't use too much pressure.
 
Following this advice and so far, so good. The coarse stones get a lot of use. The higher grit stones get surprisingly little since you told us 10 edge-trailing passes per 3" was likely enough. I'll do more when I want a mirror. That number of passes is generally adequate for good sharpness.

I've done significant re-profiling with Maxamet, S110V, K390, and other high-carbide steels and don't see any visible dishing or thinning of the stones yet.
 
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Nothing I would drink, it wouldn't make it to the stones. I like 90% or higher rubbing alcohol, the strength matters a little. It's a handy solvent for cleaning a lot of things.
 
I've got an unopened bottle of the 90% that I was saving for lens cleaning. (Astronomical eyepieces.) I'll keep that for the hones.

I'll keep using the opened bottle of 70% for other mundane stuff.
 
David Richardson said:
I watched that vid. He let those stones get very loaded with blade steel. Even as a pro I think he could mitigate that with some alcohol cleaning after each use(?).
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He is not a pro. I've seen his edges. There nothing special. He needs to make a living selling and sharpening knives though. Most of his customers don't need anything special or great. But yea. Have you seen his video on maxamet sharpening... Yikes is all I gotta say. Lots of drama from him overall.
 
Mo2 said:
But yea. Have you seen his video on maxamet sharpening... Yikes is all I gotta say. Lots of drama from him overall.
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I gotta say it confused me as well. I purchased a Para 3 in Maxamet from a friend here on the forum which had some minor edge issues. I was able to rectify them with minimal effort (and no drama) on a medium Spyderco ceramic bench stone.

Live and learn.
 
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Mo2 said:
He is not a pro. I've seen his edges. There nothing special. He needs to make a living selling and sharpening knives though. Most of his customers don't need anything special or great. But yea. Have you seen his video on maxamet sharpening... Yikes is all I gotta say. Lots of drama from him overall.
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Good point. I did see that video and had forgotten about it. Most of us aren't having that much trouble with Maxamet. Speaking of that, I want some Rex 121 to try with these stones (BBB, in case you're listening).
 
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Mo2 Mo2 I don't follow this person and I am not familiar with his work but if he makes a living with this stuff isn't it derogatory to say "he is not a pro?" It seems to me you could be critical of his methods without taking it to that level.
 
Just re-profiled two knives. Did them both on the 80 grit stone and will go to 1100. Off the 80 grit they will both cut newsprint easily and cut fine curls from printer paper. Not hair whittling, but quite sharp. New for me to an edge this sharp off coarse stones.

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Diemaker said:
The mineral oil was interesting but I think it works best on the lower grits, but so does water. It stays stuck to the stones quite well but this also keeps all the swarf from washing off which I worry will cause more contamination problems with the 4k stone. I tried both a low viscosity type for cutting boards and the thick stuff from the grocery store. The cutting board low viscosity oil is as thick as you would want it for the Matrix stones. I will slather a few stones up with it and put them in my lightbulb oven where I cure the epoxy on my switchplates. This will give them a lot of temperature cycling to make sure the oil doesn't attack anything about the stones. After a few weeks of this and no problems I will report back that mineral oil is ok to use if you want.
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Do you have a result for oil usage?
 
Just checked out my stone that has been soaked in oil and stored in my "oven" so it sees lots of thermal cycling between 60 and 130f. Absolutely no issues what so ever, mineral oil is fine as far as the Matrix stone is concerned. As far as using it for sharpening I think it sucks. Sure the swarf stays suspended and the stones don't dry out but the swarf is more likely to stay on the stone, does not wipe off as easily and I find the oil makes a much bigger mess than water. When I sharpen I have a tray of water that I dip my stones into before using and use to rinse them off immediately after I am done with them. After sharpening about 20-25 knives all of my stones are not loaded up at all and the mess factor is minimal.
 
I got a full set of sic stones for my M2 sharpener, but I think once I get a little more experience under my belt I'm gonna have to try a couple of these stones....
 
Used the 2300 and the 4000 yesterday. They really do the job. BOTH Edge trailing only. The alcohol CLEANS a LOT better than the Windex with a little soap which is good for the regular Edge Pro stones. Be aware that if you mix Windex, soap, and alcohol your fingers can have small white specks on them. I had to use mild soap then a good hand lotion on them. A chemical reaction with the skin.

As for the the Matrix 2300 and the 4000 I was impressed with the manufacturing and the way they work. They took care of a small chip on a new Spyderco Manix 2 XL point. I used them right after the regular EP - 400, 600, and 1000.

Too test the 2300 and 4000; I had avoided my Chosera stones in 2000, 3000, 5000 and 10000 - and just stropped it with a Water Buffalo hide on a 1 X 6 I made with a diamond 1/4th Micron spray.

The 2300 and 4000 Matrix stones actually out performed what I thought they would do. The Knife was wicked sharp.

I will have to order the OTHER Edge Pro Diamond Matrix stones. Thank you DIEMAKER for all your love, time, effort, and work to make the Edge Pro a better product. Thank you all you other posters for making my learning curve rather short.
 
Exactly what I was hoping to hear. Thats gonna be my first buys. Need to sell some of my radio control cars since I dont race anymore anyways. That would give me enough for all I want and other goodies too! It's a damn good thing I have an understanding wife, cause I have hobbies......
But she has Kohl's,lol Guess it all works out.
 
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