To Wowbagger,
Right. I understand that it is the basis of us using leather and linen for stropping. If they do not have hard minerals at all, it might take a very long time to have any effect on steels.
To DeadboxHero,
I am not trying to ditch or ignore real-world evidence. I am just trying to understand them intelligibly. I guess I am a researcher not only as my occupation but also in heart. So, please forgive my techno-centered mind
You mentioned that an alumina-based stone can polish high carbide volume steels. Why? Was the carbide tungsten carbide, which is softer than alumina? Or was it really the technique to apply pressure to the edge properly and consistently to facilitate the abrasion? Or, was it because the stone actually contains other abrasives such as silicone carbide, like some of Shapton stones? I am not asking an answer, but this is my usual attitude toward a problem......
Miso
I'm not here to call anyone out brother, I respect you guys and I learn a lot reading here too.
I'm on the same page with you, I want to understand things in depth as well.
But it seems its more complex then it appears.
I dulled the edge
o Yikes, I know) and freehand sharpened CPM S110v on all alumina.
I started with the Norton India combo field stone that I use for axes, so I use it in hand with oil. Cut like a champ, then I switched to the fine orange side 400 grit ANSI which is everyone's favorite, cuts fast and isn't too aggressive that I can't deburr on the stone.
Made a respectable edge with all those expensive carbides exposed, lots of bite, and could even shave hair.
Skipped the medium grit and made a big jump to the Naniwa Chosera 3k waterstone which brought out a bright finish but not a true mirror. This stone felt glassy with the S110v but the Chosera aren't know to have the best feedback, yet it was still noticeable, also there was a definite lack of swarf on the stone compared to other steels with less carbide volume.
It only took several moments to finish on the 3k with moderate pressure ( not enough to turn any part of my nail beds white but a slight pressure on the stone and blade)
all that and I still was able to enhance the edge to a nice hair popping apex. I made a burr every step but is unbelievably difficult to detect at 3k and beyond but its still there if ya try to cut something so ya still have to go through the deburring motions
Next I switched to the Naniwa 8k Snow white, Again I noticed a very glassy feedback and very minimal swarf but I was able to hold my angle and maintain my crisp apex and polish it.
last was the Naniwa Super Stone 12K, this is a much softer, resin bond stone versus the magnesia based Chosera/professional stones that are harder and also have more alumina ceramic abrasive volume.
made almost no swarf..
haha yikes
but still polished, you can still see the Norton India scratches since I skiped the medium grit and went straight to polishing, but in the right light its a bright mirror like finish, but of course a true mirror has no scratches IMHO
Deburred on the stone and the edge felt sharp, nice bite
stropped on Chrome Oxide which is also a softer abrasive to see If I could enhance the edge further I used a light touch since the pasted strops are rather gummy and I feel like its much easier to round the apex then if using a spray or emulsion.
Still a crisp apex, can treetop hair with softer abrasives on steel with 9% vandium and 3% niobium
Grit Progression:
Norton India oilstone 240 coarse
Norton India oilstone 400
Naniwa 3k chosera
Naniwa 8k "snow white"
Naniwa 12k superstone
Chomium oxide pasted strop
deburr at each stage full deburr on strop.
***NEW GUYS- this is not the ultimate set up, Just an example for abrasive hardness vs High carbide, this is not my first choice to sharpen that stuff, just showing it can be done.
In conclusion, The ceramic waterstones would not be my first chose and in reality this in not an effective pocket knife edge finish for real world use, since I am not cutting sushi or shaving my face with the folder, I mostly just cut stuff that I throw away with my folders so I don't need the worlds cleanest cut traded for reduced edge life that the high polish gives.
Also, its not taking advantage of all those carbides S110v has to offer by concealing and shaping them in the apex rather then exposing them with deep scratches and sharp facets that will help me cut stuff more aggressively and longer before sharpening, That's the wear resistance we pay for, its just that deburring is a crucial skill and some use polishing stones as a crutch to reduce and remove burr. When they should prolly just deburr and polish the teeth with a diamond/cbn strop.
I am not advocating alumina ceramic for high carbide, just showing that its overblown about its ineffectiveness, most dudes just overpolish or round the edge when working up the apex on the stones or don't fully deburr as the final step.
Yet, just because it can be done, doesn't mean its the right tool for the job.
The ceramic alumina stones are simply not as nice as diamond waterstones for high volume carbide
This is that "grey area" I brought up, its almost impossible to talk about things without being "black and white" on a forum discussion.
Lets cover why the diamond waterstones work better.
The Naniwa Diamond 3K waterstone did not lose feedback on S110V (no pic, s35vn in photo) and would create more swarf/loadup then the 3K Chosera which means they are more efficient and actually cutting versus the alumina ceramic based Chosera.
but in the end, its the execution not the tools and at a blistering $150 to $190 per diamond waterstone, it's just not cost effective for regular dudes with families and other things to get done in life.
'cept us nerds
Also, the hard resin bond load and is slow cutting, if all you sharpen is low carbide volume steels, these resin bond diamond waterstones are slower and more inefficient at cutting regular steel since they don't release grit and swarf loads up on the resin clogging the abrasive and they also have less tactile feedback then a regular stone as well.
The only advantage if used on normal steel is that they are very, very low dishing (might take years to dish) and a brighter finish then the choseras like the superstones but without the gummy feel and fast dishing. The Naniwa diamond waterstones may even cut faster then the superstones.
The real beast for a
superabrasive sharpening stone is vitrified bond since it does not clog and load, cuts faster then the choseras and more aggressively, needs a short soak and also has very, very low dishing and great feedback like a traditional high end soaking stone.
What's not to love, this has it all
...
... the cost is very, very high.
"how much we talking, I might buy that"
The most affordable would be $400
for a 800 grit stone sold by JKI
Yikes, I can see the merit to this stone but I would have a hard time telling someone that its worth $400 unless they are hopelessly obsessed and need help
While not the badass Vitrified diamond waterstone,
I found Venev Diamond resin bond waterstones are very affordable at $81 dollars for a 8x3 inch 400/800 FEPA-F (Bout 700/2000 grit in Naniwa stones) combo stone that I ordered online through email from Gritomatic, a Russian based company run by two very passionate knife guys
I have no idea how good this is, its not going to cut as fast as a vitrified bond and I do know it doesn't come flat and that SiC powder is recommended to flatten them by Gritomatic before use since it would just kill a 90 dollar atoma plate to flatten (again abrasive hardness is only one component in the broad spectrum of wear)
hope that's all clear as mud
The moral of the story is,
If you're a new dude, you don't need this stuff, it's not going to improve your skill. Practice, Practice, Practice
If you're really into sharpening as a hobby or as a professional, the diamond waterstones
may have merit to justify the increased cost since they have more longevity then normal stones and their metal plated cousins, also diamond waterstones leave a better finish without the deep scratches that reduce the precision and beauty of fully polished edges yet share the efficiency of the harder better cutting abrasives . In the end, an experienced sharpener might not like the diamond stones anyways just based on preference which is fine, if their edges are sharp who cares hahaha