What Would You Plug Into This Setup?

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Apr 20, 2018
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So I don't feel like I need any additional stones but I love getting them and you folk always have the best insight so I thought I'd just toss this out to see what you all say.

The overwhelming majority of the knives I sharpen would be considered "low alloy" types. I have a well-stocked KME setup for the high-vanadium stuff. But most of what I use, kitchen or EDC, and most of what others ask me to help with are pretty sharpen-friendly.

My current free hand gear is:

- 300 grit Ultra Sharp diamond
- Norton Crystolon Medium
- Norton India Fine
- Various Arkansas stones from soft to black
- Double-sided (rough/smooth) strop with CrO on one side

I love toothy edges and I love my Arkansas stones.

But what would you add?

:)
 
Baryonix stones, probably the mutt or thistle (pinkish one)?

Shipping overseas and the potential of breakage is what kept me from getting one (or some) to try.

Or Martin’s washboard, perfect for touching up those simple steel in between sharpening (one sheet of paper is burnishing and aligning the edge)
 
As opposed to wanting for different or new types, I often find myself wanting a variation of sizes in a particular stone type I already know I like a lot. For example, after trying out a Norton IB8 (India) C/F stone in the 8" size, I realized a pocket-sized or another more portable Fine India would be the perfect touch-up stone to take with me when I choose to. So, I currently have a Fine India in 1/4" 1" x 4" pocket size, and I'm still considering a Fine India in a 6" size as well. I've done the same in my assortment of DMT diamond hones, over some time.

I also have a small 4" - 5" Washita (Arkansas) stone in a beautiful pink & white. It really pairs well with my knives in simpler steels, like 1095 or CV. I've always told myself, if I found an 8" x 2" stone with the same attractive qualities, I'd jump all over it. But with these, it's difficult to know if they're the same or not, as natural stones can vary quite a lot in performance, even in cases where they look the same. I'd have to try one out, before spending the money for it.
 
As opposed to wanting for different or new types, I often find myself wanting a variation of sizes in a particular stone type I already know I like a lot. For example, after trying out a Norton IB8 (India) C/F stone in the 8" size, I realized a pocket-sized or another more portable Fine India would be the perfect touch-up stone to take with me when I choose to. So, I currently have a Fine India in 1/4" 1" x 4" pocket size, and I'm still considering a Fine India in a 6" size as well. I've done the same in my assortment of DMT diamond hones, over some time.

I also have a small 4" - 5" Washita (Arkansas) stone in a beautiful pink & white. It really pairs well with my knives in simpler steels, like 1095 or CV. I've always told myself, if I found an 8" x 2" stone with the same attractive qualities, I'd jump all over it. But with these, it's difficult to know if they're the same or not, as natural stones can vary quite a lot in performance, even in cases where they look the same. I'd have to try one out, before spending the money for it.

Funny you say that David as I've been pondering similar. Except for me, it's going the other way. David Martin David Martin has me pining for an 11" stone. Of course then I'd need a longer holder...

:)
 
Seems the consensus is something coarser and that makes sense.

David Martin David Martin and HeavyHanded HeavyHanded do you go straight to stropping after the JUM 3? I do like coarser edges. I had been eyeballing the IC11 but that's just a longer version of stones I already have.
 
When the bevel needs a reset, I take it to the coarse. Then on to the fine which is like 260. On that side of the Jum-3 I'll finish it, removing any burr and clean the edge up and place it back in service. If a spot is giving me any trouble I'll strop that area and test.
This stone is my stand alone stone. Sure you can strop but I mostly finish on this stone. Heavy may work it different. DM
 
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Seems the consensus is something coarser and that makes sense.

David Martin David Martin and HeavyHanded HeavyHanded do you go straight to stropping after the JUM 3? I do like coarser edges. I had been eyeballing the IC11 but that's just a longer version of stones I already have.

If its a quick utility edge I leave it right as is off the fine side. Most often I'll reclaim some of the mud off the stone and smear it on a piece of wood or sheet of paper and strop on that. Sometimes I'll use a glass rod or coffee cup and steel the edge right off the stone and that works well too.

Its a very versatile stone, I've even been known to use it on my wood chisels if doing fairly rough work and it makes a very serviceable edge - endgrain pine to almost a wet finish.
 
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So I don't feel like I need any additional stones but I love getting them and you folk always have the best insight so I thought I'd just toss this out to see what you all say.

The overwhelming majority of the knives I sharpen would be considered "low alloy" types. I have a well-stocked KME setup for the high-vanadium stuff. But most of what I use, kitchen or EDC, and most of what others ask me to help with are pretty sharpen-friendly.

My current free hand gear is:

- 300 grit Ultra Sharp diamond
- Norton Crystolon Medium
- Norton India Fine
- Various Arkansas stones from soft to black
- Double-sided (rough/smooth) strop with CrO on one side

I love toothy edges and I love my Arkansas stones.

But what would you add?

:)

Your Arkansas stones are SiO2 (Quartz) and are softer than most Carbides excepting FeC3 (Iron Carbide). So you may want to get harder fine stones for polishing stainless and highly alloyed steels. I think the original unpopularity of stainless steel was due to the fact that most users were trying to sharpen it on natural stones. This may also be the reason that many users still prefer Carbon steel.
Excuse my penmanship, I was using my finger tip on the screen.
 
David Martin David Martin I hope you don't mind me bugging you some more but you've sparked my curiosity and I'd like to tap into your butchering experience.

My son in law breaks down a couple game animals a year and him and my daughter are starting to buy larger cut and breaking them down with the ultimate goal of some day raising/butchering their own animals. A couple years ago I bought him a pretty complete Victorinox butcher's kit. For Christmas this year I was planning on getting him some stones and now I'm wondering if the JUM 3 would be a good fit for him? I'm planning on getting him a Baryonyx Manticore and probably still will for various reasons but I'm really curious about your thoughts here or other recommendations for that application.

Thanks in advance. :)
 
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Eli Chaps Eli Chaps , Victorinox makes good breaking knives. Carving models you won't see in most households. I really enjoy using their 8 & 10" slicers and the 6" boning blade. Just 2 of these will carry you a long way. I see all these in my commercial meat markets.
The Baryonyx will work. I can't recall if he makes that in a 8" size. In meat markets I only see the Norton IM 313 Tri-hone. It's very rare if I see anything else. The JUM-3 has 2 of those grit stones in one. Then the fine India. I have this set up and a 313. So, too many stones. Ha-ha. Meat cutters mostly sharpen to around a 200 grit. Then steel it throughout their shift. This straightens the
burr or peels it off depending on how they like doing it. Or you can do the same thing on a stone. But they all develop burrs with use. I'm very pleased your Son in Law and Daughter are getting their feet wet doing this. A great skill to learn. We raise all our
meat on our farm and many other grocery items. So, take part with them. Here's my IM- 313. These are pricey but the JUM-3 gets
you most of the way there. DM
Trihone.jpg
 
Eli Chaps Eli Chaps , Victorinox makes good breaking knives. Carving models you won't see in most households. I really enjoy using their 8 & 10" slicers and the 6" boning blade. Just 2 of these will carry you a long way. I see all these in my commercial meat markets.
The Baryonyx will work. I can't recall if he makes that in a 8" size. In meat markets I only see the Norton IM 313 Tri-hone. It's very rare if I see anything else. The JUM-3 has 2 of those grit stones in one. Then the fine India. I have this set up and a 313. So, too many stones. Ha-ha. Meat cutters mostly sharpen to around a 200 grit. Then steel it throughout their shift. This straightens the
burr or peels it off depending on how they like doing it. Or you can do the same thing on a stone. But they all develop burrs with use. I'm very pleased your Son in Law and Daughter are getting their feet wet doing this. A great skill to learn. We raise all our
meat on our farm and many other grocery items. So, take part with them. Here's my IM- 313. These are pricey but the JUM-3 gets
you most of the way there. DM
View attachment 1207033

Thank you sir!
 
Bomb an Atoma 140 or DMT EC or EEC in there. You don't even need to use those stones to fix chips; they're so damn effective you just have to touch the blade anywhere on the stone and you instantly develop a full burr
 
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