Diamond Sharpening Stone FAQ - Whats The BEST stone?

[@ericg5877]

Anyone else so hooked on this channels videos that they don't even care what the topic is about anymore they just want more videos?

[@OUTDOORS55]

Haha thanks for the kind words 🙏👍

[@thechumpsbeendumped.7797]

Yep, I like his no nonsense presentation style and I’ve yet to see a duff vid from him.

[@powerofyes]

The one and a half hour road trip video was downright therapeutic

[@Jimmy-iz2rx]

HOWEVER... I would like to see some more knife making videos again... in good time, when Alex is feeling better and able to do so.

[@EDC_IWB]

I have actually put on his entire playlist before while I'm at work and just let it play. The things I've learned from Alex are remarkable.

[@fujimeira]

Can you make a video about the diamond compounds for stropping? Cheap vs expensive, grit sizes, emulsion vs paste, comparison on microscope vs green compound, etc

[@trevorreeves5041]

Been sharpening knives for 45+ yrs as part of my profession as a metal worker toolroom machinist and it wasn't until my son became a qualified chef that I appreciated the difference between sharp and properly sharp. Of all the KZbinr's I've watch here in virtual reality, I find some of the most worthwhile information I've come across, thanks for laconic senses of humour, and making the subject approachable. Thanks T

[@hkguitar1984]

I've been sharpening knives and axes for friends and family since the early 1990s. Seeing the SHARPAL recommendation I purchased one and have been using it for about a month now. What a great value the SHARPAL has been, I'm very pleased with its quality and performance for the price. Especially nice is the heavy duty storage case that doubles and a tool holder/base.

[@ARAW-__-]

Hi, i used a pull through almost exclusively for almost ten years. You got me hand-sharpening again, on a piece of brick 🤣

[@mikejake6360]

Good upgrade

[@ARAW-__-]

@@mikejake6360 for real, I'm getting better by the day. 😉

[@zacharysherry2910]

Lol. I like to strop on cardboard or the frosted top of my car window

[@ARAW-__-]

@@zacharysherry2910 Not kidding, I was thinking of carboard with campfire ashes for strop + compound. You think we got a goldmine selling those ? 😁

[@tonyrutten2293]

Thanks for the Info! A before & after of a sharp knife through a dishwasher cycle would be interesting under the scope.

[@minitoe]

I was just going to ask about that! :)

[@sibylle_p]

Indeed! Outdoors55, can you do that in the future please?

[@battlement]

Ooo that's a good one since I frequently just toss my kitchen knives in the dishwasher.

[@MattKsomething]

Cleaning diamond stones - I use WD40 some times if they are heavily contaminated . Then wipe down with clean paper towel . If yours are aluminium plate , you can wash them ( soapy water ) .. All my diamond is on aluminium plate and I have had no issues over several years now . ( washing them ) .

[@Bob_Adkins]

Great video as usual! I love my Snarpal 325X1200! The 325 is perfect for profiling new knives and flattening my waterstones. The 1200 side will sharpen an "almost sharp" knife in a few strokes, with a few more on hard leather and diamond paste to finish it off. I've had it 5 years, use it 3-4 times a month, and it's almost like new.

[@EDC_IWB]

Wow, I think that's every question answered that Ive ever had. Truly timeless my friend. Hope you have a great time at blade show and a speedy recovery 💪

[@OUTDOORS55]

Awesome, thanks friend 🙏👍

[@LaneStevens]

I feel like you are the “project farm” of the knife community

[@nazgu1]

Exactly! We need a collab!

[@Kaufeetimevideo]

Friend, that is an excellent idea. ​@@nazgu1

[@tcp3059]

I'd buy that

[@makenchips]

The rubber eraser works as well as a poly eraser and for finer Stones I would use a Gum Eraser and just roll it piece of dough across the stone I don't understand who started this Windex craze including any type of oil totally not necessary glad you brought this out well done Alex

[@vaguincolombia]

Thank you for the video. I bought the Sharpal diamond stone thanks to your review. The manufacturer claims that we can use honing oil so since honing oil is basically mineral oil, thats what im using to prevent rust mainly. I like to use mineral oil because i dont get that metal dust everywhere and i think the stone is easier to clean. To clean better a diamond stone simply use mineral spirits ODORLESS which is more refined than the regular one and stronger smell. Just use mineral spirits with a toothbrush and it will be super clean. For the most stubborn dirt, when the stone is dry the best option is a simple eraser.

[@Curtislow2]

Thanks for your reply/comment. I go the Sharpal as well and was wondering the same thing about using oil. Makes sense to me. THX.

[@robbabcock_]

Great video! After watching the review video of the Sharpal I caved and bought one. So far I've only done a few knives with it but I'm favorably impressed. My feeling based on a few uses is that the Sharpal's 325 side is slower/less aggressive than the Atoma 400 or even the S SATC coarse but this may change as I get more time on it. What I wasn't prepared for was just how great the case would be! OD55 kind of undersold it IMO. It's fairly substantial and well made. The bottom is very nicely rubberized and doesn't budge a bit, and the case is thick enough that there's plenty of knuckle clearance to use the stone. It's really shocking that this combo stone is still $70!

[@richardmather1906]

Agree that the case is a real selling point. It provides an excellent working surface. Its sturdy. It does not move around. And it stores the stone. And the cardboard box it came in has room for a strop, the bottle of compound. Its all good.

I want to thank you a lot for teaching people how to sharpen properly. I used to watch a lot of videos with fancy setups and really expensive sharpening material, I even bought a Work Sharp precision adjust but it felt like a chore to use. After your recomendations I bought the Sharpal stone and a strop and 4 micron diamond paste and was able to get hair popping sharp edges without even using angle guides.

[@no.no.4680]

I took your advice and bought the S SATC diamond stone and the sharpal angle guide you showed a while back. Delivered at the end of May, and now only a week and a half later, I've been able to bring my dull pocket knife back to life. I'm not really into collecting knives, just own a chef knife and a couple of pocket knives. I do like to maintain what I have. The S SATC stone is cheaper than a new knife. Thanks for saving me a ton of money in the future!

[@norrisfong6445]

You forgot to mention in this video that an added value for the sharpal is it comes w a base/storage box and an angle "guide".

[@intensecutn]

Same as many other no-name brands on eBay. I just picked up a 400/1000 diamond STONE with a base on ebay for $20AUD.

[@norrisfong6445]

@@intensecutn thank you but that was not the stone I wanted and bought. the sharpal stone I bought came w a base/case that he didn't mention. I'm glad you're happy w your purchase.

[@nosrin1988]

you've been on fire lately with all these new videos. I feel so blessed!

[@Wolf_K]

I use 2” pencil erasers. They do really a good job. They do a good job on Spyderco ceramics as well. Diamond Abrasives I like are ATOMA # 140, 400, 600, 1200; DMT in F, XF, XXF They last a long time. I also really like the Shapton DGLP for Waterstones; it’s expensive, sure, but it’s great for flattening. It will last many many years and maybe even a couple of decades as I don’t use it on stones under JIS 1000. For that I use ATOMA 140

[@matandcat2506]

Gotta say......i made the mistakes of pull through sharpeners, the cheap shitty amazon blue/white whetstone, then i found this channel!! Bought the sharpal and couldn't be happier! So glad i bought it and found the channel!! Much love from the uk!!!

[@norm1124]

Same here - Such an nice, compact solution. Just used water with it, but will change this habit now too.

[@vaguincolombia]

Send him a kiss.

[@matandcat2506]

💋💋💋

[@vaguincolombia]

@@matandcat2506 Hahaha.

[@richardunderwood950]

I bought the sharpal too. It’s great and all I need for a while.

[@johncorso9701]

Great stuff. That shirt is giving my wife and I some serious Star Trek vibes though.

[@zacharysherry2910]

Lol spock could make some seriously sharp knives 🖖

[@Obsidian-One]

When you get up to really high grits they do kinda plug up sometimes. Bar Keepers friend with a magic erase pad or scrub pad works great

[@lizard2425]

I have used water to lift grindings with my diamond stone for years sharpening multiple kitchen cutlery a couple of times a week. I have never seen any rust. I always wash the stone with hot tap water, towel dry it and let it finish drying on its own because it is hot. It is nickel based. I wonder if the rust others are seeing is actually rusted particles from the knives.... ?

[@robohippy]

Thus far, I use fluid when sharpening. I think it makes it a bit simpler to remove the swarf. Most of the time I will use an automotive glass cleaner which does not have ammonia in it. Ammonia can bother the nickel plating material. Using water is not a problem, IF you dry them off. I will leave mine on their side and propped up on one end so all of the water drains off and there are only 2 tiny surfaces that are in contact with the wood I have mine on. I have CBN grinding wheels for all of my lathe tools. Under 'production' work, they are good for 5 or so years. I would expect diamond to last longer since it is a bit harder than the CBN.

[@kaseybowen]

Great video answered so many of my extra beginner questions. Someone probably already commented this but I don't read through all the comments, compressed air sounds like a solution for a lot of the corrosion and cleaning issues... Maybe

[@desireegoulett69]

I just bought one of those $20 Amazon stones as a set with the holder for $40 and a new Beaver Craft strop made in Ukraine and got all three for $56. Love all three, especially for the price...thanks for another great vid and answering both the questions I had Before I had a chance to ask them....lol

[@colinmacdonald8141]

I am totally hooked on..Now I need to break down all this info. Still not clear on which stone, how many stones needed to sharpen and stropping. Here we go…

[@flyingsodwai1382]

Thanks! Been waiting to hear about cleaning diamond stones. Much appreciated.

[@MrAndyloz]

Just got my new stone ordered thanks for the advice

[@TheWatcher60401]

I use and clean my diamond stones same as spyderco ceramics. They are in perfect condition. 👌

[@danpost4755]

Fantastic video, Alex! Very useful information. Thanks for putting it out

[@joshcarter-com]

Help, I’ve got a problem. I started watching Alex’s channel so I could sharpen all of my pocket knives. But they’re sharp now. So I went through all my kitchen knives and now they’re all sharp, too. I’ve started buying knives on eBay and I realized my primary reason for buying them is to sharpen them. Where does it stop?!? I’m sure my wife would like to know, too.

[@OUTDOORS55]

You need a brick 🧱 😉

[@K.O.Knives]

Start selling the knives you've sharpened so you can recoup a bit of money.

[@Hatim94]

@@OUTDOORS55😂😂😂😂😂

[@JoshuaLlamaLlama]

Sounds like you found a sidejob...

[@vaughan2632]

A kneadable eraser may work well to clean stones, I use it for erasing when im drawing they get into the grooves of the paper quite well and don't leave residue

[@coolbugfacts1234]

I used water on my sharpal before i knew better and put it in the ultrasonic cleaner with simple green and it seemed to get some of the staining off of it. Now I just keep my shop vac with brush attachment to clean off the stone when using it dry since I've got a HEPA filter in it

[@VinayVarsani]

Really looking forward to the chefs knife arc of the diamond stone series!

[@mikepettengill2706]

This guy is the best value for your dollar on the internet!

[@whitecaps775]

Listening to your videos has improved my sharpening skills and prevented me for wasteing some money. Keep bringing it Sir!

[@stusue9733]

Cazy question of the week. Does the diamond grit fall out of a lap over time if used upsidedown?

[@huckinglp]

Hey, watched a few of your videos after it popped up on my feed, really informative stuff I never knew what a burr is before I saw one of your videos and I did hear about people using strops but I always thought it wasn't really necessary and it was only for people who wanted their knives to look shinier or something. I've been using a whetstone (1000 grit) for a couple years now after trying a honing steel and a pull through knife sharpener and basically seeing no results with either on actually getting a better edge (maybe a tiny bit with the pull through knife sharpener but nothing compared to the whetstone). With the whetstone I was able to get really sharp edges but they would only last a couple of weeks before getting dull, this makes so much more sense after I saw your videos about stropping and removing the burr, I ordered one on amazon for $30 I know that's not exactly what you recommend but I saw it get some good reviews and I'm looking forward to trying it out. I didn't really feel like spending north of $50 on a belt + compound + contact cement and most of the stuff you link doesn't even ship to my country lol. thanks for the informative videos. One question I do have (I'm sure you probably covered it in one of your videos, sorry) is does it matter which side you push/pull your knife with on the stone? I always use a backwards direction (edge trailing as you put in one of your videos) with my whetstone, should I use a forwards direction for better results? I see that's how you do it in your videos.

[@Colt3854]

Great video. Your information is invalueable. You deliver the information required clearly. Best knife sharpening channel on youtube.

[@Micro-Moo]

Not using water raises a question: what about stone cleaning? I clean my stones using water and soap for dirty hands (auto mechanic soap) with citric acid and pumice. For harder soiling, vaseline oil (liquid paraffin) can provide additional help (it is also used to treat kitchen cutting boards). I let the stones soak for a while, repeat cleaning, and then rinse and dry the stones well. I faced rusting only on a couple old low-quality stones. However, I don't have much experience. Anyway, any advice would be very useful. I also tried a rubber cleaning stick. It is not at all bad on abrasives for wood, but it doesn't affect those diamond stones much. What do you think? Thank you!

[@philgoogle1535]

I've got bleeding thumbs after having just got the 400#/1000# SATC stone. Keeping the knife angle consistent is evading me. Once I figure this out, I'll upgrade to a DMT or Sharpal. Thank you Alex.

[@sabelfechter7136]

Rather Sharpal, DMT cuts slow and has crazy grit contamination.

[@luisnouel4268]

I always learn something new with your videos. I'm going to stop using water with my diamond stones. Thanks

[@Vladimir-hq1ne]

I used tro clean my stones with oleic acid. Works wonders.

[@LancelotChan]

Agree. I don't use water at all to prevent rust. I sharpen swords and they can get rusty. I clean stone with baby oil to prevent rust too.

[@Rob_65]

As always, the best stone is the one you have 😉 I have different diamond stones, both the nickel plated ones and resin bound ones. The resin bound ones, I save for specialty knifes and carbide tools. The other ones I use on all other knifes but as a rule of thumb I save the expensive nickel plated stones for the harder steels only. Those real cheap diamond stones with the oval holes in the plates are the only ones I don't use anymore since I ruined the tip of more than one knife and chisel on those.

[@sasines]

Excellent as always! Learn something every video. Thank you for doing these.

[@wiseghost1]

Hey, I don’t know if you noticed, but SHARPAL just dropped a new diamond plate 167H. It looks exactly like the one you mentioned, but without the plastic box. At $45 it might be even better offer 😁

[@angelomiller]

I find that diamond stones do a much better job using fluid. It's much easier to not loose my angle when the chisel or handplane blade travels smoothly. I like using automotive window cleaning fluid because it has anti-corrosion agents. So far I have no issues with rust on my diamond plates.

[@PetesGuide]

Dying for you to do a full test under the microscope of water vs honing fluid vs windex vs whatever else people say to use. I believe you, but there are a bunch of people that don’t and I’d like to see you show us what it takes to convince them.

[@vaguincolombia]

I bought the Sharpal diamond stone and the manufacturer doesnt recommend using water to sharpen, just honing oil as the unique option.

[@PetesGuide]

@@vaguincolombia It’s on my wishlist, but haven’t bought one yet. Can you confirm if they say honing oil or honing fluid? I think there’s a difference but am not really sure, which is why I want him to do a deep microscopic dive.

[@Berg4357123]

For ski edging (which uses very similar diamond stones) I have always heard to use something like a 50/50 alcohol and water mix. Either ethanol or isopropyl alcohol.

[@vaguincolombia]

@@PetesGuide The box says clearly "Honing oil". Honing oil is basically mineral oil USP grade which is for human usage and it is easy to clean with water and soap or if you want, you can use ODORLESS mineral spirits which is a more refined mineral spirits than the regular one with strong smell. Use the odorless mineral spirits with a toothbrush.

[@Side85Winder]

You can add water with a little dish washing liquid, sewing machine oil? To the list 👍

[@joesavant5490]

thanx for the content bro. never miss an episode.

[@alejandroulate6632]

Thank you so much from Costa Rica!! Really appreciate your work.

[@johanneswerner1140]

interesting, Re the water. I have diamond plates to sharpen my woodworking tools, and I have been using water /glass cleaner on them, and not run into issues so far. I'll keep my eyes open, though! (and I have one of them diamond stones you like for the kitchen, which I have been using dry, as per your recommendation)

[@0nemoa]

Krud Kutter is the best option for use on diamond stones. They will not work as well if you don't use a lapping fluid. Never seen a quality stone have any sort of rust. Though I use Ultra Sharp stones and they are basically the best you can get. If you are using cheap junk from Amazon, you get what you pay for. Also if you dry the stones with a rag after using the stones. Another thing is you can contaminate the diamond stones simply by going from a 300 to a 600 without wiping your knife off first.

[@Barteks2x]

I very recently got into knife sharpening and your videos definitely helped, and I quickly got to sharpening to a shaving edge. I don't have a strop yet but I will get one soon. That said, money was a bit of an issue for me, so I ended up going with a locally available cheaper option than the sharpal ("sharpi" 600/1000, about half the price) - so far it does work but it almost certainly isn't nearly as good as the sharpal. It definitely seems to wear out around the edges pretty much during break in, so no recurve sharpening. If/when this one wears out, the next thing I get will definitely be sharpal though. Unfortunately, the S SATC stone isn't available locally and shipping costs kill it as an option (this is the one thing I hate about product recommendations on youtube - almost none of it applies to my country because shipping from amazon is often more than the cost of the item being shipped, and a lot of it just isn't available in my country)

[@feroxgordon]

I like your channel because you talk about stuff from knowledge and experience. There’s no bull💩which is great.

[@victorfranca85]

I got to use a lubricant with my diamonds. usually water and dish soap. Friction at the apex is a thing with dry abrasives (less than micron thicc, thermal dynamics is the law) . Also metal and diamond dust gets into your lungs, since your nose is right above the grind stone. Just spray some dw40 after, its formulated to displace water and protect against rust. You are going to get contradicting views while giving sharpening advice, dont let your ego take over, its how we learn. I bugged cliff stamp as well (rip). Nylon brush can also clean the diamonds and they last forever. Rubber also releases dust, that you inhale, since your nose is at the grind stone

[@KomManDerStrike]

Great video, I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot! I'd like to contribute a content idea: Try to turn a really cheap and coarse diamond "stoney/plate into a flattening stone by fixing it to a flat surface. I'd love to see that! Keep up the good work and stay healthy!

[@jamesbarisitz4794]

You better not be ceasing or desisting! Great work on all things diamond here, Alex. Feel better, and good luck with the legal wrangling. 👍

[@OUTDOORS55]

Just talked to my attorney, things are VERY much in our favor if they move forward 👍

[@FlaNkErAce]

i use 3m 675l finishingfilm, tape on a g10 plate, it works great

[@CSGATI]

On fine dia stones a film builds up soap and water works well

[@mathiasw.8148]

Thank you. That was very informative.

[@zakirr739]

Hi Alex, I would love to know your views on scalpels as to what mskes them so sharp and if they are sharper than the knives you've sharpened. Also, please provide your views on blade sharpness testers. Much love from Canada ❤

[@lucyferthehellish7794]

I would very much appreciate if you could make a video on sharpening "gentelmans knives" like CRKT CEO, Boker Kaizen/Nori/Kwaiken Air etc. I find them challenging due to the height of the blade being very minimalistic. I'm qurious if you have any tips specific to this type of knife.

[@PavelKostromitinov]

Getting good information on selecting such equipment is great. What I would like, actually, is some info on what to do with it after you buy one, the actual process of sharpening...

[@no.no.4680]

He has a start to finish tutorial on that already, uploaded about 6 months ago. The method is the same no matter what stone you use.

[@PavelKostromitinov]

@@no.no.4680 Which one is that? "How To Sharpen A Knife In About 5 Minutes With ONE Stone"? Any chance you can link it, please?

[@no.no.4680]

@@PavelKostromitinov Yes that’s the one.

[@ryanstokes5535]

Just found your channel, very informative and fun to watch, I’d like to see your thoughts and comparisons of some of the newer blade steels like s35vn ,s90 ,magna cut.

[@bobc3144L]

I purchased and learned to use the Sharpal stone and a strop following your instructions with great results. For the first time in my life, I can hand sharpen knives pretty well. Would a finer diamond stone be worth purchasing to obtain the "mirror finish" razor blade type edges, i.e., 3000 grit, etc.? If so, what do you recommend? Keep up the great videos. It has become one of my favorite channels. Thank you.

[@krakentacticaledc]

Great explanation and video Alex

[@thiago.assumpcao]

Have you tried using minera oil? It should reduce friction on the diamonds and the plates will last longer and prevent rusting. Maybe not worth it because of the mess. I like oil for high grit natural stones but have no experience with diamond plates.

[@alexolivarez732]

I wish you would review The Smiths 400 - 1,000 Grit, because it's supposed to be two stones bonded in plastic to keep grit contamination from happening. Also, is not having the diamond paste for the strop keeping me from getting hair splitting results?

[@LogisticallyMisrepresented]

If the knife has the newer harder steel, the diamond is the way to go

[@adamcunningham9947]

Can you do a video on victorinox. Maybe the steel they use for their knives or just your opinion on swiss army knives in general. Also leatherman's and other multi tools. 😊

[@michaelguerrero7649]

Have you ever tried the Fallkniven DC521? It's a 25 micron diamond stone bonded to a 5 micron ceramic stone. ~8"x2". Sells for less than $60.

[@USAUSAM82]

Excellent ideas, thank you!

[@marcinmerrimack1726]

I understand that you believe that sharpening with a dry diamond stone is perfectly fine. However, it seems that rubbing alcohol could be used as a stone lubricant without the fear of rust. What do you think?

[@OUTDOORS55]

I have tried that before a bunch of times I was always uncomfortable with how flammable alcohol is. It's like sharpening with gasoline, except the alcohol burns invisibly. Just my opinion though 🙂

[@marcinmerrimack1726]

Interesting. Have you actually had the alcohol on the stone ignite during a sharpening?

[@paullmight42]

everyone should just start with the sharpal 325/1200....there literally no reason to try anything else haha...for first timers to moderate, it's just awesome....i tried a few other janky stones of different types and had a lot of trouble getting good edges...I complained in many a video of yours haha...then the sharpal happened and my legs look like i have mange(from testing my edges and they all shave now lol)...I would like to know your advice on the next "finishing" type stone...or is an emulsion/strop progression the next best finishing step?

[@sabelfechter7136]

Sharpal 325 at 10dps. Sharpal 1200 at 15dps, light alternating passes, 0.1mm bevel size. Then light alternating passes, on a strop of your choice with 1um diamond compound. 20 or 30 passes should be enough. (And i prefer long strops.) The angle change makes EXTREMLY fast touchups, due to the low volume of steel to remove for a given edge damage depth. Also it has better cutting ability due to the stability of 15dps only being where its actually needed and the 10dps after that wedges less. Try it and you will never look back.

[@mikafoxx2717]

That would be a killer combo, yeah. I'm just not good enough with angles to eyeball that kinda thing. A very thin behind the edge thickness gets you a similar or better benefit if your knife is tough enough for the use case. ​@@sabelfechter7136

[@travism7066]

Love the channel. Just put together diy sharpener that I've seen on YT. Was wondering if you could recommend a 1" x (4" or 6") diamond stone(s) to use in the sharpener. Maybe some of you other sharpening junkies could tell what small diamond stones have worked for you. These will be use on my diy sharpener, router bits, ....thanks

[@Alexandra-Rex]

Have you ever heard of or tried the MPOWER Tools diamond stone sets? They have different sets and I see Stumpy Nubs likes those a lot, and they seem practical,so if they're good, it might be a good deal.

[@armec4355]

Hi, can you explain in detail how to sharpen kitchen knife? I don't talk about those staight 1 dolar kitchen knife you show, I'm talking about curved kitchen knife. I know that "keeping angle" is most important but if you keep angle on straight part of knife and move your body, then, at least for me, on curved part knife just doesn't touch sharpening stone. I saw some short that said you need to move your elbow up and it helped a bit, but I would like to see your guide.

[@DinoNucci]

Use the search feature!?

[@OUTDOORS55]

I have a very old video on this, but plan on also making a new one👍

[@davidottman9501]

Thanks for all your instruction! Is it then a false economy to start a sharpening session with too fine a grit? For the benefit of the knife and the stone, what are guidelines for starting and finishing grit? Yes I'm sure it depends on many variables, beginning with how bad the edge is in the first place...

[@piecetoyou8285]

HI Great info,I bought a DMT coarse and extra fine 15 years ago always used water ,and dried off with paper towel,and used rubber from an old foot wear to clean if need be,now they extra fine is virtually useless and coarse is still in use, How do you rate the DMT and the Trend,brands

[@aroneaton2639]

Thanks for the video. Lots of great information!

[@helterskelter156]

Atoma ftw. Never failed me, and I’ve been using a set of them for over a decade before having to replace my 400 & 600 plates.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Have you tried the 1200?

[@helterskelter156]

@@OUTDOORS55 I’ve been using it for years. It’s a great plate to progress into, from the 600. Gives you a nice refined finish, without taking any of the toothy feel away. A must have, IMO.

[@gordonneverdies]

I got one of those cheap 400 grit stones to get started. Going for the Shaptons next.

[@Elephantine999]

Another great video with some funny moments. :)

[@vanishwolfen]

Guys, just want to share this. You can use water/soap water on your water stone, or ceramic stone like shapton pro and glass. But don't use water on your diamond, use mineral oil instead. It's cheap, suspend swarf much better, also wont rust your stone. And since diamond stone doesn't absorb, the oil can be wipe off very easily. P/s: don't use mineral oil on your shapton pro, the stone will absorb the oil, but unlike water which will vaporize quickly, oil will not. You don't want mineral oil with load of steel swarf in it get stuck inside your stone. In short : mineral oil for diamond, water for the rest. Good luck and keep on enjoying sharpening guys.

[@AnWe79]

Have you had the chance to try a Dianova stone? It's a small Swedish make, so might be hard to find in the US. I have a small hand-style sharpener (300/600 grit) from them that I've been quite happy with, it's nice and flat, and the grit seems even. But I was looking for a bench stone that isn't the ultra-cheap oval-holed plate on plastic (I have one of those from Lidl, which is pretty good for what it is, but not quite as flat as I'd like). Then I remembered the Dianova, and found out they make decent sized 300/600 grit lap stone called "Önne", for under $50(!), so I figured it's worth a shot. Seems to be plastic core, but as long as the plates aren't super thin, it'll hopefully be quite flat. (They also make a 1200/strop version, but I wanted it mainly for shaping chisels and plane blades.) It's currently in the mail, so haven't been able to test it yet. (Their site is currently "under construction" which is slightly unnerving since I haven't got the delivery yet, but I figure it's just a website update hopefully. They've been around quite a while, so I don't think they're going away.) No affiliation, apart from being a Swede :)

[@morte2195]

What can the contaminated 1000 grit side of the S SATC diamond stone be used for? Is it just a slow 400 grit? Or completely useless?

[@TeaBurn]

Since water is a no-no, would you ever consider using oil? How much of a difference would that make?

[@tfhdrt]

Hey, Alex. Can you do a video about knife edge maintenance? Are there any do’s and don’ts of cleaning a knife? I heard some people don’t wash their knives and just wipe them with a rag. Thanks!

[@xxswamplordxx2079]

I've noticed that when people use diamond stones they typically stop at 1000 grit, maybe 1200, but when people use regular non-diamond whetstones, 1000 grit is just the beginning, and they go up to 5000, 8000 or even 12,000. What's with the discrepancy? Do diamond stones simply leave a more fine & polished edge at lower grits than whetstones? Would that mean they're using different grit values? 1000 grit diamond isn't equivalent to a regular 1000 grit whetstone, but closer to 2000 or 3000, or something? Maybe weird or dumb question, but it's something I've noticed & I'm still learning how all of this works.

[@laurelfleming4664]

Thank God for your channel. I had only a pull through sharpener, which was crap (holes in blade edges etc). I decided after years of struggling with bad kitchen knives it's time to up my game. But where to start. I watched some Knifedge videos, and was going to go with a starter pack, but I KNOW my knives are extremely dull and many likely need to be profiled. So, I'm going to try the Sharpal set to get started. One question, would you recommend the Shapton K0702 Blade, 1000, Orange to finish the edge better, then strop? Or would I be going backward if the Sharpal 1250 actually works ok? To be clear, I'm mostly using North American kitchen knives (Henkel, etc) so no need to get into the really high grits at this time.

[@larryseibold4287]

More great content. Thanks. I am fond of using diluted 10:1 APC or Windex on my large diamond plates (DMT usually). Sometimes WD40. blades slide noticeably more smoothly, and make a bit less noise (think chalk board fingers). I get you on the rust on some plates, however. I think my Trend plates suffered from this issue. Q: What do you think about diamond plate use for flattening other stones, like the Shapton 1K and 4K?

[@m4rvinmartian]

*Can you do an updated video on sharpening Karambits/curved blades?*

[@deanlennard8576]

the vids have converted me to buy a diamond stone when i am in the market for one. any chance of a video update from 6 yrs ago? you used sand paper on a chisel, i would be interested in what a knife would look like under the microscope and sharpness after using different grits of sandpaper

[@adamf1347]

You can use car window cleaner, won't rust. I've used them on my DMTs for years, wipe down after and zero rust. Not normal window cleaner - car window cleaner doesn't contain ammonia, which would cause rust and destroy the car's window tint film.

[@davidgc4396]

Very informative video. Could you please do a video of the Japanese King Stone 1000/6000 grit stones please. And a video of how to sharpen a long blade fish fillet knife thanks when you get the time 😊

[@flitdek]

After watching your review of the Sharpal Diamond sharpening stone I purchased the large 8"x3" So far I like it very much. I often use this sharpener dry but do occasionally use Trend Lapping Fluid. Will this Fluid cause issues over time? Also I clean the stone with mild hand soap and water but then dry it by pouring 90% rubbing alcohol on the stone to evaporate the water. I have only done this twice and as I am unsure if it will damage the stone or not. I do have Rubber erasers for my disc sander that might work well to clean the stone, but there again I am unsure of they will clog the stone. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

[@sharponsocks889]

I wonder if the Atoma 400 isn’t to fine to start the sharpening. I want to buy diamond stones to go faster, now I start on a 300 King stone. Thanks for the video 💪

[@mungtor]

What would you recommend for sharpening a blade with a recurve profile? In my experience, the "hollow" part of the recurve drags the corner of the stone which makes diamond stones a less optimal choice. Would you use a natural stone, or maybe a cylindrical diamond sharpener?

[@ekkehardehrenstein180]

Follow up Question: I have some DMT Diamond stones. I am not sharpening very often, but one of my old coarse stones fells like a new fine stone. Does that mean, it will operate like a fine stone now? Did the larger diamonds just disappear and now only finder stones are left, which will continue to sharpen? Because I am certain, that this stone still works at removing metal, just not sure how well...

[@ΔημήτρηςΚαφφάτος]

Excellent video as usual!!! :-) I do have a question that is not that common with the subject of sharpening of the apex, but as chef we do have a problem with our fine cuttings especially vegetables that sticks on the side of the knife and the question is, is it a hollow edge going to help by moving those fine small pieces away from the side of the blade because of the curve of the apex or is it a way we can make the side of the blade hydrophobic so they don't stick whatever the geometry of the apex is? I found a paper about using Lazer to cut microscopic cuts on the surface so it become hydrophobic so since I don't have a Lazer that powerful in hand, I am wondering if we could make it hydrophobic by using the right size grain sandpaper. Just a thought that could change the way professionals use their knives. The problem is not only how sharp the apex is but also what the drag of the rest of the surface of the blade create, especially by applying force to move all those fine cuts upwards as we cut and finally they are released at the top of the knife. My respect and love, brothers and sisters!!! :-)