Sharpening Stones

[Basil_K]

Howdy all,

Just was wondering what hones some of you guys use to sharpen your broad heads on.

Wanted to see if it was ok to use some of the Japanese and Belgian stones that I use on my knives and razors. Or would these be too fine of an edge?

[rainman]

I use japanese stones and arkansas stones.  I don't think you can get to fine of an edge.

[Tutanka]

I also use Japanese and nortons, I haven't tried any shaptons yet.  I also use then on my razors, the only thing I do different is set the bevel at a far lower grit, than I would with a razor. You shouldn't have any problems using the Japanese or the Belgian.

[rainman]

I don't have a shapton but have seen them used in person and they are impressive.

[Kentucky Jeff]

In the shop I use japanese waterstones, and a felt strop with diamond spray.

With broadhead steels that range in the high 40s and low 50's Rockwell hardness you can get the edge to a very fine edge but it won't hold the edge.  So its a waste of effort to really refine that edge once you have established a good cutting edge.  Anything higher than 1,000 grit is probably a waste of time.  No doubt I could put those broadheads on my 10,000 grit stone and make them look like a mirror.  But it wouldn't do anything to improve the edge.  It would be pretty though!

In the field I use a DMT double sided folding hone--medium and fine.  With some careful use I can bring back most any broadhead and make it serviceable with just a few strokes.

[Kentucky Jeff]

Originally posted by rainman:
I don't have a shapton but have seen them used in person and they are impressive.

I had a whole set of Shapton's once.  Sold them all.  I found they clogged quickly, didn't cut as well as other synthetic stones, and didn't work well with a wide range of steels.  

They aren't bad stones.  I use King brand waterstones in grits 1,000 and below and found they cut cleaner and generate more "feel" when you use them.  Also they don't clog as quickly and you can flatten them much easier than a Shapton.  Kings are also significantly less expensive than Shaptons.  

You need to flatten your stones from time to time.  Otherwise you will develop a divot in the middle of the stone and no matter how much you sharpen your knife it will stay dull...you have the geometry of the stone working against you!

[Sharpster]

Originally posted by Basil_K:
Howdy all,

Just was wondering what hones some of you guys use to sharpen your broad heads on.

Wanted to see if it was ok to use some of the Japanese and Belgian stones that I use on my knives and razors. Or would these be too fine of an edge?

Waterstones and other very fine grit stones will refine a BHD's edge to a thing of beauty but most traditional BHDs will need to be started and brought to the point of shaving with something far, far coarser before the X-fine stones will do much more than polish the bevels. Start out very coarse, progress to medium, fine, and then go to very fine.      

Ron

[J.Williams]

Kentucky Jeff,at the risk of sounding ignorant,how does one go about flattening the stones? Thanks.

[rainman]

For waterstones they make a tool to rub the stone on to get it flattened.

[Tutanka]

You can use a DMT to flatten them.

[JamesKerr]

I use a 600 and 1200 grit diamond stone

[Kentucky Jeff]

Originally posted by J.Williams:
Kentucky Jeff,at the risk of sounding ignorant,how does one go about flattening the stones? Thanks.

Several ways to do it.  I use a DMT XXC plate.  You can use a sheet of wet-dry sandpaper==about 600 grit laid flat on a piece of marble tile and rub the stone on that with some water.

An easy way to tell how flat your stones are is to take a sharpie and make a big X across the stone.  Rub it with your flattening stone and you'll see the high spots rub away (usually the edges) but the middle of the stone isn't touched.

If you go to chefsknivestogo on the web they have a superb assortment of japanese waterstones at good prices.  There are also a bunch of sharpening videos imbedded in the chefsknivestogo website.  

I probably start all my full on sharpening jobs with a Bester 500,  Then a King 1,000 grit  and move up from there.  For most folks something like a 500/600 grit stone and a 1,000 grit stone will get ANYTHING you want to sharpen as good as you need it.  If you really want to refine it a 2,000/2,500 grit will make it better.  I have some 5k and 10K grit stones but very few knives and no broadheads are hardened well enough with the right steel to really benefit from that level of sharpness.   It makes a mirror finish though!

If you can get one of Murray Carter's sharpening DVD's he does a good job of explaining the how and why of sharpening.  Its a skill,  It takes some dedication to learn to do it right.  I'll tell you I probably didn't get good at it until I had done over 30 knives.

[eminart]

I think I want to go back to some kind of flat stone. I bought one of those Lansky type systems (can't remember if that's the brand I got or not) and I can't sharpen anything with it. Maybe I've just lost my touch, because I used to sharpen my knives on my Dad's and I could get them shaving with no problem.

[smoke1953]

I've been a ceramic stone advocate however since I switched to single bevels the "Bevel Sharp" shown in the banner advertisement really does a quick job of it.

[Basil_K]

Thanks for the info guys.

I will try it out with a Belgian stone with some slurry on it and sharpen in like a razor and see how it goes.

As for the Japanese I have one coming in the mail so I'll see how that stone works out.

Tutanka - a straight razor user also? Frequent any of those forums also?

[Tutanka]

Originally posted by Basil_K:


Tutanka - a straight razor user also? Frequent any of those forums also?

Straights are the only way to go, I visit straight razor place once and awhile, browse the site more than anything.