Reddit mentions: The best sharpening stones

(Had to repost this because I used link shorteners to stay under char limit and it got auto-deleted, so this one is finally fixed)

I'm a native New Yorker, and I'll chime in as someone who was able to buy a place in NYC (brooklyn) before turning 30. Now, the prices have exploded in my area since I bought (2010), but there are other areas that are still in the "reasonable" range.

I was by no means rich. I'm not rich, but I technically own property that has appreciated so I "have" money on paper. I can't spend that money. I am the type of person subbed to r/frugal, /r/personalfinance, and /r/churning. I grew up somewhat poor, and I think that has shaped my complete fear of going broke. For some, it may also fuel the desire to buy nice things. You have to be careful with that second one. I pay off my credit cards every month, but I also take advantage of any "no interest for 12 months" type deals on a Best Buy store card when I need a big purchase. I'm going to talk about buying, and then I'm going to talk about what I generally do financially.

"Avocado toast" really seems to be an example of a bigger underlying problem, which is that people have too many things that they spend too much money on. $14 for avocado on toast is obscene given how cheap it would be to make it yourself. And yes, I understand that they restaurant pays the rent, the servers, etc, but the point is that avocado toast and expensive coffee shouldn't really be a regular luxury. The thing is, how many other places are you basically throwing away excess money, like GrubHub and bars?

I'm not saying don't have fun. I'm saying that you should meter that stuff a bit. If you have the funds and you want to buy a Nintendo Switch, go ahead. That's a one time cost for the system, and it provides ongoing fun. But that's gotta be your thing. Your thing can't be bars AND dining out AND traveling AND expensive jeans AND tattoos AND...

Here are my personal tips for finance that may make life a bit easier. This may not lead to you buying a place, but it can lead to you getting some financial freedom. It's the same theory when it came to packing a ruck: ounces make pounds. In this case that extra money you save (or spend) adds up over time.

First off you need to plan.

I like Quicken. I used to love MS Money more, but that's gone and mint wasn't doing it for me at the time and I haven't tried it since. Don't get the new version every year. Maybe every 4 years IF you feel the new features will help you.

Quicken works best if you have steady income, but if you have income that fluctuates due to hours or tips, you should just estimate a basic income that you typically get and you can always adjust upward for actual. Better to underestimate income. So now you have an estimate of money in.

Now, you need to take control of your bills and calculate money out. Personally, I pay most of my bills weekly so they can't sneak up on me. For example, I went to the electric company website and looked at my bills for the past year, added that up, and divided by 52. That's my weekly average energy spend. It goes up in summer and down in winter. Then, for one bill I paid it off, and then the following week, I had my bank start automatic payments of that weekly amount. This does three things. First, the bills don't surprise me all at once. Second, should anything happen, I'm a month ahead of my bills, so I have some time to think. Third, with the payments going automatically, I don't have to waste time paying bills or trying to figure out what needs to be paid. And your bank send it, so you can't forget, they track it, and you don't need a stamp (if you mail it to someone).

Remember that thing I mentioned about "12 months no interest" on a store card. Don't wait 12 months and get screwed. Again, take the amount, divide by 50, send that much to the card each week for 52 weeks. So if you need a new laptop, and it's going to cost $1,300, that might really hurt your budget. However, at $25 a week, it becomes easy to manage. That's like not eating out once.

I pay for everything possible with a credit card. I could try to figure out a budget, but I'm lazy, and my spending can go all over the place. However, with the card, I just estimate what I usually spend each week and have the bank auto-pay that. This also makes it easy to track the real money in my checking account in Quicken because the output is stabilized. Just like with the other bills. Also, I get cool points and stuff that I will later use for travel or whatever, and I pay no interest.

So, in Quicken, with your general income and spending put in, you can see what your money is doing over time. And you can see if your lifestyle is going to slowly drive you to being broke. When I first got my place and needed a roommate, the area sucked. However, I could see in quicken what the minimum that I needed to charge was in order for me to not go broke. My roommate paid less than a third of the total costs were, but I was at least financially stable for the time being. Now that the area is better, it's closer to them paying half.

Save money

So let's say that you're one of the lucky people that have excess money when you look at your plan. Don't plan how to spend it. I recommend opening another bank account, setting up a regular automatic transfer, and then acting like the money isn't there.

I started doing this when I was in the military and used to get blindsided by holiday shopping. I figured out that if I could put $25 a month into another account, I would have $300 at the end of the year for gifts. That's a big chunk of money when you're semi-broke and it hits you all at once. So having that in reserve was useful.

Again, using quicken, you can see what you can put aside without completely depleting your checking account.

Also, any pay raise you get, just don't increase your standard of living, and set that money aside. It will be a great emergency fund.

Buying stuff.

I was STUPID when I got out of the military. I lived in a place that was furnished when I was in, so when I got out and had money, I bought some nice furniture. I think I blew around $8K thanks to Raymour & Flanigan. It was basically Afghanistan deployment money. I bought a nice table, chairs, a mattress and some other stuff, all for way too much.

You know where you can also get some nice stuff? Craigslist, which is where I'm currently trying to sell that nice table for a lot less than I bought it for. $200 Ikea bed frames in very good condition are going for $50. $150 for a solid table and 4 chairs that someone else paid 800 for, and they may be in great condition.

Unless there is no way to get it cheaper, I don't by anything that's not on sale, and even then it's usually what I need.

There are some places where you usually don't want to go cheap, like shoes or a mattress, or tires if you own a car.

Buy things that will last but you don't need to do it all at once. You can always upgrade stuff later, but just make sure that you don't spend a lot on the placeholder stuff.

Eating

We all need food. And we all feel like there's no time. Cooking is not that hard. Yeah, you may screw up a recipe at first, but you will get better. Most meals you can make in 30 minutes, and if you want to get really efficient, you can do things like taking a day for weekly meal prep (I don't. I should but I haven't really gotten to it).

You can cook scrambled eggs like Gordon Ramsey in under 5 minutes. Your cost: 40 cents. The cost of a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich is maybe $1.25 if you do it yourself.

Buy cookbooks geared toward simplicity.

This was my first cookbook: Cooking Outside the Pizza Box. For many of us, it's aptly named. Other ones that I have and would recommend: Healthy Cooking for Two (or Just You) and Easy Menus for Dining In.

If you want to be really cheap, just go to http://allrecipes.com/ or some similar website.

I also invested in a good chef's knife (over $100), but a mediocre one for $30 will be okay, just realize that you will need to sharpen it a little more frequently (like every 3 months), so maybe invest in a whetstone and learn a skill. Sharp knives make cutting so much easier.. A dull knife means you use more force, and are more likely to cut yourself if it slips.

Most of your meals you can make for a fraction of the cost that you pay for it outside. Coffee is the easiest. Yes a coffee maker is pricey, but if you get one that has something like an automatic function, you can get one that you can set up to make you coffee in the morning so you can save time on your prep.

Something like this and a thermos will be invaluable.

Hanging out with friends

I like to be social. Unfortunately, there are few places in NYC that you can hang out, and most of them serve food and drinks, and it's going to cost you. Bars are just convenient. Also, you can meet new people there.

However, if you or a friend have a nice space, maybe try hosting gatherings. You could even do a potluck. The drinks are cheaper, people can bring food, and if it's your place, when the night ends everyone leaves and you're right next to your bed.

I think you should pick up another straight that has been honed to shave ready. Larry at Whipped Dog has some very affordable blades that are supposed to be shave ready. You can use this as a measure to getting your blade up to snuff.

Also, technique may be an issue. But you've been shaving a while....

If you can't get it keen on a 4K, you may need to set that bevel again... There is no formula for bevel setting, just a feeling. I'd blunt the blade on a thumbnail, then hone until you can easily pop hair with the edge. Then, move up a measured progression like pyramid honing.

Here's a copy past I did you might find useful:

Equipment Essentials

• A pro honed razor at your side. You need to compare the sharpness of the razor you're working on, with the sharpness of a razor that is shave ready. This will decrease your learning curve considerably. You're working blind otherwise.
  
  

• DMT flattening stone. Your hones don't ship flat, and you must even them out to ensure a smooth edge. Flattening before every use is a good idea. If you don't want to buy the DMT, use 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper and atop piece of marble/glass.
  
  
• Norton 4K/8K A popular choice for general honing, and can perform a laborious restoration/bevel set (if you do more than a few razors, get the 1k below to set a bevel).
  
  
• A jewelers loop to see what happens to the blade as you hone, polish, stop and shave. I feel watching the scratch patterns of a straight razor bevel change is a critical educational step in straight razor bevel maintenance.
  
  
• Chromium Oxide on a strop for final polish, or a diamond pasted strop.
  
  
  Honing Supplies for Restoring a Few Straights
  
  
• If you end up honing a few razor from antique stores or ebay, it's good to have a stone dedicated to bevel setting. This stage is 50% of the sharpening process, so it pays to have quality gear at this level King 1000 K For bevel setting on a budget (beware, it's a slow cutter). Or a nice bevel setter like this Chosera.
  
  
  
• Niawa 12K For a nice final polishing of your razor. 8K is fine, but this puts a great edge on your blade.
  
  To hone:
  
  First, you need to flatten your stone, making sure you've removed the top 1/64th or so of stone material to reach the true grits (the top is a bit rough on Nortons especially).Make sure your stone is perfectly flat. Use the DMT or the sandpaper I described above for this.
  
  Next, clean your SR in soap/warm water. Dry it, and put a piece of electrical tape along the spine and fold it over (like a book binding) if you'd like (not necessary, and I don't do this, but some prefer the look of the end product).
  
  I like to clear the edge of possible errand burs before I hone, so I drag the shaving edge against my thumbnail or a glass bottle. These burs can cause issues, and may make for a rough feeling edge. I've found that this is a good way to remove them. It may be unnecessary for some/most blades, but it's part of my bevel setting routine, and by doing this, I've notice good things and increased consistency when I hone.
  
  Now, to hone. You're going to get your razor sharp in these stages:
  
  

• Set the bevel (establish the sharp edge shape)
  
• Polish the bevel (polish the shape you created earlier)
  
• True the bevel (strop the bevel to make sure the edge is very uniform)
  
  Setting the bevel:
  
  While all steps are important, this step is foundational. Place your razor on your bevel setting stone, keeping the razor spine and edge completely flat on the surface togehter. Do tiny circle strokes (circular motion down the hone) so you do about 30-40 tiny circles as you move own the bottom hone. Repeat on the other side of the razor, moving up the hone in the opposite direction (and counter-wise circle direction). Now do 15 x strokes. This is a set.
  
  Repeat doing these sets until you can shave hair on your arm or leg by very slowly grazing over the tops of the hair - it should catch and cut with a bit of a tug.
  
  It will take many many of these sets with a 4k stone, and less with a 1K.
  
  Once you can shave hair on your arm or leg all along the bevel (toe to heel) with uniform sharpness and cutting, you may be set. Do another 10 or so x-strokes, very lightly, very perfectly as a final sharpening for your bevel. See if this helps your edge.
  
  Once you're happy with your bevel, strop it and shave. If it's painful, it's likely your bevel isn't set. If it's decent, you're ready to move on.
  
  Polishing the bevel
  
  Now move up to polishing. On the 4K and do 35 light x strokes. Go to the 8K and do 35 light x-strokes. Repeat this back and forth going 4K 30, 8K 30. Now keep this up, decreasing the stroke number by 5. When you're at 10 strokes, just do 25 on the 8K.
  
  Always check for sharpness along the edge by trimming a bit of arm hair. You'll learn a lot from an edge by doing this.
  
  Following the grits up in this fashion should give you a fairly polished bevel. It's best to go higher than 8K with a high grit chinese hone from a woodworking store, or a naninwa 12k, but 8K will do for now.
  
  Truing the edge:
  
  Strop about 30 passes on your chromium oxide, clean the blade, and the perform 200 passes on leather - all spine leading, done very lightly.
  
  The Shave
  
  After all this, you should have a great edge. Give it a test shave and compare it to your pro honed blade.
  
  While honing, you'll likely get frustrated, but keep at it! If you're getting aggressive with the razor, just give it a break, and come back later. If the shave is no good, post back here and we'll help you diagnose.
  
  
  Some thoughts:
  
  I tired to present information that's very searchable. Straight razor place has archived many of the ideas that I just presented. I highly recommend researching on your own and reaching a personal conclusion. What follows are my personal opinions.
  
  This equipment I suggest is not necessarily the best, nor is it bad at all. It's great way to get started and find out what you like in a stone/routine. Some ideas to consider if you upgrade your set:
  
  
• Try a natural stone for a finisher. I use a vintage Thuringian hone called an Barber's Delight Escher.
  
• Upgrade your progression by adding various in-between grits. I really like going from a Chosera 1K, to Shapton Pro (not glass version) 2K, 5K, 8K, 15K, then finish.
  
• Try finishing a blade with a pasted strop, and try without. Some love one over the other.
  
  The back and forth honing I recommend is a honing series called pyramid honing, where you go between two different grit hones to ensure you don't form a wire edge or a bur. I like to recommend this for folks getting into honing since this is one of the most documented methods for get a razor to shave ready from a bevel set. A quick google search on pyramid honing will give you plenty of reading. I don't hone this way any more.
  
  I highly recommend honing your razor as sharp as possible on one stone, strop as I've outlined, and give it a shave. For example, sharpen as much as you can at the 4K stage, and strop it 200 times. If it shaves ok, you're on the right track. If not, you've got more work to do at that level of stone. You'll be amazed that such a low grit can shave so well. If it's painful to shave after your lowest stone.... you're not done, and moving up the stones will not benefit your edge. Repeating this process of shaving up all the stone grits (4K, 8K, 12K) will help you get a feel for what honing at the different levels provide. Shaving off my 1K bevel provided me the biggest leap in edge quality while learning.
  
  Don't limit your techniques. Once you can confidently bring a restored razor to shave with consistency, I'd recommend playing around and experimenting. Though this, I've developed some strokes that are critical to my routine, and used effectively with every blade I sharpen.
  

1. Tent: Eagles Peak II Two person tent - http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=50802926
   -This was generous gift from my SO's mom. It may not be the best tent out there, but at free it can't be beat.
   
   
2. Sleeping Bag: Marmot Aspen Minimalist 40 - http://www.trailspace.com/gear/marmot/aspen-40-ultralight/
   -Got this for its small size and light weight. Future winter camping trips are a possibility, in which case I plan on snagging a wool blanket of sleeping bag liner.
   
   
3. Sleeping Pad: RidgeRest Classic - http://www.amazon.com/Therm-A-Rest-6433-Parent-RidgeRest-Classic-Mattress/dp/B00HZ13OYG
   -Simple basic sleeping pad, I've been using these since scouts and have wanted for nothing more, especially because of its light weight.
   -In the event of winter camping, is this enough to insulate from the ground? If not, what could be added to my sleep system to keep me insulated from the ground?
   
   
4. Cookware: Pot Pan stackable combo - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FQZEYWE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00
   -Lightweight and simple, these were cheap and seemed straight forward.
   -They stack with the majority of either piece's empty space facing each other, allowing for decently dry storage for matches etc. inside.
   -Comes with a tight fitting mesh ditty bag
   
   
5. Small Camp Grill - Coghlan's Camp Grill - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OPHA0S?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
   -Another straight forward and cheap piece,
   -This is really an optional piece, I plan on bringing it along on trips with big groups or when cooking meat is in the cards.
   
   
6. Plates x2: Coleman Enamel plates - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009PUSPI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
   -These are the camping gold standard in my book, been using them since scouts.
   
   
7. Stuff Sacks x3: REI pack of 3 Ditty Sacks 2, 3, and 7 liter. -http://www.rei.com/product/795047/rei-ditty-sack-package-of-3
   -Came in a decently affordable combo pack, plan on using them for food/toiletries storage and bear bags.
   
   
8. Knife: Morakniv Companion Straight Knife - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TNWD40?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
   -Love this little knife, cheap but durable and was a shaver straight out of the box.
   -Came with a super thick plastic sheath
   
   9)Hatchet: Estwing Hatchet - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TNWD40?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
   -Heard this was a classic, people say they've still got the one's their grandfather's used. It's heavy, but I'm happy with the tradeoff.
   -Got it sharpened well enough to cleanly slice through paper at the moment
   
   
9. Axe Sharpener: Lansky Dual Grit Sharpener - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B8FW0Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
   -Great sharpener, pretty much the go to field sharpener from what I've gathered.
   -Only took a couple minutes to learn how to use, the only hard part is consistently following the bevel through each stroke, but it gets easier.
   
   
10. Camp Towels x2: Microfiber quick-drying towels - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B8FW0Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
    -Very great, medium size towels with their own tote
    
    
11. Collapsible Water Jug: REI 2.5 gallon collapsible water jug - http://www.rei.com/product/402099/reliance-fold-a-carrier-water-carrier-25-gal
    -Seems great, picked it up at REI physical store then read reviews and got spooked, we'll see though, a minority of the reviewers swear by it.
    -Just in case it sucks, any suggestions for a collapsible water container of equal size/price?
    
    
12. Water Bags x2: 33 oz Bag style canteens - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010OLZ3E2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
    -These came free with my water filter, and they have many good reviews. If they do well, I may buy some extras.
    
    
13. Wine Skin: 2L - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CN4RN42?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
    -More showing of my primitivist ass, and I thought I could take some weight off of my SO by carrying enough water for the two of us.
    
    
14. Pillows x2: Field and Stream - http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=33581126
    -Got these a long time ago when I knew less, they are pretty bulky and my first item I want to replace
    
    
15. Pack: Kelty Redwing 50L Black
    -SO's mom gifted this this Christmas, so amazing and thoughtful, one of the best gifts I've ever gotten and I love the color
    
    
16. Shoes: Skechers Trail Runners - I found these at the thrift store for a stunning 12 bucks and they fit perfectly
    
    
17. Lighting: Outlite Lantern -http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01178FLM0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
    -Pack of flashlights (might not bring all four) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V639BNC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01
    
    
18. Extras: Tarp as groundcloth, some extra stakes.
    
    Items not shown:
    -Always a tin or bag of Drum Tobacco and papers
    -Kindle, old generation one
    -Collapsible trowel
    -Paracord
    -Burlap shoulder bag for gathering kindling etc
    
    Items still wanted (suggestions greatly appreciated):
    -Knife for SO
    -Work gloves
    -Plastic flasks for booze
    -Belt pouch
    -Higher quality tarp
    -Knife Sharpener
    -Sleeping bag liner or wool blanket
    -Any food suggestions!
    -Rain cover for pack
    -Smell proof food bags
    
    I don't have much experience outside of scouts, so I'm very open to critique of my setup. I will warn that I am very much into primitivism, and camping for me is a gateway to a backcountry, esthetic lifestyle I one day I hope to live, so some of my gear choices may not always be the most efficient. Any advice from a primitivist or purist standpoint is doubly appreciated.
    
    

I want to throw my hat in for the Lamy Safari - hear me out. Cost, flexibility and customization is the name of the game.

First, it's cheaply available. You can grab one from Amazon for $20, and each new nib is about $13. Converters are $4.50. Plus, there are so damn many floating around, replacement parts are never far away. So if you snap the body in a car door (too personal?) you can buy a new body cheaply and have all your nibs still work.

Second, the flexibility (not the nibs, obviously, they're stiffer than a preacher's peter). Each new nib makes it a whole new pen. The fine nib is great for notes, the broad nib gives you nice shading for those particular inks. Each of the different calligraphy nibs offers a completely different writing experience as well. The nibs are really easy to change on and off, as well as being portable and pretty durable. They're well made and write smoothly for the most part, though they do leave a little to be desired. But, you can fix that! So, onto....

Third, customization. I just started grinding my own Lamy nibs just to muck about. I mean hey, did you get into fountain pens because you just want something that JUST writes when you pick it up? Bic figured that out already; they really work great but that's not why we're all here. We're here for greater understanding and appreciation of craftsmanship. There's nothing mystical about these nibs, and as cheap as they are you can afford to experiment. It could be as simple as just making a sharper edge on a calligraphy nib to make better italics (my most recent project) - you have no idea how much better your normal, crappy old handwriting will look when you slap a 1.1mm calligraphy nib on your pen - it's like bringing out your inner Tolkien that you never knew was there! Or you could just slim down a fine nib to take super tiny notes on a notecard before a physics exam (my first project). The point is, it puts you in the driver's seat and it really doesn't take long. Sit down for half an hour, work carefully, stand up with a new pen.

Protip: throw nibs in a contact lens case, take them everywhere.

Check out this page on grinding for some basics on making your own experimental nibs (http://www.marcuslink.com/pens/aboutpens/ludwig-tan.html), then check out this inexpensive knife stone, which will work great for both rough shaping and medium polishing (http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Combination-Knife-Sharpening-Stone/dp/B0000Y7LAS/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1420394243&sr=8-10&keywords=1000+grit+combination+stone). For final smoothing, I'm pretty sure the standard Goulet micro-mesh paper will be great, though I haven't gotten around to buying one myself (http://www.gouletpens.com/GPC-Micro-Mesh/p/GPC-Micro-Mesh).

I've been playing around like this for a while now. What I've gotten is a greater appreciation for well made, expensive retail pens. I've also gotten better at spotting crap. Once you've played around with your own pen, you'll know what you're looking at when you go to buy vintage pens in the future. You'll understand the basics, and then can make an informed decision. The best bang for your buck will be not making a bad purchase in the first place. Start cheap, work up.

Now that I've wasted everyone's time and all my wind, I do have to say the Metropolitan is a fiiiiiine pen, quite sturdy and writes like a champ every time. So there's that.

TL;DR I think customizing cheap nibs is a great way to start, but the Metropolitan is sturdy and writes as well/better than many pens three times its cost. The TWSBI has interchangeable nibs as well, is more upscale and you can tell the difference. The Vanishing Point is great, I have two, but the ink tends to dry out more quickly then in my other pens, and the new nibs definitely have a premium attached - they were $25 when I was in college, now they're $65 and the pen itself hasn't changed price. That ticks me off.

Edit Crappy spelling and a couple other thoughts that bubbled to the surface.

500$ is an astronomical budget for beginner water stones, so let me just make sure that's out in the open.

Yes, 8k is on the high end of what you want to finish most kitchen knives on. Something along the lines of a Wusthof will retain a coarser edge more readily. Harder steels will generally retain a higher grit edge for longer. This is a gross over-simplification, but is sufficient for this conversation.

Since you want to go with splash and go and, from what I gather, this is intended to be a somewhat special gift for a special person... I'm going to forgo the budget options in the splash and go category, since I'm personally not a fan of them and wouldn't want them for myself.

All of that out of the way, you're going to want at bare minimum one medium grit stone (about 1k to 2k grit). If you have somewhat harder knives or if your skill is sufficient, you can make good use of a finishing stone for certain tasks (about 3k-8k is recommended for kitchen tasks, although you can go higher). You can make do without a flattening stone or plate for a little while, so you can view this piece as optional, but recommended since it will improve your mileage with your stones by keeping them flat and your angles consistent. Lastly, you might want a stone holder. These are generally adjustable rubber contraptions designed to keep the stone in one place while you're sharpening and help raise it off whatever surface you're sharpening on for comfort.

For a medium grit splash and go stone, the Naniwa Professional 1k would be my primary choice as a forever stone. You'd be hard-pressed to find any detractors for this stone among regulars on this sub or elsewhere. It's a great stone.

There are a few other options that I'd also recommend, but personally don't favor as highly as the Naniwa for the price. Those are the Shapton Pro 1k the Maido 2k and the Gesshin 1200 Splash and Go. Each of these stones will be splash and go, but will cut it slightly varying speeds, dish somewhat differently and feel a little bit different while using. Each of these are solid choices, but I have a preference to the Naniwa Pro.

For a finishing stone that is splash and go, I'd probably recommend the Gesshin 5k Splash and Go as my primary choice. The Naniwa Professional 5k is, like the rest of the line, an amazing stone in my opinion. The price is double that of the Gesshin, though, and I don't think it's worth dropping the money on as a first finishing stone regardless of budget; it's simply hard to justify that difference in price unless you're really discerning in what you want. I guess the Shapton Pro 5k deserves an honorable mention because it has a lot of fans. It's a little too glassy feeling for me and lacking in feedback so I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner sharpener.

For a flattening plate, I'd recommend either a DMT 325 diamond plate or an Atoma 140/400 grit diamond plate. The Atoma plates are constructed a little better in my opinion, but any of those plates will work for you as long as you keep its primary function to flattening your stones. The 140 Atoma will be the quickest at its job, but will leave somewhat deep scratches in your finishing stone so you'll want to smooth it out with your medium grit stone after lapping.

For a stone holder, you can honestly just stack some towels up or make your own out of some stuff around the house, but I like using a dedicated stone holder like this one.

That's about it. Keep in mind I kept my recommendations on the high end given the occasion seems to be special and your budget was fairly high to begin with. If you'd like some more budget recommendations just let me know.

You're new to the industry, and new to cooking. Quite frankly, your skills are at the point where you won't really have a huge preference one way or the other, and you won't perform any differently with a 50 dollars knife versus a 5000 dollar knife. Similarly, fancy whetstones, glass stones, sharpening systems, etc won't make a difference either.

Right now, get the basics. Good solid stuff that's relatively cheap so that you can figure out what you like, and don't like. You have 1300-1500 to spend-- Good. Save it for now. Industry doesn't pay much. Here's the basics to start you out that has the best bang for buck, and gives you some different styles and feels to try out, so that you can figure out what you'll eventually enjoy the most. If you want more information on any of the knives, let me know.

https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS

This is a knife that's full tang, VG-10 steel(same as Shun), and has decent heat treat. Western style handle, with a westernized santoku Japanese style blade. At 60 bucks, it's a steal.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-45520-Frustration-Packaging/dp/B008M5U1C2

Ubiquitous western style knife. Steel is the same as the more expensive Wustofs, Mercers, and anything that claims to use "German Stainless Steel". It's all x50crmov15, with slightly different heat treats. Victorinox does it right.

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/kohawagy21.html

HAP40 high speed tool steel. This is the high tech stuff used in blade competitions. Japanese style handle, maintains a really sharp edge for a really long time. A little more expensive, but that kind of steel for that price is really, really worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/Winco-Chinese-Cleaver-Wooden-Handle/dp/B001CDVXUK/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485154695&sr=1-7&keywords=cleaver

Look, a cleaver's a cleaver. You don't need fancy steels or anything-- You just need a whole lotta force behind a whole lotta steel. Hone and sharpen often, and this'll do great for you.

Speaking of cleavers, though...

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/cckcleaver2.html

Chinese cleavers are awesome. They're not actually cleavers though, don't use them on bones and the like-- They're the Chinese version of the all purpose chef knife or gyuto knife. Chinese chefs are expected to be able to do everything with this knife, from fileting to tourne to peeling to chopping to brunoise, so they're actually quite versatile. Speaking of which-- This also fills in for the Japanese Nakiri role. Tons of fun to use.

https://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485154779&sr=1-1&keywords=king+1000+6000

This is a fantastic stone, one that Master Bladesmith Murray Carter uses. I ran a knife sharpening service, and this is the one I used for most knives as well. Since you won't have to deal with weird recurves and tantos and nightmare grinds and the like that can show up on folding knives, this will serve you very well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004WFU8/ref=twister_B010SQ9IXK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This is in case you get some gnarly chips on any knives. This'll get it out quick and easy. Bonus-- Use it to flatten and maintain your King stone. This and the King stone is all you really need for sharpening. You can easily get a shaving edge with it.

Besides those, stick with what you got in the Mercer kit for the specialty knives. You really don't need fancy versions of those. You also really don't need a serrated utility knife at all. In the professional kitchen, the three knives that saw the most work were the overall chef knife(even for fileting and some light butchering), the 4 dollar Victorinox paring knife(quick and easy to sharpen), and the Mercer tourne knife.

Buying all this will amount to 431.31, giving you a combination sharpening stone, a flattening/reprofiling stone, and 5 fun knives of all different kinds to play with, at a fraction of the cost. You'll notice I didn't put any Super Blue or White #1 steels in there-- That's because A) They're more difficult to take care of, and B) They're really overpriced for what they are, simply because their "japanese" moniker makes people think they're super laser swords from a land of secret steels(they're not). The HAP40 steel beats these steels in pretty much every category.

Hope you found it helpful! Have fun with whatever you decide to choose.

I know you said you wanted a Japanese handle but I think you should consider a Misono Molybdenum. It was my first knife and I’m honestly still happy with it.
Its inexpensive, tough, takes a pretty good edge, and has good fit and finish. It won’t take as keen of an edge as the knives you mentioned.. but its easy to sharpen which is great if you’re learning how to.

I own a Ginga too and its pretty amazing but I wouldn’t want it as my sole knife. It’s a really thin blade so its a bit more fragile than the Misono. I personally would rather have a tougher knife if I only had one.

I also really like the Hi-soft cutting board. It’s easy on knives, has some weight and theres very little maintenance. Just don’t put it in the dishwasher.

Misono Molybdenum 240mm ~ $112.50

(Korin is having a 15% off sale on knives right now)
http://korin.com/HMI-MOGY-240?sc=27&category=280076

Hi-Soft Cutting Board ~ $48.00

(From Korin. Combine the shipping with the Misono)
http://korin.com/HiSoft-Cutting-Board_3?sc=28&category=286082

Bester 1200 ~ $55

(Leaves a good edge alone)

OR

Shapton Pro 1000 ~ $35

(I like the Bester better but this is a really good deal on Amazon Prime)
https://www.amazon.com/Kuromaku-Ceramic-Whetstone-Medium-Grit/dp/B001TPFT0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500081962&sr=8-1&keywords=shapton+pro+1000

Suehiro Rika 5000 ~ $50

(Optional.. nice to have tho)

Atoma 400 ~$60

(For stone flattening. You can buy a cheaper plate if you want)
https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Diamond-Sharpener-Medium-400/dp/B0031KNR2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500081982&sr=8-1&keywords=atoma+400
I know the link says generic.. but this is an Atoma 400. Just make sure you buy the one that is Amazon Prime

I wouldn’t spend all $500 at once. You can always buy a nicer knife later.. and having two knives is convenient anyway.

You may be surprised, but you're not asking for a lot.

I know there are a lot of enthusiasts here who probably think $100 is pretty cheap, but I've never spent that much on a single knife before.

It's really not that hard to find something that is well made under $100.

Kershaw is a decent company. Most people will be familiar with the Kershaw Skyline. Great knife. I carry it when I want something light weight, slim, and "non threatening" looking. I don't think I've paid over $35 for them in the past.

Spyderco - You either like them or you don't. I've got the Ambitious, and I bought the Tenacious for my dad. Both are pretty nice. I don't think I paid over $35 for either of them.

And while I've never actually carried mine, the Buck 110 is pretty great too. I really like the LOOK of the knife, and straight out of the package they are usually razor sharp. You can usually find these in stores. In the States, I was able to get mine at Walmart, and I've seen them at most other stores that have a hunting/camping section. Depending on if they have the cloth pouch vs. the leather pouch, you will spend probably $30-$50.

CRKT is another company I like. While I don't own ALL of them, their whole M16 line looks pretty solid all across the board.

I've been carrying the M16-13ZLEK for a few years now and it's been great. I also own the M16-14ZSF, the 10KS, 13Z...and something else, I can't remember. All of them have great build quality, it's just a matter of choosing size, form factor, and materials.

If you watch Amazon, sometimes you can get crazy deals on these. The 14ZSF was briefly going for like $28 or something a few months ago. I think I paid $45 when I got mine. Their larger size knives tend to hover between $45 and $50. Some of the smaller ones between $25 and $35. Again, Amazon has really surprised me on pricing from time to time.

I will say though, that due to their strange grind, they can be tricky to sharpen. While I wouldn't hesitate to buy one, I'd recommend someone who is newer to knives/maintenance to get something with a more traditional edge.

If I were to buy one for a beginner, I'd buy the Kershaw Skyline. Practice sharpening in your older knives before you try on anything new you buy, and also don't hesitate to keep carrying/using junkers until you are used to sharpening them.

I have been using one of these for years to sharpen my knives.

https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-DCS4-4-Inch-Diamond-Sharpening/dp/B00009YV6L/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495579258&sr=8-1&keywords=+Smith%27s+Diamond+Sharpening+Stones

Watch a bunch of Youtube videos to get the technique down. Once you get the hang of it you'll get your knives hair shaving sharp. And then you'll have bald arms.

Sorry for the wall of text - and good luck with your purchase.

If you want to focus on wallets and bags I would sguest looking at buying Buttero Veg Tan leather as well as Cheve (Goat skin) both over very good to work with. The Buttero gives an amazing burnish and it great for wallets, such as Bi-Folds, Minimalist and Long wallets. As for bags I think you are going to do best with using goat skin, since it is flexible and much easier to work with when making bags. If you are looking at making tote bags you can go with veg tan leather, or chrome tan leather. I'm not sure where you are from but I think you can get veg tan pretty cheap on line. You should check out Rocky Mountain Leather supply, District Leather Supply and Acadia Leather.
I know you didn't ask about this but I will give this advise anyways. Regarding tools. Get a nice awl and a nice set of pricking irons. Sinabrooks is a new and good brand, Kevin Lee irons are very nice as well and are a good price. As for an awl, check out the selections on Rocky Mountain and District Leather, both have good selections. As for a good knife, I would strongly advise getting the L'Indispensable brass handle and the Chartermade blade for it. The blade is found on Rock Mountain Leather. I'd also advise on picking up this sharpening stone (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FZZUL30/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1), I have it an it works great for my needs. Also, if you can't swing buying a bell skive I would highly advise you look at getting this item, (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LM7ICP0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I picked this up a few months ago before I broke down and bought my bell skiver. For making small items it will work great for skiving now areas. Also, District Leather Supply has really good water based glues that work amazing and will be great if you work in a small area and don't want to deal with solvent based glues that had crazy odors.

I hope this info helps. If you have any more questions post on here or hit me up directly. I've spent that last few years testing out a variety of tools for this trade and have a good idea as to what tools work and what don't.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write out all of that information. I'll try to find a cooking store around here and go ask about knives and maybe some cutting boards as well. :)

As for sharpening, do yourself a favor and throw away those auto sharpeners. They suck. They work for like 2-3 sharpenings then they don't do crap. (I'm talking about the ones with where you hold it on the counter and pull the blade through a "V" slot.)

Seriously though, go buy yourself some stones. They're not expensive and they'll last a lifetime.

I have this stone

https://www.amazon.ca/KING-1000-Grit-Combination-Waterstone/dp/B0000Y7LAS/ref=sr_1_16?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1521472898&sr=1-16&keywords=combination

And this stone

https://www.amazon.ca/Japanese-King-Knife-Sharpener-Whetstone/dp/B003Q377K4/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1521473012&sr=1-1&keywords=king+6000

They're like sandpaper. Start with the coarse stone and move your way up to the higher grits.

You don't have to be perfect when sharpening knives, but you DO have to be consistent. Your angle doesn't need to be perfect, you just need to have the SAME angle every time. I only got good at sharpening when I stopped TRYING to control the angle, and I just started trying doing the exact same motion over and over again. 15 passes on one side, then 15 on the other with the coarse stone. Eventually you'll feel a burr on the opposite side of the edge. At that point, you do 1-2 passes on the side with the burr. Then move up to the next grit. 15-20 passes here on one side, then the other, then move to the next grit. As for technique, I like the "push away" technique. Since knives have two sides, that generally means that on one side I'm pushing the knife INTO the stone, and on the other I'm pulling the knife across the stone. it doesn't matter, as long as you're consistent. (But be careful pushing the knife into the stone, you can and will cut a chunk off of the stone if you push too hard or get the angle wrong.)

Before you sharpen, fill the sink with water and let the stones sit in the water for 5 minutes. Keep them wet when you sharpen. (I usually will re-wet after 20 passes. It's less about keeping it wet and more about removing the steel/stone particles from the stone itself). (Some people like to use oil, I like to use water, it doesn't matter really.)

I will admit I had to do something like 80-100 passes (20 at a time) on EACH SIDE of my main chef's knife because it was dull as hell (because of sharpening with one of those auto sharpeners.), but in the end, it was the one to cut me :(

A couple of hints:

If you shine a light/the sun on the sharp edge of the blade, you should NOT see a bright reflection on the very sharp edge. If you see light reflecting, that means you have a flat/dull spot, and you should keep sharpening.

If you want to know if you have a decent angle or not, color the edge of your blade with permanent marker (don't worry, you can clean it off afterward with rubbing alcohol/nail polish remover (uh... be careful when you do that... that was how I got cut.)) Since the edge of your blade has ink on it, when you try to sharpen it, only the bit that you're grinding off will be shiny (since you removed that bit of ink). That way you can tell if the angle you're using is too shallow (not hitting the edge of the blade) or too steep (kinda... flattening the blade edge.) If you just do your best to match what was there (all of the ink on the edge surface is removed) you'll be fine. Again, not perfection, just consistency. Eventually you'll figure out what kind of edge you like (super sharp but not durable, or more shallow but more durable.) Also, certain steels like certain edges better. Nice steels tend to be able to hold a super sharp (shallow) edge for longer periods of time, where cheap steels will not be able to hold a super shallow edge at all, so you have to sharpen them with a steeper angle so that there is more "metal" on the edge. (With cheap steels, if you try to sharpen them super super sharp, the edge will just break off.)

Last hint. Eventually, if you use the stones enough. They'll get worn down. They will no longer be flat, and this is a problem. The way to fix it is to buy a diamond sharpening stone. Some people actually use these to sharpen knives, but I don't like them for that purpose. Now, these are more expensive than the stones themselves, but you probably won't need them for a while. Basically you just use them to flatten your stones. Just put them on top of the stone and rub back and forth. Eventually your stone will be flat and ready to sharpen again.

https://www.amazon.ca/DMT-D8C-Dia-Sharp-Continuous-Diamond/dp/B0001WP1L0/ref=sr_1_13?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1521473952&sr=1-13&keywords=diamond+stone+sharpener

Anyway, if you do choose to try to use stones. Just keep trying. You won't do well on your first knife, or your second, or your third. Sharpen your shitty knives until you can do those well, then go after your nice knives. It took me probably 2 years of using the stones (probably every 3-4 months) to get to a point where I can say "yeah, those are sharp."

get the cheap sets to start and learn how to sharpen, that skill will pay off down the road, I'd argue it's just as important as actually learning how to use the chisel properly (which really isn't rocket science). Invest in a simple diamond set to start, or even the small credit card set for cheap if money is tight.

I had a set like this when I first started. Eventually I got a variety of larger japenese water stones and high end diamond stones. Sharpening is literally just shaving metal off to make a sharp edge, you could put different grits of sandpaper on a level surface (lots of people us sandpaper taped to a pane of glass method) to quickly resharpen the edge. watch videos or go to a local store like woodcraft or rockler and ask them for some help, a lot have free beginner classes or would happily give you a lesson.

I had beater chisels from home depot with orange handels that were garbage, but I got good at sharpening them and it worked as I didn't use them much. I'll still use them for beater work where I don't care about messing them up. Eventually got like a 6 or 7 piece set of Narex ones that were like $75 shipped, those hold an edge pretty well and are decent quality and probably the next step up from generic big box ones, but still a good value if you want to buy a set.

I've got a couple of the new Stanley sweetheart (new as in not vintage restored, because Stanley stopped producing the chisels for a while) chisels that are pretty decent also, but a bit higher quality I think they are all $20-$30. Now I usually just buy pfeil ones as I need them for my basic bevel up as I like the brand and they are availble at my local woodcraft, but I've got a few LN mortise chisels that are amazing, but those run $60-$75. The Pfiel ones come in at around $30-$50. For larger timber framing type stuff I've got two larger Japanese chisels. Just collect them as you go, but start with the cheap sets for sure. If you get one project where you find yourself needing a specific size, or eventually you notice the size you use the most, look into buying a $30+ version of that one chisel.

In regards to carving though, do not go cheap. It's one of the areas in woodworking like hand planes where I'd say you really, really get what you pay for. Cheap ones are going to be a nightmare to work with, I made the mistake of buying some cheap 10+ set for cheap and had horrible experiences. my carving tools are pfiel, just broke down and bought a set as I wanted to try a few projects that involved carving. Buy individual ones as I need them now, but don't do carving work consistently.

chisels are luckily one of the few hand tools where you can make cheap ones work. I'm assuming you also aren't working on highly figured exotic woods or doing any incredibly fine detail work, so just having quickly sharpened cheap chisels will suit you just fine in the beginning stages.

It depends on your budget, what you plan to be sharpening, and how much of a hobby you want to make out of your pet rocks.

If you will only ever want to sharpen your Fibrox, pretty much any water stone variety will be fine. If you plan on sharpening other things with harder or more heavily alloyed steels, you're not going to want the default King stones. They're okay, but they're a bit slow and even hearty tool steels give them trouble, to say nothing of harder kitchen knife steels. Names to google would include Imanishi, Suehiro, Shapton, Naniwa, and Gesshin. You might also consider diamond plate if you want to sharpen the deluxe PM steels out there, but they're honestly more a pocket knife thing.

The only accessories you certainly need are a dark marker for the sharpie trick and something to flatten the stones when they dish. The flattening tool can be a diamond plate, a silicon carbide stone, or even drywall screen. Diamond plates start around $40 and only go up, but they tend to work quickly and stay perfectly flat until you've ripped all the diamonds out. SiC fixing stones are cheaper and work about as well while drywall screen is the shockingly effective and cheap method. The other accessories go as deep as you want. Microscopes and loupes, slurry stones, strops, nagura, stone holders, sharpening ponds, on and on. I'd suggest you start small, maybe a stone holder at most, and try sharpening without much stuff. A lot of accessories are answer in search of problems; if you have that problem, by all means buy the solution, but as often as not they're unimportant. Don't buy anything that purports to help you hit or hold a certain angle. They are at best a short cut that will hurt your long term results.

****

Here's what I would do in your shoes.

> So I've been using by 8" Fibrox for about a year now and it is in definite need of some TLC.

I translate this as, "My knife is dull as a potato." Unfortunately the common 1k and 4-6k combo stone is not the best solution here. I would use a coarse stone to start sharpening a properly dull knife and I have years of experience, so I see no reason you should hamstring yourself by jumping straight to a 1k. Is a coarse stone required? No. Will it help you establish good geometry so that you can get good eventual results? God yes. Plenty of people have spent an hour or more muddling through with a King 1k/6k on a dull knife and finished with a dull knife because they never establish good geometry. When the knife comes off your first stone, it ought to be sharp. Any further work you do just refines and smooths out the already sharp edge.

Beyond the coarse stone, you'll certainly want a middle grit stone. They're the lynchpin to a good progression and they're good stopping points in their own rights. This two stone solution might mean a combo stone like the Suehiro Cerax 280/1500 or King 250/1000, it might mean a Naniwa Traditional 220 and Bester 1200, it might mean a Shapton Glass 500 and 2000, or it might even mean a Naniwa Professional 400 and 1000 or Gesshin 400 and 2000.

I don't think a finishing stone is a necessary or even smart purchase for a new sharpener. While you're learning the additional complications of too many stones can distract you from refining the technique that will let you get a knife sharp using a brick. Pick one up later once you have a good idea what you like in a stone and fully know what the stone's going to do for you.

If I were to do it all again, I would just buy Naniwa Choseras or Gesshins from the start. Yes, they're expensive, but they feel better, they work faster and cleaner, and they cut most kitchen steels well. They are in no way more difficult to use than typical low cost "starter" stones, and with the better feedback and speedier cutting they make learning to sharpen easier.

I do a lot of sharpening, and have used many kinds of stones, jigs, and gadgets. Many of the jigs and gadgets are junk, or slow, or high-maintenance.
For basic kitchen knife maintenance, it's worth it to learn to sharpen freehand with inexpensive waterstones. If you want to spend more money for better tools, spend it on nice big diamond stones. Don't spend money on sharpening machines, jigs, or gadgets. My personal sharpening setup is three 3x8 EZE-Lap diamond stones (Coarse, fine, and super-fine), and a leather strop with chromium oxide buffing powder. With this I can turn pretty much any piece of steel into a long-lasting razor blade. EZE-lap makes some nice double-sided diamond stones too that look great for kitchen use. Knife steels have their place (touch-ups between real sharpenings), but are not a complete solution on their own, and can be bypassed entirely.

For knives, anything that's not super low-end is good. It should feel great when held correctly. Most home cooks who've spent $200 on a fancy chef's knife would be just as well off with something like a $55 Henckel's Classic. Knives like that are good steel, easy to sharpen and easy to use. Most good knives require thoughtful maintenance. If someone needs a cook's knife but will not take good care of it, get them a Victorinox Fibrox. They're cheap, good-enough knives with handles that can survive the dishwasher. I also like knives from Wüsthof, Global, Shun, Mac, and many others. Modern knives are mostly excellent. As long as you avoid ultra-cheap options and exotic gimmicks, it's easy to go right.

>Is there any practical difference between DE and straight razor shaving as far as cost involved, difficulty in shaving, or maintenance?

Yes, yes and yes.

Lets break it down individually

Cost

Upfront costs

DE: A good DE and a blade sampler will run you about 50$, if you want to spend more you can get some better quality stuff.

SR: A good brand new SR will generally run you at least 70$, a strop will be another 20ish

Both DE's and SR's can be found used from ebay or several other sites for a lot cheaper. E.g WhippedDog's sight unseen razors

Maintenance costs:

DE: DE's are usually very durable and require very little maintenance, just rinse it off well after shaves and take it apart every now and again for a good wash. The main cost will be with blades. The blade mileage and type will vary based on the person shaving. Some use one blade one time and then discard it, others get a 3-5 good shaves from a single blade. So YMMV, generally 100 blades will run you for 10-30$ depending on the blades.

SR: A straight razor needs to be stropped, hence why I incorporated the strop into the upfront costs. Now your SR will also need to be honed and sharpened a few times a year, how often you need to sharpen it really depends on how much you use it and how good care you take of it. When sharpening you ahve two choices; you either learn to do it yourself or you send it to a pro.

Professional sharpening will generally cost you anywhere from 20-50$. But you can also do it yourself, a set of whetstones will cost you about 100-150$ for the cheaper ones like this set. You can also get a cheaper deal from WhippedDog. There are tons of other waterstones around, if you want to improve your own results, jsut do some research.

Now the nice thing about sharpening your own SR, you're now set for life. That one SR and your whetstones will probably be enough to shave yourself for the rest of your life and then some.

Conclusion:

If you're willing to spend more money upfront for an SR, strop and stones, which can run you for about 200-300$, you will save money in the long run, since you never need to buy more blades again nor send your SR to get sharpened. This also means that you have to put in effort to learn to sharpen your SR. If you don't want to do it, and send you SR to a pro a few times a year, then a DE will probably be cheaper.

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One more thing about cost, if you're planning on switching, I highly recommend getting a full set. That includes a brush, cream/soap, alum and after shave. Check the kit suggestions on the sidebar for more info.

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difficulty in shaving

The straight razor is often considered the most difficult shaving tool to use. You can literally kill yourself with it if you mess up really badly. This is because there is nothing protecting the blade, if it's in the wrong angle; it'll slice your skin. This is also the biggest strength of the Straight Edge, you have complete control over the blade.

The double edge was created to make shaving a more safe practice, hence why it's also called the safety razor. At worst you'll end up with small nick and shallow cuts. You will not have as much control over the blade as you do with an SR but you will still be able to get superb shaves.

I'd say the SR is more difficult to master, but also much more satisfying, at least in my opinion. Regardless of which you use, you will have to relearn shaving from the start. So don't be scared of a few nicks.

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>What kind of recurring costs am I going to deal with, as compared to disposable razors?

Well, this depends on what disposable razor you are using. So for the sake of comparison let's talk about the newest Gilette Fusion proglide. On Amazon 8 Proglide blades will cost you about 30$. Now some sources say that gilette cartridges will last up to 5 weeks, a year has about 52 weeks so by this standard you need 11 cartridges per year.

Going by the amazon cost of 3.62$ per cartridge, you're spending about 39,82$ a year for blades. Again, your mileage may vary. Only you know how long your cartridges last.

Now lets talk about a DE blades. According to Badger and Blade the average is 3 shaves per blade with a 3 pass shave. Now for the sake of keeping things simple; lets assume that you shave once per day and do 3 passes. So a DE blade will last you for 3 days.

EDIT: In case you're not familiar with the idea of multiple pass shaves, it basically means that instead of shaving once like you'd do with a cartridge you shave once, relather, shave again, relather and then shave a third time. The idea is to slowly cut down the hair rather than taking it all off with a single shave. Multiple passes often result in a better shave but also takes much longer and wears down the blade faster. A blade that lasts for three three pass shaves, is basically nine single pass shaves or 4-5 two pass shaves. So depending on how good of a result you want, your blades may last longer. If you're fine with a single pass shave, then you can easily go a week with a single blade., which cuts down the costs considerably. END OF EDIT.

Now Here's 100 feather blades. Feathers are generally considered to be some of the best and sharpest DE blades on the market. Seeing that the price is 22,80$ we can easily count that singe blade costs 0,228$.

364 days of shaving requires you about 122 blades, which at that price comes down to 27,82$~ per year for blades. So that's 12$~ cheaper per year.

The nice thing about DE blades though, they're all interchangeable. Wanna go cheap? 200 Derby blades 18,97$. Comes to about 0,095$/blade, which brings our yearly cost to 11,6$.

However, your mileage may vary.

Of course man! This is a very helpful sub, so keep coming back for help if you need on your knife journey whether it be sharpening or other suggestions.

And if you have the want, and know you’re gonna get something in the future anyways, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a new one! You’d definitely have every right lol... Just imo proper care comes first. You don’t want to sharpen it yourself before you know how because you don’t want to scuff or scratch it, but at the same time it’s pretty much impossible to ruin a knife beyond repair...

As for whetstones, you have a couple options. The King 1k/6k is probably one of the most popular and recommended, but I would recommend spending a bit more and going with the Imanishi combo 1k/6k. I think it’s a much better stone and I can more comfortably sharpen any of my knives, whether it be my cheap Tojiro DP, “hard to sharpen” Misono UX10, or some carbon knives. People have said the King is “slow and sloppy” and doesn’t work as well on higher end steels. Never used one, but I love my Imanishi. You should be able to sharpen anything to arm-hair-shaving sharpness with that.
You can also guy with a solo 1k, as 1,000 grit is really all you need to keep your knives sharp... This would obviously open a lot more doors as well. I love my splash and go Shapton pro, very good stone that you would have good use for when you upgraded and got better with other stones. Instead of listing off a bunch of 1k stones, I’ll leave it with just the one and you can let me know if you have other questions. I’d suggest going with the combo still.

I recommend the Victorinox Fibrox, it performs well, it's comfortable and it's very durable. If you find the Fibrox handle too ugly, they offer the same blade but with a rosewood handle.

Care wise, touch up the edge with a hone to ensure it performs the best it can before you begin preparing food. Eventually however the edge will wear down, at which point you will need to sharpen it. For this I recommend the Shapton Kuromaku 1000, for guidence on how to use a whetstone check this playlist out.

The whetstone itself will also need to be maintained, as you use it you will wear it down unevenly and it will need to be flattened. Most people use a diamond plate but there is a more cost effective option that I use which is lapping the stone using SiC powder on glass, which is done like this (be aware however, that this method is MUCH louder and a bit messier than lapping with a diamond plate).

If all of this sounds like too much and you want a more simple care solution then you can get by very well by just using a ceramic sharpening rod. It combines the ability to touch up the edge quickly before use with the ability of a whetstone to remove material from the blade.

I got by with just a ceramic rod for a long time, but eventually bought whetstones when I wanted more control/better long term maintenance.

I have the Shapton Pros 1k, 2k, 5k, 8k, and 12k.

These stones are very fast cutters but give very little feedback. I like them a lot for my double bevel knives as they are quick, easy, and don't require a lot of pressure or passes. They are not the best options out there but they are the easiest I've tried. I've read that the Naniwas are definitely better but they are also twice the cost and more if you go for the Kuromakus.

Of the stones I have the 5k is the best. This is also the most versatile grit as its appropriate for both protein and vegetable oriented knives. It does overlap with your King but I expect it's significantly better.

The 2k is also pretty good and I prefer it over the 1k. For lower grits I would consider getting some that is not a Shapton.

The 1k does all right but I much prefer a softer stone if I'm going to do the kind of work one does on a 1k. It's hard to feel when things are going right or wrong with this stone, and the others in the line. But it matters more with a low grit. Usually I just use the 2k instead.

The 8k is pretty good. Again I like it a lot for double bevel knives but not single bevel. I can get a comfortable shave after just the 8k without a strop if I'm having a good day. Alternatively I also use my Kitayama 8k which does an all around better job but the Shapton is just so much easier to use and much more forgiving of mistakes.

The Kuromakus on Amazon US are grey market stones. While they are much cheaper and certainly legal for you to buy, they were probably not legally brought into the US. Someone likely got them wholesale in Japan and shipped them to the US without paying tariffs. Other people have done worse things but its still up to you if you want to buy these. They are the same Shaptons you can get anywhere else. Here are the Kuromakus on Amazon UK.

I recommend going slow with hand tools. Buy them one or two at a time, and then learn to use, sharpen, and care for those before buying more. This will help you get the best stuff for you while spending as little as possible. Let your projects guide your tool purchases.

Amazon isn't a great place to buy hand tools. Most people shop at either Lee Valley, Lie-Nielsen, or eBay for planes, chisels, saws, rasps, etc. That said, there's a surprising amount of stuff you'll need that's not the tools themselves. Personally, I wouldn't want to saddle myself with an inferior tool just to use a gift certificate.

Anyways. Stuff you SHOULD buy on amazon:

Hand Tools

• A card scraper. Do your research--they're tricky to sharpen, but they're miraculous things. I like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Bahco-5-Inch-474-125-0-80-Cabinet-Scraper/dp/B0001P0PHW/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1407859293&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=bahco+card+scraper
  
• Baby's first hand saw: http://www.amazon.com/Tajima-Japan-JPR-SET-Rapid-Blades/dp/B0008KLNSA/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1407859464&sr=1-3&keywords=dozuki
  
  Clamps
  
  
• Amazon is a decent place to buy clamps unless you're into the HD/Lowe's arbitrage thing. There's good advice on what clamps you need here: http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/the-big-squeeze/
  
  Measuring/Marking
  
  
• A solid combination square like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Starrett-11H-12-4R-Combination-Square-Wrinkle/dp/B0002CSBNO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407857853&sr=8-2&keywords=starret
  
• An inexpensive marking knife: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002X201/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• Your first festool: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UKRNG2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• I have some crown marking gauges from Amazon, but the jury's still out. I think I'm going to end up deciding that they're junk. They are cheap and will get you going, though.
  
  Sharpening Gear
  
  
• You can easily spend way more than $300 on a sharpening setup. Do your research. Most of the stuff you'll need can be found at Amazon.
  
• A good starting point sharpening stone: http://www.amazon.com/King-47506-1000-Combination-Waterstone/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407858723&sr=8-1&keywords=king+stone
  
• Training Wheels: http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Larson-800-1800-Honing-Guide/dp/B000CFNCKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407858827&sr=8-1&keywords=honing+guide
  
  Consumables
  
  
• Wood glue--TiteBond II is what "everyone" uses. TiteBond III is more waterproof and gives you a longer open time
  
• Sandpaper
  
• Mineral spirits
  
• Finishing supplies
  
  Safety Gear
  
  
• The best splinter removal tweezers: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EMYHA8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• Band aids: http://www.amazon.com/Band-Aid-Brand-Adhesive-Bandages-Comfort/dp/B0047ITQ42/ref=sr_1_5?s=hpc&srs=2582875011&ie=UTF8&qid=1407859147&sr=1-5&keywords=band+aid+sheer+strips
  
• Safety Glasses, Hearing protection (if you plan to use power tools), Respirator (if you plan to make dust), etc.
  
• Broom, dustpan, brush.
  

I've bought several things from Amazon for the shop, and they're just the sorts of things that /u/abnormal_human suggests; Woodcraft also sells through Amazon, so you can get some decent hand tools that way, but that's not really "amazon" per se. For a recent birthday my wife went a little nuts on my Amazon wishlist and I received two waterstones, a lapping plate, and this shoulder plane - very extravagant gifts.

Amazon is also a pretty good place to shop for some woodworking machinery if you want to buy new and especially if you happen to have Amazon prime; free delivery on a drill press or a band saw can be kind of a big deal. Those are on my "dream shop" wish list...not going to happen any time soon, but if I can't dream on the Internet...where can I?

Another neat thing that I didn't know about until recently is camelcamelcamel which is an amazon price tracker. Companies adjust their retail price on amazon all the time, and you can set thresholds at which you would like to be notified. For example, here is the price history for the drill press I linked above. Helps to see if it's a good time to buy, or if you should maybe wait.

Have fun!

>• Splash and Go vs. Stones that require soaking

A matter of taste, mostly. Splash and go means that you can apply water to the surface of the stone and begin sharpening immediately, soakers need to be soaked for a few minutes (half an hour at most). Some soaking stones need to be dried carefully or they may crack. If you don't have a lot of storage or counter space, splash and go will be more convenient.

>• Synthetic Stone vs. Natural Stone

For a first stone, you only need to look at synthetics. Natural stones are inferior to synthetics in the coarse and medium grits. Arkansas stones can make for good finishers. Japanese naturals are expensive and esoteric.

>• Fine Grain vs. Coarse Grain

Fine stones have smaller abrasive particles, coarse stones have larger ones. Fine stones tend to be denser and less porous. Coarse stones tend to cut faster, but it can be difficult to form a sharp edge using a coarse stone alone, thus the popularity of 2-grit combination stones. Most people start sharpening on a medium grit (~400-1200 grit) and finish on a fine grit (~3000-8000). The coarsest stones (80-300 grit) are mostly reserved for repairing damage to the edge and grinding large sections of the blade. Different stones, even those with the same grit rating, may grind at different rates and produce different finishes due to differences in the way they were manufactured (type of abrasive, type of binder, heat, pressure, scale used for grading, etc.).

>• Wooden Base vs. No Base

Again, personal preference. If the stones are to be kept permanently soaked, stones without bases are preferable. The stone with which this comes up the most is the Suehiro Rika, which many people prefer to keep soaked.

>What makes a quality whetstone?

Uniformity of scratch pattern, resistance to clogging, resistance to dishing (becoming concave), rate of grinding, auditory and tactile feedback. Dense stones are almost universally preferred, but it's difficult to generalize beyond that.

>What should influence my decision to purchase one over the other?

Budget, availability, the types of knives being sharpened. Knowing your boyfriend's temperament. Is he patient? Is he careful with his knives? Does he drop things all the time?


I use a King Deluxe 300 and a Shapton Ha no Kuromaku 2000 for most of my sharpening. Both are splash-and-go and very dense ("hard"). I have a dozen or so other stones that I don't use nearly as often.

Suehiro's vitrified stones are among the most user-friendly and least fussy. Almost all of them need soaking. The SKG-24 is a good combination stone on which to learn.

Naniwa makes a huge variety of stones, most of which are good. Their QA-0124 is a splash-and-go stone, although the fine side works better after a brief soak, and even then it dries out quickly. These stones can crack if soaked and then dried unevenly.

King KW-65P is a good, traditional soaking stone. It goes out of flat more easily than some of the newer types of stones but it's a nice size and easy to maintain. The KDS is also widely liked.

Imanishi/Bester can be all over the map. I like their Arashiyama, Latte, and Tamago stones but not so much the Besters. They make a lot of stones that are resold under other brand names. I suspect they're behind this combination stone, which I like—splash-and-go and wears slowly.

All the above applies to Japanese "waterstones" (I don't like that term). "Oilstones" (I also don't like that term) like the illustrious Norton India can also provide good results, and are less demanding in terms of maintenance (flattening, drying, etc.). There are also diamond plates—I like EZE-LAP and ATOMA the best.

Edit: Fixed links.

There are tons of stones out there and most of them will work for you. I would recommend starting out with a hard stone that isnt going to dish. That way you wont have to worry about flattening or regrinding the stone. Personally I would recommend this as a beginner stone that is still very high quality and inexpensive. Its an oil stone so you will need mineral oil or something similar with it. The spyderco ceramics are also great stones as they essentially never wear out.

If your set on getting waterstones I would say for the fibrox to not go much past 2k grit. The king deluxe stones are good, the shapton ha no kuromaku stones are also good and much harder making them a little easier to learn on. I would recommend against getting something like naniwa professional/chosera or shapton glass to start mainly because of the price.

The honing rod is fine I personally dont use them but thats more of a personal preference thing. I would rather use a benchstone than a honing rod. However a honing rod can help maintain your edge and quickly touch up the knife. Using a honing rod you can keep a knife sharp for quite a while before needing to sharpen it again. Which is great if you have your knives sharpened by a professional not quite as important if you do it yourself and your knives arent super expensive.

A leather strop can help quite a bit when you are first starting out to help remove burrs, and do minor touch ups between sharpenings. If you want to get really good a strop will end up being more of a crutch that lets you get away with not properly deburring the knife edge.

​

a good tutorial video https://youtu.be/2Vu6Dq00v7I

ceramic stone

spyderco medium benchstone

waterstones

king deluxe 1000 grit

king 250/1000 combo

shapton ha no kuromaku stones reccommend 320 and either 1500 or 2k for these.

​

There are also arkansas stones which are great I would suggest getting the soft arkansas stone and using that as a finishing stone.

I spent nearly 20 years as a cook-then-sous-then-exec in fine dining kitchens. I've bought cheap knives, and I've bought expensive knives. I finally found my sweet spot split between Misono Swedish Carbon and Misono UX10s. I have a few different styles of knives in each, and they each have their ups and downs. The downside to either of those is that they're not exactly cheap (but you can spend way more if you're so inclined).

On the cheap side of things, this series of knives form Victorinox is probably the best value out there. For a home cook, these are absolutely bifl, but they're not exactly sexy.

My recommendation when anyone asks me a question like this is to go for the Mac Professional Series. They're fancy enough to be a little special, but not so special that you're afraid to use them. Full disclosure, I still use a Chef Series Mac 5.5" utility knife. In a professional kitchen, your utility knife gets so much more use than you'd imagine, so having a cheap one without the bolster is nice in case someone drops it in the fryer and kills the temper, or kicks it under the dish station etc. For home, I'd get the nice (pro series) version.

Anyway, for a first investment in nice knives, I'd go for an 8" chef's knife, dimples or not, it makes no real difference, and a 5.5" utility knife. The second addition would be 10-12" carving knife. Of course, a serrated bread knife and a small paring knife are necessary, but that's where those Victorinox knives I linked above are perfect.

I'm sure the bifl crowd here will crucify me for recommending stainless, but unless you're using your knives every day for hours a day, it's way too easy to get lazy and you end up with pitting and rust on all those fancy carbon knives, and that makes you less likely to use them.

For sharpening, get a 1000/6000 grit whetstone. When I was cheffing for a living, I hit the 6000 every day, and the 1000 once a week. Now, I cook dinner maybe 4 times a week, and I hit the 6000 once a month, and the 1000 like once or twice a year. Keeping the knives in cases helps with this. Drawers will kill the edge. Youtube has plenty of tutorials on how to use a whetstone and keep everything straight.

As far as "sharpening" steels go, it's nice having one around if you're doing a ton of knife work and need a quick touch up, but slapping a knife on a steel is not the same as sharpening it, and if you let the edge get truly dull (by hitting the steel instead of sharpening it), you'll have a bear of a time getting the edge true again.

Anyway, if you buy something made by an ancient Japanese craftsman who's older than the volcano he forges in, sure, it'll be cool and have fancy wavy lines. If you buy garbage it'll be garbage. Whatever you do, just know that nothing screams recent culinary school graduate than a Shun santoku.

note: I've written "you" a bunch in here. It's less pretentious than saying "one may sharpen..." and less clumsy than referring to your partner at all times . I hope you'll forgive me.

edit: tl;dr get the Macs

Unfortunately, I can't find a coarse DMT stone for anything less than $70 on Amazon, or a Spyderco medium for under $50. This is on the .ca site, not .com, as they won't ship to Canada.

I can find King water stones on Amazon, though not in the grit you talked about. There's a 1000/6000 for $36, and a 800/4000 for $47. While I like the price, I'm not sure if it's for me. It's not a ceramic water stone, so it might be softer than I'd like. I see it recommended a lot, so I will keep it in mind.

There are videos on how to deal with the curved leather knives, and I'll watch them closely when I get such a knife, but until then, most of my knives will likely be straight edged. I don't need to get them surgically sharp, but the sharper the knife is, the easier it is to finish the edge of the leather. If it's not sharp enough, fibers tend to stick out from the cut. 1000 should be plenty for right now, and if I need more, I'll look at one of the water stones, as the finer grits wear much more slowly anyway, and I don't have to concern myself with dishing as much.

Both the Kuromaku and Chosera seem to be pretty highly regarded, as I read in this sharpening blog. Shapton Glass was also highly regarded, but I decided against them because of the price. This is where I started getting confused by the Chosera. In the blog, the model number of the Chosera that he's talking about start with 'P' - for instance, the 1000 grit is P-310. Now, when looking them up on Amazon, I found one that looks like the one in the blog, it's that trademark green. However, the model number is SS-1000, and that sounds like the Super Stone series that Naniwa also has. Except that looking up the 1000 Super Stone gives me a model number of S-1000. So the Super Stone (two S's in the name) has one S in the model series, and the Chosera Professional has two S's? There's also more than just the standard and Professional series, there's a bunch of 'traditional' ones, and the super stones are still being sold, it looks like. It's all very confusing. I mean, the 1000 is $100 so I doubt I'd go for it anyway, but I have no idea how to honestly tell them apart. That's the main reason why I wanted to go with the Kuromaku. Way less confusion.

Also, I agree with you on the oil front. I considered the possibility because of the price, but I really don't want to have to deal with the mess.

HI there,

Congrats! hope you like working with your knife. i've been sharpening my knives on whetstones for about 2 years now and here's a few things.

1. you do not need 3, 4, 5 or however many stones with increasing grits. seriously, don't spend 150 on some natural 10000 grit stone from japan (not just yet) as its just not super useful to you. I would recommend one maybe 2 stone and a strop. personally i like the king stones (1000 and 6000) because the bang for the buck is amazing, and a stone fixer You can look up strops, they come in all shapens and sizes and you can normally make one from stuff you already have, even newspaper (see below.)
   
   
2. find a place where you can sharpen every now and again. i ruined tables and counter tops before i realized that sludge that comes off stones is super abrasive and scratches stuff real easy. you can either make a sink bridge from a 2x4 and some screws or buy one. or, alternatively, just get a good stone holder if you are going to be on counters. find something that works for you.
   
   
3. one more thing before i go all knife nerd. watch some videos, Korin has a channel on youtube that's really good, carter cutlery is cost concious and has a great technique stroping on newspaper... and you can look up bob kramer but his stuff is way way more high end.
   
   
   anyways that's my two cents. i got a 15 qt sterite container for all my stuff including the bridge and i offer knife sharpening to friend just to practice on different knives.
   
   Cheers and good luck. I think its a really nice time once you get a handle on it.

> Knife sharpening. I've tried searching this sub for knife sharpening suggestions and while the most common suggestion is to pay someone to do it once or twice a year, I've read horror stories and I'd like to learn myself either with a sharpening stone or a system made to guarantee the angle. Any suggestions here?

Lot of options here. You can find places that will do knife sharpening. There's one near me that's just a small storefront but they do work for local restaurants and regular Joe walk-ins for a flat rate of $6 a blade.

However, it's really pretty easy to get into doing your own sharpening. Can find decent starter stones on Amazon, for example, as well as good online tutorials that'll give you the process. From there it's just hands-on time.

Doesn't matter if you're not perfect the first time you do it - can always go back and put a better edge on a knife later when you get better at it. Probably most important thing is to know how to hold and maintain an angle - conveniently you can come up with good rules of thumb using trig. For a typical western angle of 22.5 degrees per side, you need to hold the spine up off the stone 3/8" per inch of blade height. For a more typical Japanese angle of 15 degrees it's 1/4" per inch of blade height. Just have to take a look at what that is with a ruler, then you can put your thumb up against it and find where you need to "lock in" and hold it.

I enjoy doing it myself, picked it up pretty quickly over the summer, and I'd say my knives tend to have a better-than-new edge on them. 1-2 times per year seems sufficient, maybe 3 - really depends on type of steel and use.

Hey, here's some info on knife sharpening, as requested:

Firstly, I think the reason you struggle towards the tip with a guided system is that you have to reset the system to do the front of the knife. Basically treat the blade as if it were 2 parts, sort of a back half and front half. When you start, center the system on the back half of the blade and when you're done that section, recenter the system over the front half of the blade and do it separately. Just be sure not to grind more metal off of one half than the other. Count your strokes. There's probably a better way but I don't use guided systems often so my experience with them is extremely limited.

• Here's a crappy example I drew in paint
  
  I'm not sure what you use your knife for, so I can't recommend a sharpening angle. If you're batoning or chopping, you'd need a more shallow angle and "meatier" profile so the edge lasts longer. If you're trying to make it sharp enough to whittle (not just shave) hair, you'll need to have a steeper angle and a higher grit stone and will need to strop with polish after sharpening.
  
  
• bevel types/grinds
  
  
• bevel angles
  
  
  If you don't have any stones and need a cheapish one for basic sharpening that will last many many years. <- This stone will be more than enough to keep your knife sharp if you are hard on your knives and will need to resharpen often. I'd recommend anything from EZE Lap and DMT.
  
  If you want to try whet stones, the ones below are some decent ones. You will need a flattening stone like this one as well.
  
  
• 1000 grit
  
• 6000 grit
  
  This is a good source of basic information regarding sharpening knives using whet stones
  
  If you have stones but are unsure of technique. <-
  This is a good video describing the basics of keeping a knife sharp. Walter Sorrels is a good source of info with regards to knives in general.
  
  I wouldn't recommend stropping with polish until you know how to properly sharpen on a stone. I'd treat the two activities as completely separate entities until you get proficient at sharpening. Once you can put a decent edge on your knives, then you can research polishing. I only say this because it requires a different technique and a difference set of "tools" to accomplish. But you're a big boy/girl/Apache helicopter and can do what you want so here's a basic video on it anyway.
  
  
• stropping with polish
  
  If you have any questions feel free to ask, but not before making an effort to answer it through your own research. I always recommend doing your own personal research on any topic you feel passionately about. I'll try to help however I can though.

waterstones for sharpening and a honing rod for western knives (guessing that's what you have).

Something cheap but good for value like a King 1k/6k to get you going first.

Once you get better, you can always upgrade to nicer stones like Shapton, Naniwa, Suehiro, etc.

I use Japanese knives so I don't have a honing rod and can't recommend you one.

​

Gist of it

Soak stone 10 mins

Start 1k grit side, run each side 5 - 10 times (look up what a burr is)

Start 6k grit side, run each side 5 - 10 times (polishing)

optional - you can also strop it to make it sharper using newspaper, cardboard, leather

hone the knife (5-10 passes) end of every week after use

​

There are really good playlists like Korin or JKI but they can get pretty serious, detailed and sometimes overwhelming.

I like to watch Burrfection where it's more casual content.

I don't own a sashimi knife, but as far as an intro knife and keeping budget in mind, I would trust a brand like Tojiro for quality and pricepoint. For example, this one uses a well known stainless steel (VG10) and has a western handle - should be an easy transition to use it and easy to maintain. Another one with carbon steel and japanese handle could also work out well if he is diligent with cleaning the blade.

As for whetstone, the most important factor when it comes to sharpening is the user's technique. That being said, AFAIK sushi knives often benefit from a more polished higher grit. A combination stone would likely suffice for a while, like this sharp pebble stone. I've never used it myself, but this is a common stone for people to start out with. I can personally vouch for the naniwa (non-professional) 1000/3000 combination stone, which I started off with.

Hope that helps.

I've heard good things about it. I don't have first hand experience though. I do have both Arkansas oil stones (which is what those are) and whetstones. I like my oil stones for general knife use. I think they're more user friendly. I have whetstones for my straight razors and some knives. I'm a huge fan of Norton and do have plenty of experience with them. I have this stone and it's great.
https://www.amazon.com/Norton-614636855653--8-Inch-Combination-Oilstone/dp/B000XK5ZDY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468468051&sr=8-1&keywords=norton+oilstone You'll need oil for it though. It's on the coarser side but when you get more experience you can produce edges good enough to shave hair. Not super cleanly but it will shave. The reason I recommended the other though is it has a higher grit stone and comes with oil too.

I'd also recommend the Norton whetstones too. Pricey but really great quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Tandy-Leather-Strop-Polishing-Compound/dp/B00P797R32/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468468475&sr=8-1&keywords=tandy+strop+compound Here's a good strop for knives. It comes with compound. Not necessary but they're nice to have around to give it that little bit of extra sharpness and you can maintain an edge with them. Just strop after every use and it will prolong the periods between honing.

Here's a really good video on freehand honing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln_z1IyubaI

Do you know what they currently have at all?

A really coarse stone with another side for finishing on would be this - useful for fixing chipped blades and overall getting a very sharp edge. It's diamond so it does not need maintained. It's quite heavy so it can be set down on something and used anywhere with a splash of water, or even without water. But better with..sorry it exceeds your budget a bit. It was 7$ cheaper a few months ago: Sk11-sided Diamond Whetstone # 150 / # 600 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EIE8LC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_K765Ab44NE259


A good at home stone in your price range would be this one, you have to soak it in water for 5-20min before using (each time, until it stops bubbling in the water) but it's a great stone that is widely used: KING KW65 1000/6000 Grit Combination Whetstone with Plastic Base https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_n565AbSFCV7EG

Anything 'bearmoo' or 'sharp pebble' or anything looking like those ones honestly is not going to be enjoyable or comparable in quality to the above.

Another great stone worth mentioning: Shapton Ha No Kuromaku Ceramic Whetstone Medium Grit #1000 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TPFT0G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_o-65AbB1PMZ8B

If they already have some bench stones, maybe they can use a holder - super useful!: POWERTEC 71013 Sharpening Stone Holder, 5-1/2-Inch to 9-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NFB2MTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_h.65AbP2HAJ5W

Awesome project!

I have a couple pro tips for any future projects you take on:

1. https://www.househandle.com/ - These guys are your friend. Order "handpicked, no laquer, vertical grain" No laquer bc it causes blisters (treat with boiled linseed oil), vertical grain bc cross grain causes handle to crack prematurely... physics n stuff.
   
   
2. Great pick with the Collins! Looks like a newer model, but it's not bad. You can use electrolysis or vinegar soak to destroy the rust. To get a super shiny finish, use high grit sandpaper (400-500) and if you're feeling really fancy, buff it with a paper wheel.
   
   
3. Sharpen with a whet stone. Lansky makes the best stones (http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-LPUCK-Dual-Grit-Sharpener/dp/B000B8FW0Y/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405806979&sr=8-1&keywords=lansky+sharpening+stones) Use water or 3-in-1 oil lube to increase quality.
   
   Axe heads have "cheeks" near the bit to aid in splitting, make sure not to grind them down when sharpening or you'll just get an axe that's really good at getting stuck in wood.
   
   
4. Please never glue the wedge, it's an absolute mess to remove when your handle breaks (it WILL break), and it actually doesn't add any strength to the wedge. Take time to make a good wedge that will reach the bottom of the kerf and you won't need to re-inforce at all.
   
   Again, awesome job, hopefully this is helpful!

Chef's sharpener? You mean one of those powered doo-jobers?

Icky.

For the average joe, this sharpener right here works wonders:
http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-DCS4-4-Inch-Diamond-Sharpening/dp/B00009YV6L

Just keep a steady angle on the blade, start on the coarse side drawing the full length of the edge across the sharpener. You want to count how many times it takes for you to develop a "burr" on the blade.

This is the burr Basically it is the material you have shaved off curling over the opposite side of the blade. you can tell it is there by running your finger nail perpendicular to the blade edge on the opposite side of where you were sharpening.

Once you have a burr across the entire edge, you want to flip the knife over and run the edge over the sharpener the exact same amount of times you did it on the other edge.

From there, work your way down to one draw per side by removing one pass each time for both sides of the blade.

Once you are down to one, you will switch to the Fine and do the same thing. This time, you don't need to work so hard to get the burr, and it might even be tough to detect the burr. Just start at 8 passes per side and work your way down to one.

From there, the knife should be pretty sharp. Try cutting a piece of paper with it like this. If it cuts smoothly, your knife is sharp.

From there, keeping it sharp is rather easy. Just don't use it on a hard surface and hand wash it. Once it is sharp, you won't need to sharpen it very often as long as you take good care of it. Running it across a honing steel will bring it back to it's previous sharpness.

Also, look into some nice knives. Most of the stainless blades you come across really are not good steel and will not hold an edge well. You can spend upwards of $100 on a 6" chef's knife to get a steel that really holds an excellent edge, or you can give up on the Stainless Steel and get yourself an Old Hickory Carbon Steel knife for $8 and it will hold a better edge than ANY stainless.

EDIT: A note about Knife Steel. Most stainless blades are not going to hold an edge very well, because of the low carbon content. There are some that are stainless, and are still very good steels, but they cost a premium. High-carbon blades hold their sharpness very well, because they are generally harder than any stainless steel. But that high carbon content comes at a price, they tend to rust easily. But they are significantly cheaper than high-quality stainless, and are just as good.

Old Hickory knifes are great options for those trying to save money. Keep an eye out for them at thrift shops and rummage sales. Or Ebay.

This is doable for much less than $600. When I started shaving w a SR I figured it would take about 2 years of shaving to pay off the initial cost. Although if I am being honest I probably spend more now on razors than I did before.

For the most basic of kits you will need a:

• Razor Not really shave ready (used $40 or new $150-200)
  
  
• Sharpening stones $100 (I use DMT, but you can also use japanese water stones. I like dmt because they are always flat and in my experience last longer. You probably need a fine/extra fine (600/1200 grit) and an extra extra fine (8000 grit))
  
  
• Strop ($20 -amazon)
  
  
• Strop compound ( a $5 bar of cromium oxide goes a long way)
  
  
• Brush ($12-35 amazon)
  
  
• Soap ($2-10 depending on what you want)
  
  That's the basics really. You can spend more on aftershave, preshave, synthetic brushes, creams whatever. If you know how to sharpen/strop I would definitely recommend a used razor off ebay ( a nice one you don't have to restore). If you don't know how to sharpen I recommend you get some stones and learn anyway it isn't very hard. Though you may want a cheap $10 razor to practice on just in case. The hardest part is choosing a brand (or buying just one razor). For used razors you have some things to consider:
  
  
• Handle/scales - not broken, pins are ok
  
  
• Blade- no rust, no chips, no excessive spine wear, no weird angles from sharpening, you can polish some imperfections out but not too many and you probably don't want to restore a razor before you learn to use one.
  
  
• Brand- Wade/butcher are good. Dubl duck are good (but probably overpriced/hyped), E A Berg are good, Boker is good, CV Heljestrand- good those are all I have presently but basically anything made in sheffield, solingen, or eskilstuna should be ok to shave with after they are sharpened.
  
  You may also want to try a double edge (DE) razor but then you still need blades (although they are very very cheap) I am not sure if that is a requirement here or not.

okay, so... as far as cheap sharpening goes, stay away from pull thru sharpeners they give a mediocre edge and take years off the steel.
a cheap-ish way is to get a stone but learning to free hand sharpen is a pain and can take years to truly get the hang of. also chosing grits and a good stone that wont crumble and scratch the shit out of your knife.

you can get a lansky for 35-40$

or you can get a spyderco sharpmaker for 50-60$

i use one of these for rough stuff, really bad edges and reprofiling. i would recommend this because if you arent going to be sharpening often and dont need a razor edge itll be fine.

a good strop can get expensive but honestly you can just pick one for 15-20$ and some buffing compound for 3-10$

you can also use one of these to get a mirror edge, closer to finishing, freehand sharpening again has a larger learning curve, practice on a crappy knife. seriously. you will fuck up at first. you should see my first knife, gross...

if you decide in the freedom of freehand sharpening, check out atomedges guide in the sidebar. pretty helpful.

If you already have a hard time sharpening knives then that thing isn’t going to help.

I’ve had one and let me just say that it’s probably better left for kitchen knives and garden tools.

The worksharp will only do a convex edge. It seems intuitive to use via the marketing material but it’s honestly not. Most pocket knives can’t be sharpened properly either because it’s super easy to roll the tips or you cant properly reach the entire length of the cutting edge.

Some people also claim that it can cause too much heat from friction and negatively affect the heat treat of the steel at the very edge. Consistency is also certainly not easy and is probably the most important aspect of sharping.

Honestly the worksharp seems like gimicky bullshit. Without a doubt, it’s probably great for yardwork tools but that’s about it in my opinion.

If you wanna practice and challenge yourself, try a simple stone system and practice your form. here is one my worksharp.

I guess I trust Amazon reviews more than I should. Actual sharpening stones have poor reviews saying things like, "Sharpened my knife all day on this and now it's dull as a butterknife," and the pull-through sharpener I have had great reviews from people saying it did a fairly good job and was easy to use.

In retrospect, now that I've gleaned a little knowledge from this sub, I guess the people leaving bad reviews on the stones were most likely inexperienced and couldn't maintain an angle. I do have one stone - this one - if I picked up an angle guide, could this stone be decent for sharpening harder steels, or should I just give in and buy a proper long stone?

As for the tanto blade - I go camping occasionally and a knife comes in handy then, but in my day to day life my knife use is pretty much limited to cutting dangling threads off my clothes, opening packages, and tightening screws, so I'm not too concerned with the limited usability of the tanto profile. I'm mostly getting it for aesthetic reasons - it just looks super nice and I'd love to admire it in person/get to show it off to friends.

Thanks so much for the advice!

I don't mean a sharpening system like a buy this one this to sharpen your stuff like folks have for their kitchen knives.

I meant a method you have to keep your stuff sharp.

I started out using the 'scary sharp' sharpening method.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scary_sharp

Used a $3 tile from Home Depot and a set of sandpaper similar to this and used a honing guide like this one and then used Paul sellers techniques in this YouTube video

Also watch this Paul sellers video on preparing your chisels .

Scary sharp is great for beginner, and those that have little sharpening to do. The advantage and disadvantage is that you use up the sandpaper doing the sharpening. So the initial cost is low, but you need to keep paying for more it as your sandpaper supply runs out.

I lucked out and found a friend of a friend who gave me a pair of a course/fine combination oilstone similar to this. So I got a leather pad and stropping compound and then continued to use the honing guide and was very pleased with this result.

Now I'm pushing money towards getting a set of DMT diamond plates You want a course, fine, and extra fine. And lastly you want a 4000/8000 norton water stone.

This is what I meant by upgrading your sharpening system. All of these are options, and depending on your budget and needs, they can all work. Some advocate the buy once cry once mentality and just buy the last setup i talked about, but my progression has served me well enough that my shoestring budget allowed for continual progress, and also gave me the opportunity to cut my losses if I didn't use my chisels and planes as much as I do.

Hope this helps.

I would start with two or three stones. If I had it to do over again, I would want them to be really low maintenance, so I would probably still buy a DMT product, but I think it would be this one.

DMT W6EFC Three 6-Inch Diamond Whetstone Models in Hard Wood Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003NCVFC4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uxIhzbB9AS31A

If after you've used these for a while and you decide you then want a finer stone, at that point you're probably hooked and $100 for a single stone won't seem too unreasonable.

But this is where it all gets really tricky. I mean... Define expensive? My 4000 grit Mizuyama stone was around $60 and my 8000 grit Kitayama stone was around $80. Both are decent splash and go resin bonded stones. I bought the DMT kit off Amazon maybe 5 or 6 years ago now which had two double sided DMT Duo-Sharp diamond stones, a holder and a non slip mat for a little under $300. Which is a really good price for 4 diamond stones from 220-1220 grit which are guaranteed to stay flat and can be used wet or dry. The Wicked Edge system I have now was $650 of Amazon, but it might be the best value because it's capable of sharpening any profile blade quickly, repeatably and with great precision. So one has to distinguish between expense and value at some point.

That is not a terrible starter, but you can find a better quality King comb stone.
https://www.amazon.com/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=whetstone+knife+sharpener+king&qid=1551396328&s=gateway&sr=8-5.

A Shapton 1500 can be had for around $40usd, & will produce a very fine edge & will not dish as quickly. I have sharpened half a dozen knives and there is no visible dishing. Plus it is a splash & go, no soaking needed.
https://www.amazon.com/Whetstone-Sharpening-Shapton-Ceramic-KUROMAKU/dp/B001TPJARE/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=shapton+1500&qid=1551396805&s=gateway&sr=8-1

The thing with that Pebble is the 1000 grit side will dish pretty easily and fast. We have one at work. One of my cooks bought it. It will produce a nice edge, and the 6000 side will polish pretty nicely. The base is actually pretty nice.

I think I've helped enough beginners with that little thing on the side bar....

But whatever, I'll play this game and set him up for immediate success and long term success for when he outgrows the old shitty leather belt strop.

Smiths Coarse and Fine 4" diamond stone for 14 bucks- I will personally attest to the quality of this thing, while the fine side is about 750 grit, it does a fantastic job. I own and use this piece of kit daily, works just fine.

Or this Norton Crystalon or whatever coarse and fine stone for as cheap as 10 bucks-I've used this one too to very good effect.

Green buffing paste 3 bucks-Chromium oxide buffing paste, I use the shit sometimes on my buffing wheels and once upon a time on strops. It works fine.

Paddle strop for 10 bucks-Should work just fine, and it's made to be a strop, the leather is tanned to be a strop, and it'll be better for the dude to learn on equipment appropriate for the task, as that's what it was manufactured for and not ghetto rigged.

You need to be more specific. This community will always give advice to newbies but there are SOOO many different ways to work that we need to know what you think you might prefer.

Keep in mind that your opinions about how you like to work may change over the course of your adventures in woodworking.

Given that you have $100 at Amazon to spend and $100 cash to spend elsewhere here is what I would do: No matter whether you are going to be primarily power tool or hand tool, you will need sharp chisels. To sharpen chisels you will need a few things. This is a water stone. This particular stone is at two very frequently used grits. if you want to go over your amazon budget by $20 or so add this stone to the first one.

From there I would use some of your non amazon money to get this. This will help hold the chisels at the proper angle to get a good edge.

Finally we come to the chisels themselves. I would get a set that contains 1/4 3/8 1/2 and 3/4 inch chisels. I own this set which I like for the price but I am not in love with them like I am with the MK2 honing guide. To stay in budget perhaps you buy only one chisel to start practicing sharpening. I'd say get the 1/2 inch. It is a good balance of quality and affordability.

Keep in mind that all the gear in the world will not help unless you learn how to use it. Hit up youtube for DOZENS of how-to videos on sharpening.

All of those links above should come to about $220 before shipping.

It's generally not a great idea to buy something related to someone's hobby or area of expertise. You can easily get them something that isn't what they expected, or would prefer.


For stones, you can get just a standalone one, or you can go the full system. There are a few out there.

I got one of these, which is very nice, and it'll sharpen pretty much everything and takes the guess work out of setting a proper angle.


Having a consistent angle is the most important thing to consider when sharpening.

The different grits makes it easy to get from very dull to super polished sharp.


The other way is just freehand with stones. Somethnig like DMT sharpening stones might be good if he wants to do it the old way but with modern material stones.

Though something else to consider is a honing steel. This will keep the knife sharp between sharpenings much much longer and doesn't remove steel wearing down the knife, it just realigns the edge. You can get it in ceramic or steel, make sure it's smooth though. like this


I find honing much easier and more important than just sharpening. Most everyone overlooks this part. It's important to use between uses. I don't mean after you cut one tomato, but like after a decent bit - often.


Hope that helps a bit. There's a huge ton of options and things to consider. It's not an easy task to weigh the pros and cons, and they aren't usually that huge a deal though.

I have a lot of sharpening equipment, collecting it gets to be as much of a hobby as knives. But most of my sharpening is done with these three items:

Smith's Diamond stone

Spyderco Fine Pocket Stone

Stropman HD Compact with green and black compund

The Smiths has a course side and fine side. The coarse is good for re profiling and setting a bevel. The fine side is somewhere in the neighborhood of a brown Spyderco ceramic. It's a good medium grit for prefinishing.

The Spyderco fine stone is a great finishing and honing stone.

And Stropman strops are a really great value and does a great job.

This is one of those hot button topics that almost everyone has a different opinion, and is very passionate about that opinion. I've spent a considerable portion of my woodworking time on mastering my own sharpening technique and setup. Hopefully this is helpful to you

>Is a 400/1000 combination waterstone a good choice?

No. Anything below 1000 grit in a waterstone is better served by a different media. Preferably diamonds, but sandpaper can work too, and is my preference (more below)

>Doesn't starting at 1000 grit make the process take a long time?

No. A 1000 grit waterstone is actually pretty coarse and nowhere near where you want to stop sharpening.

>Do I really need to go that high?

No. But you'll want to

Sharpening basically can be broken down into 2 steps:

Sharpening - Shaping metal into an edge (sub 1000 grit)

Honing - refining that edge so it's suitable for work

Many people, especially when beginning put too much effort and equipment into "sharpening". But this step is rarely done. You only need to "sharpen" something when you get a new tool or damage an edge (drop it on concrete, hit a nail, etc). For Routine maintenance you are not going to go down to the 200 grit stones. It's completely unnecessary.

Honing - this is where you will spend 90% of your time if you are a woodworker and not a tool restorer. When an edge gets dull, it doesn't need to be re-shaped. It just needs to be refined. How much refinement is up to you and your wallet. Starting at 1000 grit is a good place. It's fairly coarse (read: quick) but not coarse enough were you have to worry about reprofiling the edge.

As far as how high you should go, there is a lot of argument. Most people who regularly use hand tools recommend going to 8000 girt. This is the sweet spot between a ridiculously sharp edge that is a joy to use and the fleeting edge retention. I personally hone to around 30,000 grit but I use mostly Japanese steel which is much harder than the steel western chisels/plane irons are and can take and keep that kind of edge better. I only hone my Western style chisels and plane irons (except Veritas PM-V11) to 8000 girt

Many people are perfectly happy with a 4000 grit edge. I might be one of them if I've never used an 8000 grit stone.

My recommendations

For Sharpening (the coarse and rarely used stuff), go buy a roll of 80 grit sandpaper and spray glue it to some MDF. That's exactly what I do. It works WAAAAY faster than super expensive "extra extra coarse" stones. The only thing quicker is a bench grinder.

After that you can decide on media. Waterstones are more economical and provide a better edge than diamond stones, but they require water (messy) and flattening. You can flatten a waterstone with some 220 grit sandpaper spray glued to to glass or MDF so it's not that big of a deal.

If you want an inexpensive one and done stone, here you go. 40 bucks for a 1k/6k stone. This is all you need to keep your tools sharp after you get them sharp initially.

Diamond stones are a lot more expensive. This set for 80 bucks will get your tools in the neighborhood of sharp, but no where near that King 6000 grit. The advantage here is no mess, no fuss. At one point I sold all my waterstones and bought about 400.00 in diamond plates. Only to sell all of them and repurchase the same waterstones I had before.

Also a word or caution. Manufacturers are shady when it comes to "grit". Look at the micron size. Diamond stone manufacturers call 3 microns 8,000 grit. While an 8000 grit waterstone is about 1 micron (that's a considerable difference). A 3 micron waterstone would be labeled 4000 grit.

For kitchen knives, especially big ones, I think freehand sharpening on stones is the way to go. You have three choices: Diamond plates, Japanese water stones, and Arkansas oil stones.

Arkansas stones are the things your grandpa used, and they are truly BIFL. Treat them right and they'll last forever. A set like this would be excellent, although the particular brand probably doesn't matter very much. They're all natural stones and whatever variation exists will be between batches as much as between brands. Do make sure you get standard 8"x3" stones, though - smaller ones will be frustrating.

Japanese stones are not really BIFL because they're consumable, although they still last an awfully long time. As they wear down they expose fresh grit and in return, tend to sharpen way faster than Arkansas stones. Brand matters a bit more here - Norton, Naniwa, and King are frequently recommended, King being the least expensive. I have a King 1000/6000 grit combo stone, and it's great, although I wish I'd gone for the 800/4000 set instead. To get the best life and performance out of a water stone, you'll need to occasionally flatten it with another stone designed for the purpose.

Diamond sharpeners are the new hotness. They cut faster than Arkansas and last longer than water stones. Unknown brands are likely to have the grit fall off, so buy DMT Dia-Sharp. I don't own these and can't tell you what specific grits you want, unfortunately.

Get your girlfriend a petty knife. Shit I use one a lot when I'm at home. If I'm butterflying 2 chicken breasts, Peeling/deveining some shrimp, fast things, I'll reach for my 5'' petty knife or 6'' global. Small and agile, with better ergonomics than chopping with a pairing knife.


Duuuuuuuude. Don't think of spending ANYWHERE near that much on sharpening stuff as a novice. Sharpening is a difficult skill that takes thousands of hours to really master, lots of practice and frustrating moments. Start out with your whole set up costing ~$100 and see if you even like it. Its a full blown hobby as well as something handy to know. I as a professional chef, after sharpening knives for hundreds of hours probably, still take my knives to a professional once a year to really get them good and perfect. I'm proficient not perfect. I can maintain an edge that a professional set perfectly, to a point which can shave your face, but I can't take a knife thats been scraped on bricks and a 200 grit stone intentionally to destroy an edge, and put a perfect 14 degree angle. I'd recommend water stones because they don't require messy oil. just a soak in water and a spray bottle, or work near a sink.

You need a couple things to sharpen. Get a few cheap rags together, Get a bin you can soak water stones in get a sink mount and get a few stones

$16 Sink Mount

$149 Stone set this is the one I got and learned on. It's been great so far, its expensive right now but I found the same exact set for $99.00 when I bought it a few years back.
$12 Strop Not needed but it takes your knives to the next level

This all being said. Everyone has an opinion on whats best to start with. This is the path I took and I've never been upset with my purchases :)

An inexpensive stone or two will be worth a shot. There is a lot of evidence that shows its not about the stone but the technique. Without knowing what the local shop by you sells, or the current condition of knives you are using, I typically recommend 3000 and 6000 for a two stone set. That is enough to set a bevel (with a lot of time and energy) and enough to polish most knives. Throw a 1000 grit stone and you would be set.

That being said, you can get more consistently good results easier with higher quality stones. I would recommend the combo king stone. They are around $25 and hit the mark in terms of quality and price. A lot of experienced sharpeners recommend king, Murry Carter being the biggest proponent. With whatever stone you get, remember, it's about angle and pressure. Keep both consistent and proper for the tool and steel you are using.

p.s. you don't 'need' any accessories. but like every hobby, people love them.

edit: the ps

So, it's not hard for a knife to be BIFL. In fact, I have some $10 knives that probably are. What you pay for with a knife is edge quality, geometry, balance, and handle. In a lot of ways, having something to sharpen said knives with is the most important thing, as otherwise your knives will inevitably end up just as dull as your grandmother's.

How much time and effort are you interested in putting into your knives? There are a variety of options. Purists tend to prefer a sharpening stone, as it offers the greatest control. If you want to nerd about your knives, this allows you to control the edge angle and exactly how much material you remove from the knife. It's also the hardest though, and the one you're most likely to slack off from. The Lansky System offers nearly as much control and greater ease of use, and many people like this option.

If you know that both of those options are realistically not going to happen, get a pull through. It'll take a bit more metal from the edge when you sharpen it, but it's worth it if it's what you'll use. I got my parents one, actually. If you get a Western knife, you can pretty much get any pull through. If you get at least one Asian knife, get this pull through so that you can control the angle, as Asian knives are generally sharpened to a more acute angle.

As for knives? You can get really nice ones like Tojiro and Shun, you can get well reviewed ones like Victorinox, and as long as you don't get the super cheapo micro serrated knives, you'll probably be fine. I've got some Tramontina knives from Costco that are quite reasonable, and some Kom Kom knives which I adore and which are stupid cheap. Don't stick wood handled knives in the dishwasher (in general, the dishwasher dulls knives, but it also really is not kind to wood handles), and full tang knives are much better when you're talking wood handles, because they add extra stability.

Don't bother spending a ton of money on bread knives: they're incredibly difficult to sharpen, so it's really not worth it.

A lot of people like the double edge japanese saws on Amazon (the Ryoba ones). I have one and it works well, but I also have a table saw, circular saws and a band saw, hackzall.. etc.. so it doesn't get used often.

I'd recommend getting a decent #4 hand planer.. but not the cheap stanley one that makes you mess with two knobs to adjust the cut depth (it's hard to keep straight).

Little machinist square helps make sure blades are square to tables (also that corners are square) - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005W0W34O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also worthwhile to pick up a cheap kanna block plane, they work well for chamfering corners: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071CF33BG

Pick up a good dual-grit sharpening stone for your chisels, and preferably a chisel bevel guide. You don't need expensive chisels to have them work well (they will hold an edge better though). Being sharpened well is the most important thing. Finish off your sharpening jobs with light strokes on a leather strop with some polishing compound.

/u/Juskimo has it right.

I have the DMT 10" Diamond stones. They are expensive but they are double sided. I have the coarse/extra coarse and the fine/extra fine. I also have a strop with green stropping compound.

I'm very happy I went with the large size diamond stones. this is my setup

If you want a cheap setup I would go with this

Skip the whetstones unless you want to be extremely traditional. I don't see any advantage in using them with diamond stone technology. Diamond stones stay flat. Whetstones you will eventually need to flatten them.

I also have a couple smaller eze lap stones that I used to use for sharpening my hunting knives they are great as well. But I no longer use them since I prefer the large surface of the DMTs.

How much cooking do you do? Do you prefer Japanese or Western knives?

The best bang for your buck is the Victorinox Fibrox knives. America's test kitchen rates them as highly/higher than most $100-200 knives.

If money is no option, I prefer the Misono UX10 series.

There are lots of big brands and differing opinions on what knives to get. I have owned Global, Shun, Misonono, Victorinox, and MAC knives. They all have their positives and negatives. It comes down to what you like and what you are willing to spend.

In terms of what knives you need, a good Chef's knife, a pairing knife and a bread knife is all you need for 90% of daily cutting tasks. If you are just starting out I would get the Victorinox Fibronox series. If you decide you like knives and want something that gets ultra sharp, I would be more than willing to share what my personal preferences are.

The other thing I would invest in is a sharpening system. I prefer DMT diamond plates. They stay flat and will cut through any blade material. Plus they are really fast. Some people love the edge pro system. I haven't used it, but I like the feedback stones give you over other systems. Stay away from cheap automatic grinders, they don't get blades nearly as sharp.

There is a deep rabbit hole when it comes to chef knives and sharpening, in the end it comes down to what you love to use. Search locally and see if there is a chef supply or knife store you can go to see what you like the feel of.

So did these razors come with just the factory edge? The first advice you are going to get here is to send one (the 6/8 since you like it) out to a pro for honing. You can find lots of guys in the SRP classifieds. My recommendation is Brad at Maggardrazors.com.

If you insist on doing it yourself, then the problem is likely that you aren't setting a bevel. That's getting the very edge of the razor into a nice V-shape where the tip of that V is touching the hones. Now you would do this by working the razor on the 4k side of the Norton for a long, long time or you could get a 1k stone. I hate to tell you to go out and spend more money but the Naniwa 1k is pretty cheap. I haven't used it myself but I do have the Naniwa in 3k, 8k, and 12k and they are all fine stones.

Also it probably would help if you made sure your Norton was absolutely flat. I didn't do this with my Naniwa stones, thinking "They're new, they must be acceptably flat." Wrong! I bought a DMT D8C plate and it works great for keeping all of my stones flat and clean. You can get by a bit cheaper by getting 3M wet/dry sandpaper from an auto parts store and laying it on a flat surface (scrap granite counter top supposedly works great). Just watch out that you don't wear out your shoulder!

Hello! I’m a hobby woodworker who has become obsessed with chasing the sharpest possible plane/chisel. I’ve been getting decent results with high grit sandpaper (800-1500-2000) glued to tempered glass, but I’m curious about diamond stones. Are they worth the price tag? Are they really as maintenance free as they claim? And do either of these options look acceptable?

Option 1

Option 2

Any and all insight is greatly appreciated!

This is exactly what you are NOT looking for but I'll say it anyway... just to hear myself talk:

I just bought a Whetstone from amazon and am amazed how easy it is with the right equipment. I was using a diamond stone and gave up. This was cheap and I get a perfect edge in minutes. The edge lasts longer than using the diamond. Don't forget to use a steel everytime you use the knife anyway.

https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Sharpening-Stone-Whetstone-Combination/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1496761905&sr=8-4&keywords=wet+stones+for+sharpening+knives

>As a note, they all have an edge and just need honing.

Do you mean that they were properly sharpened and are just starting to dull? If so then I'll definitely second RVmaster's suggestion to look at a high-grit (10k+) finishing stone like the affordable "Chinese 12k" or a Naniwa 12k. A high-grit stone will put a nice polish on your edge and bring it back when it just starts to lose that keen feel. Alternatives would be to get a nice "barber's hone" or a strop treated with an abrasive, e.g. diamond paste or chromium oxide, but I personally prefer my 12k.


>what would be better for a first timer? Do I order the full-sized Norton 4K/8K and a flattening stone, or do I get the 3 "quarter" stone Norton bundle

I would definitely suggest the full size 4k/8k combo stone. I'm not a fan of them being quartered and couldn't imagine trying to sharpen on a hone that small.

Assuming you were looking at the Norton flattening stone, I'd encourage you to look at alternatives. Personally I love my DMT D8C (Amazon, SRD), which is a coarse diamond stone on metal. It's incredibly durable, will remain flat, and you could use it for sharpening tools or knives. The Norton flattening stone doesn't have a great track record: Amazon reviews and an SRP discussion. I doubt you'd ever have to use 220 on razors.

From most of the reviews of the knife, it comes with a pretty good edge, not razor sharp though.

Ok, after searching amazon, looks like the green compound is pretty cheap, so I'll get that. 6oz green compound for $3

And if 1000 grit is what I need for a whetstone, looks like you can get cheap ones on amazon too. Here's a double sided 250/1000 grit stone Also, the blade on the knife I'm getting is only 2.8 inches long, so I assume the size of this whetstone should be good enough.

I guess that's only $10 more than what I would have spend on sandpaper. I assume the cheap whetstone and green compound on cardboard would be a better choice? I also read that the back of a coffee cup is almost like a 1000 grit stone, but I assume the actual whetstone will just work a lot better?

Thanks for all the info.

The problem with vintage is they are not commonly in good condition, or at a good price and are rarely both. You need help now. I like my two woodriver planes and think it's a great option. I have had the Stanley one there and it's not good. Also the z saw and the gyo are essentially the same thing.

Here are some things I think are better values or super useful.

https://www.amazon.com/Narex-Republic-Woodworking-Chisels-863010/dp/B00GPC74ZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491542519&sr=8-1&keywords=narex+chisels

https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Shop-Hammer-13-Oz/dp/B0037MHXVW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491542635&sr=8-1&keywords=japanese+chisel+hammer

https://www.amazon.com/DMT-D3EFC-Dia-Sharp-Extra-Fine-Diamond/dp/B00006IIO3/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1491542814&sr=8-11&keywords=dmt+diasharp

https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-34-707-Wheel-Marking-Gauge/dp/B00B3ZS2J2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491542992&sr=8-2&keywords=marking+gauge

No. Learning to sharpen is tricky enough and these just complicate things by forcing you to maintain a relative angle between the knife and abrasive while both are moving.

I recently went through the exercise of teaching one of my friends how to sharpen his knives and he tried to skimp on getting a stone(net savings: $6). The stone he got was too soft and didnt cut well at all but at least it was a bench stone; meaning it was a stone you set on your counter top.

I strongly recommend getting a dual grit king waterstone.
This is a good example of a good starter stone:
https://www.amazon.com/KING-1000-Grit-Combination-Waterstone/dp/B0000Y7LAS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1498550018&sr=8-7&keywords=king+stone

Eventually you will want another one that is higher grit to get a better polish and to flatten your other stone, but for now this will meet your needs for learning.

I think a gulfstream G650 is a nice starter plane.

Joking aside: you'll want at least three planes-- block plane, #4, and #5. To get started, I don't think you can go wrong with a #5. Old stanleys are great and so are veritas and Lie nielsen offerings. Now....if you want to get the lie nielsen...i'd say go with the veritas bc 1) its a slightly wider blade, 2) you can use the same blade in nearly all of their bevel up planes 3) you can get them in PM-V11 which will stay sharper longer and 4) its a little more heafty and helps with plough through a little better and 5) I think the blade advancement is better on veritas bevel up vs lie nielsen bevel up. That being said, both lie nielsen and veritas are many times better than any other commercial new hand planes out there.

Other thing to keep in mind: ya gonna need to sharpen the blade. Norton kit is a good place to start. You'll need a way to keep the stones flat. You'll also want a strop with some kind of compound.

King's generic 1000/3000 dual stone is a great buy for the price. I had one that lasted for years before it was too dished/clogged to put an edge on anything. Then I needed a flattening stone to bring it back to fighting condition.

Though, if you have the spare cash, Kramer's waterstone set is amazing. You can get a very good edge with the King stones, but that Kramer set has a very different feel.

Also, you'll want a nagura (if you don't get the Kramer set that comes with one). A lot of the king stones offered on Amazon come with one. It's used to clean/condition the stone, flatten out smaller imperfections (over the heavy cleaning stone above), and make a slurry to really polish on your high grit stones.

Also Also, one shout out to Upon Leather on Amazon. I picked up a strop from them that is very good quality leather, with more polishing compound than I will ever need, and a no-shit handwritten thank you note in the box. Just need to mount it to a piece of scrap wood and you're good to go.

Are you shitting me dude? an electric sharpener? I've cooked professionally for many years and have used almost every sharpening system I can find, and I rate all electric sharpeners a good distance below using the concrete sidewalk outside of your house. I would LOVE it if I could find a good electric system to reccomend to family who aren't super into keeping their knives sharp, but I haven't found any of them that are even REMOTELY good. Which one do you like, and why?

Just for sake of argument, here's what I tell all of my friends who are casual cooks to buy for their kitchens to sharpen their knives. It doesn't take very long to use, and you can get a very good edge with it and the stone will last for ever - https://www.amazon.com/DMT-WM8EF-WB-8-Inch-DuoSharp-Bench/dp/B000H6L6FA

Ok so I have never seen a knife like this and a quick google search shows that knives like that are for dressing deer (specifically draining the blood before skinning etc). I have no experience in that area really so I can't really recommend anything. However using your example of chicken cutlets I would recommend one of these knives. They are called gyutos (which translates to cow-sword) and I use one for 95% of the cutting I need to do. I think it would be a better choice for chicken cutlets and some other butchering than that sticking knife imho. Tojiro or Fibrox The tojiro will stay sharper longer, but is more delicate and cannot be steeled or used to cut bone and the fibrox is tougher but will need to be steeled often and sharpened frequently. For either knife I recommend getting a sharpening stone like the King 1000/6000 combo stone and learning to sharpen. I know this isn't exactly what you were looking for but it is the best I've got. I have done much whole animal butchery where a knife like you mentioned would be used. Let me know if you have more questions.

Cheaper steels tend to not keep an edge nearly as well as higher end stuff, however, they are way easier to sharpen. There are always trade offs when it comes to steel and some people actually prefer cheaper steel because the expensive stuff requires serious dedication to get an edge on.

I recommend the lanksy system. It's very easy to use and pretty easy to find at places like Walmart or sporting good stores if you don't want to buy it online. There are also tons of tutorials on YouTube for the lanksy.
I would not recommend buying stones and trying to free hang sharpen unless you don't mind a steep learning curve and shitty edges until you learn.

I'm lucky to have a great local sharpener, Hida Tool (in Berkeley). I bet they'd sharpen that knife if you mailed it to them. I'm 100% confident in their sharpening service, and they're priced fairly.

It looks like that edge just got rolled over, and there's a chip or two, but they're very small.

Just to get started I'd probably pick up this King 1000/6000 with Nagura:

https://www.amazon.com/d/Knife-Sharpeners/Japanese-Combination-Sharpening-KW-65-Nagura/B00M8P96QE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1543212703&sr=8-5&keywords=king+6000

Start with the 6000 and see if you need to take it down to 1000. Main thing is try not to remove too much material or change the angle of the bevel. I'd leave a very small chip because it'll get sharpened out eventually and won't really affect cutting ability.

Check these PDFs for some tips:

https://imgur.com/a/u5eDovi

Pick up a simple leather strop and some green honing compound. I didn't strop my knives until recently, and it makes all the difference. Definitely look into that sooner than later.

Good on you for asking for input before taking it in!

As far as I'm aware Arkansas stones tend to fall into a grit range of around 600-1200, While this is fine for general use knives, it is far too low for honing a straight razor, except when setting a bevel. When honing a straight razor, most people will use a 1k stone for setting a bevel, then step it up. 1k/4k/8k is a popular combination, and the Norton 4k/8k stone seems to be fairly well regarded for the price. 8k is really the absolute minimum grit level you'd want for something you'll be taking to your face, and many people will step it up to a 10k or 12k stone as well, possibly finishing off with a pasted strop for a final polishing.

If this is your first straight razor and you've not shaved with a straight before then I'd really recommend sending it out for a honing. If you get it honed properly then you'll be able to get your technique sorted out by the time it needs honing again. If you try to hone it now then you may have a hard time figuring out whether you've managed to get a good edge on the blade, since it'll take you a while to get your technique down, and until then you may find it difficult to figure out whether it's the blade or your technique that's the issue.

There are a number of places you can send your razor that do good honing work. A few that you could try are:

• Glen at GemStar Customs
  
• Brad Maggard - (The Maggard website is currently down due to storms in the area where there server is located, hopefully it's back up soon).
  
• Lynn at Straight Razor Designs
  
  On a separate note, congratulations on the razor! Can't see the blade particularly well due to the glare in the photo, but it looks to be in fantastic condition for a $35 Wade & Butcher!
  

I like King Brand Japanese waterstones like this but really you need to take a look for yourself. Same with knives. Look for something that is comfortable to hold and feels natural in your hand, in my opinion that is far better than to just look at brands and then look up reviews about: How quickly will it dull? How hard is it to sharpen? Price? Stuff like that.

The super hardened steel in "professional" knives are much more difficult to keep sharp. They make sense for professionals, because they won't wear away to a nub with heavy use, but unless you're actively using, honing and sharpening your knife for 60 hours per week, they're completely unnecessary.

Here's a perfect starter kit for the home chef:

• Global Chef Knife
  
• Whetstone
  
• Sharpening Steel
  
  Don't waste money on expensive sets unless having a butcher block stand on display in your kitchen to impress your guests is something that matters to you. Put your money into a good quality chef knife that's easy to keep sharp and the tools to keep it that way.
  
  If you don't trust me, take it from Anthony Bourdain.

For $120 and two knives, there is the omnipresent starter option - the Tojiro DP line.

I'd start with the gyuto or the santoku. They overlap for the larger tasks and its really more preference on the shape. They both are too thin and the steel is too brittle to cut bones or hard vegetables (pumpkin/squash) with (which your Wusthof can take care of) but will go through veg and protein pretty easily.

Then you have budget left over for the petty, which is kind of like a long thin paring knife. Good for smaller tasks or things that need delicate tip work.

you might even have some budget left over to pick up a stone. This is a popular beginner option.

Edit: The other option is MAC knives. Same shapes apply

I would recommend a diamond stone over a traditional waterstone. They cost more money, but they cut faster, don't require water, are less messy and they never have to be flattened like waterstones.

DMT is a very good brand and comes in many different sizes and grits. I own this one and it makes for a very good general purpose sharpening stone.. It's double sided with coarse and fine sides. Unless you're sharpening knives daily it should last decades, if not the rest of your life.

If you're on a tighter budget I would recommend this traditional waterstone. It's basically the traditional version of the diamond stone I linked. This is the stone I started out with, but I hardly use if anymore after getting my DMT.

Thanks for the response!

I know cheaper knives can last a long time and it isn't necessary to spend so much (especially when you aren't working in a restaurant). It's something I really enjoy and have a strong interest in though! I was looking at wet-stones like this, but if that isn't the right style would love the feedback!

Thank you for the links as well!

EDIT: Formatting error

Ok, $100 isn't going to go very far, especially if you need everything, but here we go.

Whetstone - This is slightly better than the hardware store combination stones, but it's cheap, it's a water stone, and it's got a good grit combo.

Handsaw - Japanese style, cuts on a pull stroke, crosscut and rip teeth. I have this exact saw, still works pretty damn good after a dozen years of occasional use.

Beater chisels - Not the best steel, but a chisel is better than no chisel. You'll want at least 2 sets of chisels anyway - don't beat the hell out of your good set.

Block plane - Don't expect super high quality from Stanley anymore, but we've all got at least one of these little block planes somewhere.

And I'm $6 above the gift card budget. The chisels and plane will need some sharpening before use, but it's enough to get you started. You still need marking/measuring tools, a square, a work surface, clamps, vise, and obviously, some wood to sink your teeth into.

Sorry, that should have been 800, 1,200 not 600, 1,000.

But the jump for me feels fine. I don't know maybe my frame of reference is off because I used to use my dad's stones and jumped from 1,200 to 12,000.

Backs are a bear depending on steal but again I haven't really felt that I was killing myself. Perhaps either the tool or the stone is out of flat making you work far harder to move up grits?

>Which lapping plate do you have

Atoma 400 from Hida tool, but also sold from Lee Velley
I was ready to throw some change at a diamond plate that would last. In my dad's setup, I was using a dmt duosharp. It worked fine though I was always questioning how flat it was being plastic and it doesn't have a lot of grit on it, so it's pretty warn these days. I was debating between the Atoma and the diasharp. I got the Atoma because I thought it would last longer. Don't know if that's the case or not.

Honestly the sandpaper method for corse work and flattening seems like a pretty cost effective way to go. I picked up a piece of granite counter top cheap for lapping plane bodies. Others say the float glass works good too. I'm sure it does.

I life no where near Texas but I do appreciate the offer. That's an awesome gesture! I'm definitely moving towards Whetstones and i already got one in the mail. Thank you!

I have a King water stone, and have used it to put new edges on blades that have been neglected for years. IMO once you have the right tools, technique is where you should be spending your time. You might want to take a look a Global's knife sharpening technique video. The technique in the video tends to work best on knives with relatively flat blade profiles (Global makes Japanese knives), but I've adapted it to work with my western knives relatively easily.

Edit: Wow, downvotes? Great job people

it really only takes a few minutes to sharpen a knife. There is some setup time, if you have to soak a stone, and increase time for how many stones you have in your progression.

For the average home user, a single 1000 grit stone is probably enough. The recommend chosera stone is great, but is about $70, the shapton pro 1000(or 2000) is ~$40 as will do just as good.(FWIW I own and love the chosera 800, but recommend the shaptons)

https://www.amazon.com/Kuromaku-Ceramic-Whetstone-Medium-Grit/dp/B001TPFT0G

https://www.amazon.com/Medium-Grade-Millstone-Mastermind-Shaputon/dp/B002LW54RO/

What knives are you sharpening?

It sounds overwhelming, but sharpening is stupidly simple in theory, and you'll get the hang of it quickly.

Check out japaneseknifeimports on youtube for great videos.

Anything will work.


I assume you need something for more major repairs and something for touch ups and polishing.


You should check out the Spyderco triangle ceramic stones for $10. The medium is probably more than enough but you could go for the fine. Great finishing and touch up tools.

For more major repairs any coarse stone will do.

• Some diamond set of hand files
  
  
• Norton stone
  

This may seem long but I spent a lot of time to share the knowledge so please read it and look at the links.



Everyone who uses any tool with an edge should own a Norton 4000/8000 grit water stone. (2 stones in 1) and know how to use it.

I own that one and a Shapton 16000 grit
For polishing a very smooth and fine edge

I plan on adding a Naniwa 12000 grit for an in between grit.

I bought them for honing straight razors but use them on anything that needs to be sharp

Lynn Abrams is like the go to guy for how to get things really sharp


The stones wear as you use them, so you will eventually need to lap them to flatten them back out. Some people use a flattening stone

I personally sprung for a lapping plate since I can also lap other things flat directly on it.

I also have one of these that I use for utility stuff like hunting knives or pocket knives or anything I think would gouge my nice stones and shorten the lifespan.

I know you are probably thinking, " all this stuff costs a fortune" Stones are durable and you will have them to use for the rest of your life. Chip away at them one at a time.

Not a ton for me to tell - I'm no huge expert.

For a SR, you wouldn't need to buy blades or anything (cheaper, less waste). Instead, you'd need the razor itself, a strop (to keep the edge in shape), and a hone (if you want to sharpen it yourself to save money).

/u/roctraitor can help you out with a nice razor and a great strop.

For a hone... I think this is usually considered to be pretty good for the job? I could be wrong, that's just my recollection. Ask someone more knowledgeable than me before you buy.

Soap and brush will be the same.

I started with this then got one of these for removing larger chunks.
*note the irwin one comes with a factory edge meaning it will need to be sharpened...so you'll need one of these and this to get that baby super sharp. then run it over the flat part of this and you'll be in like Flynn.

Also the flexcut slip strop if used every 20 minutes of carving (with any tool) will keep the edges super sharp for longer, meaning you dont have to go to the harsh stone right away. Also, note, when using the stone, to soak for at least 20 minutes before using. There are plenty of great youtube videos out there teaching proper sharpening technique for all sorts of tools with Water stones.

I'd also suggest a wooden mallet and a larger heavier one, or I just use a rubber mallet. Also while you're at it, grab a coping saw to remove large areas of unwanted wood. Make sure you have a vice to hold your wood or some sort of block device.

I'm still waiting on my carving knives from Here. They have a back order of 6-8 weeks! I got a straight (sloyd) knife and a hook knife for spoon carving and such.

So far that's where I'm at. Hope that helps.

I would strongly recommend something like this norton whetstone kit to start. Nothing will give you a better edge. You will have a small learning curve, and when you are ready you can progress to even higher grade stones for truly sharper than razor performance.

Your knives will look and cut beautifully. There are many tutorials and videos available online.

Using stones you can achieve a much sharper knife than the sharpening systems will deliver. You can keep the edge on the knife with an ultrafine ceramic steel.

Seriously. It's worth the money.

Just to add to this, if OP goes the route of getting a whetstone to sharpen, I would also recommend a flattening stone. After a couple runs on the whetstone you'll end up with divots and grooves in the stone, which can make future sharpening pretty miserable if your stone isn't perfectly flat. (found this out the hard way after damaging one of my straight razors by plowing the finished edge into a divot) Using the flattening stone will ensure a perfectly flat working surface and give you the best edge.


I use this one and it works well, though I'm sure there are other good options available.

The dirty stones NEED to be clean, if its white, it needs to be white or as close as you can get it. That kind of dirtiness from metal shaving and cross grit contamination makes the finer grits absolutely useless. Then you can visibly see the unevenness and where it dips, even a little bit makes sharping difficult if not impossible.

First you need to start to clean it up- I would start with boiling in a light degreaser solution for a couple hours. Your mostly removing any oils that were used and if your lucky it any gummed up debree will go along with it. This will allow you use water to cut, which you should unless stated otherwise, however many people use oil because they think its better and what they forget it makes stones difficult to clean.


Then if you need to still clean it up, grab a scoring pad any can detergent powder; Ajax or comet are probably easy to find, and I've heard Bar Keepers Friend does an outstanding job. Wear some gloves(maybe eye protection) grab a bucket and some water and start scrubbing. The oxalic acid in BKF will break down the left over metal shavings leaving you with a clean stone.


Now the first thing you do before using any stone is lap it. ALL stones need to be flattened even if they were new or used. Grab a sharpie and draw an "X" and "+" across the tops of the stone. Now THE cheapest way is find a cinder block and grab lots of water and make a figure 8 patter until ALL the lines are gone. You will see the high points disappear and the dips stay there. Make it all go away together. If you don't have a cinder block laying around you could buy a cheap lapping stone made to do just this.

Now your stones are ready to use and you will probably figure out which grit is which by then too, because our guess is as good as yours. but judging by use, they are already in order from rough to fine. The low grit is probably the first one, its too high for regular use and mostly repair, The mid grit gives you a nice sharp edge and every blade is going to at least get this edge. The fine grit gets used but not as much, it takes just that much more time to sharpen and some knifes and people aren't worth the extra effort.

Freehand and under $15 the Whetstone Cutlery 400/1000 Grit Whetstone is a nice starting affordable freehand whetstone.

Guided and under $25 the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener is a nice mini complete package that includes a 220 grid diamond plate for chip repair, a fine 600 grit diamond plate, 1000+ grit ceramic rod and a leather strop with compound.

You can also send the knife back to Kershaw for a free sharpening then just invest in a nice strop with compound to touch up the edge. Done properly you only need to send it back to Kershaw probably once a year if that.

If you want a fool proof method, get an edge pro (or similar knock off) system.

If you want to learn to free hand sharpen, get a King 1k/6k water stone.$30

These are not the best stones in the world, but they are a good price point to get into it.


You get to pick the angle you want! But its VG-10 steel so it can go pretty steep, 15 deg would probably be recommended. Watch some videos to get a good idea of what you are doing, and how to hold an angle. You could also get an angle guide if you want.

You don't need a flattening stone right away, but you will eventually. A cheap ish option is to buy a low grit (140 is sometimes recomended) dimond plate and use it. $30

Lots of videos.

Diamond plates.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003NCVFC4?pc_redir=1414506690&robot_redir=1

These are what I use because I like to freehand sharpen, but you can get kits that will set the sharpening angles for you that also use diamond plates. (lansky, edge pro knockoffs, etc)

You will want to use diamond plates when sharpening ZDP because regular stones just cant cut it enough to create a good edge due to how hard ZDP is generally treated.

>I was looking for advice on what type of sharpening stones I should get?

Water stones or oil stones. Your choice. It's a completely personal preference and you really can't go wrong either way.

>Can I sharpen tools like a chisel, plane blade, cabinet scraper with the same set of stones?

Yep. Although cabinet scrapers I've never seen stones used. Just a flat block w/ sandpaper and a burnishing rod.

>Is it recommended to get a honing guide?

Depends on what you're sharpening. Honing guides help tremendously with chisels or any flat blade plane. They're not so useful on cambered blades.

>I'd appreciate a few suggestions. Thanks!

As an "all in 1 starter kit," Norton makes a great water stone kit that includes 220/1000/4000/8000 grit stones and a SiC flattening stone. Some people here and on lumberjocks swear by the "scary sharp" sharpening system, which is nothing more than varying grit sandpaper, some 3M spray adhesive, and a flat surface like a glass pane.

I recommend this a lot, but the work sharp guided bench stones are great to learn on. The stones are diamond, so they'll handle any supersteel and the little guides on the end are unobtrusive but really help to get a feel of what the angles should be. It's also around the price of a sharpmaker but will build your freehanding skills. Oh, and get the upgrade kit for quick reprofiling and a shinier edge.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00X9KU3GO/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1494366178&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Work+sharp&dpPl=1&dpID=41nt%2B0fEixL&ref=plSrch

I prefer waterstones for kitchen knives, and have a pretty extensive stone setup but a single ~1k grit stone will be just fine for most people. If your knives have any significant chipping you might want something coarser, but otherwise a 1k should be fine (given a little patience if they're in bad shape). No real need to go above 1k for most people, I'd recommend This Shapton 1000 or This king 800 grit. The king is a bit softer and will dish faster than the shapton one will. If you're able to flatten it easily this isn't an issue.

In terms of the actual sharpening technique, This is a good starting point for the basic movements, Jon really knows his stuff and if you watch through all the videos in that playlist you'll be set. I personally switch hands when i flip the knife as I find it's a more natural movement. So long as you hit both sides evenly, raise a burr, then remove this burr correctly you'll have a sharp knife.

In my opinion it is worth spending the money on a synthetic japanese water stone. If you only want to buy one, I would recommend 1000 grit. I have two of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016VC46A/ref=sxts_kp_tr_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=8778bc68-27e7-403f-8460-de48b6e788fb&pd_rd_wg=ZevEp&pf_rd_r=6RWFDQGMDP6Y8E8EQDDF&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B0016VC46A&pd_rd_w=PumnQ&pf_rd_i=king+stone&pd_rd_r=97632aa7-6927-4cf7-8a9f-a6417345a1d2&ie=UTF8&qid=1539910409&sr=2

They last forever. Mine are over 30 years old and still almost full thickness. They start out really thick to begin with so the 1/8" that 30 years of sharpening has used up is insignificant. It is also much easier to keep japanese water stones flat, compared to traditional American oil stones.

If you want to get things super sharp, especially for tools like wood working chisels, plane blades and the like, an additional stone in 5000 grit is very nice. After that I also strop with a super fine abrasive on a block of poplar.

If you tend to abuse your blades before you resharpen, you might want to consider a dual grit stone in 400/1000 grits, or, as has been suggested, if you have a knife that is seriously damaged, you can use wet/dry sand paper. I suggest gluing it down to something really flat like plate glass or granite. I use rubber cement to glue it down because the paper is easily removed and the glue cleans up easily as well.

I think you will find that Japanese abrasive stones will cut harder steel than the stones traditionally used in the U.S. Stones like the Washita and Hard Arkansas stones don't cut very well when your steel gets above 60 RC or so. I also prefer to use water (water stone) instead of oil as a lubricant. It is less messy and does less damage to your skin.

lmao you are right, it was more than one water bottle, i stabbed like 20. but i don't think its from that. i think its from stabbing some strong ass tape. Tape so strong i think it resisted the sharp tip a bit, and maybe it slid from the tape to the piece of metal (encased in tape). I was trying to remove the tape. Fuck!

I am guessing i need some diamond bit or diamond stone to shave this tip down? Anyone know how I would 'sharpen' the spine like /u/leftnose said? Now i really want some DMT diafolds ugh.


Would you sharpen or file down the entire spine to keep it even or just the area near the tip? Does the angle of the stroke matter like going with or against the grain?

I guess i don't technically need 'diamond' coated since it isn't the edge that is the issue, its the spine and the spine doesn't need the vanadium i am really just guessing/presuming here...

​

Which of these products you think would be best for s110v maintenance?:

https://www.amazon.com/DMT-FWFC-Double-Diafold-Sharpener/dp/B00004WFTW

https://www.amazon.com/DMT-FWEEE-Double-Diafold-Sharpener/dp/B001EIE01W/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_469_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=489A0DQ8PWR6XTMYE08H#customerReviews

https://www.amazon.com/DMT-FWEF-Diafold-Sharpener-Extra-Fine/dp/B00004WFTV/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_469_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=489A0DQ8PWR6XTMYE08H#customerReviews

https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-DCS4-4-Inch-Diamond-Sharpening/dp/B00009YV6L/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_469_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=489A0DQ8PWR6XTMYE08H

Thanks for some great advice and thread link! A couple quick questions.

Why would an Arkansas and Indina stone be hard on my Manix? The stone(s) I get, I'd prefer to be able to use on my Manix as well, once i get the hang of things.

Looking online I found that waterstones and whetstones are the same things with a different name, can you confirm?

So far I'm looking at this, but I really don't know what im looking for quite yet and hope to do more research before purchasing.

As a general rule, I'd prefer to spend a bit more for better quality and longevity. I also would highly prefer to use water over oil.

Amazon has a stone for 30 bucks. It's perfect. It comes with a stand and a case, is great for sharpening both western and Japanese steel, looks beautiful and doesn't break the bank. The brand is called a king stone or something like that. It stands up really well to professional use. My sous even dropped his and one side cracked in half but it still works beautifully.

http://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O

I've shaved off some leg hair with a chisel, but i guess my face would be much more sensitive. Also, if diamond plates aren't good enough, it seems I have some time to wait before I can start sharpening my own razors (not to say I cant get them sharpened). I'm only 17, so I dont have too much cash for a good sharpening system, so I'll probably stick to safety razors until i have the cash. Would a good start be to get [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Norton-Waterstone-Starter-Kit-flattening/dp/B000XK0FMU/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1420245448&sr=8-14&keywords=straight+razor+sharpening), a 12000 grit stone, and a strop once i get some cash?

The one you linked is optimized for harder knives than you probably own. It will work on softer steels, but a 1000 grit shapton is probably the better choice for most knives.

The 1k/6k king stone people are suggesting is pretty mediocre, if you can afford better skip it. You don't need 6k on most knives

I don't think a $30 knife would be a significant upgrade once you've sharpened yours. And learning to hone your knives will serve you well no matter what you get in the end. There are lots of devices you can get with less of a learning curve, but for the ultimate flexibility it's worth the time to learn how to use a waterstone as it's inexpensive compared to sharpening systems that can come close in quality and takes off less metal (and thus helps your knives last longer) + does a better job compared to the usual pull-through thingies you see.

​

I'd suggest 1000 grit to start as enough to help you maintain your knife for quite a while. This Shapton is $40 but worth the extra $10 over the commonly recommended King (and other cheaper whetstones) becauase:

• you don't have to soak it
  
• it cuts faster so it'll be less frustrating (though it'll still take you a while initially because your knife is so dull)
  
• it takes longer to get "dished" (low in the middle) and need flattening with eg. some wetdry sandpaper on a piece of glass or other reliably flat surface. Which also means it'll last much longer.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Kuromaku-Ceramic-Whetstone-Medium-Grit/dp/B001TPFT0G
  
  ​
  
  It'll let you keep your knife sharp for years. Probably decades. So worth getting a good one 'cause you're stuck with it a long time. Now you can make it sharper with more stones at higher grits, or sharpen faster with some at lower, but ultimately taking it really high isn't worth it unless you have a harder steel---the edge will wear out rapidly and you'll just need to sharpen it again. If you want, you can make a $1 knife just ridiculously sharp, but it won't stay that way:
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P6klz6BTek

Stones jki or king 1000/6000 double. Like this. https://www.amazon.com/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=king+1000%2F6000+whetstone&qid=1574593937&sprefix=king+1000&sr=8-3


Can’t really get a good knife for 50$. They really start at 80min. But he can improve his existing stock immensely and learn how to care for better knives before purchasing

Okay here's my suggestion. You can get the King 1k6k Combo off Amazon. This is not the best stone (without bogging you down with details) but it does the trick just fine and is a small investment to take care of sharpening needs. Now for the knife; I like this guy from JKI. It's fully stainless, comes with a saya (great for storage or travel), and the handle is a little different than most knives you're probably used to so will make it easy to recognize at home or if she takes it anywhere.

I own a Seafood Processing Company. We do production cutting, so sharp knives are essential for a good yield.

This right here

You can find some cheaper alternatives from DMT, but the extra upfront cost will save you a lot in the long run.

Whetstone's are decent, but the learning curve on these diamonds is much lower and you'll get a far superior edge with less than perfect technique.

If you're just beginning then you can get away with a 1000/6000 combo stone from King. They're like $30 on Amazon. If you're buying a new knife, then it's unlikely that you'll have any major chips to fix with a sub-1000 stone. The 1000 grit is fine to set the edge on a knife that you take care of.

At some point you'll want to add a low grit (and probably upgrade from that King stone), but for now I think you're better off getting a budget stone and learning how to use it. If you've never sharpened before you're probably gonna gouge the shit out of it at first...

This?. Would you mind giving me a high level explanation of the grits when it comes to sharpening knives or linking me some resources? I am good with the water vs. oil and natural vs synthetic debate and can find how to videos but would like a deeper understanding of the grit thing and beginner vs advanced. Thanks.

I have a set of DMTs. They're OK. I've had em for about 4 years and the super fine is starting to wear out.

If I had to do it again I'd get this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DT1X9O/ref=s9_simh_gw_g469_i1_r?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=KJ3KHD9VSF4GC8R1K6DF&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=6aad23bd-3035-4a40-b691-0eefb1a18396&pf_rd_i=desktop ( I have the king 6000 grit and it's awesome)

As well as one of these: https://www.amazon.com/HTS-131A0-Double-Diamond-Sharpening/dp/B00U1T2ZVM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1474301532&sr=8-7&keywords=diamond+stone

The second one I realize is finer grit than a norton, but diamond stones with good lubrication tend to cut way faster than a norton stone.

Also, it will only set you back like $30 for the pair.

Premium Knife Sharpening Stone 2 Side Grit 1000/6000 Waterstone | Best Whetstone Sharpener | NonSlip Bamboo Base & Angle Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FZZUL30/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tU7NBbQPSJ1E9

Or

Kota Japan 1000-grit Coarse Side and 6000-grit Polishing Side Knife Sharpening Whetstone with Bamboo Base and Blade Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EKU46WI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_OV7NBbD1NC2N1

I have owned the second one for about 2 years and with regular flattening it’s awesome. So with your 360/600 and one of these 1000/6000 you can take a blade from super chunk to laser sharp.

> Should I just buy some stones, watch videos on youtube and go to town on a cheap blade?

Yes.

> So can you guys recommend some good stones for beginners? How many, and what grits?

This one and this one are great starters and will give you a mirror edge at 6k grit.

My comment was written with most everyday people in mind. They're mostly sharpening bad 440C kitchen knives and don't want to spend a lot of money. Another big thing is that your average person in the kitchen doesn't even know just how sharp a knife can get. The average guy is usually okay with a good working edge. I was recommending the honing rod and the Lansky system because they're inexpensive, easy-to-use, and they last a long time. Plus, most people are never even going to need a Lansky. That's already more advanced than most want to get.

If you have good knives though, everything changes. If you're a knife guy, then yeah absolutely you need to have a more sophisticated sharpening system.

We're both knife guys, so you'll probably agree that it all really depends on which knife you're using.

There are so many factors that go into it.

How thick is the knife?
What's the blade length/shape?
What's the steel?
What's the grind? Convex? Hollow? Full-Flat Grind? Scandi? Sabre?
What's the angle on that grind?
What type of knife is this?
What kind of edge do I want to put on it?

I personally just put a convex edge on most of my knives, so all I really use is a strop and a handful of compounds. For everything else I just use an Apex Edge Pro.

First of all, never buy a matching set of knives. Instead, buy a generic knife storage block, and fill it out as you need it. I have this one from Amazon and like it a lot.

For chef's knives, I'm really happy with the Kiwi knives I got from the Wok Shop. They're certainly no Henkels or Wusthof, but they're absolutely fantastic for the price. They see daily use in my kitchen, right alongside my $100 Global santoku. Get a real whetstone (like this) and learn how to use it, and you can get a really nice edge on them too.

You can make a huge variety of joints with just a few tools. This is close to what my toolset looked like when I cut my first dovetails.

Note: None of these are affiliate links. I don't get paid if you buy these.

$28 Dozuki "Z" saw
I prefer western style saws (like the Veritas saw /u/jbaird recommended), but you will be able to cut very nice joints with this:
https://www.amazon.com/Z-saw-07029-Dozuki-Z-Saw/dp/B001DSY7G6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495827959&sr=8-2&keywords=japanese+saw+dovetail

$14 Empire combination square
https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Level-E280-Professional-Combination/dp/B000EU0ZB0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1495828208&sr=8-4&keywords=combination+square

$10 pocket knife for laying down lines:
https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-10-049-Pocket-Knife-Rotating/dp/B00002X201/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495828775&sr=8-2&keywords=stanley+knife

$24 marking gauge:
https://www.amazon.com/Crown-152M-Miniature-Rosewood-Mortice/dp/B001V9KOSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495828829&sr=8-1&keywords=rosewood+gauge

$35 chisel:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SG70L4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


You could also get:

$49 DMT coarse sharpening stone. Only sharpening stone you need. Get a strop eventually.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001WP1L0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$5 Stanley Coping saw. Will help you remove dovetail waste.
https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-15-106-8-Inch-Length-4-Inch/dp/B00009OYG2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495829310&sr=8-1&keywords=coping+saw

Provided you're gonna buy lumber that's already prepped, you should be good to go with the above. I'd suggest building things rather than 'practicing joinery'. You'll get plenty of joinery practice along the way :)

BUT.....you must have a decent knife sharpener........it has to be a whetstone, anything else is a complete joke by comparison.....a good knife without a decent sharpener is like a super car without fuel!!! Here's a link to a ridiculously expensive one, just for the review....you can get them much cheaper in your local hardware store.....please, I beg you, get a good sharpener.......

https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Sharpening-Whetstone-Sharpener-Waterstone/dp/B01FZZUL30/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1505419239&sr=8-6&keywords=stone+knife+sharpener

I'm going to disagree strongly with anyone advising you to use ANY type of rod on this knife. This knife is is very hard. Well, the cutting edge is, the cladding isn't. The core steel is advertised as 63-64 hrc. That's hard enough to chip if you use any type or rod on it.

There are generally 2 types of honing rods. Abrasive and non-abrasive. Non-abrasive rods are meant to be used on softer steels like those found in European knives. The edge can be bent out of line by use and a honing steel rod can be used to straighten it back into line between sharpenings on a stone.

Abrasive rods are a bad idea on this knife (and all knives in general except serrated edges in my opinion) because of their hardness and shape. In order to keep the overall shape of the cutting edge you need a flatter abrasive surface (like a stone) or you could end up with a "hollow" spot in the edge profile. I apologise that i don'e have a picture to illustrate but imagine if you cut something and there is a place on the edge that can't contact the cutting board because it has been ground away too much.

For sharpening get a stone. I'd start with this one https://www.amazon.com/Kuromaku-Ceramic-Whetstone-Medium-Grit/dp/B001TPFT0G

Beautiful knife. Lucky husband. Enjoy

My razor is still sharp enough to shave with, I just can't get a very comfortable or close shave. I have had it professionally honed, but i'm looking for my own set-up. Will these stones get my razor back to tip-top condition, or does anyone have any better suggestions?

I believe I will also be needing a flattening stone, is this a good choice?
http://www.amazon.com/Norton-Flattening-Stone-Waterstones-plastic/dp/B00067ZSJ0/ref=pd_sbs_indust_6

Are there any other things I need to get started honing my own razor? Thanks in advance for the help!

This is why I love /r/woodworking (one of many reasons). I had my mind set on the Norton starter kit based on some earlier advice on a thread here. I was chatting with some other folks who talked up the Worksharp system and got interested. Hearing both that I'll get stones anyways and that they'll be useful long term even if I go with a machined route someday is helpful.

Here's what I'm planning on instead of the Worksharp system.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XK0FMU/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Alright I'll bite. Hand tool shop

Narex Chisels 48.99

stanley Jack plane 59.99

stanley Smoother 45.00

Stanley low angle Block plane 31.25

HF combo square 6.99

HF Mallet 5.99

Stanley jointer 150

Sharpening stone (water) 33

Panel saw 1 (cross) 19.50

Panel saw 2 (rip) 16.99

Marking gage 20

Dovetail saw 26.82

Vise 26.46

marking knife 9
Total cost so far: 500.97
shipping from ebay depends on where you are but shouldn't be more than $60 so we factor that in:
560.97

build your own bench (not going to take the time to go into details but it shouldn't cost more than $500 for materials
so now you have

999.03 left to get whever else you want (more marking gages? switch some of the above for better stuff? spoke shave? cabinet scraper? router plane? brace and bit?)

You could get better prices for the ebay stuff above if you were patient that's just what's out there right now. the above is more than enough to do 90% of handtool projects though. Just watch those compound curves ;)

I've only got a cheap (but I love it) santoku that I've had for years and have never sharpened because I've never had a stone. Besides that I've only got a set of Cuisnart knives in a block and using a steel wand for sharpening.

I've gotten into more experimental cooking and would like to get a good set of knives.

I'm looking at gyutou knives as my next one and my budget is what you see in the link. Amazon Prime Day sale brings this one down to $100 CAD (about 76 US). I'd like to stick with Amazon for this purchase, for 'reasons'.

thoughts and what kind of stone should I look for?

This is the stone it recommends with the knife.

https://www.amazon.ca/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O

So your whetstone isn't going to actually sharpen much of anything. The grit is way too coarse to actually get an edge. It's good for repairing a chipped edge and such or reprofiling a knife if you want to change the blade angle. Then you need something finer to finish the job and get it actually sharp.

This is the stone I use. It does a pretty good job. Although the one I got was pretty far off of being flat and I had to flatten it. It's probably not a common issue since the reviews didn't mention it.

https://www.amazon.com/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O

A lansky/Smith type type sharpener would work - something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Professional-Sharpening-System-Serrated/dp/B001KN3OKO

It follows the curve of your blade pretty well and if you used round rods instead of the flat stones you could get it perfect. The flat stones it comes with would probably work okay, too.

I really like this one. It's the best I've had and it works great. It's a water stone, so don't use oils on it!

I have a Suisin 10.5" High-Carbon Steel Gyotou and a 5.9" Petty from the same line. I use a very basic 2-sided King Stone, and it sharpens soooooooo easily. High carbon steel, to be fair, sharpens way easier than stainless. It also holds an edge pretty damn well for how easy it is to get them so sharp!

7 inches is actually really small for a chefs knife FWIW. But if its what you think she would be comfortable with its an ok choice. Lots of lady chefs I've worked with seem to favor smaller blades.

Though I've also worked with girls half my size swingin around 12 inchers...

That said I can't think of many knives that fit your choice combo and budget off the top of my head. Western styled knives, barring customs or the high end stuff usually stick to the triple rivet handle instead of the rounder wa-style you see in japanese blades. I could just be tired and dead right now though so if someone wants to correct me and recommend something better by all means.

But I think perhaps this Shun and this stone would be the most fitting for what you're aiming for within budget. Its kindasorta westernized japanese and its got a combination of performance/frill she'll probably enjoy.

When using a flattening stone..take a pencil and draw a two lines from corner to corner in an X pattern across the face of the stone. Then soak your sharpening stones as you would normally. Mount the referencing stone on your stone holder and place the sharpening stone X side down. Hold the sharpening stone down with your full palm with your other palm down to create solid pressure on the full stone across as much of the surface as possible. Stroke in an X pattern - upper left to lower right corner a few times and then switch to upper right/lower left a few times. Rinse sharpening stone and see how much of the penciled X has been removed, when it's gone from the center of the stone (should be the most worn area) then you're done. Don't forget to periodically rinse the flattening stone occasionally during the process to keep it's grit open and available.

and a little more info:

I'm a whore for Shapton stones, loved the way they sharpened and their longevity. I preferred the Professional Series but according to Shapton the glass were supposed to last longer because you can use all the stone down to the glass, I didn't buy into that idea. https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Shapton-Professional-Series-Stones-P741C84.aspx

You need to buy one of these if you haven't already gotten one, specifically with the center support. Way better than using a wet towel on the edge of the sink. https://www.amazon.com/POWERTEC-71013-Sharpening-Holder-2-Inch/dp/B00NFB2MTI

Link to Norton Flattening Stone: https://www.amazon.com/Norton-Flattening-Stone-Waterstones-plastic/dp/B00067ZSJ0/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1505326146&sr=1-6&keywords=flattening+stone

Shapton has their own lapping/referencing plate but it's $500: https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Shapton-Diamond-Reference-Lapping-Plate-P516C84.aspx
Link to Dick Polish (yes, that's really what's printed on the handle) https://www.knifemerchant.com/product.asp?productID=1393

And find a Sally's Beauty Supply Near you and get one of these bottles. Small enough that when filled it's not too heavy to wield and good for adding water to your stones during sharpening: http://www.sallybeauty.com/sheer-mist-trigger-sprayer/SBS-292048,default,pd.html?list=Search_Results#q=spray+bottle&start=1

You are right, there are items sold by Amazon.ca that are not their own branded products. This is news to me. My apologies for the confusion there.

But you are wrong in thinking that anything shipped by Amazon is sold by Amazon. Many products are shipped by Amazon but sold by a 3rd party, in other words fulfilled by Amazon. The credit wouldn't apply to these products. Example here.

Thank you for your reply!

I currently have those 2 whetstones:

• 1000/6000 (https://www.amazon.ca/King-Japanese-Combination-Sharpening-KW-65/dp/B00M8P96QE/)
  
• 400/100 (https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0055B2RGO/)
  
  As a side note, I thought there would be more difference performance wise between the whustof and the henckles international, since they have such a significant price difference. I know they use the same steel but I thought perhaps a thinner blade?! Anyway, if the only performance improvement is the handle, that is definitely not worth the upgrade.

I have a benchmade pocketknife (I think barrage 580) as well as a $50 Henkels chefs knife and I would like to be able to sharpen both of them. I was thinking of grabbing an 1000/6000 whetstone off of amazon to do so. Is that a good idea? I've never really tried my hand at sharpening with a stone before.

Yep, same principle as knife sharpening. Although the angle will generally be less acute than say a kitchen knife for example.

As far as what to sharpen it with? A Lansky Puck is probably about perfect for something long like a machete. Otherwise you can pick up a cheap stone at any asian market. If you are looking for more of a polished edge you could pick up a finer stone or a diamond sharpening stone/block.

On a side note...make it good and sharp or don't bother. A dull blade is more dangerous in use than a sharp one. If you're not going to use it, don't sharpen it.

Haha np!

I've found these two models that seem to be right for my intended purposes:

https://www.amazon.ca/KING-KW65-Combination-Whetstone-Plastic/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1519951696&sr=1-1&keywords=king+stone

https://www.amazon.ca/BearMoo-Sharpening-Whetstone-Combination-Sharpener/dp/B01FXK7XF6/ref=sr_1_6?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1519951696&sr=1-6&keywords=king+stone

https://www.amazon.ca/Norton-614636855653-8-Inch-Combination-Oilstone/dp/B000XK5ZDY/ref=sr_1_5?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1519951656&sr=1-5&keywords=fine+india+stone&dpID=41epHsuXYbL&preST=_SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Any comments on them? Do you have any model suggestions for those budget diamond stones you have in your edit? I don't know much anything about whetstones so I'm not sure what to look for.

edit: I've heard people state that 8Cr steels are good with rough edges and others who polish as high as possible...

I think Norton waterstones are one of the best values out there. You can get the four grits as combination stones (two sides with different grits on each side) to save even more:

https://www.amazon.com/Norton-Japanese-Style-Combination-Waterstone-8-Inch/dp/B0006NFDOY

https://www.amazon.com/Norton-Japanese-Style-Combination-Waterstone-8-Inch/dp/B0006NFDPI

Here's a video about using them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfRxMsTOOeE

Typically you store planes either on their side or just make a little shelf with a lip at the back so that when you set it down the back of the plane is raised up a bit keeping the blade from contacting the shelf.

A simple honing guide, a combination stone, and a basic strop is all you really need to sharpen plane irons. You can use sandpaper instead of the stone if you are really on a budget, but a decent combo stone is worth having in the shop. You can spend hundreds of dollars on diamond stones, higher end waterstones, sharpening jigs, grinder wheels, etc, but with proper technique, a bit of practice, and about 10 minutes work improving the honing guide the 3 items above will get any plane iron or chisel razor sharp. Grinder is mostly used for lathe tools and to speed up major regrinding or damage repair in a wood shop.

Here's a video on how to properly sharpen a plane iron with the guide.

I like to apply paste wax to the sole and other exposed steel surfaces of my planes (and most other tools in the shop) to prevent rust. I like johnson's paste wax.

yeah, no, it is not. if you can get a shapton pro 1k, do it - https://www.amazon.ca/Kuromaku-Ceramic-Whetstone-Medium-Shapton/dp/B001TPFT0G/

its pretty cheap and absolutely amazing. your sharpening skill will improve drastically

My first stone was a Kai 240/1000, which I got because it was cheap. It got me started on sharpening technique, and I restored a few mangled knife blades out of it. It does a great job, despite its smaller size

My current stone is a King 1000/6000, priced at only $40. I've spent a lot of time practicing proper technique with the King stone, and can get my Henckels Santoku sharp enough to shave (which I think is impressive for a $40 knife). My Shun Chef is sharp enough to do surgery. Shun uses VG-10, a much harder steel (HRC around 60) which requires a very consistent technique to polish properly.

If you want to move up in quality after that, you're looking at $100+ per stone.

The Condor Bushlore is a great inexpensive knife. Carbon steel, full tang, etc. The old ones were not that great but there have been many improvements so the new ones are a fantastic value. You can baton firewood with it all day long. Get a knife pro to put a Scandi grind on it and you'll be set for a long time.

Secondly, get a set of Japanese water stones and learn how to use them.

Even the most expensive unobtanium-carbon quantum hattori hanzo japanese nanosteel knife can be ruined by improper maintenance (e.g. pull-through carbide blade destroyers).

Start with 1000 grit. You can also get 800 grit for fixing chips and other damage. The K-80 is a good starter set. If you want to sharpen your kitchen knives 'shaving sharp' then pick up an additional 4000/6000 grit stone for fine polishing.

Search /r/bushcraft for further knife and sharpening advice.

I bought this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01FZZUL30

I really like it. The knife angle guide is junk but I don't use it. Double sided, uses water. I can get a pretty darn good edge with it.

A whetstone sharpens by creating a slurry of abrasive material and water. Diamond sharpeners use the hardness of the manufactured stone to sharpen.

In my experience whetstones are far superior in sharpening, getting some good ones might bring you out of budget though, as they are about $30 for a 1000 grit and up to $80 for 6000 or 8000 grit.

They do sell two sided stones for about for $45 on Amazon

You can always go the traditional whetstone route and learn to freehand sharpen. As long as you're patient and diligent the process is very relaxing and rewarding. I'll throw some links to some good stones in here for ya:
Whetstone Cutlery | Beginner Stone for Sharpening
Sharp Pebble | Beginner Stone for Finishing

I also recommend you check out Burrfection on youtube for a good overview of beginner knife sharpening using whetstones. You'll save money, albeit use more time learning a new skill with this path but it's my preferred method of sharpening on the cheap currently.

Have you had any luck finding hones?

If it helps this is what i started with, as a cheap getting started set.


(DMT)http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001WP1L0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


(1000)http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Taidea-1000-Grit-Knife-Kitchen-Tool-Sharpener-Corundum-Sharpening-Stone-T0913W-/131025875380?pt=AU_Cutlery&hash=item1e81c031b4 (you can pretty much skip this if you get the one above)


(3000/8000)http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TAIDEA-Tool-Knife-Sharpener-Sharpening-Stone-Whetstone-3000-8000-Grit-T0914W-/141431193126?pt=AU_Cutlery&hash=item20edf4be26


(12000)http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/144951/natural-water-stone-8-x-2-x-1.aspx (skip this if you get the one below)


(15000)http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LARGE-8-x-3-V-FINE-15K-NATURAL-SHARPENING-STONE-HONE-RAZOR-KNIFE-CHISEL-/181547520228?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2a451350e4 I think this might be underrated for for its price, I can get HHT off this stone.

250-1000 combo

I would go with this. my 1000 grit stone is my main stone for re-sharpening. For edge-nick repair or re-profiling an edge's geometry I start on my 400 or 220 stone. I don't even crack out my 1000+ stones unless I'm doing something fancy.

Also, get yourself a truing stone. It's important with water stones because they wear and dish out quickly. (It's in their nature to do so, it's why they cut faster than oil stones.) I have something like this because it's easy to use.

You could also use wet-dry sand paper or a flat piece of cement or something but that's a lot less convenient. You will be lapping a lot. To keep mine flat I lap as needed which usually amounts to about 20% of the time I spend using that stone.

I find a good stropping with green buffing compound makes a huge difference to the final "glide" of the edge.