What I'd recommend over these ultra sharp stones, better value⬇ (affiliate links) Option 1 amzn.to/3VlRheE Option 2 amzn.to/3V2z302 + this amzn.to/3R2XEB0 These are amazon affiliate links As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. --------------------------------------- Personal statement FULL disclosure ⬇ As an affiliate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you. I bought everything in this video with my own money, and am free to link to anything I want. Recommendations, comments, and criticisms, are based on personal experience with products. At this time, (time of video upload, subject to change) I am NOT sponsored by any company. But may receive commissions after the fact. Thanks How to sharpen a knife in 5 minutes ⬇ ruclips.net/video/pagPuiuA9cY/видео.html
@OUTDOORS55 I doubt you will see this but I did some experimenting with this stuff called white diamond by Schultz laboratories. It’s a metal polish you can find at orileys auto parts. I used it as a stroping material and it did wonders. Probably the best mirror polish on my CJRB pyrite I’ve ever put on a knife. I know a highly polished edge like that isn’t ideal (I think) but I’d figure it would be a great idea for a video trying out alternatives like you did with the sharpening on random objects thing you did.
@@guguigugu Sharpal is made in China. Chinese can make high quality stuff, they just need to be incentivised (or poked and prodded by other nations) to do it much of the time.
Я не знайшов опису зв'язки цього камені якщо це гальванічний алмаз тоді воно є як є так як вони зіпсуються якщо вирівняти їх на склі з карбідом кремнію. Більшість алмазів чи ельборів на мідно-оловяній, мідній та органічній зв'язці потребують вирівнювання на склі з карбідом кремнію перед початком роботи. Це потрібно для того, щоб бути впевненим, що камінь має пласку поверхню і для видалення верхнього шару який може містити дефекти з виробництва. Причому після заточки 100-200ножів зав'язка каменя зношуєтчя і на камінні утворюється так зване сідло яке теж потребує вирівнювання на склі з карбідом кремнію, це більше помітно на системах типу апекса, при ручній заточці здається, що камінь задіяний більш рівномірно і зміна його геометрії відбувається значно повільніше. Крім того більшість стандартів допускає вміст умовно до 1 відсотка зерна, що разів в 5-10 грубіше за основну частину і це не буде браком якщо у вас на камені 1200грід буде 1-2 алмази умовно 150грід які будуть створювати дефекти на лезі(і які теж можна видалити карбідом кремнію при вирівнюванні каменя). Судячи по ціні то це найдешевший вид алмазів тобто гальванічний. Який фактично одноразовий бо при зміні геометрії каменя його не можна буде зробити знову рівним, а оновлення зерна алмазів також не відбудеться. У нас в країні є завод що виготовляє синтетичні алмази та ельбори і ціна за брусок 150*25*6мм на мідно олов'яній зв'язці коштує десь 100баксів, а в такому розмірі як цей великий камінь на амазоні напевно всі 400баксів
I bought your recommended stone as my first (sharpal) and also happen to have a couple of microscopes. I can confirm no grit contamination on mine. Now if only I could keep an angle.
I was looking at Sharpal's Amazon store, and they have two things for holding an angle. The first one is the pyramid thing in the box. The other is a magnetic bubble level with adjustable angles. It's called the Sharpal 194H on the German Amazon store and probably the same on the US store. It's around €11, so probably $9 or $10 on the US store. I cannot speak to its efficacy - I've only just seen it, and it took me reading the actual description to realize it's magnetic and meant to stay on the knife. I thought it was a stupid thing pretending to be smarter than the pyramid thingie.
Totally feel ya on the angle thing. I have thoracic outlet syndrome so my dexterity sucks no matter how much I practice anything(even writing). on the plus side, even with shit dexterity your knives will be sharper than if you didn't try at all!
FYI, if you use a scrubbing method, I also call it the violin method, with the stone on top it’s easier to find and hold the correct (matched) angle. I find an Expo dry erase marker is better than a Sharpie permanent marker, because the excess just wipes off when done. I place the blade on top of a standing can of spray paint, to bring it closer to eye level.
@@jesser_p If you're having dexterity trouble on stones, you could always get another type of sharpener. Fixed angle sharpeners work pretty good and don't require much dexterity, though there are some oddities you might have to compensate for, such as the angle changing slightly when working with longer knives. Depending on your price range, you could get anything from a $50 lansky or $60 work sharp precision adjust, all the way up to hundred or thousands of dollars for things like the hapstone, KME, wicked edge, or nowi pro. Personally, I have arthritis, and I mostly use a work sharp ken onion blade grinder (it's basically a small belt grinder), and that's mostly because it's easy on my hands and wrists, but also partly because I like to convex my knives where applicable; it's not particularly cheap (the mk1 that I have is $200, and the new mk2 is $300), but it's probably my favorite sharpener to use right now.
The sound of that grit contamination is actually horrific.. I’m good with the whet stones and diamond stones that I have - they actually work - good job 👍 for pointing this out to us 👏
Whetstones and diamond stones? Why are you saying that, as if diamond stones are something other than whetstones? They are a type of whetstone. (you could argue that they aren't, because they're not stones ...but how wouldn't that equally apply, to all man-made whetstones?)
The Sharpal 162N is LEGIT!! I use that and a 9 micron diamond paste on my strop and can whittle hairs like it’s nobody’s business!! Glad to see the uptick in videos and your health doin better brother! God bless~
Bought the Ultra Sharp set about 5 years ago - I've fought with them ever since. I kept looking (naked eye) for whatever contaminant I thought I kept on introducing with no success. Now I know they're IN THE GRIT! Time for new stones. Thanks.
To add to the sample size regarding grit contamination on Sharpals. I've bought 3 Sharpal diamond stones. All three had no contamination at all. I even used a magnifying glass to check. One of the stones had a unrelated manufacturing defect where the diamonds where falling off. Sharpal sent another stone which was perfect. That stone also has no contamination at all. So all in all I am happy so far as their sides are concerned, from a sample of 4
I like to learn and apply. I dislike how those characteristics are not promoted or rewarded. It's just all about profits and not proper ways. Glad there's still ppl who like to learn.
I bought the sharpal based on your first video about it and I love it. Been trying to get better at sharpening my knives. Would love some tips about how to sharpen curves better though.
I wish I had this video to guide me about 18 months ago. I purchased a set of three UltraSharp 3"x8" stones for around $140. I don't have the clumps of plating that you have, but there's definitely grit contamination. I mostly use them for woodworking tools, like chisels, and it's easy to spot the uneven scratch pattern on those wide bevels. They still get the job done so I can't justify replacing them, but I can't recommend them either.
So I am an Avid sharpener.. known through-out everyone I know. Just got the bigger ones of the Ultra sharp diamond stones. I used water and a bit of dish soap in between swapping sides.. it clears away all contaminations left before you start the other side. 2 dull knives to hair shaving sharp in less than 10 minutes. 1 Case xl trapper.. and 1 old carbon steel kitchen knife. I recommend this sharpener set up 100%. If you can't get a knife sharp... need to focus more on keeping your angle. Also, I only draw the knife on stone.. not back and forth.
Thought I'd share a tip. When I get a new diamond stone I get a scraper with a tungsten blade (about 1 1/2 inch) and scrape the stone using medium firm pressure. I have had quite a few pricey stones where this takes multiple passes to break off all the high spots and contamination. Recently bought the Sharpal you recommended and there were none, no faults found.
Tungsten is soft. You mean tungsten carbide? Even that should lose against the diamond. It wont do anything against a large diamonds that are deep. I've lapped a ceramic tile and a carborundum stone with cheap diamond plates. They are kinda dull and smooth now and they still have these problematic spots leaving extra scratches on glass and steel
I was using my Sharpal again today, to reprofile a plane iron, and once again I just loved it - it's superb value. I've seen no sign of any grit contamination on the 1200 side.
My Jeweler's Loupe just arrived today. Looking forward to getting a good look when I'm not sure how well I'm doing on these steak knives I've been practicing on.
The SATC is actually my most used stone. Its a great stone for practicing on which makes it my go to. I do really like the sharpal but to i like the idea of preserving it for when i get better. But the SATC can definitely bring all my knives to at least shaving sharp.
You'd have to do a hell of a lot of sharpening -- more than you're ever likely to do in real life -- to get any wear on your Sharpal. It cuts incredibly fast. Even after hundreds of knives, I'd be surprised to see any wear. I keep my cheapo diamond for flattening my whetstones.
@@twatmunro good to know. I'll have to start using it more. I actually want to get another one because the one I have is the 6" and id like to have the 8" too
Ok I was worried I just got a bad one. I got the 3k grit and it has so damn much contamination it may as well be 600 grit. Guess I'll be returning this stone, now the fun part is finding a diamond stone higher than 2k grit that doesn't cost well over $100
Thank you. This video helped me decide to finally drop a dime on your 8”Sharpal recommendation. I’m so cheap it’s painful to spend that much on sharpening my $60 kitchen knife set, but I need to make a video comparing it to the cheapo option of sandpaper and denim with green rouge. For the edification of the masses. Unless you get to that comparison first… 😊
These are the stones Jarad Neeve recommends for budget diamond stones. I have a set of the 8x3 ones from them, and they've done me fine, but then I only use them on my fixed blades. I have Venev resin bonded stones for my more higher end folders, or anything where a nice looking edge matters more to me than on a large chopper or bushcraft knife that's just going to do mostly wood processing.
I have the same 8x3” set as well from two years ago, bought based solely on Jarad’s recommendation, and also have had no problems. I have sharpened both folders and fixed blades on them. I just got a TSPROF pro though, so need to find some good stones for that, better than the standard just OK Russian ones it came with.
I picked up the Sharpal after watching your review am very happy with it. I haven't inspected it with a microscope but it doesn't feel like there's any contamination on the 1000 grit side.
I just ordered the Sharpal! Thanx for the review. Unfortunately, I forgot to use your link. As a compensation, I joined your channel as a member. Good luck with the channel and try to ignore the haters. You are a good man doing a great job.
Just wanted to say that after weeks of considering it, I finally ordered the sharpal and a 6 micron paste + leather to make my own strop, a week ago. The case/stone holder was also a reason why I went with the sharpal over the SATC, so it definetly does add value as mentioned in the video (if you don't have one already, I suppose) I also already tried my hand at sharpening my first few knives with the setup, but let me tell you, you make it seem so much easier than it feels when doing it on my own and I have a really hard time getting that burr off my edge >:( Thanks for the recommendations and motivation. Hope you're having a good day
Are you using gummy, soft stainless steel? Stuff can be practically impossible to de burr sometimes. That's where water stones come in though. Diamonds just cut so aggressively you have to be really on point with your angles and pressure if you want to successfully minimize the burr on it. He makes it look easy but it's not
I have 3 of the Sharpal stones (8x3”) the smaller one and the portable ’field’ sharpener. All 3 seem to be free of contamination and seem to be perfectly evenly coated.
I've owned the of the Sharpal six inch coarse/fine double -sided diamond stones. I bought all from a VERY WELL KNOWN online marketplace. The first, about six years ago, and it was pretty friggin' awesome. The next two I bought about the years and two years ago. Both of those still worked pretty well, but had very slight elevated strips, about a millimeter wide, down nearly the entire length of the metal plate, on both sides. They were perfectly smooth. No diamond at all. So, they still sharpened OK, but not as well as my very first one. I'm going to give them another try, thanks to your review. It's possible I just got a bad run. Both times I got the kinda crappy ones, I purchased from the same dealer. So, they could very well have bought both at the same time, and I just got a couple of their lemons. That happens. The first was was good enough, that I'll gladly give them another try.
I took your advice ang bought the SSATC stone on amazon. It was delivered today. I paid Canadian $19.19. That comes to US $14.06. It came in a chic plastic box with a clear cover and which has rubber feet and so it can be used as a sharpening stand. The whole thing was in a solid corrugated cardboard box which can be used to store it, and preserve the plastic box if one is OCD about such things. The price goes up and down on amazon depending on the position of the planets or maybe the phase of the moon.
I bought the same stone for CAN $19.19 and got exactly the item inside the same box as you described. Turned out I was scammed by the seller: that's not an S SATC diamond stone (8''x3", with a steel core between the 2 plates). The one I got is only 6"x2.5", and is very light because the 2 plates are held together by some black plastic. The plates look like any other cheap Chinese diamond stone plate which sells for $7 or $8 each. So I'm contacting the seller and asking for a refund. Another buyer named steve also posted his one-star-rated comment on Amazon about receiving the 6"x2.5" stone with black plastic core.
@@tuannguyen-fd1xr Thank you for pointing this out. The stone just arrived today and I hadn't looked closely enough at it. You're right. This sure feels like a bait and switch. This item is now selling for $39.00
@@r.duroucher225 You're welcome! Amazon just sent me an email saying they'll give me a full refund, and I got to keep the "fake" stone with a nice plastic base, even before the seller responds to me. I guess we're not the only buyers of this suspiciously low-priced item, and Amazon is aware of this.
This is exactly the reason I don't recommend these stones! I've had a set of the 2x6 and 3x8 and both sets had severe grit contamination along with spots that was built up higher than every where else. The med and fine of both sizes was totally unusable for me because customers expect top quality edges from me and these just aren't capable of producing consistent scratch patterns. The course stones was fine and I still use them from time to time but that's it. For the money the 2x6 set costs I tell people just spend an extra ten bucks and get the 2x6 inch Trend 300/1000 plate and have a top quality diamond plate that will perform very well and last a long time. I steer people away from these plates almost daily when they ask me my opinion and I'm really glad you made this video because now I have a video that I can direct them to so they can see WHY I tell them avoid them because they aren't a good value. A simple 320 and 1000 kuromaku would suit them great as well but most of them are strictly wanting diamond to start and in some cases I agree with their logic based on their needs. I have always been one that recommends the kuromaku 320 and 1000 as a starter stone set for someone that really wants to learn to sharpen. The guys that want to start on diamond plates if they are looking at the 2x6 size Trend is the way I send them but not in the 3x8 size because I don't like the cross hatch patten on the larger stones from Trend and in that case normally just tell them spend 100-110 bucks and get an atoma 400 and 1200 along with 2 strops and my 6 and 1 micron diamond emulsion and that will totally take care of their needs for well under 200 bucks all in.
Industrial quick sharpeners have a way longer hole with thin iron rods in a v shape. When you pull your knife through the rods in the hole, they bend downwards the more you push down. Having worked in an abattoir it does make a short term difference to the feel of the knife. But its still going to dull over time after a day of work, so theres proper hired knife sharpeners where you return the knives before you go home. Always keep your knives sharp, it saves you a lot of wrist- and shoulder pains when you don't have to use force to cut through something.
I copped the 2x6 version of that sharpal stone for 45 bucks, and I have to echo your praise for it. The grits seem perfectly consistent on mine as well and it's made learning to freehand sharpen a breeze, even on the less ideal size.
I bought these in a set of three 3x8” stones two years ago for about $130 as I recall, and they seem to be doing a great job for me. Perhaps I don’t know what to look for, or am not as much of an expert sharpener as you, but I’ve had no problems with knives from D2 to S90V to 20CV/M390. I agree the middle grit stone is less than necessary. If I had it to do again rather than spending the current $138 for this set of three I’d probably go with that double-sided Sharpal you show there for $70. I might get that anyway actually as it seems like a useful size and very good quality. Anyway, now I’m going to sharpen a knife AND take a look at the surface of those 3x8 stones with a 10 or 15x loupe, LOL! Thanks for the interesting video! 👍
On your recommendation I bought the Sharpal and also the Shapton and so far I can't fault them. Only being 3 months into learning these stones are by far my favourites of what I have and worth the money.
I've used 4 sets of these stones, including a set of the larger 8×3 stones. I've had only one spot of contamination, and it was on the larger 600 grit stone. This problem was solved by using a very small flat tip punch and a hammer. Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Have a knife day. 😁
Just picked up a new budget 2x6 combo stone that's popped up on Amazon and Temu. 320/1200 on a dense black plastic plate with case. Usually $15, but saw it on sale for $9.99 and it's using mono diamonds so I had to try it. A couple reviews mention it, but mine had no noticeable grit contamination after my usual quick 5 minute break in with a big junk chisel. Both grits are right on and they just keep getting better with every use. Which is the opposite from most ultra cheap diamond stones. Very impressed so far, it's performed as good as the Sharpal it's copying. Would be cool to see it tested. I'd put the Amazon link here , but it'll just get deleted.
This was super surprising to me. I bought one dmt and rwo ultra sharps off of your prior recommendations and the DMT has crazy contamination but both the 600 and 1200 ultra sharps are unbleievablely smooth
Does manufacturer know this issue or are these QC rejected items sold under different brand. Is contamination problem with known widely available brands like Work sharp, Smith's etc.
@OUTDOORS55 I didn't buy the ultra sharps from Amazon, but i did buy the DMT from there. do you think there could be something sketchy happening with distributors?
the sharpal 325/1200 is incredible...i almost bought these thinking they would be comparable, glad i went with the sharpal...i'm getting some killer edges finally...mine was 44 when i bought it...
my only problem with your videos is, they are always to short :D Thank you very much for sharing so much wisdom could you please make a video about diamond pastes? like cheap vs expensive diamond paste some claim to have more diamonds, but is it true? are they consistent? and why is less diamond paste on a strop more? wouldn't more be better so more diamonds cut? I put more so I feel satisfied But not sure if there's a real difference First time I managed to get hair shaving results on a 600grit cheap diamond stone (straight from the stone) I was like damn, I managed to do that because of that "RUclips guy" Thank you!
Nice video as always, you have to flatten your shapton pro 1000 it will work much better, the surface of the shapton stones arent ideal when they come from the factory, if you flatten it with an atoma 140 of with 120-180 grit silicon carbide powder it wil work even better
I was so excited to order a 3000 grit stone from these guys, since it was the only 3000 diamond stone that I found. However, when it arrived, it was a 2000 grit. I know I could send it back, exchange, etc, but I was really disappointed.
so i guess this is something we just disagree on which is gonna happen, i personally like the ultra sharps, 3 plates 3x8 for 138$ is a great value, and i typically dont worry about grit contaimination unless its very fine stones and i think the 600 grit is nec and better than the 1200 as the 1200 wear out like 3 x as fast as the 600 from my experience. the other very very cheap ones only have half the diamond since they have the sections that dont have diamond which is fine if you are on a super tight budget but usually i say to go with ones that are completely coated. also these stones like a lot of others break in and a lot of those larger diamonds break off after a few sharpenings from my experience however its been a while since i used the 2x6
I could have just gotten a bad batch. The 600 for me is unusable. Those giant spots just tear things up. I think all manufacturers have some contamination here and there except for the atomas. They seem to be the best period but are a touch more expensive. I guess it just depends on what's acceptable to you. 👍
Oh snap! I was actually eyeballing some brands and was between Sharpal, UltraSharp, another Trend or another DMT. I have an oldschool DMT red fine thats lasted forever and i can feel they arent as well made as before 😢(bought a DuoSharp and it dulled really fast). Dont know about the Trends. Winner is Sharpal then. Thank you!
The Shapton orange 1000 stone is splash & go, but the pamphlet it comes with says to give it an initial 5 minute soak the very first time you get your hands on it. After that, use it as a splash & go. Not sure if anyone cares or thinks that matters much, but hey, I'm just listening to the creators instructions. I'm assuming it's to soak up water to relieve any dryness & stress from the manufacturing process of the stone? Who knows. It's all in Japanese & I had to translate it.
i bought a $20 dollar stone you recommended. it works great!!! i have not made a strap yet, that's next. im going with your recommendation there as well.
A few years ago you could grab the Shapton Ha No Kuromaku 1k for $35 actually. And I did...2 actually because I thought that was an insane price for such a useful stone
Alex, great review. 👍🏼 How about a video on the stages of sharpening and how much time you should reasonably spend with each one average. AND, the distinction between Profiling and Sharpening would be helpful for us newbies. Thanks❣️ Oh! Loved the outro Trailer Music. 🤌🏼
Great video as always. I have the 8x3 set of these along with their 400/1000 stone combination stone Now they've worked fine only got them because they have a lifetime warranty and so far they've been good They came with a adjustable stone holder and they are basically my beater stones. I've haven't needed to use the life time warranty but i am hopeful they'll honor it. But too each their own.
Wow, thanks for the update. My 4 year old ultrasharp plates definitely seem much better than this. I honestly can't remember their specs but they came with a rubber stand and were slightly more expensive. Maybe 140 for 300,600,1200 grit. Used heavily for those years without any obvious deformity. Goes to show you quality isn't time proof. Will not be recommending these in the future. I got lucky
Could you do a video on how to apply pressure onto a knife while sharpening, I got the sharpal diamond stone that you said is a unicorn stone, but since I'm learning, I think I have applied to much pressure while sharpening, I also may have been applying uneven pressure because I wore out the edges of the stone completely bare within 2 weeks of having it. I'm not sure if it's me or the stone, but I feel that you could make a great video explaining this topic for anyone learning how to sharpen knives, maybe showing pressure using audio and how it should sound when using the right pressure.
Hi Alex, you are amazing!!! How are you? I have recently approached the practice of sharpening knives, but I realize that it is becoming an addiction. Unfortunately I am still far from obtaining satisfactory results but sooner or later I will succeed. Thank you for giving us your videos which are truly educational. I wanted to ask you, regarding the cheap magnifying glass you recommended, if you have tried something better without spending too much money. Thanks, best regards Massimo.
I use these a lot I've never seen that bad of blemishes, 3x6 are ok but 3 x 8 is better. The worksharp bench pivot system with the 320, 600, and ceramic place also can buy replacements for the bench pivot system It is very good for beginners and professionals for about $50 worth it. imo
Great video Alex, I've mentioned this before and I'll continue to do so but I'd love to see you do a sharpening video using a multiple strop progression with diamond compounds, the compounds are out there and I think you're the kind of person that would know how to make it work. Anyway best wishes from here in the UK.
I enjoy the stropping part of knife sharpening. I probably enjoy it too much. I just kind of zen out while going through my stropping progression. So much so that some times, by the time I’m done, I’ve stropped the knife 50-60 times on three different grits. Is this counter-productive?
Hey man. Thanks for the great content. I've seen a video from a french guy where he shows high end collector 's knives. Some very beautiful stuff but that's beside the point. At one point he says that one of the advantages of damascus steel is that because it is made of two steels, you get uneven wear thus leaving you you with a toothy edge that "cuts better when dull" than a regular steel. I've never heard this elsewhere so it's probably BS but there is some kind of logic behind this so i found this interesting. What do you think about it ?
Very nice review, something you mentioned I think you could reconsider, the grit accuracy of the shapton 1000 is possibly questionable. Check out "knives and stones" video about comparing multiple 1000 grit Japanese stones from naniwa, king, suihiro and shapton. Under a microscope, the shapton leaves considrably coarser scratch pattern compared to the rest. In a hind sight, this is all pedantic since the stone is remarkable nonetheless, but for what it's worth, some ppl say the entire grit system is not properly standarized.
If I remember correctly, these are not supposed to be good out of the box. They recommend a break in period in the instructions, I assume to get rid of the contaminates before your put any good steel to them. I have the 2x6 and 3x8 inch sizes and have had good success with them.
thanks for the honest review, in your opinion what are the best stones on the market period, we look at all this cheap stuff what about the high end stones
I have some ultra sharps and there are no plating clusters on mine. I do see some deep scratches off the 1200 so I would suspect grit contamination though.
Would you mind giving the magnification level for your different shots? I want to know what I need to check for grit contamination on my Ultrasharp. Thank you!
Testing request: if you are not going to use them, it would be interesting to see what happens if you try to flatten the 600 and 1200 grid stones with each other. Would they become flatter or just get totally ruined?
I bought these stones and use them for my plane blades. Never had a problem. I wonder if you received a bad batch.? My japanese planes and Lee Valley plane glide through wood like butter.
I just bought the Sharpal 325/1000 pair and I'm just learning how to use it. Unfortunately, the lid of the box interferes with sharpening when you use the rubber bottom of the box to keep it from sliding. Isn't that how it was intended? I'm trying to find a substitute for the box bottom. Or I may find a way to push the pin out of the hinge so I can remove the lid. Still, this is not the way the box is supposed to be used. Still not paper sharp, but as I said, practice.
I must have gotten lucky with my purchase of the 600 and 1200 UltraSharp stones. They exhibit none of the problems that Alex has with his. Bad QC is probably the culprit. Alex, those stones supposedly have a guarantee...you might want to exercise the option to return them.
i ordered the Sharpal stone yesterday and some DMTs Dia paste but i went with the 6"x2.5" stone since the paste was 45€ and i only have a limited budget also i have to still get some needle files for some other projects this month. its painful when i have so little money and so much different stuff to get so i have to space out all the plans and it takes ages to fill my tool collection >_< especially when i have to do unexpected PC upgrades or repairs when old parts die etc
Can you make a video about cleaning your stones? Are you even supposed to clean your sharpal stone for example, if you have it contaminated with left over steel from sharpening knives?
That would be good. The tips I've found, is first wiping it with some paper towels (or toilet paper), secondly using a polymer eraser to get rid of remaining swarf (a regular white pencil eraser is fine) and lastly, if that doesn't work, use soapy water and scrub with a brush. Also, if you use water or oil whilst sharpening (which is optional), the liquid is supposed to help keep the swarf from sticking to the plate in the first place. (and dry it after any contact with water, obviously)
Just out of curiosity, what are your thoughts on stropping kits? They're like what you once suggested about a homemade strop - buying a roll of leather and applying your own compound to it. It's that but sold altogether in a smaller kit. e.g. the Beavercraft ones for like $9. Are they actually good?
These were broken in. I take everything though a set break in before using. All in all these had about 20 or so sharpenings after break in. These inclusions definitely won't come out since they are part of the plating.
I tried these and the contamination, while there, was definitely not as bad as this. Looks like a lack of consistency imo. I didn't want anyone to see this and think they're all this bad. And they do sharpen quite well. You get what you pay for sometimes. Also, a normal knife user will have a hard time wearing these out. 50 or so sharpenings of k390 at 63 hrc and there's no sign of wear. If anything, it's broken in. But it's not like I'm profiling hatchets nonstop.
What I'd recommend over these ultra sharp stones, better value⬇ (affiliate links)
Option 1 amzn.to/3VlRheE
Option 2 amzn.to/3V2z302 + this amzn.to/3R2XEB0
These are amazon affiliate links
As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Personal statement FULL disclosure ⬇
As an affiliate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.
I bought everything in this video with my own money, and am free to link to anything I want.
Recommendations, comments, and criticisms, are based on personal experience with products.
At this time, (time of video upload, subject to change) I am NOT sponsored by any company. But may receive commissions after the fact.
Thanks
How to sharpen a knife in 5 minutes ⬇
ruclips.net/video/pagPuiuA9cY/видео.html
@OUTDOORS55 I doubt you will see this but I did some experimenting with this stuff called white diamond by Schultz laboratories. It’s a metal polish you can find at orileys auto parts. I used it as a stroping material and it did wonders. Probably the best mirror polish on my CJRB pyrite I’ve ever put on a knife. I know a highly polished edge like that isn’t ideal (I think) but I’d figure it would be a great idea for a video trying out alternatives like you did with the sharpening on random objects thing you did.
Bruh, that contamination is *offensive.* That's not a quality control problem; that's a "we don't give a shit about our products" problem.
made from 100% top grade chinesium
It was so bad I almost kneejerk disliked the video!
@@guguigugu Sharpal is made in China. Chinese can make high quality stuff, they just need to be incentivised (or poked and prodded by other nations) to do it much of the time.
Я не знайшов опису зв'язки цього камені якщо це гальванічний алмаз тоді воно є як є так як вони зіпсуються якщо вирівняти їх на склі з карбідом кремнію. Більшість алмазів чи ельборів на мідно-оловяній, мідній та органічній зв'язці потребують вирівнювання на склі з карбідом кремнію перед початком роботи. Це потрібно для того, щоб бути впевненим, що камінь має пласку поверхню і для видалення верхнього шару який може містити дефекти з виробництва. Причому після заточки 100-200ножів зав'язка каменя зношуєтчя і на камінні утворюється так зване сідло яке теж потребує вирівнювання на склі з карбідом кремнію, це більше помітно на системах типу апекса, при ручній заточці здається, що камінь задіяний більш рівномірно і зміна його геометрії відбувається значно повільніше. Крім того більшість стандартів допускає вміст умовно до 1 відсотка зерна, що разів в 5-10 грубіше за основну частину і це не буде браком якщо у вас на камені 1200грід буде 1-2 алмази умовно 150грід які будуть створювати дефекти на лезі(і які теж можна видалити карбідом кремнію при вирівнюванні каменя).
Судячи по ціні то це найдешевший вид алмазів тобто гальванічний. Який фактично одноразовий бо при зміні геометрії каменя його не можна буде зробити знову рівним, а оновлення зерна алмазів також не відбудеться. У нас в країні є завод що виготовляє синтетичні алмази та ельбори і ціна за брусок 150*25*6мм на мідно олов'яній зв'язці коштує десь 100баксів, а в такому розмірі як цей великий камінь на амазоні напевно всі 400баксів
yet all of the other ones he recommended had it too.....
I bought your recommended stone as my first (sharpal) and also happen to have a couple of microscopes. I can confirm no grit contamination on mine. Now if only I could keep an angle.
I was looking at Sharpal's Amazon store, and they have two things for holding an angle. The first one is the pyramid thing in the box. The other is a magnetic bubble level with adjustable angles. It's called the Sharpal 194H on the German Amazon store and probably the same on the US store. It's around €11, so probably $9 or $10 on the US store.
I cannot speak to its efficacy - I've only just seen it, and it took me reading the actual description to realize it's magnetic and meant to stay on the knife. I thought it was a stupid thing pretending to be smarter than the pyramid thingie.
Totally feel ya on the angle thing. I have thoracic outlet syndrome so my dexterity sucks no matter how much I practice anything(even writing).
on the plus side, even with shit dexterity your knives will be sharper than if you didn't try at all!
FYI, if you use a scrubbing method, I also call it the violin method, with the stone on top it’s easier to find and hold the correct (matched) angle. I find an Expo dry erase marker is better than a Sharpie permanent marker, because the excess just wipes off when done. I place the blade on top of a standing can of spray paint, to bring it closer to eye level.
@@jesser_p If you're having dexterity trouble on stones, you could always get another type of sharpener. Fixed angle sharpeners work pretty good and don't require much dexterity, though there are some oddities you might have to compensate for, such as the angle changing slightly when working with longer knives. Depending on your price range, you could get anything from a $50 lansky or $60 work sharp precision adjust, all the way up to hundred or thousands of dollars for things like the hapstone, KME, wicked edge, or nowi pro.
Personally, I have arthritis, and I mostly use a work sharp ken onion blade grinder (it's basically a small belt grinder), and that's mostly because it's easy on my hands and wrists, but also partly because I like to convex my knives where applicable; it's not particularly cheap (the mk1 that I have is $200, and the new mk2 is $300), but it's probably my favorite sharpener to use right now.
convex grind it is. It's the best grind anyway
The sound of that grit contamination is actually horrific..
I’m good with the whet stones and diamond stones that I have - they actually work - good job 👍 for pointing this out to us 👏
whetstone*
Whet = Sharpen.
Whet not wet.
Whet means to sharpen.
I meant to write “ whet “ 🤦♂️ stupid auto - correct
🙄
Whetstones and diamond stones? Why are you saying that, as if diamond stones are something other than whetstones? They are a type of whetstone. (you could argue that they aren't, because they're not stones ...but how wouldn't that equally apply, to all man-made whetstones?)
Last time I was this early I asked "Is this even wood?"
Old but good one😂
The Sharpal 162N is LEGIT!! I use that and a 9 micron diamond paste on my strop and can whittle hairs like it’s nobody’s business!!
Glad to see the uptick in videos and your health doin better brother!
God bless~
Bought the Ultra Sharp set about 5 years ago - I've fought with them ever since. I kept looking (naked eye) for whatever contaminant I thought I kept on introducing with no success. Now I know they're IN THE GRIT! Time for new stones. Thanks.
To add to the sample size regarding grit contamination on Sharpals. I've bought 3 Sharpal diamond stones. All three had no contamination at all. I even used a magnifying glass to check. One of the stones had a unrelated manufacturing defect where the diamonds where falling off. Sharpal sent another stone which was perfect. That stone also has no contamination at all. So all in all I am happy so far as their sides are concerned, from a sample of 4
It sucks these have gone down in quality. I have some for about 4 years and I like them. I have no contamination issues.
I've been out of school for 12 years but every time you upload a video it's like I'm getting ready for my favorite class I'm excited to learn
I like to learn and apply. I dislike how those characteristics are not promoted or rewarded. It's just all about profits and not proper ways. Glad there's still ppl who like to learn.
I bought a set 3 years ago. Liked them so much I bought a second set for my shop. I will admit I barely know what I'm doing.
I bought the sharpal based on your first video about it and I love it. Been trying to get better at sharpening my knives. Would love some tips about how to sharpen curves better though.
I wish I had this video to guide me about 18 months ago. I purchased a set of three UltraSharp 3"x8" stones for around $140. I don't have the clumps of plating that you have, but there's definitely grit contamination. I mostly use them for woodworking tools, like chisels, and it's easy to spot the uneven scratch pattern on those wide bevels. They still get the job done so I can't justify replacing them, but I can't recommend them either.
So I am an Avid sharpener.. known through-out everyone I know. Just got the bigger ones of the Ultra sharp diamond stones. I used water and a bit of dish soap in between swapping sides.. it clears away all contaminations left before you start the other side. 2 dull knives to hair shaving sharp in less than 10 minutes. 1 Case xl trapper.. and 1 old carbon steel kitchen knife. I recommend this sharpener set up 100%. If you can't get a knife sharp... need to focus more on keeping your angle. Also, I only draw the knife on stone.. not back and forth.
Thought I'd share a tip. When I get a new diamond stone I get a scraper with a tungsten blade (about 1 1/2 inch) and scrape the stone using medium firm pressure. I have had quite a few pricey stones where this takes multiple passes to break off all the high spots and contamination. Recently bought the Sharpal you recommended and there were none, no faults found.
Tungsten is soft. You mean tungsten carbide? Even that should lose against the diamond. It wont do anything against a large diamonds that are deep. I've lapped a ceramic tile and a carborundum stone with cheap diamond plates. They are kinda dull and smooth now and they still have these problematic spots leaving extra scratches on glass and steel
I was using my Sharpal again today, to reprofile a plane iron, and once again I just loved it - it's superb value. I've seen no sign of any grit contamination on the 1200 side.
The one I picked up is still crushing it as well.
My Jeweler's Loupe just arrived today. Looking forward to getting a good look when I'm not sure how well I'm doing on these steak knives I've been practicing on.
Nice review! I guess those diamond clusters are the ultra sharp part lol
Very!
The SATC is actually my most used stone. Its a great stone for practicing on which makes it my go to. I do really like the sharpal but to i like the idea of preserving it for when i get better. But the SATC can definitely bring all my knives to at least shaving sharp.
You'd have to do a hell of a lot of sharpening -- more than you're ever likely to do in real life -- to get any wear on your Sharpal. It cuts incredibly fast. Even after hundreds of knives, I'd be surprised to see any wear. I keep my cheapo diamond for flattening my whetstones.
@@twatmunro good to know. I'll have to start using it more. I actually want to get another one because the one I have is the 6" and id like to have the 8" too
@twatmunro I used mine to flatten the bevel on my Japanese yanagi and in one session I darn near wore it out.
Ok I was worried I just got a bad one. I got the 3k grit and it has so damn much contamination it may as well be 600 grit. Guess I'll be returning this stone, now the fun part is finding a diamond stone higher than 2k grit that doesn't cost well over $100
Thank you. This video helped me decide to finally drop a dime on your 8”Sharpal recommendation. I’m so cheap it’s painful to spend that much on sharpening my $60 kitchen knife set, but I need to make a video comparing it to the cheapo option of sandpaper and denim with green rouge. For the edification of the masses. Unless you get to that comparison first… 😊
These are the stones Jarad Neeve recommends for budget diamond stones. I have a set of the 8x3 ones from them, and they've done me fine, but then I only use them on my fixed blades. I have Venev resin bonded stones for my more higher end folders, or anything where a nice looking edge matters more to me than on a large chopper or bushcraft knife that's just going to do mostly wood processing.
I have the same 8x3” set as well from two years ago, bought based solely on Jarad’s recommendation, and also have had no problems. I have sharpened both folders and fixed blades on them.
I just got a TSPROF pro though, so need to find some good stones for that, better than the standard just OK Russian ones it came with.
Just got the Sharpal 3x8” double sided whetstone and I love it. So consistent and fun to use. Like a new Cadillac. Love the extra surface area too.
I picked up the Sharpal after watching your review am very happy with it.
I haven't inspected it with a microscope but it doesn't feel like there's any contamination on the 1000 grit side.
Thanks for your continued quality content. Kinda miss the older, sillier days but you do you.
I just ordered the Sharpal! Thanx for the review. Unfortunately, I forgot to use your link. As a compensation, I joined your channel as a member. Good luck with the channel and try to ignore the haters. You are a good man doing a great job.
Thanks for the support my friend 🙏
Just wanted to say that after weeks of considering it, I finally ordered the sharpal and a 6 micron paste + leather to make my own strop, a week ago. The case/stone holder was also a reason why I went with the sharpal over the SATC, so it definetly does add value as mentioned in the video (if you don't have one already, I suppose)
I also already tried my hand at sharpening my first few knives with the setup, but let me tell you, you make it seem so much easier than it feels when doing it on my own and I have a really hard time getting that burr off my edge >:(
Thanks for the recommendations and motivation.
Hope you're having a good day
You said it all
Are you using gummy, soft stainless steel? Stuff can be practically impossible to de burr sometimes. That's where water stones come in though. Diamonds just cut so aggressively you have to be really on point with your angles and pressure if you want to successfully minimize the burr on it. He makes it look easy but it's not
They have a 100% guarantee. You should see if they will replace them. I have a set of the bigger plates and mine don't have any contamination.
I also got the Sharpal from your recommendation and love it. It's a really good value.
I have 3 of the Sharpal stones (8x3”) the smaller one and the portable ’field’ sharpener. All 3 seem to be free of contamination and seem to be perfectly evenly coated.
I've owned the of the Sharpal six inch coarse/fine double -sided diamond stones. I bought all from a VERY WELL KNOWN online marketplace. The first, about six years ago, and it was pretty friggin' awesome. The next two I bought about the years and two years ago. Both of those still worked pretty well, but had very slight elevated strips, about a millimeter wide, down nearly the entire length of the metal plate, on both sides. They were perfectly smooth. No diamond at all. So, they still sharpened OK, but not as well as my very first one.
I'm going to give them another try, thanks to your review. It's possible I just got a bad run. Both times I got the kinda crappy ones, I purchased from the same dealer. So, they could very well have bought both at the same time, and I just got a couple of their lemons. That happens. The first was was good enough, that I'll gladly give them another try.
"No diamond at all"? So completely worthless, and doesn't sharpen, then?
I took your advice ang bought the SSATC stone on amazon. It was delivered today. I paid Canadian $19.19. That comes to US $14.06. It came in a chic plastic box with a clear cover and which has rubber feet and so it can be used as a sharpening stand. The whole thing was in a solid corrugated cardboard box which can be used to store it, and preserve the plastic box if one is OCD about such things. The price goes up and down on amazon depending on the position of the planets or maybe the phase of the moon.
I bought the same stone for CAN $19.19 and got exactly the item inside the same box as you described. Turned out I was scammed by the seller: that's not an S SATC diamond stone (8''x3", with a steel core between the 2 plates). The one I got is only 6"x2.5", and is very light because the 2 plates are held together by some black plastic. The plates look like any other cheap Chinese diamond stone plate which sells for $7 or $8 each. So I'm contacting the seller and asking for a refund.
Another buyer named steve also posted his one-star-rated comment on Amazon about receiving the 6"x2.5" stone with black plastic core.
@@tuannguyen-fd1xr Thank you for pointing this out. The stone just arrived today and I hadn't looked closely enough at it. You're right. This sure feels like a bait and switch. This item is now selling for $39.00
@@r.duroucher225 You're welcome! Amazon just sent me an email saying they'll give me a full refund, and I got to keep the "fake" stone with a nice plastic base, even before the seller responds to me. I guess we're not the only buyers of this suspiciously low-priced item, and Amazon is aware of this.
This is exactly the reason I don't recommend these stones! I've had a set of the 2x6 and 3x8 and both sets had severe grit contamination along with spots that was built up higher than every where else. The med and fine of both sizes was totally unusable for me because customers expect top quality edges from me and these just aren't capable of producing consistent scratch patterns. The course stones was fine and I still use them from time to time but that's it. For the money the 2x6 set costs I tell people just spend an extra ten bucks and get the 2x6 inch Trend 300/1000 plate and have a top quality diamond plate that will perform very well and last a long time. I steer people away from these plates almost daily when they ask me my opinion and I'm really glad you made this video because now I have a video that I can direct them to so they can see WHY I tell them avoid them because they aren't a good value. A simple 320 and 1000 kuromaku would suit them great as well but most of them are strictly wanting diamond to start and in some cases I agree with their logic based on their needs. I have always been one that recommends the kuromaku 320 and 1000 as a starter stone set for someone that really wants to learn to sharpen. The guys that want to start on diamond plates if they are looking at the 2x6 size Trend is the way I send them but not in the 3x8 size because I don't like the cross hatch patten on the larger stones from Trend and in that case normally just tell them spend 100-110 bucks and get an atoma 400 and 1200 along with 2 strops and my 6 and 1 micron diamond emulsion and that will totally take care of their needs for well under 200 bucks all in.
Industrial quick sharpeners have a way longer hole with thin iron rods in a v shape. When you pull your knife through the rods in the hole, they bend downwards the more you push down. Having worked in an abattoir it does make a short term difference to the feel of the knife. But its still going to dull over time after a day of work, so theres proper hired knife sharpeners where you return the knives before you go home. Always keep your knives sharp, it saves you a lot of wrist- and shoulder pains when you don't have to use force to cut through something.
Another happy customer with the Sharpal.
I copped the 2x6 version of that sharpal stone for 45 bucks, and I have to echo your praise for it. The grits seem perfectly consistent on mine as well and it's made learning to freehand sharpen a breeze, even on the less ideal size.
I bought these in a set of three 3x8” stones two years ago for about $130 as I recall, and they seem to be doing a great job for me.
Perhaps I don’t know what to look for, or am not as much of an expert sharpener as you, but I’ve had no problems with knives from D2 to S90V to 20CV/M390. I agree the middle grit stone is less than necessary.
If I had it to do again rather than spending the current $138 for this set of three I’d probably go with that double-sided Sharpal you show there for $70. I might get that anyway actually as it seems like a useful size and very good quality.
Anyway, now I’m going to sharpen a knife AND take a look at the surface of those 3x8 stones with a 10 or 15x loupe, LOL!
Thanks for the interesting video! 👍
On your recommendation I bought the Sharpal and also the Shapton and so far I can't fault them. Only being 3 months into learning these stones are by far my favourites of what I have and worth the money.
I've used 4 sets of these stones, including a set of the larger 8×3 stones. I've had only one spot of contamination, and it was on the larger 600 grit stone. This problem was solved by using a very small flat tip punch and a hammer. Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Have a knife day. 😁
Thanks Alex, awesome content as always!
I really look forward to your videos every week.
Love it!
Thanks!
Just picked up a new budget 2x6 combo stone that's popped up on Amazon and Temu. 320/1200 on a dense black plastic plate with case. Usually $15, but saw it on sale for $9.99 and it's using mono diamonds so I had to try it. A couple reviews mention it, but mine had no noticeable grit contamination after my usual quick 5 minute break in with a big junk chisel. Both grits are right on and they just keep getting better with every use. Which is the opposite from most ultra cheap diamond stones. Very impressed so far, it's performed as good as the Sharpal it's copying.
Would be cool to see it tested. I'd put the Amazon link here , but it'll just get deleted.
Bought the sharpal and its incredible!
I love my Spyderco ceramic whet stone in fine grit. It really gives my high-dollar knives shaving-sharp edges.
You’re always gonna get the 👍from me, it’s so thoroughly researched -good sh_t …..
This was super surprising to me. I bought one dmt and rwo ultra sharps off of your prior recommendations and the DMT has crazy contamination but both the 600 and 1200 ultra sharps are unbleievablely smooth
I agree it's weird. I hope the manufacturers can get some consistency. Its like playing the lottery 🫤
Does manufacturer know this issue or are these QC rejected items sold under different brand. Is contamination problem with known widely available brands like Work sharp, Smith's etc.
@OUTDOORS55 I didn't buy the ultra sharps from Amazon, but i did buy the DMT from there. do you think there could be something sketchy happening with distributors?
the sharpal 325/1200 is incredible...i almost bought these thinking they would be comparable, glad i went with the sharpal...i'm getting some killer edges finally...mine was 44 when i bought it...
You probably bought the 6" one instead of the 8". I did the same, thinking it was on sale.
@@monkpato yep sure is, i didnt even realize there was a different size haha...this one is perfect though
my only problem with your videos is, they are always to short :D
Thank you very much for sharing so much wisdom
could you please make a video about diamond pastes?
like cheap vs expensive diamond paste
some claim to have more diamonds, but is it true?
are they consistent?
and why is less diamond paste on a strop more?
wouldn't more be better so more diamonds cut?
I put more so I feel satisfied
But not sure if there's a real difference
First time I managed to get hair shaving results on a 600grit cheap diamond stone (straight from the stone)
I was like damn, I managed to do that because of that "RUclips guy"
Thank you!
Nice video as always, you have to flatten your shapton pro 1000 it will work much better, the surface of the shapton stones arent ideal when they come from the factory, if you flatten it with an atoma 140 of with 120-180 grit silicon carbide powder it wil work even better
I was so excited to order a 3000 grit stone from these guys, since it was the only 3000 diamond stone that I found. However, when it arrived, it was a 2000 grit. I know I could send it back, exchange, etc, but I was really disappointed.
Hi, thank you I shifted to diamond stones, the Sharpal is amazing, I think I will stick to it. Ah, second link on Option 2 points me to prime video.
so i guess this is something we just disagree on which is gonna happen, i personally like the ultra sharps, 3 plates 3x8 for 138$ is a great value, and i typically dont worry about grit contaimination unless its very fine stones and i think the 600 grit is nec and better than the 1200 as the 1200 wear out like 3 x as fast as the 600 from my experience. the other very very cheap ones only have half the diamond since they have the sections that dont have diamond which is fine if you are on a super tight budget but usually i say to go with ones that are completely coated. also these stones like a lot of others break in and a lot of those larger diamonds break off after a few sharpenings from my experience however its been a while since i used the 2x6
I could have just gotten a bad batch. The 600 for me is unusable. Those giant spots just tear things up. I think all manufacturers have some contamination here and there except for the atomas. They seem to be the best period but are a touch more expensive. I guess it just depends on what's acceptable to you. 👍
@@OUTDOORS55 i think if yoiu use it or condition it it will break in rather quickly,. new they are more aggressive than normal but break into the grit
Oh snap! I was actually eyeballing some brands and was between Sharpal, UltraSharp, another Trend or another DMT.
I have an oldschool DMT red fine thats lasted forever and i can feel they arent as well made as before 😢(bought a DuoSharp and it dulled really fast). Dont know about the Trends.
Winner is Sharpal then. Thank you!
The Shapton orange 1000 stone is splash & go, but the pamphlet it comes with says to give it an initial 5 minute soak the very first time you get your hands on it. After that, use it as a splash & go. Not sure if anyone cares or thinks that matters much, but hey, I'm just listening to the creators instructions. I'm assuming it's to soak up water to relieve any dryness & stress from the manufacturing process of the stone? Who knows. It's all in Japanese & I had to translate it.
i bought a $20 dollar stone you recommended. it works great!!! i have not made a strap yet, that's next. im going with your recommendation there as well.
A few years ago you could grab the Shapton Ha No Kuromaku 1k for $35 actually. And I did...2 actually because I thought that was an insane price for such a useful stone
Alex, great review. 👍🏼 How about a video on the stages of sharpening and how much time you should reasonably spend with each one average.
AND, the distinction between Profiling and Sharpening would be helpful for us newbies. Thanks❣️
Oh! Loved the outro Trailer Music. 🤌🏼
I have the 8x3"s.and have had no problems . Did take a while to.break in
I can't wait for the brick review
That's what I'm saying!
Great video as always.
I have the 8x3 set of these along with their 400/1000 stone combination stone
Now they've worked fine only got them because they have a lifetime warranty and so far they've been good
They came with a adjustable stone holder and they are basically my beater stones.
I've haven't needed to use the life time warranty but i am hopeful they'll honor it.
But too each their own.
Wow, thanks for the update. My 4 year old ultrasharp plates definitely seem much better than this. I honestly can't remember their specs but they came with a rubber stand and were slightly more expensive. Maybe 140 for 300,600,1200 grit. Used heavily for those years without any obvious deformity. Goes to show you quality isn't time proof. Will not be recommending these in the future. I got lucky
Could you do a video on how to apply pressure onto a knife while sharpening, I got the sharpal diamond stone that you said is a unicorn stone, but since I'm learning, I think I have applied to much pressure while sharpening, I also may have been applying uneven pressure because I wore out the edges of the stone completely bare within 2 weeks of having it. I'm not sure if it's me or the stone, but I feel that you could make a great video explaining this topic for anyone learning how to sharpen knives, maybe showing pressure using audio and how it should sound when using the right pressure.
Hi Alex, you are amazing!!! How are you? I have recently approached the practice of sharpening knives, but I realize that it is becoming an addiction. Unfortunately I am still far from obtaining satisfactory results but sooner or later I will succeed. Thank you for giving us your videos which are truly educational. I wanted to ask you, regarding the cheap magnifying glass you recommended, if you have tried something better without spending too much money. Thanks, best regards Massimo.
Hi Alex can you make a video about fallkniven dc4 and dc521 ? Maybe talk about "baby Travel stones" to use on the go ?
I use these a lot I've never seen that bad of blemishes, 3x6 are ok but 3 x 8 is better. The worksharp bench pivot system with the 320, 600, and ceramic place also can buy replacements for the bench pivot system It is very good for beginners and professionals for about $50 worth it. imo
Great video Alex, I've mentioned this before and I'll continue to do so but I'd love to see you do a sharpening video using a multiple strop progression with diamond compounds, the compounds are out there and I think you're the kind of person that would know how to make it work. Anyway best wishes from here in the UK.
I enjoy the stropping part of knife sharpening. I probably enjoy it too much. I just kind of zen out while going through my stropping progression. So much so that some times, by the time I’m done, I’ve stropped the knife 50-60 times on three different grits. Is this counter-productive?
Hey man. Thanks for the great content. I've seen a video from a french guy where he shows high end collector 's knives. Some very beautiful stuff but that's beside the point. At one point he says that one of the advantages of damascus steel is that because it is made of two steels, you get uneven wear thus leaving you you with a toothy edge that "cuts better when dull" than a regular steel. I've never heard this elsewhere so it's probably BS but there is some kind of logic behind this so i found this interesting. What do you think about it ?
Very nice review, something you mentioned I think you could reconsider, the grit accuracy of the shapton 1000 is possibly questionable. Check out "knives and stones" video about comparing multiple 1000 grit Japanese stones from naniwa, king, suihiro and shapton. Under a microscope, the shapton leaves considrably coarser scratch pattern compared to the rest. In a hind sight, this is all pedantic since the stone is remarkable nonetheless, but for what it's worth, some ppl say the entire grit system is not properly standarized.
If I remember correctly, these are not supposed to be good out of the box. They recommend a break in period in the instructions, I assume to get rid of the contaminates before your put any good steel to them. I have the 2x6 and 3x8 inch sizes and have had good success with them.
thanks for the honest review, in your opinion what are the best stones on the market period, we look at all this cheap stuff what about the high end stones
I picked up the Sharpal on your recommendation. It turned out to be an excellent choice.
Thank you!!!
I have some ultra sharps and there are no plating clusters on mine. I do see some deep scratches off the 1200 so I would suspect grit contamination though.
Would you mind giving the magnification level for your different shots? I want to know what I need to check for grit contamination on my Ultrasharp. Thank you!
we need another recommendation on stropping compound PLZ. The one on the list is unavailable.
Testing request: if you are not going to use them, it would be interesting to see what happens if you try to flatten the 600 and 1200 grid stones with each other.
Would they become flatter or just get totally ruined?
Thanks for your video's because of them I have bought a couple of reasonably priced sharpening stones that will probably last me out
I bought these stones and use them for my plane blades. Never had a problem. I wonder if you received a bad batch.?
My japanese planes and Lee Valley plane glide through wood like butter.
I guess you could still use those to give a brick a nice flat side, that can be used for sharpening.
I had grit contamination and “blobbing” on DMT plates, in the past. Many years ago, now, but still.
That’s why I buy Atoma plates.
I just bought the Sharpal 325/1000 pair and I'm just learning how to use it. Unfortunately, the lid of the box interferes with sharpening when you use the rubber bottom of the box to keep it from sliding. Isn't that how it was intended? I'm trying to find a substitute for the box bottom. Or I may find a way to push the pin out of the hinge so I can remove the lid. Still, this is not the way the box is supposed to be used. Still not paper sharp, but as I said, practice.
I must have gotten lucky with my purchase of the 600 and 1200 UltraSharp stones. They exhibit none of the problems that Alex has with his. Bad QC is probably the culprit. Alex, those stones supposedly have a guarantee...you might want to exercise the option to return them.
Hey, can you make a video on stones/compounds from aliexpress? It's quite interesting if they actually have good stuff there
Informative and entertaining as always! Thank you.
Thanks for these honest, educational reviews. Will you be reviewing Nanohone stones in the future?
i ordered the Sharpal stone yesterday and some DMTs Dia paste but i went with the 6"x2.5" stone since the paste was 45€ and i only have a limited budget also i have to still get some needle files for some other projects this month.
its painful when i have so little money and so much different stuff to get so i have to space out all the plans and it takes ages to fill my tool collection >_<
especially when i have to do unexpected PC upgrades or repairs when old parts die etc
Great. Now my Sharpal 162N will be back ordered even longer. /s
Value for money reviewers are great 👌🏻
I wish I would have seen this before I purchased these stones.
Sharpening ASMR! Thank you!
The only Ultrasharp I have is the 3000 grit, and it's actually pretty good. No contamination that I can detect.
Have you tested stropping with toothpaste? I wonder if it's viable especially for toothpaste on the higher side of the abrasive scale.
Can you make a video about cleaning your stones? Are you even supposed to clean your sharpal stone for example, if you have it contaminated with left over steel from sharpening knives?
Yes, this. ⬆️
Great topic for a video. 👍🏼
That would be good. The tips I've found, is first wiping it with some paper towels (or toilet paper), secondly using a polymer eraser to get rid of remaining swarf (a regular white pencil eraser is fine) and lastly, if that doesn't work, use soapy water and scrub with a brush. Also, if you use water or oil whilst sharpening (which is optional), the liquid is supposed to help keep the swarf from sticking to the plate in the first place. (and dry it after any contact with water, obviously)
Just out of curiosity, what are your thoughts on stropping kits? They're like what you once suggested about a homemade strop - buying a roll of leather and applying your own compound to it. It's that but sold altogether in a smaller kit.
e.g. the Beavercraft ones for like $9. Are they actually good?
I got this exact set of stones and my knives sharpened up fast but yeah they are covered in ugly scratches now. Wish I had saved my money.
Excellent information given, thanks for the video.
Gotta say the Sharpal stone is pretty great.
What about the Atoma's? Jerad seems to like these and I'm curious about your opinion.
Ive done a review on one they are great just a little pricey 👍
That last zoom in on the grit contamination was dreadful. 😆
when it comes to grit contamination - are the larger diamond chunks more likely to get lopped off over time as part of the break in period?
These were broken in. I take everything though a set break in before using. All in all these had about 20 or so sharpenings after break in. These inclusions definitely won't come out since they are part of the plating.
@@OUTDOORS55 what about those of us that prefer our knives to have random large scratches on the blade? did you think about us?
I tried these and the contamination, while there, was definitely not as bad as this. Looks like a lack of consistency imo. I didn't want anyone to see this and think they're all this bad. And they do sharpen quite well. You get what you pay for sometimes. Also, a normal knife user will have a hard time wearing these out. 50 or so sharpenings of k390 at 63 hrc and there's no sign of wear. If anything, it's broken in. But it's not like I'm profiling hatchets nonstop.