Thanks for your tip on Sharpal diamond stone. Seems like a great price for what you get. I bought one. looks like it compares to Tr••d I own. If it lasts for a while then awesome.
You say that the stones feel coarser during the break-in. Do they actually cut coarser and give a coarser scratch pattern, or do they just feel kinda rough?
Disagree, paraffin or turps helps with getting the diamond to bite the steel. Chemical potentials between diamond and steel get modified by surfactant type interactions.
Can you make a video about the diamond compounds for stropping? Cheap vs expensive, grit sizes, emulsion vs paste, comparison on microscope vs green compound, etc
Been sharpening knives for 45+ yrs as part of my profession as a metal worker toolroom machinist and it wasn't until my son became a qualified chef that I appreciated the difference between sharp and properly sharp. Of all the RUclipsr's I've watch here in virtual reality, I find some of the most worthwhile information I've come across, thanks for laconic senses of humour, and making the subject approachable. Thanks T
I've been sharpening knives and axes for friends and family since the early 1990s. Seeing the SHARPAL recommendation I purchased one and have been using it for about a month now. What a great value the SHARPAL has been, I'm very pleased with its quality and performance for the price. Especially nice is the heavy duty storage case that doubles and a tool holder/base.
Great video as usual! I love my Snarpal 325X1200! The 325 is perfect for profiling new knives and flattening my waterstones. The 1200 side will sharpen an "almost sharp" knife in a few strokes, with a few more on hard leather and diamond paste to finish it off. I've had it 5 years, use it 3-4 times a month, and it's almost like new.
Dying for you to do a full test under the microscope of water vs honing fluid vs windex vs whatever else people say to use. I believe you, but there are a bunch of people that don’t and I’d like to see you show us what it takes to convince them.
@@vaguincolombia It’s on my wishlist, but haven’t bought one yet. Can you confirm if they say honing oil or honing fluid? I think there’s a difference but am not really sure, which is why I want him to do a deep microscopic dive.
For ski edging (which uses very similar diamond stones) I have always heard to use something like a 50/50 alcohol and water mix. Either ethanol or isopropyl alcohol.
@@PetesGuide The box says clearly "Honing oil". Honing oil is basically mineral oil USP grade which is for human usage and it is easy to clean with water and soap or if you want, you can use ODORLESS mineral spirits which is a more refined mineral spirits than the regular one with strong smell. Use the odorless mineral spirits with a toothbrush.
Wow, I think that's every question answered that Ive ever had. Truly timeless my friend. Hope you have a great time at blade show and a speedy recovery 💪
Help, I’ve got a problem. I started watching Alex’s channel so I could sharpen all of my pocket knives. But they’re sharp now. So I went through all my kitchen knives and now they’re all sharp, too. I’ve started buying knives on eBay and I realized my primary reason for buying them is to sharpen them. Where does it stop?!? I’m sure my wife would like to know, too.
@@intensecutn thank you but that was not the stone I wanted and bought. the sharpal stone I bought came w a base/case that he didn't mention. I'm glad you're happy w your purchase.
everyone should just start with the sharpal 325/1200....there literally no reason to try anything else haha...for first timers to moderate, it's just awesome....i tried a few other janky stones of different types and had a lot of trouble getting good edges...I complained in many a video of yours haha...then the sharpal happened and my legs look like i have mange(from testing my edges and they all shave now lol)...I would like to know your advice on the next "finishing" type stone...or is an emulsion/strop progression the next best finishing step?
Sharpal 325 at 10dps. Sharpal 1200 at 15dps, light alternating passes, 0.1mm bevel size. Then light alternating passes, on a strop of your choice with 1um diamond compound. 20 or 30 passes should be enough. (And i prefer long strops.) The angle change makes EXTREMLY fast touchups, due to the low volume of steel to remove for a given edge damage depth. Also it has better cutting ability due to the stability of 15dps only being where its actually needed and the 10dps after that wedges less. Try it and you will never look back.
Gotta say......i made the mistakes of pull through sharpeners, the cheap shitty amazon blue/white whetstone, then i found this channel!! Bought the sharpal and couldn't be happier! So glad i bought it and found the channel!! Much love from the uk!!!
In the comments under the video, the author says that SHARPAL stones will last for many years, but the comments of buyers on Amazon say that they are enough for several months at best. What can you say about this?
I have used water to lift grindings with my diamond stone for years sharpening multiple kitchen cutlery a couple of times a week. I have never seen any rust. I always wash the stone with hot tap water, towel dry it and let it finish drying on its own because it is hot. It is nickel based. I wonder if the rust others are seeing is actually rusted particles from the knives.... ?
Cleaning diamond stones - I use WD40 some times if they are heavily contaminated . Then wipe down with clean paper towel . If yours are aluminium plate , you can wash them ( soapy water ) .. All my diamond is on aluminium plate and I have had no issues over several years now . ( washing them ) .
Everyone here go check out stay sharp and innovative outdoorsman youtube channel (same person). Their method of cleaning diamond stones involves packing tape and pressure. I endorse that cleaning method for diamond stones wholeheartedly, though I now want to try the rubber eraser method in this video.
I second this, go check out the vid, it’s super informative. video is called “stay sharp plate usage”. Both vids contain excellent tips, & they both sharpen on dry stones. @Silbar89 appreciate the recommendation. 🙏
I would very much appreciate if you could make a video on sharpening "gentelmans knives" like CRKT CEO, Boker Kaizen/Nori/Kwaiken Air etc. I find them challenging due to the height of the blade being very minimalistic. I'm qurious if you have any tips specific to this type of knife.
I wish you would review The Smiths 400 - 1,000 Grit, because it's supposed to be two stones bonded in plastic to keep grit contamination from happening. Also, is not having the diamond paste for the strop keeping me from getting hair splitting results?
I very recently got into knife sharpening and your videos definitely helped, and I quickly got to sharpening to a shaving edge. I don't have a strop yet but I will get one soon. That said, money was a bit of an issue for me, so I ended up going with a locally available cheaper option than the sharpal ("sharpi" 600/1000, about half the price) - so far it does work but it almost certainly isn't nearly as good as the sharpal. It definitely seems to wear out around the edges pretty much during break in, so no recurve sharpening. If/when this one wears out, the next thing I get will definitely be sharpal though. Unfortunately, the S SATC stone isn't available locally and shipping costs kill it as an option (this is the one thing I hate about product recommendations on youtube - almost none of it applies to my country because shipping from amazon is often more than the cost of the item being shipped, and a lot of it just isn't available in my country)
I think other stone technology has progressed since then. I think it really depends on your budget as well. I like plated diamond stones for a cheap alternative.
@@OUTDOORS55 tbh I got it half because of your recommendation and half because I wanted the stuff on the sharpmaker but bigger, and it has not disappointed yet. Even got the fine. Got the sharpal too, before I saw your video on it. Also good stuff, got lucky with that one, didn't expect much for that price! 👍
Great video! After watching the review video of the Sharpal I caved and bought one. So far I've only done a few knives with it but I'm favorably impressed. My feeling based on a few uses is that the Sharpal's 325 side is slower/less aggressive than the Atoma 400 or even the S SATC coarse but this may change as I get more time on it. What I wasn't prepared for was just how great the case would be! OD55 kind of undersold it IMO. It's fairly substantial and well made. The bottom is very nicely rubberized and doesn't budge a bit, and the case is thick enough that there's plenty of knuckle clearance to use the stone. It's really shocking that this combo stone is still $70!
Agree that the case is a real selling point. It provides an excellent working surface. Its sturdy. It does not move around. And it stores the stone. And the cardboard box it came in has room for a strop, the bottle of compound. Its all good.
Hi Alex, I would love to know your views on scalpels as to what mskes them so sharp and if they are sharper than the knives you've sharpened. Also, please provide your views on blade sharpness testers. Much love from Canada ❤
I got to use a lubricant with my diamonds. usually water and dish soap. Friction at the apex is a thing with dry abrasives (less than micron thicc, thermal dynamics is the law) . Also metal and diamond dust gets into your lungs, since your nose is right above the grind stone. Just spray some dw40 after, its formulated to displace water and protect against rust. You are going to get contradicting views while giving sharpening advice, dont let your ego take over, its how we learn. I bugged cliff stamp as well (rip). Nylon brush can also clean the diamonds and they last forever. Rubber also releases dust, that you inhale, since your nose is at the grind stone
Can you do a video on victorinox. Maybe the steel they use for their knives or just your opinion on swiss army knives in general. Also leatherman's and other multi tools. 😊
Hey, I don’t know if you noticed, but SHARPAL just dropped a new diamond plate 167H. It looks exactly like the one you mentioned, but without the plastic box. At $45 it might be even better offer 😁
I use 2” pencil erasers. They do really a good job. They do a good job on Spyderco ceramics as well. Diamond Abrasives I like are ATOMA # 140, 400, 600, 1200; DMT in F, XF, XXF They last a long time. I also really like the Shapton DGLP for Waterstones; it’s expensive, sure, but it’s great for flattening. It will last many many years and maybe even a couple of decades as I don’t use it on stones under JIS 1000. For that I use ATOMA 140
Have you ever heard of or tried the MPOWER Tools diamond stone sets? They have different sets and I see Stumpy Nubs likes those a lot, and they seem practical,so if they're good, it might be a good deal.
Hi, can you explain in detail how to sharpen kitchen knife? I don't talk about those staight 1 dolar kitchen knife you show, I'm talking about curved kitchen knife. I know that "keeping angle" is most important but if you keep angle on straight part of knife and move your body, then, at least for me, on curved part knife just doesn't touch sharpening stone. I saw some short that said you need to move your elbow up and it helped a bit, but I would like to see your guide.
Thank you for the video. I bought the Sharpal diamond stone thanks to your review. The manufacturer claims that we can use honing oil so since honing oil is basically mineral oil, thats what im using to prevent rust mainly. I like to use mineral oil because i dont get that metal dust everywhere and i think the stone is easier to clean. To clean better a diamond stone simply use mineral spirits ODORLESS which is more refined than the regular one and stronger smell. Just use mineral spirits with a toothbrush and it will be super clean. For the most stubborn dirt, when the stone is dry the best option is a simple eraser.
Love the channel. Just put together diy sharpener that I've seen on YT. Was wondering if you could recommend a 1" x (4" or 6") diamond stone(s) to use in the sharpener. Maybe some of you other sharpening junkies could tell what small diamond stones have worked for you. These will be use on my diy sharpener, router bits, ....thanks
Why can’t you use oil on diamond stones? I’ve always used them dry or with water, but they do seem to cut better with water. Am I just imagining that? Does the Rehbinder effect apply to sharpening?
Atleast use honing oil, improves cutting and prevents diamond and steel dust in your lugs which is REALLY unhealthy... I like Sharpal and Atoma. DMT has extremly slow cutting (there is a study on this) and grit contamination.
I took your advice and bought the S SATC diamond stone and the sharpal angle guide you showed a while back. Delivered at the end of May, and now only a week and a half later, I've been able to bring my dull pocket knife back to life. I'm not really into collecting knives, just own a chef knife and a couple of pocket knives. I do like to maintain what I have. The S SATC stone is cheaper than a new knife. Thanks for saving me a ton of money in the future!
Hey Alex, I have a 320 grit diamond stone that has seen a lot of action. Looking at it with a loupe the diamonds look fuzzy. Is that because they are polycrystalline diamonds that are crumbling ? Thank you 🙏
Currently, on Amazon UK, the Sharpal is £59.99 and the Atoma is £68.99 😅 May as well shell out 9 extra quid for the better quality stone. Edit: ah but I see that the Atoma is only one sided and there is a smaller version of the Sharpal for 39.99. So ok, harder decision after all
After watching your review of the Sharpal Diamond sharpening stone I purchased the large 8"x3" So far I like it very much. I often use this sharpener dry but do occasionally use Trend Lapping Fluid. Will this Fluid cause issues over time? Also I clean the stone with mild hand soap and water but then dry it by pouring 90% rubbing alcohol on the stone to evaporate the water. I have only done this twice and as I am unsure if it will damage the stone or not. I do have Rubber erasers for my disc sander that might work well to clean the stone, but there again I am unsure of they will clog the stone. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
3 месяца назад+1
I want to thank you a lot for teaching people how to sharpen properly. I used to watch a lot of videos with fancy setups and really expensive sharpening material, I even bought a Work Sharp precision adjust but it felt like a chore to use. After your recomendations I bought the Sharpal stone and a strop and 4 micron diamond paste and was able to get hair popping sharp edges without even using angle guides.
You can use car window cleaner, won't rust. I've used them on my DMTs for years, wipe down after and zero rust. Not normal window cleaner - car window cleaner doesn't contain ammonia, which would cause rust and destroy the car's window tint film.
Hey pro, My knife won't get shaving sharp unless i strop it on a higher than the sharpening angle (Micro bevel using strop), why is that? Knife ain't pricy also the sharpening equipment, i just want to know the explanation of such thing out of your experience, Thanks.
Is it true that the diamonds can be ripped off the plating if you sharpen with too much pressure? Assuming a stone of reasonable quality (I have a Trend). Thanks.
What ~1000 grit diamond plates are there, without an issue with grit contamination? (that you can use, to then continue to 5k or more) Is the Atoma 1200 fine?
Hey, watched a few of your videos after it popped up on my feed, really informative stuff I never knew what a burr is before I saw one of your videos and I did hear about people using strops but I always thought it wasn't really necessary and it was only for people who wanted their knives to look shinier or something. I've been using a whetstone (1000 grit) for a couple years now after trying a honing steel and a pull through knife sharpener and basically seeing no results with either on actually getting a better edge (maybe a tiny bit with the pull through knife sharpener but nothing compared to the whetstone). With the whetstone I was able to get really sharp edges but they would only last a couple of weeks before getting dull, this makes so much more sense after I saw your videos about stropping and removing the burr, I ordered one on amazon for $30 I know that's not exactly what you recommend but I saw it get some good reviews and I'm looking forward to trying it out. I didn't really feel like spending north of $50 on a belt + compound + contact cement and most of the stuff you link doesn't even ship to my country lol. thanks for the informative videos. One question I do have (I'm sure you probably covered it in one of your videos, sorry) is does it matter which side you push/pull your knife with on the stone? I always use a backwards direction (edge trailing as you put in one of your videos) with my whetstone, should I use a forwards direction for better results? I see that's how you do it in your videos.
should've described better whats the best stone but electro plated, cuz if money no was object probably the supervitrified diamond stone would be way better
I wonder if the Atoma 400 isn’t to fine to start the sharpening. I want to buy diamond stones to go faster, now I start on a 300 King stone. Thanks for the video 💪
I wash with tap water. At the end I use extremely hot tap water to heat the stone, I cant even hold it. It self dries thoroughly in seconds being so hot
Thank God for your channel. I had only a pull through sharpener, which was crap (holes in blade edges etc). I decided after years of struggling with bad kitchen knives it's time to up my game. But where to start. I watched some Knifedge videos, and was going to go with a starter pack, but I KNOW my knives are extremely dull and many likely need to be profiled. So, I'm going to try the Sharpal set to get started. One question, would you recommend the Shapton K0702 Blade, 1000, Orange to finish the edge better, then strop? Or would I be going backward if the Sharpal 1250 actually works ok? To be clear, I'm mostly using North American kitchen knives (Henkel, etc) so no need to get into the really high grits at this time.
I've noticed that when people use diamond stones they typically stop at 1000 grit, maybe 1200, but when people use regular non-diamond whetstones, 1000 grit is just the beginning, and they go up to 5000, 8000 or even 12,000. What's with the discrepancy? Do diamond stones simply leave a more fine & polished edge at lower grits than whetstones? Would that mean they're using different grit values? 1000 grit diamond isn't equivalent to a regular 1000 grit whetstone, but closer to 2000 or 3000, or something? Maybe weird or dumb question, but it's something I've noticed & I'm still learning how all of this works.
More great content. Thanks. I am fond of using diluted 10:1 APC or Windex on my large diamond plates (DMT usually). Sometimes WD40. blades slide noticeably more smoothly, and make a bit less noise (think chalk board fingers). I get you on the rust on some plates, however. I think my Trend plates suffered from this issue. Q: What do you think about diamond plate use for flattening other stones, like the Shapton 1K and 4K?
I bought one of the Sharpal stones when you did that review and have been happy with it, but I would like to get something to go further with. I was looking at the Shapton 2000 Grit Ceramic (Green) Water Stone you posted the link for. Is that a good next step for me, or should I consider something else? Also, what should I look at for the steps after that? Shapton 5000? And do you have any videos on dressing those Shapton water stones? Is it necessary? Thanks!
Have you had the chance to try a Dianova stone? It's a small Swedish make, so might be hard to find in the US. I have a small hand-style sharpener (300/600 grit) from them that I've been quite happy with, it's nice and flat, and the grit seems even. But I was looking for a bench stone that isn't the ultra-cheap oval-holed plate on plastic (I have one of those from Lidl, which is pretty good for what it is, but not quite as flat as I'd like). Then I remembered the Dianova, and found out they make decent sized 300/600 grit lap stone called "Önne", for under $50(!), so I figured it's worth a shot. Seems to be plastic core, but as long as the plates aren't super thin, it'll hopefully be quite flat. (They also make a 1200/strop version, but I wanted it mainly for shaping chisels and plane blades.) It's currently in the mail, so haven't been able to test it yet. (Their site is currently "under construction" which is slightly unnerving since I haven't got the delivery yet, but I figure it's just a website update hopefully. They've been around quite a while, so I don't think they're going away.) No affiliation, apart from being a Swede :)
You drove me into freehand sharpening, and I ordered the Sharpal to get into this new addiction. What's your thoughts about the Trend 8x3 300/1000? Some woodworkers seem to swear by them, they seem to be high quality and not too expensive.
I don't know if you or anyone else in the comments can help me with this, but I have something I've been wondering about: why can't I get a knife sharp using a normal stone, but I CAN sharpen quite well on diamond stones? I've tried a cheap hardware store oil stone as well as a King KW65 1000/6000 stone and whenever I use either the knife ends up with what feels like a dull rounded edge. On my Atoma 600 and DMT 1200 diamond stones I can get hair shaving/paper slicing sharp consistently. I usually use the same technique with either. I do continuous edge leading and trailing strokes back and forth along the whole edge until I get a burr, flip to the other side and repeat and then move up grits and do the same. At the end I do light alternating passes and then strop on leather with green honing compound. Could I be using too much pressure for the whetstones? Or should I stick to only trailing or only leading strokes? I never feel the edge digging in, but could I be cutting into the stone or something without realizing it? I'd like to try other ceramic stones but I feel like I'd be wasting my money until I can figure out why I can only get a sharp edge on diamonds.
Hi. Question, are diamond stones available above 1200 grit. I remember hearing they can not. So I am suspicious of the ones on amazon. Can you confirm or elaborate on diamond stones above 1200 grit ?
That's hard to answer. It's kind of like asking what kind of tires you need for your car. It would depend on what you were trying to do with it. I would say a general good recommendation is 220-320 grit is good for the vast majority of users.
Anyone else so hooked on this channels videos that they don't even care what the topic is about anymore they just want more videos?
Haha thanks for the kind words 🙏👍
Yep, I like his no nonsense presentation style and I’ve yet to see a duff vid from him.
The one and a half hour road trip video was downright therapeutic
HOWEVER... I would like to see some more knife making videos again... in good time, when Alex is feeling better and able to do so.
I have actually put on his entire playlist before while I'm at work and just let it play. The things I've learned from Alex are remarkable.
Thanks for your tip on Sharpal diamond stone. Seems like a great price for what you get. I bought one. looks like it compares to Tr••d I own. If it lasts for a while then awesome.
do I need higher grit for actual sharpness or is it mostly for aesthetics?
You say that the stones feel coarser during the break-in. Do they actually cut coarser and give a coarser scratch pattern, or do they just feel kinda rough?
Good info
Disagree, paraffin or turps helps with getting the diamond to bite the steel. Chemical potentials between diamond and steel get modified by surfactant type interactions.
Can you make a video about the diamond compounds for stropping? Cheap vs expensive, grit sizes, emulsion vs paste, comparison on microscope vs green compound, etc
Been sharpening knives for 45+ yrs as part of my profession as a metal worker toolroom machinist and it wasn't until my son became a qualified chef that I appreciated the difference between sharp and properly sharp. Of all the RUclipsr's I've watch here in virtual reality, I find some of the most worthwhile information I've come across, thanks for laconic senses of humour, and making the subject approachable. Thanks T
Hi, i used a pull through almost exclusively for almost ten years. You got me hand-sharpening again, on a piece of brick 🤣
Good upgrade
@@mikejake6360 for real, I'm getting better by the day. 😉
Lol. I like to strop on cardboard or the frosted top of my car window
@@zacharysherry2910 Not kidding, I was thinking of carboard with campfire ashes for strop + compound. You think we got a goldmine selling those ? 😁
Thanks for the Info! A before & after of a sharp knife through a dishwasher cycle would be interesting under the scope.
I was just going to ask about that! :)
Indeed! Outdoors55, can you do that in the future please?
Ooo that's a good one since I frequently just toss my kitchen knives in the dishwasher.
I feel like you are the “project farm” of the knife community
Exactly! We need a collab!
Friend, that is an excellent idea. @@nazgu1
I'd buy that
I've been sharpening knives and axes for friends and family since the early 1990s.
Seeing the SHARPAL recommendation I purchased one and have been using it for about a month now.
What a great value the SHARPAL has been, I'm very pleased with its quality and performance for the price.
Especially nice is the heavy duty storage case that doubles and a tool holder/base.
Great video as usual! I love my Snarpal 325X1200! The 325 is perfect for profiling new knives and flattening my waterstones. The 1200 side will sharpen an "almost sharp" knife in a few strokes, with a few more on hard leather and diamond paste to finish it off. I've had it 5 years, use it 3-4 times a month, and it's almost like new.
Dying for you to do a full test under the microscope of water vs honing fluid vs windex vs whatever else people say to use. I believe you, but there are a bunch of people that don’t and I’d like to see you show us what it takes to convince them.
I bought the Sharpal diamond stone and the manufacturer doesnt recommend using water to sharpen, just honing oil as the unique option.
@@vaguincolombia It’s on my wishlist, but haven’t bought one yet. Can you confirm if they say honing oil or honing fluid? I think there’s a difference but am not really sure, which is why I want him to do a deep microscopic dive.
For ski edging (which uses very similar diamond stones) I have always heard to use something like a 50/50 alcohol and water mix. Either ethanol or isopropyl alcohol.
@@PetesGuide The box says clearly "Honing oil". Honing oil is basically mineral oil USP grade which is for human usage and it is easy to clean with water and soap or if you want, you can use ODORLESS mineral spirits which is a more refined mineral spirits than the regular one with strong smell. Use the odorless mineral spirits with a toothbrush.
You can add water with a little dish washing liquid, sewing machine oil? To the list 👍
Great stuff. That shirt is giving my wife and I some serious Star Trek vibes though.
Lol spock could make some seriously sharp knives 🖖
Wow, I think that's every question answered that Ive ever had. Truly timeless my friend. Hope you have a great time at blade show and a speedy recovery 💪
Awesome, thanks friend 🙏👍
Help, I’ve got a problem. I started watching Alex’s channel so I could sharpen all of my pocket knives. But they’re sharp now. So I went through all my kitchen knives and now they’re all sharp, too. I’ve started buying knives on eBay and I realized my primary reason for buying them is to sharpen them. Where does it stop?!? I’m sure my wife would like to know, too.
You need a brick 🧱 😉
Start selling the knives you've sharpened so you can recoup a bit of money.
@@OUTDOORS55😂😂😂😂😂
Sounds like you found a sidejob...
You forgot to mention in this video that an added value for the sharpal is it comes w a base/storage box and an angle "guide".
Same as many other no-name brands on eBay. I just picked up a 400/1000 diamond STONE with a base on ebay for $20AUD.
@@intensecutn thank you but that was not the stone I wanted and bought. the sharpal stone I bought came w a base/case that he didn't mention.
I'm glad you're happy w your purchase.
everyone should just start with the sharpal 325/1200....there literally no reason to try anything else haha...for first timers to moderate, it's just awesome....i tried a few other janky stones of different types and had a lot of trouble getting good edges...I complained in many a video of yours haha...then the sharpal happened and my legs look like i have mange(from testing my edges and they all shave now lol)...I would like to know your advice on the next "finishing" type stone...or is an emulsion/strop progression the next best finishing step?
Sharpal 325 at 10dps.
Sharpal 1200 at 15dps, light alternating passes, 0.1mm bevel size.
Then light alternating passes, on a strop of your choice with 1um diamond compound.
20 or 30 passes should be enough.
(And i prefer long strops.)
The angle change makes EXTREMLY fast touchups, due to the low volume of steel to remove for a given edge damage depth.
Also it has better cutting ability due to the stability of 15dps only being where its actually needed and the 10dps after that wedges less.
Try it and you will never look back.
Gotta say......i made the mistakes of pull through sharpeners, the cheap shitty amazon blue/white whetstone, then i found this channel!!
Bought the sharpal and couldn't be happier! So glad i bought it and found the channel!!
Much love from the uk!!!
Same here - Such an nice, compact solution.
Just used water with it, but will change this habit now too.
Send him a kiss.
💋💋💋
@@matandcat2506 Hahaha.
I bought the sharpal too. It’s great and all I need for a while.
What can the contaminated 1000 grit side of the S SATC diamond stone be used for? Is it just a slow 400 grit? Or completely useless?
In the comments under the video, the author says that SHARPAL stones will last for many years, but the comments of buyers on Amazon say that they are enough for several months at best. What can you say about this?
I have used water to lift grindings with my diamond stone for years sharpening multiple kitchen cutlery a couple of times a week. I have never seen any rust. I always wash the stone with hot tap water, towel dry it and let it finish drying on its own because it is hot. It is nickel based. I wonder if the rust others are seeing is actually rusted particles from the knives.... ?
Cleaning diamond stones - I use WD40 some times if they are heavily contaminated . Then wipe down with clean paper towel . If yours are aluminium plate , you can wash them ( soapy water ) .. All my diamond is on aluminium plate and I have had no issues over several years now . ( washing them ) .
Everyone here go check out stay sharp and innovative outdoorsman youtube channel (same person). Their method of cleaning diamond stones involves packing tape and pressure. I endorse that cleaning method for diamond stones wholeheartedly, though I now want to try the rubber eraser method in this video.
I second this, go check out the vid, it’s super informative. video is called “stay sharp plate usage”. Both vids contain excellent tips, & they both sharpen on dry stones. @Silbar89 appreciate the recommendation. 🙏
I would very much appreciate if you could make a video on sharpening "gentelmans knives" like CRKT CEO, Boker Kaizen/Nori/Kwaiken Air etc. I find them challenging due to the height of the blade being very minimalistic. I'm qurious if you have any tips specific to this type of knife.
I wish you would review The Smiths 400 - 1,000 Grit, because it's supposed to be two stones bonded in plastic to keep grit contamination from happening. Also, is not having the diamond paste for the strop keeping me from getting hair splitting results?
If the knife has the newer harder steel, the diamond is the way to go
I very recently got into knife sharpening and your videos definitely helped, and I quickly got to sharpening to a shaving edge. I don't have a strop yet but I will get one soon. That said, money was a bit of an issue for me, so I ended up going with a locally available cheaper option than the sharpal ("sharpi" 600/1000, about half the price) - so far it does work but it almost certainly isn't nearly as good as the sharpal. It definitely seems to wear out around the edges pretty much during break in, so no recurve sharpening. If/when this one wears out, the next thing I get will definitely be sharpal though. Unfortunately, the S SATC stone isn't available locally and shipping costs kill it as an option (this is the one thing I hate about product recommendations on youtube - almost none of it applies to my country because shipping from amazon is often more than the cost of the item being shipped, and a lot of it just isn't available in my country)
Hey! Do you still think the Spyderco medium bench stone is the last stone you'll ever need? :D
I think other stone technology has progressed since then. I think it really depends on your budget as well. I like plated diamond stones for a cheap alternative.
@@OUTDOORS55 tbh I got it half because of your recommendation and half because I wanted the stuff on the sharpmaker but bigger, and it has not disappointed yet. Even got the fine. Got the sharpal too, before I saw your video on it. Also good stuff, got lucky with that one, didn't expect much for that price! 👍
Great video! After watching the review video of the Sharpal I caved and bought one. So far I've only done a few knives with it but I'm favorably impressed. My feeling based on a few uses is that the Sharpal's 325 side is slower/less aggressive than the Atoma 400 or even the S SATC coarse but this may change as I get more time on it. What I wasn't prepared for was just how great the case would be! OD55 kind of undersold it IMO. It's fairly substantial and well made. The bottom is very nicely rubberized and doesn't budge a bit, and the case is thick enough that there's plenty of knuckle clearance to use the stone. It's really shocking that this combo stone is still $70!
Agree that the case is a real selling point. It provides an excellent working surface. Its sturdy. It does not move around. And it stores the stone. And the cardboard box it came in has room for a strop, the bottle of compound. Its all good.
Hi Alex, I would love to know your views on scalpels as to what mskes them so sharp and if they are sharper than the knives you've sharpened. Also, please provide your views on blade sharpness testers. Much love from Canada ❤
I got to use a lubricant with my diamonds. usually water and dish soap. Friction at the apex is a thing with dry abrasives (less than micron thicc, thermal dynamics is the law) . Also metal and diamond dust gets into your lungs, since your nose is right above the grind stone. Just spray some dw40 after, its formulated to displace water and protect against rust. You are going to get contradicting views while giving sharpening advice, dont let your ego take over, its how we learn. I bugged cliff stamp as well (rip). Nylon brush can also clean the diamonds and they last forever. Rubber also releases dust, that you inhale, since your nose is at the grind stone
Can you do a video on victorinox. Maybe the steel they use for their knives or just your opinion on swiss army knives in general. Also leatherman's and other multi tools. 😊
How do quality 1200 gr diamont stones compare to Kuromaku 1000 ?
7
Cazy question of the week. Does the diamond grit fall out of a lap over time if used upsidedown?
When you get up to really high grits they do kinda plug up sometimes. Bar Keepers friend with a magic erase pad or scrub pad works great
Hey, I don’t know if you noticed, but SHARPAL just dropped a new diamond plate 167H. It looks exactly like the one you mentioned, but without the plastic box. At $45 it might be even better offer 😁
I use 2” pencil erasers. They do really a good job.
They do a good job on Spyderco ceramics as well.
Diamond Abrasives I like are ATOMA # 140, 400, 600, 1200; DMT in F, XF, XXF
They last a long time.
I also really like the Shapton DGLP for Waterstones; it’s expensive, sure, but it’s great for flattening. It will last many many years and maybe even a couple of decades as I don’t use it on stones under JIS 1000. For that I use ATOMA 140
Have you ever heard of or tried the MPOWER Tools diamond stone sets? They have different sets and I see Stumpy Nubs likes those a lot, and they seem practical,so if they're good, it might be a good deal.
Hi, can you explain in detail how to sharpen kitchen knife? I don't talk about those staight 1 dolar kitchen knife you show, I'm talking about curved kitchen knife. I know that "keeping angle" is most important but if you keep angle on straight part of knife and move your body, then, at least for me, on curved part knife just doesn't touch sharpening stone. I saw some short that said you need to move your elbow up and it helped a bit, but I would like to see your guide.
Use the search feature!?
I have a very old video on this, but plan on also making a new one👍
Thank you for the video. I bought the Sharpal diamond stone thanks to your review. The manufacturer claims that we can use honing oil so since honing oil is basically mineral oil, thats what im using to prevent rust mainly. I like to use mineral oil because i dont get that metal dust everywhere and i think the stone is easier to clean. To clean better a diamond stone simply use mineral spirits ODORLESS which is more refined than the regular one and stronger smell. Just use mineral spirits with a toothbrush and it will be super clean. For the most stubborn dirt, when the stone is dry the best option is a simple eraser.
Thanks for your reply/comment. I go the Sharpal as well and was wondering the same thing about using oil. Makes sense to me. THX.
Love the channel. Just put together diy sharpener that I've seen on YT. Was wondering if you could recommend a 1" x (4" or 6") diamond stone(s) to use in the sharpener. Maybe some of you other sharpening junkies could tell what small diamond stones have worked for you. These will be use on my diy sharpener, router bits, ....thanks
@OUTDOORS55
For burr removing, can I use the diamond sharpening stone with high grit (2000, 3000 and up) instead of strop with diamond compound?
Why can’t you use oil on diamond stones? I’ve always used them dry or with water, but they do seem to cut better with water. Am I just imagining that? Does the Rehbinder effect apply to sharpening?
Atleast use honing oil, improves cutting and prevents diamond and steel dust in your lugs which is REALLY unhealthy...
I like Sharpal and Atoma.
DMT has extremly slow cutting (there is a study on this) and grit contamination.
I took your advice and bought the S SATC diamond stone and the sharpal angle guide you showed a while back. Delivered at the end of May, and now only a week and a half later, I've been able to bring my dull pocket knife back to life. I'm not really into collecting knives, just own a chef knife and a couple of pocket knives. I do like to maintain what I have. The S SATC stone is cheaper than a new knife. Thanks for saving me a ton of money in the future!
Hey Alex, I have a 320 grit diamond stone that has seen a lot of action. Looking at it with a loupe the diamonds look fuzzy. Is that because they are polycrystalline diamonds that are crumbling ? Thank you 🙏
In regards to not using water, what is your opinion on using something like Trend Diamond Abrasive Lapping Fluid?
Currently, on Amazon UK, the Sharpal is £59.99 and the Atoma is £68.99 😅
May as well shell out 9 extra quid for the better quality stone.
Edit: ah but I see that the Atoma is only one sided and there is a smaller version of the Sharpal for 39.99. So ok, harder decision after all
After watching your review of the Sharpal Diamond sharpening stone I purchased the large 8"x3" So far I like it very much. I often use this sharpener dry but do occasionally use Trend Lapping Fluid. Will this Fluid cause issues over time? Also I clean the stone with mild hand soap and water but then dry it by pouring 90% rubbing alcohol on the stone to evaporate the water. I have only done this twice and as I am unsure if it will damage the stone or not. I do have Rubber erasers for my disc sander that might work well to clean the stone, but there again I am unsure of they will clog the stone. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
I want to thank you a lot for teaching people how to sharpen properly. I used to watch a lot of videos with fancy setups and really expensive sharpening material, I even bought a Work Sharp precision adjust but it felt like a chore to use. After your recomendations I bought the Sharpal stone and a strop and 4 micron diamond paste and was able to get hair popping sharp edges without even using angle guides.
My DMT Extra Fine gets some build up. Soap and water doesn't really do it. I use WD40 and it takes it right off.
I've never seen such a massive eraser holy shit
People use those for unclogging gets in the grinder
Skateboarders use the same kind to clean their grip
You can use car window cleaner, won't rust. I've used them on my DMTs for years, wipe down after and zero rust. Not normal window cleaner - car window cleaner doesn't contain ammonia, which would cause rust and destroy the car's window tint film.
Have you ever tried the Fallkniven DC521? It's a 25 micron diamond stone bonded to a 5 micron ceramic stone. ~8"x2". Sells for less than $60.
Hey pro, My knife won't get shaving sharp unless i strop it on a higher than the sharpening angle (Micro bevel using strop), why is that?
Knife ain't pricy also the sharpening equipment, i just want to know the explanation of such thing out of your experience, Thanks.
Is it true that the diamonds can be ripped off the plating if you sharpen with too much pressure? Assuming a stone of reasonable quality (I have a Trend). Thanks.
What ~1000 grit diamond plates are there, without an issue with grit contamination? (that you can use, to then continue to 5k or more) Is the Atoma 1200 fine?
Hey, watched a few of your videos after it popped up on my feed, really informative stuff I never knew what a burr is before I saw one of your videos and I did hear about people using strops but I always thought it wasn't really necessary and it was only for people who wanted their knives to look shinier or something. I've been using a whetstone (1000 grit) for a couple years now after trying a honing steel and a pull through knife sharpener and basically seeing no results with either on actually getting a better edge (maybe a tiny bit with the pull through knife sharpener but nothing compared to the whetstone).
With the whetstone I was able to get really sharp edges but they would only last a couple of weeks before getting dull, this makes so much more sense after I saw your videos about stropping and removing the burr, I ordered one on amazon for $30 I know that's not exactly what you recommend but I saw it get some good reviews and I'm looking forward to trying it out. I didn't really feel like spending north of $50 on a belt + compound + contact cement and most of the stuff you link doesn't even ship to my country lol.
thanks for the informative videos.
One question I do have (I'm sure you probably covered it in one of your videos, sorry) is does it matter which side you push/pull your knife with on the stone? I always use a backwards direction (edge trailing as you put in one of your videos) with my whetstone, should I use a forwards direction for better results? I see that's how you do it in your videos.
O yeah, The Manix Wharncliffe
should've described better whats the best stone but electro plated, cuz if money no was object probably the supervitrified diamond stone would be way better
I wonder if the Atoma 400 isn’t to fine to start the sharpening. I want to buy diamond stones to go faster, now I start on a 300 King stone.
Thanks for the video 💪
How about using mineral oil instead of water? I prefer that the metal powder don't go flying everywhere
those rubber things also work well for cleaning the grip tape on a skateboard.
you've been on fire lately with all these new videos. I feel so blessed!
That sharpal fine 1200 side isn’t lasting it’s getting the diamonds scraped off.
You have a tiny typo in your chapter titles.
> 02:08 How to lean diamond stones
That should probably say "clean".
I have a question, can you use a metal polishing compound in concert with a diamond stone?
I could imagine that you could use brake part cleaner to clean the diamond stones instead of water.
You could just buy distilled water to avoid rust. It is only like ~$1 a gallon.
omg, dont take this as an insult please, very first second of this vid i thought i was seeing a vulcan 😁🤣
Would a little rubbing alcohol on a microfiber towel hurt to clean the diamond stone for thorough cleaning?
I wash with tap water. At the end I use extremely hot tap water to heat the stone, I cant even hold it.
It self dries thoroughly in seconds being so hot
Excellent as always! Learn something every video. Thank you for doing these.
Really looking forward to the chefs knife arc of the diamond stone series!
Thanks! Been waiting to hear about cleaning diamond stones. Much appreciated.
You better not be ceasing or desisting! Great work on all things diamond here, Alex. Feel better, and good luck with the legal wrangling. 👍
Just talked to my attorney, things are VERY much in our favor if they move forward 👍
My wife asked for a diamond which diamond sharpening stone do you think she has her eye on?
No water, because of rust? What about oil? That can't cause rust.
I had to take a minute to really let that spiderco picture sink in.
Are those links correct? The cheapest €200??
Best? Poltave, nanawa, Veneve, no comparison.
your voice is similar to china uncensored guy.
Best made on amazon is cheaper than best value
thanx for the content bro. never miss an episode.
Thank you. That was very informative.
What is the hexagon pattern for? Why hexagon?
Which 3 atoma plates should i get? 140, 600, 1200 or 400, 600, 1200? or will 400/600 and 1200 be good enough?
Would just get the 600 and go cheaper on a low 300s grit
A crack stone (I use food spray aerosol)
Thank God for your channel. I had only a pull through sharpener, which was crap (holes in blade edges etc). I decided after years of struggling with bad kitchen knives it's time to up my game. But where to start. I watched some Knifedge videos, and was going to go with a starter pack, but I KNOW my knives are extremely dull and many likely need to be profiled. So, I'm going to try the Sharpal set to get started. One question, would you recommend the Shapton K0702 Blade, 1000, Orange to finish the edge better, then strop? Or would I be going backward if the Sharpal 1250 actually works ok? To be clear, I'm mostly using North American kitchen knives (Henkel, etc) so no need to get into the really high grits at this time.
I've noticed that when people use diamond stones they typically stop at 1000 grit, maybe 1200, but when people use regular non-diamond whetstones, 1000 grit is just the beginning, and they go up to 5000, 8000 or even 12,000. What's with the discrepancy? Do diamond stones simply leave a more fine & polished edge at lower grits than whetstones? Would that mean they're using different grit values? 1000 grit diamond isn't equivalent to a regular 1000 grit whetstone, but closer to 2000 or 3000, or something? Maybe weird or dumb question, but it's something I've noticed & I'm still learning how all of this works.
that manix is killing me
More great content. Thanks.
I am fond of using diluted 10:1 APC or Windex on my large diamond plates (DMT usually). Sometimes WD40. blades slide noticeably more smoothly, and make a bit less noise (think chalk board fingers). I get you on the rust on some plates, however. I think my Trend plates suffered from this issue.
Q: What do you think about diamond plate use for flattening other stones, like the Shapton 1K and 4K?
I bought one of the Sharpal stones when you did that review and have been happy with it, but I would like to get something to go further with. I was looking at the Shapton 2000 Grit Ceramic (Green) Water Stone you posted the link for. Is that a good next step for me, or should I consider something else? Also, what should I look at for the steps after that? Shapton 5000? And do you have any videos on dressing those Shapton water stones? Is it necessary? Thanks!
Have you had the chance to try a Dianova stone?
It's a small Swedish make, so might be hard to find in the US.
I have a small hand-style sharpener (300/600 grit) from them that I've been quite happy with, it's nice and flat, and the grit seems even.
But I was looking for a bench stone that isn't the ultra-cheap oval-holed plate on plastic (I have one of those from Lidl, which is pretty good for what it is, but not quite as flat as I'd like).
Then I remembered the Dianova, and found out they make decent sized 300/600 grit lap stone called "Önne", for under $50(!), so I figured it's worth a shot. Seems to be plastic core, but as long as the plates aren't super thin, it'll hopefully be quite flat. (They also make a 1200/strop version, but I wanted it mainly for shaping chisels and plane blades.)
It's currently in the mail, so haven't been able to test it yet.
(Their site is currently "under construction" which is slightly unnerving since I haven't got the delivery yet, but I figure it's just a website update hopefully. They've been around quite a while, so I don't think they're going away.)
No affiliation, apart from being a Swede :)
You drove me into freehand sharpening, and I ordered the Sharpal to get into this new addiction. What's your thoughts about the Trend 8x3 300/1000? Some woodworkers seem to swear by them, they seem to be high quality and not too expensive.
I don't know if you or anyone else in the comments can help me with this, but I have something I've been wondering about: why can't I get a knife sharp using a normal stone, but I CAN sharpen quite well on diamond stones? I've tried a cheap hardware store oil stone as well as a King KW65 1000/6000 stone and whenever I use either the knife ends up with what feels like a dull rounded edge. On my Atoma 600 and DMT 1200 diamond stones I can get hair shaving/paper slicing sharp consistently.
I usually use the same technique with either. I do continuous edge leading and trailing strokes back and forth along the whole edge until I get a burr, flip to the other side and repeat and then move up grits and do the same. At the end I do light alternating passes and then strop on leather with green honing compound. Could I be using too much pressure for the whetstones? Or should I stick to only trailing or only leading strokes? I never feel the edge digging in, but could I be cutting into the stone or something without realizing it? I'd like to try other ceramic stones but I feel like I'd be wasting my money until I can figure out why I can only get a sharp edge on diamonds.
Hi. Question, are diamond stones available above 1200 grit. I remember hearing they can not. So I am suspicious of the ones on amazon. Can you confirm or elaborate on diamond stones above 1200 grit ?
What is the lowest grit diamond stone that you would recommend? I saw a diamond stone that was # 140 grit.
That's hard to answer. It's kind of like asking what kind of tires you need for your car. It would depend on what you were trying to do with it. I would say a general good recommendation is 220-320 grit is good for the vast majority of users.
Silly putty should work, too.