Scandi grind and cheap synthetic stones?

[Multum in parvo]

I’m a total noob in regards to freehand sharpening but I got me some cheap and I guess inconsistent stones a while ago. Today my cardboard slayer - a cheap Mora Robust Carbon - gave out so I want to give them a try.

That and my two clumsy mitts is what I have available:

I guess I don’t need the 2k/6k anytime soon but shall I start as low as 400? Currently the Mora can’t cleanly cut paper anymore.

I know I have to sharpen the the full bevel with a Scandi but how shall I prepare the stone? Watering (how long if?) or just wetting it? How much pressure, edge leading? Is 1k enough or do I have to use something else after that?

Any pointers would be welcome

 

[RayClem]

There are a number of things that go into the cost and effectiveness of a synthetic hone. The BearMoo stones, like many less expensive hones, are made of corundum (silicon carbide). I do not know the uniformity of the grit. It is said to be a soft stone, which is typical of many corundum stones. Often corundum stones are used with honing oil, but the description on the Amazon web site says to soak the stone in water for 5 minutes before use. If you do not like the honing action using water, you can always switch to oil later. Just remember that corundum stones are normally porous, so once you start using oil on the stones, it is nearly impossible to remove the oil from the pores.

There are a number of great YouTube channels featuring knife sharpening. One of my favorites is "Burrfection". I suggest you check out some of the videos to learn the basics of honing a knife.
.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Ok maybe I was overthinking the Scandi thing but after 20 minutes the Mora was back to paper shaving sharp, plenty enough for breaking down boxes.

I won’t touch my kitchen knives as it would be a sure way to wreck them but for Toolbox stuff it’s pretty straightforward.

 

[cotedupy]

Nice work . A couple of things I'd say, just in terms of throwing random thoughts out there...

Freehanding kitchen knives isn't particularly difficult to get to a very passable level, and you're extremely unlikely to wreck them. Mistakes can be rectified quite easily and quickly. Give it a go!

Note though that here's important difference to note vs sharpening a scandi grind knife like that (on top of the fact that you don't have a wide bevel laid flat on the stone). This is slightly difficult to describe, and some people can visualise it more easily than others, but it's to do with sharpening the curved part of the blade / tip:

When sharpening a tip of a kitchen knife you need to raise the angle in order to sharpen the tip, by lifting the elbow of the arm you're holding the knife with. This actually maintains the correct sharpening angle along the whole length of the blade. You can't do this with a Scandi grind because you'll change the geometry. To sharpen tips of scandi grinds on a stone you use a consistent angle and arcing motions across the stone, to sharpen tips of kitchen knives you use the same back and forth motion on the stone but alter the angle.

Did that make sense...?

 

[Multum in parvo]

Nice work . A couple of things I'd say, just in terms of throwing random thoughts out there...

Freehanding kitchen knives isn't particularly difficult to get to a very passable level, and you're extremely unlikely to wreck them. Mistakes can be rectified quite easily and quickly. Give it a go!

Note though that here's important difference to note vs sharpening a scandi grind knife like that (on top of the fact that you don't have a wide bevel laid flat on the stone). This is slightly difficult to describe, and some people can visualise it more easily than others, but it's to do with sharpening the curved part of the blade / tip:

When sharpening a tip of a kitchen knife you need to raise the angle in order to sharpen the tip, by lifting the elbow of the arm you're holding the knife with. This actually maintains the correct sharpening angle along the whole length of the blade. You can't do this with a Scandi grind because you'll change the geometry. To sharpen tips of scandi grinds on a stone you use a consistent angle and arcing motions across the stone, to sharpen tips of kitchen knives you use the same back and forth motion on the stone but alter the angle.

Did that make sense...?

It sounds doable. I have a cheap VIC Santoku which could be my next victim. With the low point and the thin/soft stock it should be quite easy to adjust the angle.

So sharpening on 1k and finishing on the 2k or 6k side of the second stone?

I usually have a ceramic rod for touching up and before Covid a guy with a Tormek and a steady hand. Now I just would like to keep them workable without stumbling into the next rabbit hole...

I'm fully prepared to invest into an excellent combo stone but keep it at one only.

My biggest challenge is my main kitchen knife a Kevin Wilkins Ryback in Becut (mine is a Series II with orange Corian handle).

Wilkins-Knives

Knives and Knife Grips made by Kevin Wilkins in Berlin, Germany.

wilkinsknives.bigcartel.com

 

[cotedupy]

So sharpening on 1k and finishing on the 2k or 6k side of the second stone?

Yep something like that. I've used similar stones to those before and the grit ratings are a little all over the place, the 6k side will probably finish considerably below that level, while the 400 will be above its rating. My friend's ones were 400/1000 and 3000/8000, and I ended up using the '1k' and '8k'.

If you do want to get a really excellent combi at any point for knife sharpening - the Suehiro Cerax 1k / 3k is a truly exceptional stone.

I like the look of your main knife btw - very nice profile and blade height for a 180mm knife.

---

Dunno if this might be of use, but a couple of years ago I made a very basic intro to freehand knife sharpening video, to send to people when they asked me about it. There are obviously whole heaps of other intricacies I could have gone into and talked about, but the point it more to explain the basics, and show that you can get results that 99% of the population would consider pretty extraordinary.

You'll be surprised by how good your results are after only about 20 mins of practice.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Yep something like that. I've used similar stones to those before and the grit ratings are a little all over the place, the 6k side will probably finish considerably below that level, while the 400 will be above its rating. My friend's ones were 400/1000 and 3000/8000, and I ended up using the '1k' and '8k'.

If you do want to get a really excellent combi at any point for knife sharpening - the Suehiro Cerax 1k / 3k is a truly exceptional stone.

I like the look of your main knife btw - very nice profile and blade height for a 180mm knife.

---

Dunno if this might be of use, but a couple of years ago I made a very basic intro to freehand knife sharpening video, to send to people when they asked me about it. There are obviously whole heaps of other intricacies I could have gone into and talked about, but the point it more to explain the basics, and show that you can get results that 99% of the population would consider pretty extraordinary.

You'll be surprised by how good your results are after only about 20 mins of practice.

I’ll watch in detail in the evening but many thanks that’s exactly what I was looking for!

On the stone…
This one?

Cerax Kombistein mit Sockel, Körnung 1000/3000 | Kombisteine | Dictum

Cerax Kombistein mit Sockel, Körnung 1000/3000 | Kombisteine | Dictum

www.dictum.com

 

[cotedupy]

I’ll watch in detail in the evening but many thanks that’s exactly what I was looking for!

On the stone…
This one?

Cerax Kombistein mit Sockel, Körnung 1000/3000 | Kombisteine | Dictum

Cerax Kombistein mit Sockel, Körnung 1000/3000 | Kombisteine | Dictum

www.dictum.com

Yep that one! It’s a genuinely superb stone - the Cerax 1k is very good, the 3k (also called the ‘Ouka’) may just be my favourite waterstone ever. You’ll see why if you pick one up .

 

[Multum in parvo]

Yep that one! It’s a genuinely superb stone - the Cerax 1k is very good, the 3k (also called the ‘Ouka’) may just be my favourite waterstone ever. You’ll see why if you pick one up .

What would I do with the little one? It says it's for slurry?

 

[cotedupy]

What would I do with the little one? It says it's for slurry?

Oh yeah, Suehiros come with a small rubbing stone now don't they. Umm... they're pretty pointless imo, the Ceraxes are soft enough to self slurry quite easily and so don't glaze ever.

I just put the rubbing stones in a drawer and forget about them