Size of Stone?

[cody6268]

I have finally decided to get a large Arkansas stone. I have two decent size benchstones, but both are synthetic grit and somewhat too coarse for regular sharpening (especially the cheap Harbor Freight stone). However, the size is really what I need. I'd been getting by with small pocket-size stones (with the biggest being maybe 6 inches long?), but they not only made sharpening basically any knife longer than them hard, I also kept slicing into the tip of my index finger.


The three largest the seller has are eight inch, ten inch, and twelve inch--and the eight inch is offered in two or three inch widths, with the ten and twelve inch long models being three inches wide. Largest knives I usually sharpen are some kitchen knives with seven-inch blades, and I probably will end up having to sharpen my twelve-inch machete here soon given all the stuff I've had to cut back with it.

So, of these three sizes, which should I go with? As it is cheaper, and good for all but about five knives I regularly need to sharpen, I'm thinking about going with the eight inch.

[OSCAR]

I agree. I think 8” is a good choice. I’d look for a true Arkansas stone though and not a cheaper synthetic. Always better to get quality tools. Costs more upfront but does a better job and cheaper in the long run.

[catspa]

Hey Cody, I like big stones. Not really because I need them, I sharpen a lot on a 2” wide by 8” King waterstone. But if I saw the three you describe, I’d be leaving with the 12” unless it was ghastly overpriced.

Funny big stone story: couple years ago I was at a swap meet and spent all the money I had with me on knives/hatchets (that happens more often than it should, I oughta just take my whole wad every time). Walking out to the truck to leave, I passed a table with an old fashioned 400-ish grit butchershop stone 3” wide, 2” thick, and about 18” long. I stopped and talked to the seller, and noticed that my buddy Mike had the next table over.

Seller says it was from his wife’s grandpa’s butcher shop in a town about 50 miles away, why he was selling it for 50 bucks I can’t imagine. Anyway, Mike gets done with his customer, looks over at me, and asks if I’m buying that stone. I reply I wish I could, but my money’s all gone. Mike says to the seller, “This guy’s a professional sharpener, and he needs this stone.” The seller says “Well, my knife is dull and I can’t sharpen worth a damn.”

So I go stow my knives and bring back a squirt bottle, and proceed to sharpen his pocketknife. I hand it back to him and he promptly runs his thumb up it to test for sharpness. Of course he cuts it open and he’s bleeding like a stuck pig. Mike hands me his first aid kit, I bandage this guy up, and he’s really embarrassed. So then I ask if there’s any chance he can set the stone back for me til the next swap meet in two weeks. He says, “Take it with you right now and bring me 40 bucks next time.”

Two weeks later, I get there and go straight to the guy with $40 in my hand. He says, “Yeah, Mike said you were good for it, even offered to pay me on the spot if I had any doubt. Now I got some more dull knives today, can you sharpen them too?” I said, “Is it gonna get all bloody like last time?” He laughed and showed me how his thumb was almost healed up. Said his wife scolded him when he got home for cutting himself, and more for trusting me to come back and pay. But it’d all be okay if I sharpened her favorite knife, an old Forgecraft butcher knife with a deep rich patina. Of course I did, and we became friends.

Next swap meet, she showed up with him, and said to me, “From now on, anything about knives, you deal with me not him.” Turns out she has several of her grandpa’s old knives, all but one of which I ended up sharpening for her since.

So now you know the story of how the big rock came to live with me.

Parker

[Mumbleypeg]

Cody, get the largest one you can afford. Unless you plan on packing it with you on a hike or hunting trip, you won’t regret getting a large stone. I also recommend a diamond stone. After years of using Arkansas, carborundum, etc I finally got a set of diamond stones. It was an eye opening experience and now they’re all I use.

Ken

[cudgee]

Good advice. When having a bench stone in your work shop the biggest you can afford is the way to go. Different if you need a portable one, but in one place bigger is better.

[orvet]

I agree with Parker and Ken, the biggest you can reasonably afford.
I was fortunate to find a reasonably priced Norton oil bath tri-stone. They are composition stones, but they do a great job and do it quickly. I had forgotten how much fun it is to sharpen with stones and how fast they can be.