Splash and go German travel kit

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cwillett
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Splash and go German travel kit

Post by cwillett »

When we go to friends houses for dinner, or traveling to visit the in laws, I usually bring my sharpening kit, tucked away in a basic plastic tool box.I have an Atoma 140 plate, a Cerax 320, Cerax 1k, Rika 5k, Kitayama 8k, a balsa strop with 1k diamond paste, and a leather strop. The knives that I encounter are usually very dull and ragged and I tend to start on the Atoma. The Kitayama never gets used and the Rika gets used rarely, depending on the knife. The Atoma, the 320, and the 1k see the most use. I usually use the leather strop at the end. I like the soakers, but at friends houses it would be a lot easier to have splash and go stones. Plus, I still have some German steel that it would be nice to touch up on a splash and go stone.

I finished up some contract work recently and think I'll add a couple of splash and go stones to the mix (along with a new knife). I'm thinking something in the 300-500 range plus a 1.5k-3k stone. The primary use would be for travel and the previously mentioned house "beater" knives. But it would be fun to try something new as well on the few Japanese knives that I have. The Shapton Pro 2k seems to have a lot of fans, as does the Shapton glass 500. What else? I like the soakers, especially the feedback and feel of the 320, 1k, and 5k, but these qualities do not have to be present in the new stones. Trying something new and different is part of the fun.
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by nakneker »

Shapton Glass stones would be tough to beat, their size makes so you can take 2 or 3 stones for the same real estate as one stone, they are splash and go, they do a great job. I’m to sharpening and I’ll be interested in what others say too.
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Gregory27
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Gregory27 »

I travel with a SG500 (double thick) and a SP 2000. I also bring a 140 plate, but, honestly, unless a knife is damaged, I don't need it. Other plus with the double thick 500 and the 2000 is that their cases double as a stone holder.
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Kit Craft
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Kit Craft »

Gregory27 wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 5:06 pm I travel with a SG500 (double thick) and a SP 2000. I also bring a 140 plate, but, honestly, unless a knife is damaged, I don't need it. Other plus with the double thick 500 and the 2000 is that their cases double as a stone holder.
This is my kit as well.
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Nmiller21k »

Shapton Glass 500
Green Brick (great on Germans)
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Kit Craft
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Kit Craft »

Nmiller21k wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:16 pm Shapton Glass 500
Green Brick (great on Germans)
Seems a big stone for a travel kit. But good on Euro steel it is.
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Jeff B »

Shapton Pro 320(much faster on duller knives than the Glass 500).
Shapton Pro 2k

Shapton Pro is an all business stone that just gets the job done.
Taking them on the go really makes you appreciate the plastic cases.
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Nmiller21k »

Kit Craft wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:23 pm
Nmiller21k wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:16 pm Shapton Glass 500
Green Brick (great on Germans)
Seems a big stone for a travel kit. But good on Euro steel it is.
Eh if you're going two stones even three with a 140 it's fits in a small box to travel in.
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Kit Craft
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Kit Craft »

Nmiller21k wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:56 pm
Kit Craft wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:23 pm
Nmiller21k wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:16 pm Shapton Glass 500
Green Brick (great on Germans)
Seems a big stone for a travel kit. But good on Euro steel it is.
Eh if you're going two stones even three with a 140 it's fits in a small box to travel in.
Fair enough! Though I no longer travel with stones often. Knives seem to come to me. I keep a 1.5x4 inch Aizu and dmt mini fine in my knife bag and that is all. Good enough to maintain my own knives. Honestly, I never need to sharpen my own knives on the go though.
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Nmiller21k »

I use an atoma, SG 500 and Green brick as my travel set for work.
Got a nice tupperware with locking lid about the size of a shoe box, great holds my stones, holder, and water bottle and some extra corks.
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Radar53 »

I started a thread on travel kits a wee while ago, but didn't comment here earlier mainly because I settled on a combo 1k / 3k Cerax (180 X 60 X 30) and while it might be called a splash & go, I've found that it performs better with a bit of a soak. It's not really thirsty or anything, but for me it's not true splash & go either, as per say a Shapton. It's a good, nicely sized stone, medium hardness, cuts well and leaves a nicely refined edge with a bit of tooth.

If you haven't seen the thread you can check it out here < viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5046 >.

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cwillett
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by cwillett »

The SP 2k and Green brick seem to be pretty radically different stones. The size difference isn't super important (car travel), but speed is important here as I usually end up sharpening before or after dinner. Is it fair to say that the SP 2k will be a "faster" stone than the Green brick?

Both the SP 320 and SG 500 are in stock right now. My experience with the Cerax 320 is that it isn't that fast on really dull knives; hence the Atoma 140, which raises a burr very fast. So, any opinions on these two? Speed is important here, both for my sanity and also to try to convince friends that sharpening doesn't have to be a giant chore.
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Nmiller21k »

SP will be faster than the GB not by much.

I just happen to enjoy it a lot on softer steels
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by jmcnelly85 »

If speeds important, the shapton pro 1.5 leaves a really nice edge on germans and follows the pro 320 nicely.
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Jeff B »

Can't comment on the Cerax 320 but the Shapton Pro 320 raises a burr pretty quick even on dull knives with decent pressure. If you want even faster and said to be "better on stainless knives" than the 320 get the 220. The Shapton Pro will be faster than the GB, will leave a very good edge on any knife and just an easier stone to full with on the go.
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Lepus »

I get my Cerax to go a good bit faster than my Shapton Pro 320. The Pro 320/2000 set is good, but is best when preceeded by an Atoma as a travel set. Not coincidentally, those three are my travel set. The jump is also a little long if you want to show off easy sharpening. I don't find it pleasurable but rather tolerable on the sort of knives other people would have. I actually broke my 1500 a while back or I would use that instead of the 2000, which I personally prefer as a proper finishing stone after a 400-800 grit stone or for touch ups.

It sounds to me like you want to go even coarser. I would get a Pro 220 and 1000 or at most 1500 for most knives paired with the Rika and strop for nicer stuff.
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Kit Craft
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Re: Splash and go German travel kit

Post by Kit Craft »

Idk, I find the SP2k to be a fairly fast stone in general but I am biased as I do not like the GB at all. Anyway, the 1.5k is a great stone too. Often overlooked. I also agree with the pro 220 if you want more speed. I personally don't love the 320. Maybe I am remembering wrong but I really don't remember it being all that much faster than my glass 500, which is why I got rid of it. It was faster but to me not enough so to justify having both and I prefer the feel on the 500. To each their own. The cerax is a good stone and I still have mine in the washroom somewhere but soakers and I have fallen out of favor at the moment. (I am always in a hurry.)

Loads of options here. :) Find what fits your style.
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