Just for your info - if you ceramic steel is the one that comes with the EP Apex it's grit rating is EP1200 which in Shapton terms is about 4.5k I think.ScottStoef wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 6:35 pm I will try the newspaper stropping next. I also have a ceramic sharpening steel but have never used it.
Still not happy with my Results
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Radar53
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Re: Still not happy with my Results
Cheers Grant
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
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Radar53
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Re: Still not happy with my Results
If you're happy with the results from the first stone then follow that same process with your next stone (adjusting for any stone thickness difference). Continue on to move up your progression until you either have a problem, or your next stone is the EP1200.
Once you get to here come back and give us your thoughts before moving onto the SG6 or 8k.
Once you get to here come back and give us your thoughts before moving onto the SG6 or 8k.
Cheers Grant
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
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ScottStoef
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Re: Still not happy with my Results
If you go to Ruland's page it is half price with zero shiping charges.
Re: Still not happy with my Results
Late to the party with more opinion and advice:
1. You're almost certainly not hitting the apex with all your stones. The sharpie may or may not work. Get a drill stop collar. Take the vertical rod from your EP to the local hardware store and get a drill stop collar that fits. If I recall it's 1/4". That should be ~$5-10. There's no reason to pay crazy prices for one. Get an allen wrench if you need one.
2. The EP stones are fine for any steel that's not high vanadium carbide. I have sharpened ZDP-189 successfully with those stones, and that's likely harder to sharpen than the VG-10g you've got. There are better stones, but I doubt the EP stones are the issue.
3. This I suggest using edge trailing strokes only from 600 and up. It will be slower, but I think you'll have more control. Not necessary, but may be helpful.
4. Stupid questions: are you sure the arm is locked in place? I sharpened more than once with the arm moving around vertically. Seems crazy, but it can happen. Are you sure both ends of the stones are locked into the stone holder? Yep, I've had one end of the stone not fully lock in as well.
5. Try to move the stone across a large area of the blade with each stroke.
6. If you're going to get new stones I would seriously consider the EP diamond stones. They are excellent. I would avoid diamond plates. EDIT: If you get the EP diamond stones, get the grit they sell to condition them. You'll need to do this infrequently - maybe every 100 sharpenings or less. But you will need to do do it expose a fresh diamond surface. These stones are game changers on high carbide steels and are good for everything else. Perhaps not for steels under ~57 HRC.
7. Make sure you can get a newspaper cutting edge off the 1000 grit EP stone before you move to the Shaptons. This will help us figure out if there are different issues with those stones.
8. If you don't have a loupe, get one so you can see the edge and what's going on with your sharpening. Are you getting a compound bevel?
1. You're almost certainly not hitting the apex with all your stones. The sharpie may or may not work. Get a drill stop collar. Take the vertical rod from your EP to the local hardware store and get a drill stop collar that fits. If I recall it's 1/4". That should be ~$5-10. There's no reason to pay crazy prices for one. Get an allen wrench if you need one.
2. The EP stones are fine for any steel that's not high vanadium carbide. I have sharpened ZDP-189 successfully with those stones, and that's likely harder to sharpen than the VG-10g you've got. There are better stones, but I doubt the EP stones are the issue.
3. This I suggest using edge trailing strokes only from 600 and up. It will be slower, but I think you'll have more control. Not necessary, but may be helpful.
4. Stupid questions: are you sure the arm is locked in place? I sharpened more than once with the arm moving around vertically. Seems crazy, but it can happen. Are you sure both ends of the stones are locked into the stone holder? Yep, I've had one end of the stone not fully lock in as well.
5. Try to move the stone across a large area of the blade with each stroke.
6. If you're going to get new stones I would seriously consider the EP diamond stones. They are excellent. I would avoid diamond plates. EDIT: If you get the EP diamond stones, get the grit they sell to condition them. You'll need to do this infrequently - maybe every 100 sharpenings or less. But you will need to do do it expose a fresh diamond surface. These stones are game changers on high carbide steels and are good for everything else. Perhaps not for steels under ~57 HRC.
7. Make sure you can get a newspaper cutting edge off the 1000 grit EP stone before you move to the Shaptons. This will help us figure out if there are different issues with those stones.
8. If you don't have a loupe, get one so you can see the edge and what's going on with your sharpening. Are you getting a compound bevel?