Replies

1. 
   Peter36 | Jul 22, 2005 05:06pm | #1

   I have the Norton 220 1000 4000 and 8000. I never use my 220, If I needed to go that coarse I would use sandpaper. Since you already have a 800 stone why even bother with the 1000?

1. 
   Lyptus | Jul 22, 2005 06:22pm | #2

   I want the 1000 because I think Norton stones are much better than King stones and because I wanted to lessen the jump to the 4000 stone.  What's your opinion of combination stones?

    

    

1. 
   papanick | Jul 22, 2005 06:35pm | #3

   I have the norton 1000/8000 stone, and a King 1000/4000 stone. I went with combo stones because I'm a little cheap when it comes to buying stones, and because I do a lot of prep sharpening on sandpaper/granite and a ceramic stone for my gouges.

   If I were to rely on waterstones only, I'd NOT get combination stones. I read an article, and watched a Rob Cosman demo, where you use your stones as a team. Use one face to sharpen, the other face to flatten the next finer stone, continuously like a system. It was a lot faster and cleaner than the way I use my diamond stone every once in a while and make a huge mess.

   My tools are stupid-sharp. They way I work suits me on the whole, but I believe there are better ways. I really do like the feel of the Nortons over the Kings.

   Just my opinion of course....The older I get, the better I was....

2. 
   Peter36 | Jul 22, 2005 07:09pm | #4

   Hi Peter. I agree that Nortons are better than Kings. I used to own Kings but I bought the Nortons after trying them. I have no idea if the difference between the 800 and 1000 is as close as the grit level would indicate, so just going by the numbers I would not spend the money on a 1000 unless I had tried one or the money was burning a hole in my pocket. On the subject of combination stones, I think there is hopefully nothing wrong with the Nortons. My first stone was a combo King stone. When 1 side became noticeably thinner than the other side the stone started to warp. I flattened it 3 times I think before it was useless. For this reason I would not buy a combo stone again. Other than that I think they are fine. As another poster said, I too use the Cosman method of sharpening. I have 2 1000 grit stones that flatten each other, 1 of the 1000 stones flattens the 4000 and also the 8000. I have been doing it this way for several years and I do not believe cross contamination to be an issue.        Peter