I'm really pleased with this! It works like a charm th-cam.com/users/postUgkxDcr-y2Pf6xdnrFHrSP7dl9kpKaCozcSQ Takes less time than my old electric sharpener because it can take more off the knife faster, and then it smooths out nicely with the finer grit polisher. I don't know how long it will last before the grit wears away, but I wouldn't mind having to replace it every once in a while.
Kyle, I think you're doing a great service for lots of people, including me. Thank you for the effort you put into your demo's and camera work, etc. I applaud your selflessness in sharing with the community.
All I use is that Smith set. It works okay if you use peanut oil, and I get a shaving edge on whatever I run on it. You're right though it takes forever, and I strop 100 times with a white compound then 50 with green. Great for a mangled edge though. Pawn shops love me in my area because I buy their most destroyed knives.
Thanks so much for that mate....this might make the perfect stone for keeping on my boat...good enough to touch up my fillet knives while out on the water and cheap enough to not have to worry about it!
Something in the straight razor honing Community we've noticed is that many of these whetstones have a little bit of course grit in the top 16th of an inch of the stone even in the more expensive stones. So it's possible that after a break-in period or a lot of lapping this stones grit could be higher. Worth experimenting? That said looks like a sharpening stone not a polishing stone.
I'm not sure why everyone is complaining about this (and other similar) Whetstones. If someone has a $15 or $20 Chef knife in their kitchen and a couple of other inexpensive knives (the vast majority of people in America), they are not going to pay $50 - $100 for a single grit Shapton or Chosera to sharpen their knives. They either throw the knife out and buy another cheap one, buy one of those cheapo manual sharpeners, or an inexpensive whetstone. Or they are silly enough to buy a cheap knife/knives and spend way too much on an electric sharpener. At least with this stone, they can sharpen their knives. And if it gets sharp enough to cut paper and the hair on your arm.....well that is pretty sharp and not a reason for you guys to complain about the stone. I mean how often are you going to sharpen your knife?....especially your kitchen knives. You all need to get real.
The thing is, you can get a shaving edge off of a brick after a little bit of stropping as well. But I wouldent pay $15 for a brick. The 2 main issues I see with these stones is that 1 the grit ratings are not accurate. and 2 the stones are inconsistent. There are tons of these stones available on amazon and they are all the same stone with different branding. Some people have reported that they are decently hard like this one here. Others have said that the one they got shed grit like crazy. If someone was looking for a stone I would instead recommend something a little more expensive that would be much higher quality, and the biggest thing consistent from one stone to another.
@@kenseth234 It looks like naniwa dressing stone but that doesn't flatten the stone. It can clean metal shavings embedded on the stone. It can also smooth out scratches on the stone, so microscopically flattens in a way. I used naniwa dressing stone for a month before getting atoma 140, and with atoma I saw that middle of the stones were very concave compared to top and bottom ends. Until then I was thinking naniwa dressing stone can flatten stones. For flattening these options are available 1. diamond stone 2. flattening stones 3. sandpaper on glass etc. Also this cheap stone gets contaminated by naniwa dressing stone which is 600 grit but it has nothing to lose anyway. If you're seriously into sharpening I recommend atoma 140 or 400.
I got this stone and find it great for getting a nice edge. Really nice for dull knives that need a little extra work. Save your more expensive stones for the finishing work.
I could tell by the sound that the grits were wayyy coarser than they were supposed to be. Not a bad cheap option but that's in USD so I don't think I'd bother. It's about the same price that the Woodstock stones used to be. Great review none the less. Keep up the good work.
Very similar to what I just bought. Mine is 1k & 4k and came with a small naniwa stone. I think mine is softer and builds a little more slurry. Also, the finish on the 4k side looks pretty darn smooth. (the blades edge that is) Even on camera we could see the striations from that 6k surface. I have some leather and wood and need to make a strop next. Thanks for another great vid!! Think I might even have some jewelers rouge somewhere as well, for a strop.
That's funny the little Smith stone set is what I started with years ago it was as close as I could get to the buck set my Dad had thanks for the videos
I have an Edge master stone exactly the same yellow and blue but mines labeled 240blue, 1000yellow and the ground finish was identical to yours.. Im pretty sure they just stick any old numbers on every double sided block.. I have the same brand single block same dimensions Edge master 3000 White and it cuts almost the same as my King 1000 which compared to every other cheap stone cuts like a buttery smooth dream with plenty of feel.. The Japanese King stone was available at my local knive shop for 39 bucks which is cheap in Australia..Good review cheers!
I have that exact same colored stone from China marketed under another name and it is labeled 600 and 1000 grit. It has been working really well and I am very happy with it but, that is probably closer to what the stone in this video is.
One of the problems is to check the temperature of the water your placing the stones in before use. I used warm water and the glue holding the stones together melted. I'm saying the water was hand rinsing temperature . . . . . . so beware of this hidden pitfall.
All of you knife sharpening gurus have converted me! For years, I never bothered with forming a “burr.” My knives are always razor sharp. But, everyone was so insistent. So, I took 2 blades (same knives, as close to equally dull as I could guarantee without using a microscope) and sharpened one using the burr method, the other as I have always done, never bothering with a burr. Now, I did get both blades sharp enough to shave my face, but the knife where I ignored forming a burr, took well over twice as long. I always thought forming the burr was eating up too much steel. But, by not doing that, and taking darn close to THREE times as long to get a razor edge, I have to assume that I was, almost certainly, wrong! The problem was, that no matter how careful I was, constantly lifting the blade to sharpen the opposite side, was forcing me to make constant adjustments to maintain my the angle. Obviously, not a good way to conserve steel. LOL..great stuff. Cool channel. 🤙
You know i believe its not about the whetstone so much as it is the nut behind the knife. I love buying cheap whetstones. I mean junkstone stuff. Each one can be used differently and if you can vary your technique and learn/experiment you can get beautiful edges out of junk stones. China makes some of the most amazingly cheap huge stones. You can usually pick up nice cheap knives at junk stores too, so you can pick up a stone and a knife for nothing and practice.
Not saying their isnt amazing expensive stones, you can even hear the difference in expensive stones vs cheap. ie you could hear the grain when your sharpened. But I enjoy the challenges that come with mystery cheap stones.
King is a good option for beginners. Most knives that people give me to sharpen can easily be sharpened by a king stone. Rarely need to take my chosera stones out.
Great review. Thanks much for sharing. I know you don't' need it, but Please humor this beginning sharpening viewer and do a video review using the sharpening guide. All the best.
Just found your channel the other day awesome work man! I’ve never done stone sharpening but seems like something I want to get into. I found this kit on amazon for $75 and one with a generic name that is identical for $45.
Thanks man! I wouldn't count on the 'identical' part. I have experimented with a few now, and although they look the same, the ones I've tried are all different. Also, I wouldn't pay that much $$ for this stone. Check out the Woodstock steelex 1000/6000 combo stone. AMAZING stone. Search on amazon.
found this video randomly in my recommendations. As a Nova Scotian living in australia it was cool to hear another atlantic canadian accent pop up. Dont get to hear them very often. :)
What? "...as i'm sliding across once in a while you'll feel little bits of different sized grit, doesn't effect your sharpening process..." How could this possibly be true? A 6000 stone mixed with 300 particles will give you a very different result than a good, pure 6000 stone.
Literally just buy the kingstone 1000/6000 on amazon, and then maybe the kingstone gold 8000. Dont waste your money on these. These are a generic chinesium stone that are distributed under different labels and names.
Absolutley. Buy the king. It's not great at super steels but it works. King is really the benchmark in what grits are measured by. $20 on Amazon with a base included is good to go. This stone he is showing is very inconsistent. Did you see how that cleaning stone was being abraded heavily by the supposed 6k side? Those cleaning stones are equivalent to a 600 grit. I know grit doesnt determine how abrasive it is but it shouldn't do that. I would guess that stone is around 400 grit on the 1k side and 600 on the 6k side.
@@blake102989 The kingstones are good value stones. Especially that 8000 grit for finishing S30V and S35VN. The KDS sharpens all of my knives fantastically.
I like the smith tri-stone for a starter kit but I took the plastic off it got in the way and turned me into a newt lol. I have many stones now chosara, suehiro, wusthof, sun tiger and a few unknowns. Have you tried or heard of a brand called sharpening supplies whetstone. I have a video on my small collection of stones. Great video!
Kyle, I really think you should check out the Smith's tri-hone. That's what I believe to be the best beginner Sharpening kit. From coarse to fine with a great base and its quite affordable.
It acts more like lower grit stone because it is very porous and soft. Material is constantly being removed and revealing fresh material. The stone does not load up like alot of others just because it is so soft. It has its pros and cons. Personally I like it. Theres no need to use you nurua(brown stone) because of that
Nagura - dressing stone. It gets the tiny metal shaving from your knife blade that embed in sharpening stone to release to the surface so you can rinse them off and keep your sharpening stones in good shape. Works much better than a simple toothbrush like I started out with.
You're not supposed to rinse off the slurry that you've created during sharpening/polishing. The slurry is an important part of the process especially in polishing using a > or = to a 3000 grit. That is why nagura stones are made in different grits. Dress the polishing stones with a nagura that is equal to or slightly higher in grit to get a workable slurry faster than you'd get without one. Sharpening Supplies sells a wide range of naguras.
I'm a sharpening stone nut and basically this kind of alibaba stones are trash, I tried and returned once a similar if not same stone, 1k side is more like 600, 6000 side is more like 800 but nothing like a proper 800 grit stone. I think for a total beginner the first task is replacing factory bevels with hand sharpened bevel, that requires a lot of grinding. A coarse stone like shapton 320 can be an easy stone for that task. Once comfortable with setting apex, one can upgrade to 1k and finisher later. 1k is easy only if your edge geometry is already established. Stones like king 1k are soft so if you achieve apex with a coarse stone then 1k stone can be used with very little wear so you won't need to flatten it as often. If you try to reprofile with 1k it will eat a lot of the stone and the stone will get super concave, edges will need a lot of chamfering etc.
Living in Japan I am sharpening on natural stones... which I could never afford if they'd weren't at my families carpentry business. I used all combos from king/naniwa... and I make my living carving so I have tried everything out there. Diamond bench stones are the best maintenance wise while still getting you a nice wetstones type sharpening method and I also like my Belgium and Arkansas stones for not wearing at all. This looks like a nice starter kit... but the basic fact that they lure people in calling it a 6000 which is known quickly by buyers looking at other products showing up to be where it really gets pricy... is actually not acceptable. I like your videos but I can't but feel a bit like after the main components being completely different from what they are advertised at, you can't just keep praising them and send people to buy just to use your link. This is what's getting wrong with TH-cam. The edge looked like an 800 after the 6000 plus stropping. Ripped a couple of hair off your arm in the growth direction... which even a saw does. Now anyone buying this have to invest in another 1 or 2 stones to get a finish sharpened knife... just get yourself a proper Japanese combo Waterstone which often come with a base too instead of another hipster product with a cool name... and that is the kind of mindset I find fitting for your channel... not some biased product placement. Otherwise the videos are great... just don't get sucked into that hole. Cheers Max
Glad you asked. King 1000/3000 or 1000/6000 comes with stand and are actual Japanese stones. In use here by chefs... I have seen them behind counters and in households. Cost you 35$ more or less from amazon. Or how about 25$ for a triple Arkansas stone combo in a rotation stand that is used for generations, doesn't wear and the use with baby oil is less of a mess in some way. Tried and true! How someone can claim first that whetstones are the pinnacle of sharpening and then just totally let all the devastating points about that product slip just because it was free or to makes some revenue off the Amazon link is really disappointing and kinda dents credibility. I got links in my videos to support the channel... but if I don't use it or like it you won't find it in the link. This set is a joke compared to what's available and nobody should support all this products popping up all over Amazon that got the looks but don't work. Buy original and support the good guys.
John Smith yes... for the final hone. But as a beginner a 1000/3000 or even 800/4000 ... available on Amazon from king/naniwa is a great combo, gives great feedback and results. I'd go for that!
With all due respect brother I think that all experienced sharpeners know that synthetic stones are processed and baked which gives them a crust and in many cases an uneven surface. They need to be flattened before initial use if only to remove the outer crusty surface. How are you supposed to evaluate a stone without properly flattening it first?
Hey Steve, I haven't experienced what you're talking about at all, and I have used many, many, synthetic stones from new condition. They are always perfectly flat and super consistent (homogenous).
Many people - even experienced sharpeners - are surprised that stones are not flat out of the box. Take a new stone and mark a criss-cross pattern with a pencil on it. Take an atoma plate (or whatever you flatten with) and start to flatten. You'll see that they are not perfectly flat out of the box. Furthermore when you use a stone you have to make sure that you are not running up against the hard crust of the edges. This is why the corners must be rounded. I lived and learned to sharpen in Japan and no one puts a knife to a synthetic right out of the box. The typical advice I received was something like this - Soak the stone first (if required) and then follow with rounding the edges and ends, then flatten. Then round the edges and ends again. The order that you do this procedure is the same that you do for flattening a stone each and every time although it's much more important to do the edge rounding at the pre-flattening stage when the stone is new because these high edges won't allow for you to flatten the stone correctly because the flattening stone/plate will be lifted off of the stone's surface. Let me know how it works for you.
Here is a vid put up a long time ago by someone I know. Very serious knife collector and 'OG' J-Knife enthusiast. The beginning of the vid shows the corner rounding process quite well. To add to my previous reply if you go to any forum that deals with knife sharpening and you ask if you should flatten a stone out of the box you'll pretty much get a unanimous 'yes' from people who have learned the lesson the hard way. th-cam.com/video/czsksxhnjMw/w-d-xo.html
I feel like this is something that a lot of modern businesses producing whetstones would do before they're boxed up to be sold? Nowadays, a stone would seem a little unfinished if you have to remove some old crust from the factory. Never noticed anything of such anyway.
Down to the PDF, this is a carbon copy of the Sharp Pebble, also sold under about 10 other brand names. These are the exact same stones given for free with the scam knives called Kamikoto. These are NOT good stones for any reason, as I can say from experience that they look like the Grand Canyon after about a dozen knives or so. I literally sharpened 8 really cheap steak knives and was missing so much material from the stone that I would have needed to completely replace the stone after maybe another 20. So on top of being improperly labeled, (mine polished at less than an 800 grit with the 1,000 feeling more like a 220) they wear down extremely fast. If I'm recommending stones for a beginner, I'm going to try and get them stuff that they don't have to replace before the year is out if they sharpen regularly. I would more recommend a cheap Smith's diamond file and an Arkansas stone to a beginner instead of this crap. Much better gleaming edge and the stones last for a very long time.
I have the Shapton set, both the HR and HC series, I also have Arkansas Stones. I almost exclusively use the Arkansas Stones. The Shapton are amazing, but the Arkansas are simple, simple to use, just some oil and the stone can be used in the base of the wooden box it comes in. Coarse, Hard, Hard Black and Hard Translucent. Simple, and DO they ever sharpen!! You can get them in Canada, and US companies will ship them here. What turned you off the Arks may I ask? You mentioned you only had one, I assume Coarse, keeping in mind you do need more than one Arkansas Stone to get a shaving edge, just like you need more than one water stone. I was amazed by how fast and how polished an edge I got from the Hard Ark, the first time I used it too! And they are less expensive than Shapton Stones. Not to mislead anyone, I LOVE Shapton Stones. People like to trash them likely because they are pricey, (Sour Grapes maybe?) but in my experience they are worth it. Pretty much like anything you buy, you get what you pay for, and I won't sharpen my "knife collection" with anything that will destroy the sword. I like the Arkansas Stones because you can pretty much use them anywhere, up at the cabin... and with water stones you need a clean source of water, so they are not so good for "Field Sharpening". The smaller 4" Pocket Arkansas Stones are good for sharpening Axes and other large tools that are too big and to unwieldy to use on a workbench. I just wondered why you prefer water stones to oil stones. As for your black strop, I was wondering what, if any, compound you are using? Thanks in advance if you answer. Sorry about all the questions. :/ And thanks for your content, it's very informative, and I love your accent! :D
Great video, thanks! I do however slightly disagree with you when you can say that VG-10 is comparable with AUS-8 or 8cr steels. AUS-8 , 8cr, and the likes are run of the mill Chinese steels, they're fairly durable and fairly corrosion-resistant, however they don't tend to hold an edge very well. VG-10 is a much more durable steel in my opinion.
I respect your opinion. I do agree that VG-10 is 'slightly' better, but I don't it's enough to matter with day-to-day EDC tasks. Unless you really take a step up, most Aus-8, 8cr, VG-10, VG-1, 420hc, 440c, etc.. it all behaves similarly. The difference isn't enough to delay sharpening
Not sure what to think. If you look on Amazon you'll find this exact kit white labeled with multiple brands like Suner Powe and Sharp Pebble. Typically means it's a cheaper product. Which brand actually makes the thing? Who is the real brand?
Sounds like a 600/2000 stone. My Shapton pro 2k sounds smoother and leaves a better finish than that "6k". A 6k stone should sound quite, cut slow and leave a dull/imperfect mirror finish.
I would say the grit on those are 400-600 on the 1k and 800-1200 on the 6k way off but i guess those cheap amazon stones can be good for somebody that wants to learn or just sharpen cheap knives and not worried about a polished edge but for a little more money you can get some really good dmt stones or some shapton or Arkansas stones and know that the grit rating is TRUE thats what i hate about the cheap Amazon ones you never know what your gonna get
Great video Kyle, for the money the stone doesn't seem to bad. Not something I would buy, but I assume it could be a decent beginner's option. I was hoping this video could change my mind for a beginning set but King whetstones are still my number one. I just don't believe there is something on the market near the quality for such a low price. Once again, good work on this video, looking forward to watching more.
I love your videos and use them as a reference. I was recently given some thick bulk leather and rather than "assume" I know the answer, I am going to ask you. Do you use the smooth side or coarse side for your buffing compound? In my mind it is the rough side, but I don't really know. I sharpen about 6 to 11 kitchen knives per month, but have never used a strop. And for all those that have never really seen someone in person use a strop, the barber that I went to for years was very fast with a straight razor. He retired and I am bald, so my new barber is Gillette. (LOL)
Looks like and sound like those 14usd generic stone online (prolly can get them 1 usd each if you buy bulk of them like morethan 100pcs) far much better than 1usd stones i could find nearby store prolly use it first then finish it with my 1000/6000 kingstone cuz ems them from japan aint cheap for me. Just get the kingstone for starter
Hey kyle , I love your channel and i have learned alot from you.thank you so much! I have bought my first knife 'mora companion hd carbon. What stone would you recommend me to but for sharping it?
I was watching this knife maker dude (Gough Custom) And he cut through, like 40 feet of that thick cardboard (A2 tool steel), and that friggin’ knife was still slicing ultra thin phone book paper, clean cut. Any ideas how he pulled it off?
Proper primary grind. Proper heat treat. Proper final sharpening and geometry. These old carbon steels like A2, D2, and O1, are incredible steels that are often underrated by the general public.
Kyle Noseworthy: I guess so! I’ve run into other people saying they are pretty solid knife steels if made properly. I kinda got stuck on those “super steels” for awhile, but that’s just darn impressive! LOL...think I may have to give a few of those older, tried and true steels a second look.
As is stated below, the company currently does not ship to Canada. I believe they are trying out the market by giving a kit to Kyle to try, then marketing to Canada may come later. I would like to say, since there are a lot of inexpensive but really great stones on the market, that DO ship to Canada, why would you want these two stones, especially since Kyle had to strop on two different strops to get the edge even close to what he wanted? He also stated, as did some who watched the video, these stones are much coarser that they are labelled. The 1000 acts more like an 800 and the 6000 more like a 4000 or a 2500. And the content isn't as uniform as it should be. That could really scratch up your blade. Kyle's Woodstock 1000 Stone is, (he said), a more homogenous mixture, but costs three times as much. If you care about your knives and tools, you shouldn't go cheap on the sharpening supplies. You GET what you pay for.
So I wonder, buying from Amazon U.S will cost you some $72.00 Canadian dollars, and if you buy from Amazon.ca you'll pay over $100.00,... I think I'd rather check a real Canadian dealer for a whetstone before buying from Amazon.( Amazon is not necessarily your 'friend'! ) Buyer beware!
Yea Bob, that's unfortunate. I was told from the beginning that there plan is to get it into the Canadian market soon, but I agreed to review it anyways because the majority of my viewer base is from the US, believe it or not.. haha
Stone is a con I got one awhile ago rebranded as mezzax stone or something like that. That's what these bad stones do just rebrand when every one realizes it's a scam. Your right they have giant grain in them that scratch up your blade randomly. Mine was closer to a 600/1500 grit drove me crazy trying to get a mirror finish thought it was me till I pulled out the 2k grit sandpaper and got a mirror edge in minutes. Only positive about the stone is it can get an edge shaving sharp. In my opinion get a king deluxe though this Woodstock stone sounds interesting I love there compound.
So ive seen in your videos you have both the 3000 naniwa and the woodstock with the naniwa it gives a brighter mirror polish but the woodstocks scratches arent as deep do you know whu
Dude, why are you cutting into the stone when you are stropping? You are supposed to move in the direction of the back of the blade. You put pressure on the blade edge as you move in the direction of the back edge of the knife and then no pressure as you move the blade in the direction of the blade edge. That is how I learned how to do it.
Hi buddy i got it yestaday so far done 5 knives lol my arm looks bald now really nice sharp edge how ever i dont have a mirror like reflecting edge but dam close any advice how to get it gleaming ?
Someone needs to learn how to sharpen a knife properly. And instead of dipping the stone in the water,if it's getting dry drip some water on the stone. That slurry from the stone contains metal and stone residue and helps to sharpen the knife and reduces how much material the stone eats off the blade making it easier on the metal. You want to keep that slurry on the stone and knife unless you're checking the edge.
I'm really pleased with this! It works like a charm th-cam.com/users/postUgkxDcr-y2Pf6xdnrFHrSP7dl9kpKaCozcSQ Takes less time than my old electric sharpener because it can take more off the knife faster, and then it smooths out nicely with the finer grit polisher. I don't know how long it will last before the grit wears away, but I wouldn't mind having to replace it every once in a while.
Kyle, I think you're doing a great service for lots of people, including me. Thank you for the effort you put into your demo's and camera work, etc. I applaud your selflessness in sharing with the community.
Thanks so much Jim! I appreciate the kind words of support bud.
no doubt....same here
Thank you for the advice. It helps me as a beginner to knife sharpening
I remembered seeing this long ago 2019 took me forever to find it now that I'm ready to move up. Thanks and love the new shop
You've turned into one of the channels I watch while I'm editing. Very much enjoy your content. Have a good evening.
that's awesome! Thanks so much
All I use is that Smith set. It works okay if you use peanut oil, and I get a shaving edge on whatever I run on it. You're right though it takes forever, and I strop 100 times with a white compound then 50 with green. Great for a mangled edge though. Pawn shops love me in my area because I buy their most destroyed knives.
Thanks so much for that mate....this might make the perfect stone for keeping on my boat...good enough to touch up my fillet knives while out on the water and cheap enough to not have to worry about it!
Something in the straight razor honing Community we've noticed is that many of these whetstones have a little bit of course grit in the top 16th of an inch of the stone even in the more expensive stones. So it's possible that after a break-in period or a lot of lapping this stones grit could be higher. Worth experimenting?
That said looks like a sharpening stone not a polishing stone.
Sandpaper will lap it quick and get all that off
I'm not sure why everyone is complaining about this (and other similar) Whetstones. If someone has a $15 or $20 Chef knife in their kitchen and a couple of other inexpensive knives (the vast majority of people in America), they are not going to pay $50 - $100 for a single grit Shapton or Chosera to sharpen their knives. They either throw the knife out and buy another cheap one, buy one of those cheapo manual sharpeners, or an inexpensive whetstone. Or they are silly enough to buy a cheap knife/knives and spend way too much on an electric sharpener.
At least with this stone, they can sharpen their knives. And if it gets sharp enough to cut paper and the hair on your arm.....well that is pretty sharp and not a reason for you guys to complain about the stone. I mean how often are you going to sharpen your knife?....especially your kitchen knives. You all need to get real.
this is EXACTLY my point and thoughts as well. People need to keep things in perspective. There is a place for a cheaper whetstone like this.
The thing is, you can get a shaving edge off of a brick after a little bit of stropping as well. But I wouldent pay $15 for a brick. The 2 main issues I see with these stones is that 1 the grit ratings are not accurate. and 2 the stones are inconsistent. There are tons of these stones available on amazon and they are all the same stone with different branding. Some people have reported that they are decently hard like this one here. Others have said that the one they got shed grit like crazy.
If someone was looking for a stone I would instead recommend something a little more expensive that would be much higher quality, and the biggest thing consistent from one stone to another.
I can get most of my knives to hair whittling sharp with a $20 whetstone and a $10 diy strop.
@@kyle_noseworthy how do you spell the brown block you used on the surface to flatten it before use. thank you in advance lol 1 year later
@@kenseth234 It looks like naniwa dressing stone but that doesn't flatten the stone. It can clean metal shavings embedded on the stone. It can also smooth out scratches on the stone, so microscopically flattens in a way. I used naniwa dressing stone for a month before getting atoma 140, and with atoma I saw that middle of the stones were very concave compared to top and bottom ends. Until then I was thinking naniwa dressing stone can flatten stones. For flattening these options are available 1. diamond stone 2. flattening stones 3. sandpaper on glass etc. Also this cheap stone gets contaminated by naniwa dressing stone which is 600 grit but it has nothing to lose anyway. If you're seriously into sharpening I recommend atoma 140 or 400.
I got this stone and find it great for getting a nice edge. Really nice for dull knives that need a little extra work. Save your more expensive stones for the finishing work.
agreed 100%
I've seen a very similar unbranded kit on alibaba stated as 600 and 1200 grit, and it definitely sounds like that.
I could tell by the sound that the grits were wayyy coarser than they were supposed to be. Not a bad cheap option but that's in USD so I don't think I'd bother. It's about the same price that the Woodstock stones used to be. Great review none the less. Keep up the good work.
Very similar to what I just bought. Mine is 1k & 4k and came with a small naniwa stone. I think mine is softer and builds a little more slurry. Also, the finish on the 4k side looks pretty darn smooth. (the blades edge that is) Even on camera we could see the striations from that 6k surface. I have some leather and wood and need to make a strop next. Thanks for another great vid!! Think I might even have some jewelers rouge somewhere as well, for a strop.
I have the smiths 3 in 1 stone as my starter kit lol I think I'm gonna get this setup soon great vid
I have a 25$ stone I picked up at a flea market and it's always provides me with a shaving edge
That's funny the little Smith stone set is what I started with years ago it was as close as I could get to the buck set my Dad had thanks for the videos
I have an Edge master stone exactly the same yellow and blue but mines labeled 240blue, 1000yellow and the ground finish was identical to yours.. Im pretty sure they just stick any old numbers on every double sided block.. I have the same brand single block same dimensions Edge master 3000 White and it cuts almost the same as my King 1000 which compared to every other cheap stone cuts like a buttery smooth dream with plenty of feel.. The Japanese King stone was available at my local knive shop for 39 bucks which is cheap in Australia..Good review cheers!
I have that exact same colored stone from China marketed under another name and it is labeled 600 and 1000 grit. It has been working really well and I am very happy with it but, that is probably closer to what the stone in this video is.
One of the problems is to check the temperature of the water your placing the stones in before use. I used warm water and the glue holding the stones together melted. I'm saying the water was hand rinsing temperature . . . . . . so beware of this hidden pitfall.
Thanks for hewdsups
All of you knife sharpening gurus have converted me! For years, I never bothered with forming a “burr.” My knives are always razor sharp. But, everyone was so insistent. So, I took 2 blades (same knives, as close to equally dull as I could guarantee without using a microscope) and sharpened one using the burr method, the other as I have always done, never bothering with a burr.
Now, I did get both blades sharp enough to shave my face, but the knife where I ignored forming a burr, took well over twice as long. I always thought forming the burr was eating up too much steel. But, by not doing that, and taking darn close to THREE times as long to get a razor edge, I have to assume that I was, almost certainly, wrong!
The problem was, that no matter how careful I was, constantly lifting the blade to sharpen the opposite side, was forcing me to make constant adjustments to maintain my the angle. Obviously, not a good way to conserve steel.
LOL..great stuff. Cool channel. 🤙
Thank you for sharing your ideas and experiences, Shadow X! I appreciate the comment, and I hope your sharpening now progresses to another level!
No way in hell thats a 6000 grit just removes way to much material. 6000 should be a polisher not a sharper.
You know i believe its not about the whetstone so much as it is the nut behind the knife.
I love buying cheap whetstones. I mean junkstone stuff. Each one can be used differently and if you can vary your technique and learn/experiment you can get beautiful edges out of junk stones.
China makes some of the most amazingly cheap huge stones.
You can usually pick up nice cheap knives at junk stores too, so you can pick up a stone and a knife for nothing and practice.
Not saying their isnt amazing expensive stones, you can even hear the difference in expensive stones vs cheap. ie you could hear the grain when your sharpened. But I enjoy the challenges that come with mystery cheap stones.
Thankyou for the insight, I have many knives and need to get into sharpening so this will be a good place to start it seems.
www.animeimpulse.com/blog/2017/9/29/the-best-japanese-waterstones-to-keep-your-knife-razor-sharp
If you ever need an upgrade... ;D
Its the samme as sharp pebble or bearmoo etc etc...
Much better to buy a cheap king stone then that are way way higher quality.
King is a good option for beginners. Most knives that people give me to sharpen can easily be sharpened by a king stone. Rarely need to take my chosera stones out.
John Edward yes sir
You can hear it in your grind
My starters were a Naniwa Professional 800 and 3000.
Great review. Thanks much for sharing. I know you don't' need it, but Please humor this beginning sharpening viewer and do a video review using the sharpening guide. All the best.
Very helpful instruction, I my purchase the stone.
Tommy
Just found your channel the other day awesome work man! I’ve never done stone sharpening but seems like something I want to get into. I found this kit on amazon for $75 and one with a generic name that is identical for $45.
Thanks man! I wouldn't count on the 'identical' part. I have experimented with a few now, and although they look the same, the ones I've tried are all different. Also, I wouldn't pay that much $$ for this stone. Check out the Woodstock steelex 1000/6000 combo stone. AMAZING stone. Search on amazon.
Kyle Noseworthy Thanks I’ll check it out!
Looks like the same combo stone/set sold under several brand names such sharp pebble, affinity and a few others.
found this video randomly in my recommendations. As a Nova Scotian living in australia it was cool to hear another atlantic canadian accent pop up. Dont get to hear them very often. :)
What? "...as i'm sliding across once in a while you'll feel little bits of different sized grit, doesn't effect your sharpening process..." How could this possibly be true? A 6000 stone mixed with 300 particles will give you a very different result than a good, pure 6000 stone.
Literally just buy the kingstone 1000/6000 on amazon, and then maybe the kingstone gold 8000. Dont waste your money on these. These are a generic chinesium stone that are distributed under different labels and names.
Ever used one?
Absolutley. Buy the king. It's not great at super steels but it works. King is really the benchmark in what grits are measured by. $20 on Amazon with a base included is good to go. This stone he is showing is very inconsistent. Did you see how that cleaning stone was being abraded heavily by the supposed 6k side? Those cleaning stones are equivalent to a 600 grit. I know grit doesnt determine how abrasive it is but it shouldn't do that. I would guess that stone is around 400 grit on the 1k side and 600 on the 6k side.
Dont be cheap and just get DMT stones
@@blake102989 The kingstones are good value stones. Especially that 8000 grit for finishing S30V and S35VN. The KDS sharpens all of my knives fantastically.
The Kings are only a few bucks more.
I like the smith tri-stone for a starter kit but I took the plastic off it got in the way and turned me into a newt lol. I have many stones now chosara, suehiro, wusthof, sun tiger and a few unknowns. Have you tried or heard of a brand called sharpening supplies whetstone. I have a video on my small collection of stones. Great video!
Kyle, I really think you should check out the Smith's tri-hone. That's what I believe to be the best beginner Sharpening kit. From coarse to fine with a great base and its quite affordable.
I have seen them before Wyatt. They are a real nice little package for sure.
I agree with everthing you say, It's just, I use very course oil stones for the rough work. I just don't know what's the best rough oil stone.
Oh hey that was my first Kershaw too. Had it a few years and I love it
It acts more like lower grit stone because it is very porous and soft. Material is constantly being removed and revealing fresh material. The stone does not load up like alot of others just because it is so soft. It has its pros and cons. Personally I like it. Theres no need to use you nurua(brown stone) because of that
That roughing stone he used called agora? I think thats how its spelled. What is it for exactly and is it needed per say?
Nagura - dressing stone. It gets the tiny metal shaving from your knife blade that embed in sharpening stone to release to the surface so you can rinse them off and keep your sharpening stones in good shape. Works much better than a simple toothbrush like I started out with.
my grandfather used to use river stones to get his knife razor sharp.
You're not supposed to rinse off the slurry that you've created during sharpening/polishing. The slurry is an important part of the process especially in polishing using a > or = to a 3000 grit. That is why nagura stones are made in different grits. Dress the polishing stones with a nagura that is equal to or slightly higher in grit to get a workable slurry faster than you'd get without one. Sharpening Supplies sells a wide range of naguras.
I'm a sharpening stone nut and basically this kind of alibaba stones are trash, I tried and returned once a similar if not same stone, 1k side is more like 600, 6000 side is more like 800 but nothing like a proper 800 grit stone. I think for a total beginner the first task is replacing factory bevels with hand sharpened bevel, that requires a lot of grinding. A coarse stone like shapton 320 can be an easy stone for that task. Once comfortable with setting apex, one can upgrade to 1k and finisher later. 1k is easy only if your edge geometry is already established. Stones like king 1k are soft so if you achieve apex with a coarse stone then 1k stone can be used with very little wear so you won't need to flatten it as often. If you try to reprofile with 1k it will eat a lot of the stone and the stone will get super concave, edges will need a lot of chamfering etc.
Eww. Cutting asphalt shingles with a pocket knife makes my chest hurt. Even a cheapie knife. I think the Bible says that's a sin.
haha Yep... agreed. In a pinch, sometimes ya' just gotta' do.
Living in Japan I am sharpening on natural stones... which I could never afford if they'd weren't at my families carpentry business. I used all combos from king/naniwa... and I make my living carving so I have tried everything out there. Diamond bench stones are the best maintenance wise while still getting you a nice wetstones type sharpening method and I also like my Belgium and Arkansas stones for not wearing at all.
This looks like a nice starter kit... but the basic fact that they lure people in calling it a 6000 which is known quickly by buyers looking at other products showing up to be where it really gets pricy... is actually not acceptable. I like your videos but I can't but feel a bit like after the main components being completely different from what they are advertised at, you can't just keep praising them and send people to buy just to use your link. This is what's getting wrong with TH-cam. The edge looked like an 800 after the 6000 plus stropping. Ripped a couple of hair off your arm in the growth direction... which even a saw does. Now anyone buying this have to invest in another 1 or 2 stones to get a finish sharpened knife... just get yourself a proper Japanese combo Waterstone which often come with a base too instead of another hipster product with a cool name... and that is the kind of mindset I find fitting for your channel... not some biased product placement. Otherwise the videos are great... just don't get sucked into that hole. Cheers
Max
Hey, how about give us some good combo to begin with? I'd like to know what grits and brand should I get for a beginner. Thanks.
Glad you asked. King 1000/3000 or 1000/6000 comes with stand and are actual Japanese stones. In use here by chefs... I have seen them behind counters and in households. Cost you 35$ more or less from amazon. Or how about 25$ for a triple Arkansas stone combo in a rotation stand that is used for generations, doesn't wear and the use with baby oil is less of a mess in some way. Tried and true! How someone can claim first that whetstones are the pinnacle of sharpening and then just totally let all the devastating points about that product slip just because it was free or to makes some revenue off the Amazon link is really disappointing and kinda dents credibility. I got links in my videos to support the channel... but if I don't use it or like it you won't find it in the link. This set is a joke compared to what's available and nobody should support all this products popping up all over Amazon that got the looks but don't work. Buy original and support the good guys.
Thanks for the info here! There is a combo set of King 1000/6000 with 8000 Nagura Stone. Do you think that extra 8000 stone will be useful?
John Smith yes... for the final hone. But as a beginner a 1000/3000 or even 800/4000 ... available on Amazon from king/naniwa is a great combo, gives great feedback and results. I'd go for that!
@@IamExcalibur abit late, but I suggest a naniwa professional 800,and just practice on it till u are profficient
I love my Smith's tri-hone kit I've got atoma 400 shapton 1000 suehiro rika 5000 and still somehow find myself using the Smith's tri-hone kit.
Now I need to soak my whetstone to see how that works.
Very good stone for the price!
Thanks for the video. I purchased it.
With all due respect brother I think that all experienced sharpeners know that synthetic stones are processed and baked which gives them a crust and in many cases an uneven surface. They need to be flattened before initial use if only to remove the outer crusty surface. How are you supposed to evaluate a stone without properly flattening it first?
Hey Steve, I haven't experienced what you're talking about at all, and I have used many, many, synthetic stones from new condition. They are always perfectly flat and super consistent (homogenous).
Many people - even experienced sharpeners - are surprised that stones are not flat out of the box. Take a new stone and mark a criss-cross pattern with a pencil on it. Take an atoma plate (or whatever you flatten with) and start to flatten. You'll see that they are not perfectly flat out of the box. Furthermore when you use a stone you have to make sure that you are not running up against the hard crust of the edges. This is why the corners must be rounded. I lived and learned to sharpen in Japan and no one puts a knife to a synthetic right out of the box. The typical advice I received was something like this - Soak the stone first (if required) and then follow with rounding the edges and ends, then flatten. Then round the edges and ends again. The order that you do this procedure is the same that you do for flattening a stone each and every time although it's much more important to do the edge rounding at the pre-flattening stage when the stone is new because these high edges won't allow for you to flatten the stone correctly because the flattening stone/plate will be lifted off of the stone's surface. Let me know how it works for you.
Here is a vid put up a long time ago by someone I know. Very serious knife collector and 'OG' J-Knife enthusiast. The beginning of the vid shows the corner rounding process quite well. To add to my previous reply if you go to any forum that deals with knife sharpening and you ask if you should flatten a stone out of the box you'll pretty much get a unanimous 'yes' from people who have learned the lesson the hard way. th-cam.com/video/czsksxhnjMw/w-d-xo.html
I feel like this is something that a lot of modern businesses producing whetstones would do before they're boxed up to be sold?
Nowadays, a stone would seem a little unfinished if you have to remove some old crust from the factory. Never noticed anything of such anyway.
Wow, that’s my first stone I have, still the only one I have. I didn’t get the kit, just the stone and rubber.
It's sounds rougher than the 1000 grit I think as well but who would deny a another whetstone to add to the collection😁
Down to the PDF, this is a carbon copy of the Sharp Pebble, also sold under about 10 other brand names. These are the exact same stones given for free with the scam knives called Kamikoto. These are NOT good stones for any reason, as I can say from experience that they look like the Grand Canyon after about a dozen knives or so. I literally sharpened 8 really cheap steak knives and was missing so much material from the stone that I would have needed to completely replace the stone after maybe another 20. So on top of being improperly labeled, (mine polished at less than an 800 grit with the 1,000 feeling more like a 220) they wear down extremely fast. If I'm recommending stones for a beginner, I'm going to try and get them stuff that they don't have to replace before the year is out if they sharpen regularly. I would more recommend a cheap Smith's diamond file and an Arkansas stone to a beginner instead of this crap. Much better gleaming edge and the stones last for a very long time.
I have the Shapton set, both the HR and HC series, I also have Arkansas Stones.
I almost exclusively use the Arkansas Stones.
The Shapton are amazing, but the Arkansas are simple, simple to use,
just some oil and the stone can be used in the base of the wooden box it comes in.
Coarse, Hard, Hard Black and Hard Translucent.
Simple, and DO they ever sharpen!!
You can get them in Canada, and US companies will ship them here.
What turned you off the Arks may I ask?
You mentioned you only had one, I assume Coarse, keeping in mind you do need more than one Arkansas Stone
to get a shaving edge, just like you need more than one water stone.
I was amazed by how fast and how polished an edge I got from the Hard Ark, the first time I used it too!
And they are less expensive than Shapton Stones.
Not to mislead anyone, I LOVE Shapton Stones.
People like to trash them likely because they are pricey, (Sour Grapes maybe?) but in my experience they are worth it.
Pretty much like anything you buy, you get what you pay for, and I won't sharpen my "knife collection"
with anything that will destroy the sword.
I like the Arkansas Stones because you can pretty much use them anywhere, up at the cabin...
and with water stones you need a clean source of water, so they are not so good for "Field Sharpening".
The smaller 4" Pocket Arkansas Stones are good for sharpening Axes and other large tools that are too big
and to unwieldy to use on a workbench.
I just wondered why you prefer water stones to oil stones.
As for your black strop, I was wondering what, if any, compound you are using?
Thanks in advance if you answer. Sorry about all the questions. :/
And thanks for your content, it's very informative, and I love your accent! :D
Where did you get your strop?
Great video, thanks!
I do however slightly disagree with you when you can say that VG-10 is comparable with AUS-8 or 8cr steels. AUS-8 , 8cr, and the likes are run of the mill Chinese steels, they're fairly durable and fairly corrosion-resistant, however they don't tend to hold an edge very well. VG-10 is a much more durable steel in my opinion.
I respect your opinion. I do agree that VG-10 is 'slightly' better, but I don't it's enough to matter with day-to-day EDC tasks. Unless you really take a step up, most Aus-8, 8cr, VG-10, VG-1, 420hc, 440c, etc.. it all behaves similarly. The difference isn't enough to delay sharpening
Not sure what to think. If you look on Amazon you'll find this exact kit white labeled with multiple brands like Suner Powe and Sharp Pebble. Typically means it's a cheaper product. Which brand actually makes the thing? Who is the real brand?
Sounds like a 600/2000 stone. My Shapton pro 2k sounds smoother and leaves a better finish than that "6k". A 6k stone should sound quite, cut slow and leave a dull/imperfect mirror finish.
I would say the grit on those are 400-600 on the 1k and 800-1200 on the 6k way off but i guess those cheap amazon stones can be good for somebody that wants to learn or just sharpen cheap knives and not worried about a polished edge but for a little more money you can get some really good dmt stones or some shapton or Arkansas stones and know that the grit rating is TRUE thats what i hate about the cheap Amazon ones you never know what your gonna get
Great video Kyle, for the money the stone doesn't seem to bad. Not something I would buy, but I assume it could be a decent beginner's option. I was hoping this video could change my mind for a beginning set but King whetstones are still my number one. I just don't believe there is something on the market near the quality for such a low price. Once again, good work on this video, looking forward to watching more.
Truthfully what would people say is the best overall wet stone for intermediate sharpening?
You seem to use ALOT of pressure when you strop. How do your edges turn out?
I don't believe I do. Not feathery strokes. I would say a moderate amount. Edges are ALWAYS buttery smooth, shaving sharp.
Love the vid
It would be nice if the thing was available !!!
This may seem like a daft question but couldn't you use 1000 grit wet n dry paper around a sanding block and then finish with a 6000 ?
It could technically be done, sure. The experience would be much more unenjoyable, speaking from experience.
I love your videos and use them as a reference. I was recently given some thick bulk leather and rather than "assume" I know the answer, I am going to ask you. Do you use the smooth side or coarse side for your buffing compound? In my mind it is the rough side, but I don't really know. I sharpen about 6 to 11 kitchen knives per month, but have never used a strop. And for all those that have never really seen someone in person use a strop, the barber that I went to for years was very fast with a straight razor. He retired and I am bald, so my new barber is Gillette. (LOL)
haha I use the rough size with compound, and the smooth side without compound for my final edge.
@@kyle_noseworthy Thank you so much.
No longer available on Amazon
Graph Guy They should be back on there again now. I just searched this knife sharpener on Amazon and it's on there again 👍
Thanks for the update, ordered mine.
Better than the Lansky Sharpening System?
Do you need any type of oil water or liquid to sharpen a knife using a whetstone?
Looks like and sound like those 14usd generic stone online (prolly can get them 1 usd each if you buy bulk of them like morethan 100pcs) far much better than 1usd stones i could find nearby store prolly use it first then finish it with my 1000/6000 kingstone cuz ems them from japan aint cheap for me. Just get the kingstone for starter
Kyle great video. Weren't we looking at these a month ago when I ordered a king 1000?
very smart to make the 1000 thicker than the 6. being that the 1K is more used being the coarser stone.
Where can one get Woodstock stone?
I've never seen anyone strop that hard and quickly at first. I'll give it a try
Hey there, that stone looks and sounds rather like a SharpPebble branded stone. Cheers sir.
You must get some ruby stones too.
ill be visiting Dawson creek B.C soon,, and will be bringing 6 of my Benchmade axis knives. will there be an issue?
Can u put a link 4 the negura
Chosera 800 and a strop is all you need
What's the bevel angle on the Kershaw knife? I have one of the less expensive models. It should be the same.
Hey kyle , I love your channel and i have learned alot from you.thank you so much! I have bought my first knife 'mora companion hd carbon. What stone would you recommend me to but for sharping it?
Don't think he's into replying. A mora will be a rather cheap steel. It'll dull very quickly.
He's going on very nice on a shitty 2 cent cloth and really nice bamboo base.. meanwhile the stones are a pile of dog shit. What a maroon.
I was watching this knife maker dude (Gough Custom) And he cut through, like 40 feet of that thick cardboard (A2 tool steel), and that friggin’ knife was still slicing ultra thin phone book paper, clean cut. Any ideas how he pulled it off?
Proper primary grind. Proper heat treat. Proper final sharpening and geometry. These old carbon steels like A2, D2, and O1, are incredible steels that are often underrated by the general public.
Kyle Noseworthy: I guess so! I’ve run into other people saying they are pretty solid knife steels if made properly. I kinda got stuck on those “super steels” for awhile, but that’s just darn impressive! LOL...think I may have to give a few of those older, tried and true steels a second look.
I think you do!
What compound you use
Do you know where to buy the kit in Canada. Amazon and e bay say they don’t ship to Canada. You are in Canada, just wondering. Thank you
As is stated below, the company currently does not ship to Canada.
I believe they are trying out the market by giving a kit to Kyle to try, then marketing to Canada may come later.
I would like to say, since there are a lot of inexpensive but really great stones on the market,
that DO ship to Canada, why would you want these two stones, especially since Kyle had to strop on
two different strops to get the edge even close to what he wanted?
He also stated, as did some who watched the video, these stones are much coarser that they are labelled.
The 1000 acts more like an 800 and the 6000 more like a 4000 or a 2500.
And the content isn't as uniform as it should be. That could really scratch up your blade.
Kyle's Woodstock 1000 Stone is, (he said), a more homogenous mixture, but costs three times as much.
If you care about your knives and tools, you shouldn't go cheap on the sharpening supplies.
You GET what you pay for.
So I wonder, buying from Amazon U.S will cost you some $72.00 Canadian dollars, and if you buy from Amazon.ca you'll pay over $100.00,...
I think I'd rather check a real Canadian dealer for a whetstone before buying from Amazon.( Amazon is not necessarily your 'friend'! )
Buyer beware!
It looks like a bearmoo whetstone carbon copy from Amazon lol
Dry?
Doesn't ship to Canada
Yea Bob, that's unfortunate. I was told from the beginning that there plan is to get it into the Canadian market soon, but I agreed to review it anyways because the majority of my viewer base is from the US, believe it or not.. haha
Kyle Noseworthy - Weiderfan , must be the exotic accent
HA!
that 1000 sounds like a coarse,6000 is sounding like a medium instead of fine.
Looks like a rebranded Sharp Pebble with a tiny bit extra 🧐🤔🤨
Stone is a con I got one awhile ago rebranded as mezzax stone or something like that. That's what these bad stones do just rebrand when every one realizes it's a scam. Your right they have giant grain in them that scratch up your blade randomly. Mine was closer to a 600/1500 grit drove me crazy trying to get a mirror finish thought it was me till I pulled out the 2k grit sandpaper and got a mirror edge in minutes. Only positive about the stone is it can get an edge shaving sharp. In my opinion get a king deluxe though this Woodstock stone sounds interesting I love there compound.
What kind of accent is that if you don't mind me asking, sounds like a mash up of canadian and irish
What do you think of the king KDS whetstone I've noticed price is close just wondering
Have tried it Grace! I'd love to though
What was that brown thing you rubbed on the white stone???
A nagura stone! Very helpful. Google it! :-)
So ive seen in your videos you have both the 3000 naniwa and the woodstock with the naniwa it gives a brighter mirror polish but the woodstocks scratches arent as deep do you know whu
It may be due to hardness of the cutting particle!
Strop!
Dude, why are you cutting into the stone when you are stropping? You are supposed to move in the direction of the back of the blade. You put pressure on the blade edge as you move in the direction of the back edge of the knife and then no pressure as you move the blade in the direction of the blade edge. That is how I learned how to do it.
Just because that is how YOU learned to do it, does not mean that is the way everyone is 'supposed' to do it, as you say.
Hi buddy i got it yestaday so far done 5 knives lol my arm looks bald now really nice sharp edge how ever i dont have a mirror like reflecting edge but dam close any advice how to get it gleaming ?
Awesome! Stropping with polishing compound should get you a shine!
@@kyle_noseworthy i bought the kit and a strop, what polishing compound do you recommend?
Someone needs to learn how to sharpen a knife properly. And instead of dipping the stone in the water,if it's getting dry drip some water on the stone. That slurry from the stone contains metal and stone residue and helps to sharpen the knife and reduces how much material the stone eats off the blade making it easier on the metal. You want to keep that slurry on the stone and knife unless you're checking the edge.
i think a oil stone is better
You're better off with a king KDS