Sorry, I'm prob confusing. Guess I didn't realize the Shaptons only go down to 120grit(?) So I guess I mean replacing from 120 grit on up with the Shapton Waterstones on the WEPS site. I'm calling them ceramics, am I correct?

Thanks "Philip", pretty much answered the question anyway as the lower grit diamonds are acceptable/preferable.

Thanks for all the info, straightened me out, got the basic idea. Think I'm ready to order... LET THE OBSESSION BEGIN!!

Cheapest place to buy? Promo/Discount codes exist?

Interesting question about the Shaptons!. I have seen the PRO series described in different ways. Either "hardened cermic abrasive in a high quality resin binder" Or "ceramic abrasive in a clay binder".
So are they ceramic stones? Normally I have not seen them referred to as ceramics. Ceramic stones are usually, well, all solid ceramic. So the abrasive and the binder are one in the same material. To be more specific, there is no binder, it is simply a ceramic stone.

I have not used the Shapton stones. As Mark, I am working my way to getting started in buying a progression. I just have to do it slowly. The thought of $1200 plus in sharpening stones is a bit daunting for me. If it is not to you, by all means, order up a set

If you read Tom's "Microscopic Shapton Progression" article, he goes into some detail about each Shapton Pro stone and has photmicrographs to illustrate what they do. Again it is here:

jendeindustries.wordpress.com/2012/03/04...oscopic-progression/
He loves the Shaptons... as do many hand sharpeners. Obviously for good reason.

As Mark mentioned, it may be better to walk before you run. Maybe get the Pro pack and see how it goes.
Maybe add the ultra fine ceramic and some finer grit compounds as you get used to the system and begin to know what you really want.... well there I go, the rabit hole...

Do a bunch of reading and see what others have done. There is a whole bunch of real good info on the WEPS right on this forum. Clay, Tom, Mark and others have done some great work and have the pictures to illustrate everything.


As to pricing, just do a web search and compare. The guy I bought my original setup from had good pricing, but I would not recommend him to anyone.

Phil

Welcome to the forums! and to the world of precision sharpening

In my opinion ( if I had it to do over again) I would probably go with the stock diamonds up through 1k and then switch over to choseras up to 10k (although that can get expensive). What I would do if you want to do it on the cheap and get excellent results is to just go up through either the 1600 ceramics and then switch over to some 3M lapping film mounted on either lapped aluminum or glass blanks (Kenneth Schwartz here on the forums has just gotten into selling diamond lapping films on glass blanks all the way down to sub micron levels). Here is a thread that GREATLY helped clue me into this ingenious idea... and what's so great about it is that you can remove the lapping film and put a different grit down if you want I actually went with the 3M alum ox lapping film that Leo mentioned from here (sample pack including grits 40, 15, 5, 1, 0.3um). It is already PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) backed so it has a sticky back automatically and works great!

I actually honed my straight razor from the 10k choseras > 1um lapping film > .3um lapping film > finished on a kangaroo strop w .125 CBN spray. It is the closest, smoothest shave I have had to date... am loving every bit of it =). I have had more success w/ the lapping films than the strops, but that may just be technique

Also wanted to post this up for you if you are wondering about stock stone/strop progression and what the microscopic images look like at each level.... Hope this helps!!!

JDS,

Just curious, you say that you are a Noob. Is this just with the Wicked Edge System or to sharpening in general. How much knife sharpening have you done in the past. This is pertinent for me just so I know how to answer some of your questions in terms that will be helpful to you at this time.

Phil

BTW, when I got my WEPS, everything outside of the stock stones was pretty much on backorder. I too used the lapping tapes, along with very high grit sandpapers, because that is all that I had. You can get some very good results with them. I just stuck them to some balsa strops that I made. Of course glass would be better. The system gives you almost endless possibilities for substrates and abrasives. Part of the fun is trying as many as you can, just to see what results are obtained. Getting the Pro Pack, or even the basic kit and figuring the system out is probably a real good way to start. Oh, and don't forget to get an angle cube. If you want precision, using it every time you change stones, is the best way to get there.

Phil

I'll be ordering the Pro Pack w/the addition of the 1200/1600's to get my feet wet and gain some experience w/techniques.

I have only done basic sharpening with a simple two sided stone (which I now consider barbaric) so I am pretty much brand new. I understand the concepts but realize this is a lifetime art, still can't wait to start though! I will also be ordering some of the classic edge sharpening books, reading every article and watching every video I can possible find, I'm pretty thorough when learning a new art, lol.

I will also be using a microscope and definitely a cube, remember, I have perfection in my veins!

EDIT: Just watched the lapping film vids (thx for the link) but curious why WE didn't include anything in the kit between 1000 and paste?

Speaking of the 1200/1600's, Iv'e been reading so much WE, I'm getting confused as to where Iv'e seen what, lol. Is it my imagination or are the 1200/1600 Ceramics NOT on the WE site? Or are they the 1.4/.6 micron ones. I can't even remember where I saw them... I'm delirious, been reading for hours. Thx.