First off I want to give a big thank you to Bob at Oldawan!! Bob is a distributor for WE and had product in stock. He is great at customer service. He gave me the facts and then helped me make a decision based upon that. Great great guy!
Now? I can't make up my mind weather I want to go Chosera or Ceramics? I'm looking for bragging rights here and want a mirror finish? I wasn't really into the idea of using water? But if that is what I have to do? Okay?
Please let me know what you guys think I should do??

EamonMcGowan wrote:


I've used Choseras freehand (not on the WE), but my .02...
Bragging rights & mirror finish = Chosera. It's hard to beat the polish of a waterstone.

But it will be a bit more work and fuss! Not only water, but the stones are a different thickness, so you have to check angles more often. And of course a higher $$$. Bragging rights come at a cost hahaha!

Bragging rights & mirror finish = Chosera. It's hard to beat the polish of a waterstone.
CBW34 do you think it is worth it over the Ceramics?

Agree 100%. Chosera for polish, with those caveats.

Ken

EamonMcGowan wrote:


I don't think you need them all... most of the lower work can be done with the regular stones/ceramics.

Whether it's worth it or not... really depends on what you want. If you really want a mirror.... as scratch free as possible.... people shutter when you draw your knife then...................... maybe.

You can get a polished bevel with the ceramics and strops. If I'm not mistaken, most of the "mirror edges" Clay shows in photos are done that way.

I think waterstones do it a bit faster, and better, because the stone breaks down and polishes better. So part of the answer depends on the time you want to put into it, and if you really have to have that "perfect" finish.

Phil has written an article on this you may want to look at...
wickededgeusa.com/wiki/index.php?title=U...es_by_Philip_Pasteur

... and there's also some links on this page that talk about mirror finishes...
wickededgeusa.com/wiki/index.php?title=Stones_and_Strops

Some like how a waterstone feels when sharpening, and the feedback it provides.

So, honestly, whether it's worth it or not, is up to you.

If it were me, and you want to try waterstones, I'd try just one stone... probably the 2000-3000, and see how you liked it. I'm not sure if whoever makes these can mix and match.... a 3000-5000 would be a good combo too, if they'd do it.

From that you can decide if you want even finer, and/or some like a little coarser for setting up the bevel/edge for the medium stones.

Also, as an alternative, you can get fine sandpaper... in the 2000-3000 range, that'll help polish a bevel too.

If its mirror finish you seek then Chosera is the way to go. No question.

Good advice given above, the 800/1k and/or 2k/3k set is coarse enough to pickup after the 1000 diamonds but still do a great job.

In the end you will end up with both. The ceramics are nice when you don't want to spend the time with all the Chosera stones.

I was very pleasantly surprised with how little mess the water stones make. Soak them for 10 minutes, just in 1/4 inch of water, just enough to cover the stone but not up to the plastic platen. Let excess water drip off. Keep moist with about 3-5 drops of water per stone as needed. I keep a paper towel folded up on each side to catch any drips.

If you want bragging rights type mirrored bevels, there is no comparison between the ceramic stones and the Choseras. I think you may find folks that would make you a set up. If so a good set would be 1K/2K after the diamonds. In the WEPS offerings I would go with the 800/1K set. These will give you a more polished edge than what most people consider a mirror. It is really quite amazing, for their grit size, what the 1K Chosera stones do for you! From there it is a matter of how much time and money you want to spend. There is a definite improvement in reflectivity and scratch removal even between the 5K and 10K.

So, I think you want a recommendation. If your goal is as you stated in your original post, and you have the money to do it, buy the whole set. If you can't do it all at once, buy the whole set over time. Either way, you will get what you want and be very happy... until you look at your bank account


I have gotten to really like the set of four ceramics from WEPS. I often stop with those... and maybe a bit of stropping... so don't take anything above to mean that I am belittling them. They have a definite place in the progression that I use for many knives. They simply are not polishing stones.

Phil

Okay guys I can not seem to figure out how you do the "fancy highlight quotes" sp please bear with me?

Cbw34 thanks! I had no idea what I was biting off when I said "mirror finish"? I read your recommendations and I won't be needing to use equipment necessary to measure reflective light? At least the OCD doesn't seem to be that bad yet? Lol Simply I live and work at a gun range. With that comes a lot of knife guys. So we are always checking out the other guys stuff and comparing to see who has the "biggest one"? There is one guy who poo pooed the We when I said I want one and I would like to dazzle him.

I have the Pro Pack 1 and have talked with Bob at Oldawans and have pre ordered the choseras, but am now second guessing myself? I'm pretty sure when this is all said and done I will have bought everything ha ha ha. But for now and $$$ it is one or the other?

Phil thank you so much for your answer. I am curious and I think I missed something? Which one is not the "polishing stones"?

Any of the Ceramic stones from WEPS... the 1200/1600 or the ones rated 1.4/0.5 microns.
They leave very nice precise, fine scratches, but don't do much at all in the way of mirror polishing...at least to the degree that you indicate you are looking for.

Again, they do have a place. Before I started using them I would go from the 1000 grit diamonds...back to the 400/600 choseras then 800/1K etc to 10K. I now go through the ceramic progression and lots of times start with the 2K chosera stones... and up from there.

Okay you guys chosera it is! So from the 800/1000 diamonds to 2k-3k choseras? Then figure out if I really need to eat next week and order the 5k/10k? Decisions decisions????