Norton or Rob Cosman Water Stones?

European has them a tiny bit cheaper

Jim in Burlington On

>European hand tools carries them and the set is worth 200CDN. I paid about 30 percent more 5 years or more ago. Not sure how the shipping and taxes add up for you.

Both sources sell the same Norton

HC Sakman

>..and R. Cosman only sells Norton, LV sells Norton as well as others.

Chico...

Thanks Jim & Chico

Garrett in Victoria

>Jim for the pointer to European Hand Tools, and Chico for the info that the Cosman stones are also Norton. I'm going to order the 4 stone kit or - see question below - the 4 stones plus flattening stone - from European tomorrow.

Is it worth purchasing the Norton flattening stone?

Cheers, Garrett

Re: Norton or Rob Cosman Water Stones?

Derek Cohen (in Perth Australia)

>Garrett

It'd be cheaper still if you leave out the 4000 stone. In the DVDs I have seen Rob sharpening I recall that he goes from his 1000 directly to his 8000 stone. Similarly, using King stones, I go from 1200 to 8000. There is no need to use a stone in between.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Norton or Rob Cosman Water Stones?

Brent Smith

>I differ from Derek in that I do use the 4000. It leaves less work on the 8000. As for flattening the stones, I just rub one against the other, does the job. Using the flattening stone is just a variation of that.

Brent

Re: Thanks Jim & Chico

Darren in Ontario

>Yes it is. You will find that they are cheap enough and much faster to flatten a stone - the grooves catch the slurry. I am happy that I have one.

Darren

Re: Norton or Rob Cosman Water Stones?

Jim in Burlington On

>In person Cosman uses the 4000 stone when flattening the backs of irons then finishes them with the ruler trick on a 8000 stone. The 4000 I have has worn about twice as fast as the others I'm waiting for it to snap. I don't own that flattening stone my current method is 220 grit sandpaper glued to glass. That rubbing the two 1000 stones together is messy and got old for me in a hurry.

Re: European has them a tiny bit cheaper

Darlene - in sunny Manitoba!

>$10 shipping + $14 GST (No PST because we are mailing outside Manitoba.) That�s it!

Darlene

European Hand Tools

Re: Norton or Rob Cosman Water Stones?

Derek Cohen (in Perth Australia)

>I have long been an advocate of 220 grit drywall mesh for flattening waterstones such as my Kings. This should also work on Nortons as I understand. The mesh is long lasting, easy to clean and lies flat.

Below is a picture of my Waterstone Board, with mesh (clamped at the rear end) and adjustable bracket for waterstones.

Incidentally, if one is going to use the Ruler Trick on the back of blades, and do so with the 8000 stone, then there is no need to grind the backs at all. Chisel backs are another matter altogether.

I suspect that I was thinking of David Charlesworth. He did only use 800, 1200 and 8000 waterstones in his sharpening video.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Norton or Rob Cosman Water Stones?

ThomD

>I'm with Jim.

The 4000 stone also has the reputation of being the best one in the Norton line. One might say the only one actually worth owning by Norton. I think the main issue is whether you are sharpening micro bevels, hollow ground bevels, or flat bevels. With the latter in trad Japanese form (or western for that mater) you need more steps because the surface area is massive. Which is also true of backs, even hollowed ones. But if you practice a modern style where the bevel is hollowed, or indexed for a micro edge as with the LV innovation, then you are only sharpening a sliver, and one can get by without a mid-stone. I thnk the modern style often ignores a lot of work on the back.

I prefer other brands for the 8000s, but that can readily come down to the tools one is actually sharpening.

Are you saying that since I start with a Tormek

Garrett in Victoria

>I probably need only the 8000, and, as well, that it should be a brand other than Norton? If so, which?

Cheers, Garrett

Re: Are you saying that since I start with a Torme

Todd Stock

>I've been going direct from 1200 diamond to 8000 Norton, even after grinding on the Tormek. The 4000 might be a good finish stone for those that are sharpening tools for carpentry tasks, but I've not found it useful for fine work. That said, I use diamond to flatten and one time through a half dozen finer diamond grits to mirror polish the blade the first time out. If you are flattening blades using waterstones (instead of diamond paste), then the intermediate grits sound like a good idea.

FWIW, I wish that I could see some differences in the King, Shapton, and Norton 8000 or so grit finish stones, but they all produce about the same final edge on my blades. Different feel, different maintenance requirements, but pretty much the same performance in ebony, rosewood, mahogany, and other guitar woods.

Re: Norton or Rob Cosman Water Stones?

William Brooke


>Hi

The Norton 4000 is the only stone of the Norton line made in Italy.

This information is true as of June 2006, anyhow.

Cheers

Re: Norton or Rob Cosman Water Stones?

Thom D


>That's interesting since it's the standout stone in the line.