Lee Valley Pride Abrasive Ceramic Water Stones With Wooden Box

Manufactured to strict specifications in Bristol, Wisconsin, these stones quickly abrade even tough alloys such as A2 steel.

In the 220x to 6000x stones, the abrasive particles are held together by moderately weak bonds, releasing fresh abrasive at a regular, rapid rate to yield a highly consistent scratch pattern. That also means that these stones wear at a faster rate than those with harder bonds, but this is offset by the fact that fewer strokes are required to achieve comparable results. Conversely, the 8000x and 10000x stones use somewhat stronger bonds, so they wear and cut more slowly, producing a fine polishing effect. The highly durable ceramic alumina abrasive doesn’t readily fracture into finer particles during the sharpening process, so it is important to work through a series of progressively finer grits to obtain a final polish.

The 220x is for removing nicks or significantly changing the bevel angle, the 600x stone grinds a primary bevel, and the 1000x stone establishes a basic edge.

The 3000x can be used to refine the edge or produce a micro-bevel; the 6000x is an intermediate stone for use prior to honing with the 8000x and/or 10000x, which polish to a mirror finish.

As these stones are relatively porous, they require a thorough soaking before use. Each measures 8″ × 2 3/4″ × 1″ and is supplied in a fitted wooden storage box.