Stones needed for K390

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Grizzly
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Stones needed for K390

#1

Post by Grizzly »

Hello everyone. Well, I lost my PM2 yesterday and miss it already. I've had more knives lost due to pocket clips over the years than I care to remember. I'm surprised it happened to the PM2 since it seemed to stay put so well for about 5 years or so. I'm thinking of replacing it with either an Endura or Endela in K390. What I need to know is if my 3 Ultra Sharp brand diamond plates in 300, 600 and 1200 are sufficient for this steel. They are made similar to the DMTs but cost a bit less. I also have the med and ultra fine Spyderco ceramic stones as well as hard and soft Arkansas but from what I understand, they should not be used on this steel due to all the vanadium.

I read where some are using strops with diamonds also and I'm hoping I don't have to do that. Will I be shortchanging this steel if I don't?

Thanks for the help, Craig
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sal
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#2

Post by sal »

Hi Grizzly

Welcome to our forum.

K390 is hard so you'll want something that can cit it. Diamonds, CBN, ceramic work well. Natural stones are also OK, but will cut the steel more slowly.

sal
T.J.
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#3

Post by T.J. »

I have no problem sharpening my K390 knives on my Wicked Edge with diamond stones.
S-3 ranch
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#4

Post by S-3 ranch »

Should be fine with that setup? And some diamond spray or paste , dust to strop

I found a K390 delica $115 and haven’t pulled the trigger yet because I can’t decide if I want it yet
“”Think of an edge as a living thing that comes and goes, born, get's old, is reborn.””
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#5

Post by JD Spydo »

These newer "Supersteels" ( K390 included) are getting so hard that I believe most of the current sharpening stones will become obsolete in the next 10 years or so. It's to the point now that Diamond, CBN and Spyderco's great ceramic stones are really the only stones I would recommend anyone buying at this time. It might even get to the point to where "diamond" may become the only viable material for sharpening tools as progress is made in specialty type steels.

It is most interesting that we are seeing such profound changes at this time in the areas of metallurgy and ceramic technology. I never thought I would see the day when all my old natural stones like novaculite ( Arkansas Stones) would become totally useless.

I'm now wondering what might be in the product pipeline with newer ceramic stones? I also think it's highly likely we'll see them make a ceramic with equal hardness to diamond within the next 10 years as well.
Grizzly
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#6

Post by Grizzly »

Thanks for the welcome and replies. When do you think this K390 reaches its potential? Do I need to go past the 1200 diamond plate? Just wondering what the difference in the working edge is before and after stropping. I'm looking forwards to working with this steel. I just wish all the handles didn't have to be blue. Does anyone know when the K390 Stretch will be released?
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kobold
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#7

Post by kobold »

I use DMT (XC)/C/F/XF/XXF diaplates followed by the Spyderco 306UF with great success. Sometimes it is good to raise and remove a burr more than once on each side with the UF.

I always strop, it removes any leftover burr. Usually I just do the one micron diapaste on leather and the half micron diaspray on leather, but sometimes I will do a full 6-3-1-0,5 micron progression.
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vivi
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#8

Post by vivi »

Grizzly wrote:
Sat May 08, 2021 10:23 pm
Thanks for the welcome and replies. When do you think this K390 reaches its potential? Do I need to go past the 1200 diamond plate? Just wondering what the difference in the working edge is before and after stropping. I'm looking forwards to working with this steel. I just wish all the handles didn't have to be blue. Does anyone know when the K390 Stretch will be released?
The handles are easy to dye black.

K390 sharpens up just fine on a sharpmaker. Use diamond / cbn stones to reprofile.

I had really good results with this steel using low grits. I managed to get my Police 4 shaving sharp off a 300 grit diamond stone, and it held that shaving sharpness for months. It was unreal.
:unicorn
MFlovejp
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#9

Post by MFlovejp »

kobold wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 2:55 am
I use DMT (XC)/C/F/XF/XXF diaplates followed by the Spyderco 306UF with great success. Sometimes it is good to raise and remove a burr more than once on each side with the UF.

I always strop, it removes any leftover burr. Usually I just do the one micron diapaste on leather and the half micron diaspray on leather, but sometimes I will do a full 6-3-1-0,5 micron progression.

I will second everything kobold just said. That sounds like a scary sharp edge. K390 does well with thorough burr removal in my experience.
Current Carries: Military 4V, Stretch XL Cruwear, Sage 1 CF, Siren Sprint S90V, ZDP Delica
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VooDooChild
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#10

Post by VooDooChild »

You know theres a k390 pm2 if you want to stick with the pm2.
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GarageBoy
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#11

Post by GarageBoy »

I think those are finally sold out at Bento Box Store

Diamond plates finished with diamond strop compound is a favorite of many sharpeners

My self, I'm looking into a dmt (for coarse work), and venev bonded diamond water stones (for finish work)
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VooDooChild
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#12

Post by VooDooChild »

GarageBoy wrote: I think those are finally sold out at Bento Box Store

Diamond plates finished with diamond strop compound is a favorite of many sharpeners

My self, I'm looking into a dmt (for coarse work), and venev bonded diamond water stones (for finish work)
Oh wow, well they stuck around forever.

Nevermind Grizzly
"Rome's greatest contribution to mathematics was the killing of Archimedes."
S-3 ranch
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#13

Post by S-3 ranch »

JD Spydo wrote:
Sat May 08, 2021 9:54 pm
These newer "Supersteels" ( K390 included) are getting so hard that I believe most of the current sharpening stones will become obsolete in the next 10 years or so. It's to the point now that Diamond, CBN and Spyderco's great ceramic stones are really the only stones I would recommend anyone buying at this time. It might even get to the point to where "diamond" may become the only viable material for sharpening tools as progress is made in specialty type steels.

It is most interesting that we are seeing such profound changes at this time in the areas of metallurgy and ceramic technology. I never thought I would see the day when all my old natural stones like novaculite ( Arkansas Stones) would become totally useless.

I'm now wondering what might be in the product pipeline with newer ceramic stones? I also think it's highly likely we'll see them make a ceramic with equal hardness to diamond within the next 10 years as well.
Chasing the dragons tail, I really don’t know if I like spending the time and money on super steel! Or just as frustrating, having to do quick touch up on semi hard steel?? Luckily spyderco
Has both options and lots of different knives in the middle
“”Think of an edge as a living thing that comes and goes, born, get's old, is reborn.””
SAL :spyder:

“ The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men” :bug-white-red :bug-white-red
Grizzly
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#14

Post by Grizzly »

S-3 ranch wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 9:54 am
JD Spydo wrote:
Sat May 08, 2021 9:54 pm
These newer "Supersteels" ( K390 included) are getting so hard that I believe most of the current sharpening stones will become obsolete in the next 10 years or so. It's to the point now that Diamond, CBN and Spyderco's great ceramic stones are really the only stones I would recommend anyone buying at this time. It might even get to the point to where "diamond" may become the only viable material for sharpening tools as progress is made in specialty type steels.

It is most interesting that we are seeing such profound changes at this time in the areas of metallurgy and ceramic technology. I never thought I would see the day when all my old natural stones like novaculite ( Arkansas Stones) would become totally useless.

I'm now wondering what might be in the product pipeline with newer ceramic stones? I also think it's highly likely we'll see them make a ceramic with equal hardness to diamond within the next 10 years as well.
Chasing the dragons tail, I really don’t know if I like spending the time and money on super steel! Or just as frustrating, having to do quick touch up on semi hard steel?? Luckily spyderco
Has both options and lots of different knives in the middle
Weather it is pleasure, passion, obsession or simply necessity, we can now go from mild to wild. I must have used a 1095 Stockman knife for years at work, using each blade for a different purpose and wearing them all down over the years. I still have a couple but it is interesting to see how these new steels perform at todays tough chores of opening letters and Amazon boxes in retirement. What I would really like to try is a chef knife made from this K390. That is where most of my knives get a work out anymore. But for now, I just want to see if the edge an the performance is that much better - and if I can bring an edge to the potential of the design. Looks like I'm going to have to find this diamond paste for my strop next and then decide on which knife to try it out on.
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sal
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#15

Post by sal »

Hi Grizzly,

And what type/style/size of kitchen knife would you want?

sal
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Evil D
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#16

Post by Evil D »

sal wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 1:45 am

sal



Bit off topic but any updates on when/what models are coming in SE K390?
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Matus
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#17

Post by Matus »

The wish for super wear resistant steel in a kitchen knife should come together with the awareness that thinning such a knife (what will sooner or later be necessary to keep up the cutting performance) even with diamond sharpening stones will be a VERY daunting task.
... I like weird :bug-red :bug-white-red :bug-white ...
vivi
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#18

Post by vivi »

Grizzly wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 4:31 pm
S-3 ranch wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 9:54 am
JD Spydo wrote:
Sat May 08, 2021 9:54 pm
These newer "Supersteels" ( K390 included) are getting so hard that I believe most of the current sharpening stones will become obsolete in the next 10 years or so. It's to the point now that Diamond, CBN and Spyderco's great ceramic stones are really the only stones I would recommend anyone buying at this time. It might even get to the point to where "diamond" may become the only viable material for sharpening tools as progress is made in specialty type steels.

It is most interesting that we are seeing such profound changes at this time in the areas of metallurgy and ceramic technology. I never thought I would see the day when all my old natural stones like novaculite ( Arkansas Stones) would become totally useless.

I'm now wondering what might be in the product pipeline with newer ceramic stones? I also think it's highly likely we'll see them make a ceramic with equal hardness to diamond within the next 10 years as well.
Chasing the dragons tail, I really don’t know if I like spending the time and money on super steel! Or just as frustrating, having to do quick touch up on semi hard steel?? Luckily spyderco
Has both options and lots of different knives in the middle
Weather it is pleasure, passion, obsession or simply necessity, we can now go from mild to wild. I must have used a 1095 Stockman knife for years at work, using each blade for a different purpose and wearing them all down over the years. I still have a couple but it is interesting to see how these new steels perform at todays tough chores of opening letters and Amazon boxes in retirement. What I would really like to try is a chef knife made from this K390. That is where most of my knives get a work out anymore. But for now, I just want to see if the edge an the performance is that much better - and if I can bring an edge to the potential of the design. Looks like I'm going to have to find this diamond paste for my strop next and then decide on which knife to try it out on.
I'd be all over a Spyderco chef knife in an interesting steel. Something around 9" with a fairly tall blade would be my personal preference.

It would be fun playing around with something like K390 or Rex45 with that sort of geometry. Wonder how it would do if you bumped into a bone compared to the softer stainless used more frequently?
:unicorn
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#19

Post by Wandering_About »

sal wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 1:45 am
Hi Grizzly,

And what type/style/size of kitchen knife would you want?

sal
I am going to join the conversation (totally uninvited) to say that a 6 inch Santoku is my personal favorite kitchen pattern. One in K390 would be particularly interesting.
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sal
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Re: Stones needed for K390

#20

Post by sal »

Hi David,

Hopefully all of the models we make in plain edge.

sal
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