In the market, there are mainly three common whetstones: terrazzo, whetstone and diamond.
Terrazzo and Whetstone are natural whetstones.
Diamond and ceramic whetstones are artificial whetstones.
We know that before sharpening the knife, the sharpening stone must be lubricated with water and oil.
As you can see from the name, terrazzo and whetstone belong to this kind of grindstone that needs to be lubricated.
Some artificial whetstones can be used for lubrication or without lubrication, such as diamond and ceramic whetstones.
But the artificial sharpening stone and the natural sharpening knife have one thing in common.
That is, they all have different mesh sizes, which is what we usually call rough grinding and fine grinding.
However, it should be noted that different steel materials and hardness require different coarse and fine grindstones to grind, and sometimes even different grindstone materials are required to grind.
Whetstone:
Whetstone is a traditional whetstone in the West. Although terrazzo is more and more popular nowadays, it is still the most common whetstone on the market.
Why is it called Whetstone?
It is because before using this kind of whetstone, a little oil should be put on the whetstone.
The benefits of a little oil are:
1. This will reduce friction.
2. It is easier to move back and forth when sanding.
3. The metal scraps during the grinding process will remain in the oil, which is easier to wipe off after the knife is sharpened.
But whetstone is the slowest polishing speed among these kinds of whetstones.
Whetstone has more expensive Arkansas Whetstone and cheaper Indian Whetstone.
Indian whetstone is rougher, Arkansas whetstone is more expensive, especially the translucent Arkansas whetstone and hard black Arkansas whetstone are more expensive.
Terrazzo:
Terrazzo is also an increasingly popular type of grindstone, but it is a relatively new type of grindstone in the West.
One thing to note about terrazzo is that it must be soaked in water for a few minutes before use.
Just like oiling the oil, soaking the stone can act as a lubricant.
1. Helps reduce friction when sharpening the knife.
2. It is easier to move back and forth when sanding.
3. The metal scraps in the grinding process will stay in the water, which is easier to wipe off after the knife is sharpened.
Because many mines are closed now, the number of natural whetstones is not as large as before, and the price is getting higher and higher.
So now there are synthetic whetstones and terrazzo.
Synthetic whetstones are generally made of alumina.
Some synthetic grindstones need to be soaked before use, and some only need two drops of water.
Advantages of synthetic terrazzo
1. The sanding speed is fast.
2. Using water as a lubricant is better than oil for cleaning.
But the artificial terrazzo also has a disadvantage, the grindstone will wear out faster.
