Beston 500 and Bestor 1200

[binder]

I am considering buying the Beston 500 and Bester 1200 for sharpening knives. Can someone tell me how these are for soaking and keeping wet while sharpening, as well as performance. How are these for flattening. Has anyone flattened these on sandpaper, drywall screen etc.

Thanks

[mainaman]

The 500 Beston needs to live in the bucket. It is one of the thirstiest stones I have seen. Lapping is easy, the stone is pretty fast cutter, but I do not know how it will work with razors.
I am not sure about the 1.2k Bester I like Chosera and that is what I use at that grit level.

[ouch]

+1

That Beston 500 is about as thirsty a stone as I've seen. I have a Suehiro 220 that's worse- when you remove it from its bucket, you can practically hear a whooshing sound as it sucks in any remaining surface water.

The 500 is regarded by many as one of the most effective arato stones.

[Jim]

The 500 also has a very tough crust on it from the factory, you need to really get through that before the stone will shine.

[binder]

How does the fact that the Beston 500 is so thirsty affect the sharpening process?

As far as the crust do I need to flatten it to remove it?

I saw this stone at Lee Valley: 200x Green Silicon Carbide Stone. Would this be a good choice for the lower grit or is the Beston a better idea?

Thanks for the help

[DaveMartell]

How does the fact that the Beston 500 is so thirsty affect the sharpening process?

This is a desirable trait IF you use medium to heavy pressure while sharpening. The reason is that the pressure on the stone's surface causes the water to pool under the weight of the edge (that's because it comes from inside the stone because the stone sucked it up and because it's so porous) and this provides the proper lubrication for getting this stone to work at it's max. People who don't like this stone are often light in their touch and this is likely the explanation.

[DaveMartell]

The 500 also has a very tough crust on it from the factory, you need to really get through that before the stone will shine.

Yes this is soooooo true! Get yourself a diamond plate or some really coarse sandpaper and a flat surface to put it on. Nothing special needed to do this really, the same gear that you use to flatten your stones with will work.

[binder]

Thanks for the advice.
I just wanted to ask how these stones are for learning to sharpen. Does it matter which stones a person starts out on?
Can I use these stones for both razors and knives?
Can I just use a 1200 grit stone to cut a bevel?