Author: jhoyla
Date: 2013-05-06 05:57
I would be careful with those diamond stones. They cut a lot of metal very quickly and you can end up with a blunt edge if you don't know what you are doing. Resetting an edge takes time, care and skill. Easier to start again with a new knife.
The "Rolls-Royce" of knives is probably a Jende 15K knife, which is obtainable either directly from Jende Industries or from numerous stockists. If you would rather have a cheaper option (like me), you can't really go wrong with a Rigotti reed knife. I have a wedge reed knife that I use when starting a fresh blank, and a couple of double-hollow-ground knives that I use when finishing (one is in my reed touching-up kit in my oboe bag). The Rigotti double-hollow-ground blade has been my mainstay for many years.
I have 3 diamond stones (coarse, fine, extra-fine), but I use them rarely. I flatten my soft-Arkansas stone on the coarse diamond, and use it for maintaining the edge on my knives. I finish (one or two strokes) on my flat hard-Arkansas stone, which I check periodically for flatness. I only lubricate with water - never oil.
In my travelling reed-making kit I have an India stone that I have used dry for the last 20 years. I almost never clean it and so it is far smoother and cuts much less than a new one would. It is perfect for maintaining the edge on my Herder knife.
Obsessive-compulsive? Me?
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