I've got so many types of sharpening stones and devices, I think its a whole form of collecting in its own.

Arkansas Stones, Ceramic stones and rods and such, Spyderco Sharpmaker, Diamond stones and rods, etc etc. The one I go for the most is a bar of ceramic I got on Ebay. Slightly rough and puts a good utility edge.

I like the polished edge, but I just dont have the patience for it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> The best I normally do is a nice micro serrated working edge.

I hear the belt sander puts a good edge on, I havent had the guts to put one of mine to it yet. The rounded point I see on some belt sanded edges gives me nightmares

Oil Stones
Oil stones are the traditional Western stones that many people grew up using. These stones are made from one of three materials (Novaculite, Aluminum Oxide, or Silicon Carbide) and use oil for swarf (metal filing) removal.

The first oil stones are natural stones made from Novaculite. These natural stones are quarried in Arkansas and processed to make what we call Arkansas Stones. These stones are separated into different grades related to the density and the finish a stone produces on a blade. The coarsest of them are called Washita. The finer grades are called Soft Arkansas, Hard Arkansas and Hard Translucent Arkansas. These natural oil stones can produce a polished edge, but tend to cut more slowly than man-made stones.

The next fastest cutting oil stone is called the India stone. The India stone is made of Aluminum Oxide. These stones can cut fast, and can also produce a fine edge on tools and knives. The grading system for these stones is generally labeled fine, medium and coarse. These stones are often brown or orange in color.

The fastest cutting oil stones are made of Silicon Carbide. The silicon carbide stones made by Norton are called Crystolon stones. These stones are also labeled fine, medium and coarse. They are usually gray in color. While these stones won't produce an edge as fine as the India or natural stones, the fast cutting make them ideal for initial coarse sharpening.

The good overall performance and the modest price are the oil stone’s greatest assets. A set of India or Crystolon stones are the least expensive stones to purchase. These stones are also relatively hard, so the stones rarely require flattening.

The main disadvantage of the oil stone is its slower cutting rate. Of the three main stone types, the oil stone is the slowest. The fact that oil is used to remove the swarf is also messier to clean up than water

Water Stones
Water stones are relatively new to the Western world, but have gathered a large following due to their many advantages. Like the oil stones, the water stones are available in both natural and synthetic materials. However, due to availability, only synthetic stones will be discussed.

Synthetic water stones are generally made of Aluminum Oxide. This is the same abrasive material used in the India stones. However, the difference is the binder that holds the abrasives in the water stone together. Water stones are softer than India stones, which promotes faster cutting because the old abrasive material breaks away and is replaced with fresh sharp material.

Fast cutting is clearly an advantage of the water stone. The other obvious advantage is the use of water rather than oil to remove the swarf from the stone. However, the water stone is not perfect. The softness that promotes fast cutting also wears the stone down more quickly. This tends to wear the stone unevenly, which requires flattening to bring the stone back into shape.

Diamond Stones
Diamond stones contain small diamonds attached to the face of a metal plate. These small industrial diamonds are much harder than any of the other sharpening stones. However, not all diamond stones perform the same function, nor are they always created equal.