A 120-grit sharpening stone is a coarse abrasive tool primarily used for the following purposes:
Applications:
- Sharpening Tools: It can be used for sharpening blades, chisels, knives, or any cutting tools that need a rougher sharpening surface to remove nicks, chips, or to re-profile the edge.
- Grinding Metal: Suitable for initial grinding tasks where you need to shape the metal or remove material quickly.
- Woodworking: In some cases, a 120-grit stone can be used for flattening woodworking tools like plane irons and chisels.
- Stone Polishing or Sanding: It can also be used for smoothing rough surfaces or shaping stones in lapidary work.
Characteristics:
- Coarse Abrasive: The 120-grit is coarse enough to remove material quickly, but finer than lower grits like 60 or 80. It’s a good starting point if the surface isn’t too rough but still requires significant shaping.
- Follow-Up Use: Typically followed by finer grit stones (like 400 or 1000 grit) for a smoother, sharper finish.
1. Initial Sharpening and Shaping
- Removes significant material quickly from a dull or damaged blade.
- Ideal for reshaping edges or repairing nicks and chips in knives, chisels, or other tools.
2. Bevel Setting
- Establishes the basic bevel angle on tools or knives before refining with finer grits.
3. Blade Restoration
- Suitable for heavily worn or rusted tools requiring aggressive sharpening to restore usability.
How to Use:
- Preparation:
- Soak the stone in water (for water stones) or apply oil (for oil stones) if required, depending on the type.
- Sharpening:
- Hold the tool or blade at the appropriate angle (typically 15–20° for knives).
- Move the blade across the stone in smooth, consistent strokes.
- Progression:
- After using the 120-grit stone, switch to finer grits (e.g., 600, 1000, or higher) for honing and polishing.
Applications:
- Kitchen knives
- Woodworking tools (e.g., chisels, plane irons)
- Outdoor tools (e.g., axes, machetes)
Remember, a 120-grit stone is coarse and should only be used when necessary, as it can remove a lot of material quickly. For regular maintenance, finer grits are better suited.