Norton IM200 -8" Three Stone Sharpening System - Fine India, Medium Crystolon, and Coarse Crystolon stones Product Description:
- Self-contained bench sharpening unit with reservoir for oil and rotating axis that holds three stones in place for sequential use
- Includes three sharpening stones: 100-grit silicon carbide stone for repairing, 150-grit silicon carbide for sharpening and maintaining, and 320-grit aluminum oxide for honing cutting edges
- 3/8 x 8 x 2 inch (H x W x D) size of oilstones makes them suitable for use as bench sharpeners for knives and tools
- Durable plastic case has a lid and no-slip rubber feet, and protects stones against breakage
- Angle guide to position tool correctly for sharpening, and 4.5 oz. can of Norton sharpening stone oil for lubrication
Product Description
The Norton Crystolon and India IM200 8-inch three-stone sharpening system includes 100-grit and 150-grit silicon carbide stones and a 320-grit aluminum oxide stone, a self-contained three-stone bench sharpening unit with a lid and no-slip rubber feet, a reservoir, an angle guide, and a 4.5 oz. can of sharpening stone oil for lubrication. In the top of the bench sharpening unit, a rotating axis holds the stones firmly in place, protecting them against breakage, and bringing the desired stone into position for sharpening. The base of the sharpening unit is a reservoir that allows submersion of the unused stones, keeping them clean and saturated. The angle guide helps to position a tool correctly for sharpening. The three stones in this system are used sequentially to restore cutting edges on straight-edged tools, such as chisels, plane blades, and precision instruments; the100-grit silicon carbide stone is suitable for repairing a cutting edge, while the 150-grit silicon carbide stone is suitable for sharpening and maintaining the edge, and the 320-grit aluminum oxide stone produces a honed cutting edge.
The sharpening stone oil meets FDA requirements for use near food, and consists of pharmacopeia-grade mineral oil formulated with the correct lubricity for oilstone sharpening. It prevents metal from bonding with the abrasive surface by flushing away dislodged abrasive and metal chips. Each stone is also prefilled with oil to save time and eliminate the need to presoak it prior to use. The silicon carbide stones are fast-cutting and offer effective sharpening, even under light pressure. The aluminum oxide stone has a tough fracture- and wear-resistant grit that is more durable than silicon carbide and capable of sharpening to very close tolerances.
Each stone is created by grading the material to a consistent particle size and blending it with bonding agents. It is then molded and surface-finished. These 3/8 x 8 x 2 inch (H x W x D) oilstones, which are suitable for bench use, are harder and more durable than a waterstone. (H is height, the vertical distance from lowest to highest point; W is width, the horizontal distance from left to right; D is depth, the horizontal distance from front to back.) They conform to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) abrasive grit standard.
Sharpening stones, or whetstones, are abrasive surfaces used to sharpen and hone the edges of steel cutting implements, such as chisels, knives, scissors, hand scrapers, and plane blades. Sharpening is the process of creating or re-establishing a cutting edge by grinding away portions of the metal to adjust the angle of the edge and reform the shape. Honing removes small imperfections. Stones can be flat, for working flat edges, or shaped, for edges that are more complex. Sharpening stones are made of natural or synthetic materials that range from softer to harder, and are categorized by the size of their abrasive particles, known as grit. A stone with a coarser grit is used when more metal needs to be removed (e.g., when sharpening a nicked or very dull blade); the stone with the finest grit produces the sharpest edge. Where numbers are assigned to specify grit, they range from coarser grit (low) to finer grit (high). Some sharpening stones are designed for use with a lubricating liquid, some can be used dry, and others can be used either wet or dry. When used with lubricating liquid, a sharpening stone can be called a waterstone or an oilstone, based on the lubricant required.
Norton Abrasives manufactures sanding, grinding, and polishing abrasives, and has been located in the United States since 1885. Norton, now a brand of Saint-Gobain, meets ISO 9000 and 14001 certification for quality and environmental management standards.
What’s in the Box?
- 100-grit silicon carbide stone
- 150-grit silicon carbide stone
- 320-grit aluminum oxide stone
- Bench sharpening unit with reservoir
- 4.5 oz. can of Norton sharpening stone oil
- Angle guide
- Instructions
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful.
By Steven Smith
This is the first knife sharpening system I have used, but I am quite impressed. My knives were becoming quite dull and when I first got this, I ran my knives across the course grit many times, then to the medium, then to the fine. My knives were noticeably sharper, but not as sharp as I would have liked. I used my knives for a couple of weeks, then pulled this back out and sharpened again on the medium, then to fine. Now my knives were quite sharp. This system does appear to have a learning curve if you have never freehand sharpened a knife before. I do believe that once I get the hang of this system, it will be so worth the money. You can sharpen your knife at any angle you would like.The guide included in the system isn't very good. To use it, you leave the guide at one end, align the knife and then simulate cutting a thin slice off the stone. You don't want to use much pressure, but you do need to keep the knife at a consistent angle. I think I kept a much more consistent angle on the second go.I see many stones come with nothing but the stone. This has 3 stones held in a nice container that hold a good grip on the table. Rather than holding the stone with your fingers and either losing an inch or two of working area, you can use the entire 8" of cutting. I have a 10" chefs knife and I can sharpen it just fine on these stones.The manual says you can use either water or mineral oil with the stones. I have only tried the mineral oil that came with the stones and it works well.This product seems like a good deal over the larger version. The larger version is about 33% bigger, but it comes with a 150% bigger price tag.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful.
By Carl Bernzweig
Bought this as a rank amateur, who'd heard professional chefs talking about their Tri-Stones. Dissatisfied with results from 'easy-use' sharpeners, and tired of sending my knives out for sharpening, I hoped this would give me the ability to have knives sharp as the Iron Chefs' whenever I wanted them.Okay, there's obviously a learning curve I'm only partway through. Sometimes I get an edge that thrills me with its razor-sharpness; sometimes it seems I've dulled rather than improved it. Suggested sharpening techniques vary somewhat depending on the source--I've gotten better results following other experts' advice on YouTube than trying to follow the written directions provided with this product. But again, lacking any particular proficiency, I may simply have chanced to execute a little better when trying one technique instead of another.One thing two years of use have convinced me: There's no particular advantage to having three stones on a rotating block in a plastic housing. In fact, the stone rocks a bit in its base, making it that much tougher to maintain a consistent angle while handling the knife. Two good stones and a towel--like the pros demonstrating on YouTube tend to use--would take less shelf space and give me one less variable to worry about.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
By C. Riedel
I am a professionally trained chef, used to sharpening my blades on industry quality tri-stones. This one has worked out fantastically for my house, has a great sized well for mineral oil, and doesnt slide as long as you have all four of the rubber things on the bottom. Unfortunately, the one I received only had three rubber stoppers for the bottom, otherwise I would have rated this five stars. A damp cloth works well as a substitute for the rubber dohiggamajiggers.
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