I apologize in advance for my forthcoming sharpening question I know there are multiple previous threads on this topic. My bad for not learning from them! I want to ask a very specific question in hopes of learning from the collective intelligence of the SMC community. Please forgive me for my sin of creating a sharpening thread!
I over the last 40 years I've gone through lots of different sharpening stones all primarily water stones King, Sigma power stones, Shapton etc. My most recent set up was set of three Shapton Pro stones can't remember the grits - yellow, purple, lighter yellow. I really love the coarse and middle stones easy to flatten, cut quickly. My biggest challenge was that the finishing stone was soft. The upside was you could really feel the cutting edge interacting with the stone, downside was it was easy to stick/catch the edge of the blade in the sharpening surface and it took some time to soak prior to first use.
Once my Shaptonc Pro finishing stone got so thin it broke, I replaced it with a SpyderCo "ultrafine" stone I had rattled around the shop. Again my apologies I can't remember the specific grits etc. - My stone is snow white. It cuts quickly and I very much appreciate it's a much "harder" sharpening surface that also provides good feedback through your hands not something easily gouged. I also like it doesn't require a lot of prior soaking prior to use. My challenges with the Spyderco ultrafine stone that I otherwise enjoy, are: removing the wire edge on the flat cutting surface seems to leave the steel fragments embedded in the stone. In subsequent passes I can feel the steel embedded in the stone interacting with the cutting edge not good. Secondly, it seems hard to keep it flat. Admittedly I have an old Atoma flattening plate that I think came with a set of Sigma power stones. Probably time to replace it (I appreciate any advice/suggestions)?
Problem is the coarser grit Shapton stones flatten easily with the Atoma plate. However the, Spyderco ultrafine seems to resist flattening seems like there's always a hollow area in the center the stone untouched after multiple passes with Atoma flattening plate.
Sorry for the long preamble I guess my ask is: what are your suggestions for finishing stone that can easily be Flat, provides a fine, finished cutting edge (I'm more than willing to spend extra time to get sharpest possible edge tools), and is a firm surface less prone to gouging. Secondarily what should I use as a flattening stuff?
At the risk of creating highlighting some kind of fundamental schism, I've never used oil stones. Could those be some kind of solution?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions. Very much appreciate everyone's help!
Best, Mike
and also