Wästikivi - Sharpening Stones from Finland

Sharpening with natural stones - Wästikivi & Orivesi - made in Finland / Suomi.
Hand plane and chisel, Japanese and European. Lapping / Flattening. Testing on hard and soft wood. Razor sharp.
For more information please open the full text & subtitles!

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- Where can these stones be found?
In a mine in Längelmäki - central Finland. If you do not want not go this far, you can go straight to wästikivi.fi or look for 'Wästikivi' in ecosia. There are many resellers. The Orivesi might not be on sale yet. If i get news about it, i will mention it here.

- What grid do these stones have?
Wästikivi about 600-1000. Orivesi about 2500-3000.

- Your blades look shiny, with grid 3000?
Yes, this is what is amassing me the most. They are more shiny than after using my 6000 Japanese wet stone.

- Is there a trick for this shininess?
With these stones, there is more room to play, than with artificial stones (at least, this is how i feel): With fresh water and more pressure, they act like coarse stones - much material is removed. If used with slurry and less pressure, they behave like fine stones - material is hardly removed, the steal is polished instead.

- You do not use other stones?
I have some other stones, but since i got these ones, they seem to become my favorites. The sharpness is enough for me. Only for really fine furniture or plan blades for complicate wood i might go one finer stone. I got a finer stone from Orivesi which is not on sale. It is similar to the Roszutec from Slovakia with grid 8000. But for normal use, like during my actual timber frame project, these two stones are perfect.
If the blade got a damage, there is need for something coarser - i use a Shapton 220.

- Beside the polishing, what do you like in these stones from Finland?
They are very hard - even misused with a 'digging' blade, they won't take damage, they stay perfectly flat for long.
They do not need to be soaked in water and do not absorb any water - less water in the workshop and they can be used in minus degrees as long as there is liquid water available.
Sharpening on them simply feels good - and to my eyes, they are beautiful.

- Are there disadvantages?
As they are very hard, they might be difficult to flatten. I tried with sandpaper, it goes but takes it's time. Surprisingly the sandpaper (black Mirka) does not get dull fast. Since they are flat, i very regularly flatten them like shown in the video. This goes easy.
If you have a diamond stone, it should go smooth.

- Have you tried on different steal?
I made good experience on 'chrome vanadium' chisels from MHG Germany.
Less good experience on 'two cherry' chisels.
Good on A2 from Veritas.
Excellent on high carbon steel: Ron Hock blades and Japanese chisels.
And also my kitchen knifes, specially the fish fillet knife went to new levels.