Break-in period
Wicked Edge Diamond Stones have a break-in period. These abrasives are made from a process called electroplating. During this process, some diamonds become stuck to the surface of other diamonds, and form a second layer of diamonds. When you first start to use Wicked Edge Diamond Stones, you will notice that the stones feel very rough / aggressive on your knives, and your results won’t be optimal. As you continue to sharpen your knives, the second layer of diamonds will break off, and you will notice the stones become smoother and produce better results. The break-in period usually lasts approximately 20-30 knives. We recommend starting with inexpensive knives to break in your stones and develop your technique with the sharpener, and begin sharpening your more expensive cutlery after your stones have broken in.
If you have already been using your sharpener, and you later purchase finer stones like 2200 and 3000 grit diamond stones, you will notice the fine grits feel coarser than your coarse grits, which is because the fine stones have not broken in yet. Break in the fine grit stones just like your other diamond stones for optimal results.
How to break in your stones
Sharpen some inexpensive knives or a piece of scrap steel to break in your stones. Do not rub your stones together to break them in. Rubbing them together will destroy them.
How to tell when your stones are broken in
When your stones are properly broken in, you will notice they will feel smoother than they previously felt before they were broken in. You will also see much less dust gather when you sharpen.
How long diamond stones last
This depends on the types of steel you sharpen, the amount of strokes you do on each stone on each knife, and the amount of pressure you use. If you would like to learn from other Wicked Edge users about how long their stones last, the Wicked Edge Forum is a great resource where you can reach other Wicked Edge users.
