Quality Characteristics of the Double-Time Flattening Stone
Quality Characteristics of the Double-Time Flattening Stone
The Double-Time Flattening Stone is a quality USA-made flattening stone used to flatten water stones. It is the only flattening stone with all of the design and manufacturing features we've listed below.
Made In the USA
When we put the Sharpening Supplies name on a sharpening stone (or in this case a flattening stone), we make it in the USA. A USA-made product means that you're buying a quality product with the highest manufacturing standards. We also appreciate that our efforts to make our products in the USA support American workers.
Quality Manufacturing
When our Double-Time Flattening Stone is made, care is taken in manufacturing to ensure quality. It starts with a quality designed mold (our mold is now made from carbide for longevity). When produced, tons of force is needed to pack the grit and binder together. The stones are then baked at high temperatures to permanently bond the stone together in a process called vitrification.
Flattening Stone Hardness
A flattening stone needs to be harder than a regular sharpening stone. That means a harder abrasive like green silicon carbide and a harder binder (the part of the stone that holds the green silicon carbide together). This hardness keeps the flattening stone flatter longer.
Quality Design
When we designed the Double-Time Flattening Stone, it was a completely new design. We had a set of goals and designed the best flattening stone to meet those goals. The design and testing was done by the Sharpening Supplies staff. This is the same staff that answers the phone and responds to your sharpening questions.
When we designed it, we wanted it to be the best flattening stone on the market and created original features never seen on a flattening stone before. We tested different grits, sizes, shapes and after trial and error came up with a design we were proud to put the Sharpening Supplies name on.
Flattening Stone Size
With a flattening stone, larger is better. Most obviously, a larger stone can flatten larger sharpening stones. But a larger stone lasts longer too. Our Double-Time Flattening Stone has more than twice the flattening surface area than smaller single-sided stones.
Flatness Is Critical
A flattening stone has one job, to make a sharpening stone flat. It is a single-purpose tool that does nothing else. If it isn’t flat, it does not work properly for the single job it was designed to do. We have tested other flattening stones and have found that flatness is not something that you can take for granted.
Lapping is the process of flattening the flattening stone. This is done during manufacture after the stone is produced. While some consider this step optional because it incurs additional expense, we insist on lapping to make sure our stone is flat. It is a flattening stone, and if it isn't flat it isn't very useful. We know some other manufacturers do not bother with the lapping step, we do because we want to ensure that any lapping stone you purchase from us is flat enough to be useful.
Quality Testing
Each of our flattening stones is hand-tested before packaging. This additional step ensures that your flattening stone arrives flat. This extra step can catch a stone that doesn’t meet our standards. Stones that aren’t quite flat are sent back for additional lapping.
Is The Double-Time Flattening Stone For You?
The Double-Time Flattening Stone is the original doubled-sided, larger, flatter, lapped, tested, and made in the USA flattening stone. If you're looking for all of these quality features in your flattening stone, the Double-Time Flattening Stone is a great choice.