Replies

1. 
   RonInOttawa | Nov 10, 2009 12:52am | #1

   I think .5 micron will roughly equate to 8000 grit rather than 800. It will put a mirror finish on either O1 or A2 steel. I usually take my chisels and plane irons up through 8000 grit on my waterstones and then I'll use the green rouge if I'm really looking for the sharpest possible finish. It doesn't take much!

   Regards,

   Ron

   As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!
   -Arthur Carlson
1. 
   derekcohen | Nov 10, 2009 04:18pm | #2

   Hi Ron

   You are going in the right direction, but not enough :)

   An 8000 grit watersone is 1.2 microns. A waterstone of .5 microns (as per the green rouge) would be about 30000 grit! My highest waterstone is a Shapton 12000-15000, and that just reaches .9 micron.

   Regards from Perth

   Derek

1. 
   9619 | Nov 10, 2009 09:34pm | #3

   Derek,
   You forgot to mention the 30,000 Shapton.Beyond that, there are nanotechnologists who are can remove individual molecules of material. Soon we will be able to get our tools really sharp. Seriously, have you noticed differences, both positive and negative in moving from 8 to 12K. Do you notice a difference in cutting ability? Is it a quick transient or not? My brother builds houses up in Connecticut. Once I showed him my 8K grit stone, and let him try one of my chisels. He has an Italian sense of humor ( much like mine). He picked up one of his chisels, applied it by hand to a 120 grit sanding belt on a 1" Delta belt sander. He immediately picked up a piece of wood and a hammer, and drove the chisel halfway through the board with one hit. I grabbed my Lie Nielsen before he tried to hit my chisel with the hammer. Different cultures (in the same family).
   MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot. 

1. 
   joinerswork | Nov 11, 2009 02:31am | #4

   Mel,

   I like to final strop with talcum powder on chamois-skin.  I prefer Johnson's baby powder, but it has to be sifted through an osmotic filter before use.  The skin from the upper eyelid of unborn chamois is the best, but is, of course, only suitable for smaller tools...

   Ray

   Edited 11/10/2009 6:32 pm ET by joinerswork

1. 
   9619 | Nov 11, 2009 02:42am | #5

   Ray,
   There you go, getting serious again.
   Mel
   PS so tell me, what brand of talcum do you use?
   Where do I buy osmotic filters?
   Are those animals called chamois an endangered species?Measure your output in smiles per board foot. 

2. 
   joinerswork | Nov 11, 2009 04:04pm | #10

   Mel,

   Johnson's baby powder.  It is compatible wioth the baby chamois skin.

   Osmotic filters?  You ought to be able to get some used ones from that old space shuttle that's parked in your back yard.

   Chamois endangered?  Only if I'm near one of 'em.

   Ray

3. 
   RalphBarker | Nov 11, 2009 03:55am | #7

   Are those eyelid skins available from Woodcraft? ;-)

4. 
   joinerswork | Nov 11, 2009 04:06pm | #11

   Ralph, they're rarely in the catalog.  You just have to keep your eyes peeled for 'em.

   Ray

2. 
   RonInOttawa | Nov 11, 2009 03:30am | #6

   Mel,Frankly, the edge I get from my King 8000 grit stone is probably better than I need for most of the work I do. The only time I really go "all out" is when I know I'm going to be planing end grain and then I'll put the green compound to work. I'm certain that the ultra-sharp edge only last for a few strokes before it's back to where it would be with a normal sharpening but it makes me feel good.I DID go through a phase where everything with an edge on it had to always be sharpened to the nth degree but I discovered that I was spending valuable time that I could have been using to make another new woodworking mistake!Regards,Ron"Don't tell Mom I'm a pilot. She thinks I play piano in a whorehouse"
   - Billy Mitchell

1. 
   9619 | Nov 11, 2009 04:25am | #8

   Ron,
   Sharpening is a necessity, not a religious experience.
   I believe we are both agnostics in the church of Shapton. Have fun. Hope it doesn't freeze up there in Canada this winter.
   MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot. 

2. 
   RonInOttawa | Nov 11, 2009 06:20am | #9

   I've already seen snow twice in the past 2 weeks! Won't be long until we're all griping about the snowplow leaving huge humps at the end of the driveways just after we've either shoveled our way clear or used the snowblower. It's hard to remember sometimes that I grew up in the South!Regards,Ron