Replies

1. 
   Yogi | Mar 16, 2006 06:53pm | #1

   Not if it's all true-

2. 
   vaccaraj | Mar 16, 2006 07:27pm | #2

   it would take a while to wear out the plate glass. i have a piece of 3/8" plate glass that i've been using for about 10 years. i don't sharpen hundreds of chisels or irons, just the half a dozen or so that i have in the shop and i've never had a problem. and when i do have a problem, i'll just go back to the glass store and get another one for $15 or $20. 

3. 
   tailsorpins | Mar 16, 2006 08:59pm | #3

   Your flat surface will be immediately ruined by direct application of silicon carbide powder and oil or water.  You can always flip it over to the unaltered side when you want to go back to sandpaper.  3/8 and thicker plate glass left over from replaced store fronts is usually free for the asking.  It is my experience that the glass shop will usually cut it to size for you .... just to get rid of it. 

   John in Texas

4. 
   mudman | Mar 19, 2006 06:46pm | #4

   You are not parinoid (they are watching me too!). My wife is a glass artist and she uses silicone carbide to grind and polish her glass. In fact we have a machine called a flat lap which is a large steel plate that spins while water and carbide grit flow over the surface. It is used to grind and finish glass edges. The steel plate lasts for ever and it removes the glass pretty darn fast. I think that your glass plate will be ruined very quickly. If you want to use a loose grit type system then you should just look at getting a fine water stone. In my experience once I get to the 600 grit paper it wears out so fast that it becomes a PITA. Forget about going past that. So I use a very fine water stone to put the fine edge then a strop to polish.

   Mike