I have diamond stones up to 8000 grit, a leather strop and green paste. My blades sharpen very quickly but I do not think they reach the level of sharpness others discuss.
I do finish sharpening with using the machinist ruler and 8000 grit stone to remove the burr and create a slight back bevel.
Does everyone agree with obtaining and finishing with a 16,000 grit ceramic stone?
Replies
I personally have never been thrilled with diamond stones except for fast removal of metal in coarser grits and definitely am not in the strop camp preferring instead to use high quality waterstones, they aren't all created equal, or now due to a lack of running water and drain in my shop I've switched to lapping paper and plate glass which work amazingly well and have low cost. I also don't believe in a back bevel preferring to only use a couple of light pull strokes on my finest paper to remove the burr. Doing this let's me pare gossamer thin shavings from end grain hard Maple and hickory with little effort.
You also don't mention your chisels or the type of steel which can make a difference. It may be your chisels are getting sharp but simply dulling quickly. I will also add that I didn't start getting the level of sharpness I do today until I started using a quality jig it really opened my eyes that freehand sharpening is not for me.
My blades and chisels are predominantly Lie Nielsen A2 steel.
I use a Veritas honing guide.
Can you tell me your preferred waterstone?
Thanks
Lie-Nielsen sells Ohishi. I went with that when I was starting out a few years ago and they work great. Don’t need to soak, just a spritz.
https://www.lie-nielsen.com/products/blade-sharpening-ohishi-waterstones-?path=blade-sharpening&node=4203
I defer to the experts on this forum but I stop at 8000 and it works for me.
Well there is certainly nothing wrong with your tools or jig. I would either go with the Oishi's that LN sell they are well suited for the harder A2 steel. Shapton ceramics are another option that should work well. Avoid the cheaper and softer King and Norton and their ilk, they aren't well suited for harder A2 steel.
I know I speak blasphemy for some but I would try eliminating the strop and back bevel and see if you like the results better. Either way I would love for you to post an update after you had a chance to try different methods. I guess scientifically you should make one change at a time but I get excellent results without either of those elements and I've tried many methods in my 45+ years of creating wood shavings
I have used Norton 1000/4000/8000 for years very successfully. I usually use an Ohishi 10000 for quick polish at end but many would say that's not necessary. I would say this is critical in my experience that you get the bottom (I use ruler method) absolutely polished to mirror. It is easy to rush through this starting out and accidentally leave some factory machining scratches...which will cause your edge to degrade quicker.
Joel at Tools for Working Wood has a great blog on sharpening. I believe the only change you might consider is an 8000 grit water stone rather than the diamond plate.
https://toolsforworkingwood.com/store/blog/1324/title/What%20You%20Need%20When%20Starting%20Out%20Sharpening
I use diamond stones, and feel the 8,000 diamond is not really 8,000. I finish with a Spyderco Ultrafine ceramic. I only strop carving tools. I don't like the dubbing I get with chisels and planes on a strop.
Thanks for the help - I ordered the Ohishi - 8000 grit from LN.
I will finish with the Ohishi after using the 8000 grit diamond stone, and will test without the back taper and only strop the back burr.
esch5995 - I will let you know in 1-2 weeks what I think
While it's true that using a 16,000 grit ceramic stone can help you achieve an even sharper edge, it's important to consider the specific needs and purposes of the knives you're sharpening. A 16,000 grit stone is not necessary for all types of knives or cutting tasks, but it can be helpful for specific applications that require an ultra-sharp edge.
If you're sharpening kitchen knives or everyday carry knives, a 8000 grit stone followed by stropping with a leather strop and green paste is usually sufficient for most tasks. However, if you're working with straight razors, woodworking tools, or high-end knives, you might want to consider using a 16,000 grit ceramic stone to achieve a mirror polish and a more refined edge.
When using a higher grit stone, it's important to maintain consistent angles and pressure during the sharpening process to avoid creating new scratches or an uneven edge. If you decide to use a 16,000 grit ceramic stone, remember that the focus should be on polishing and refining the edge rather than removing significant amounts of material.
Keep in mind that there are diminishing returns as you move up in grit, and the difference between an 8,000 grit and a 16,000 grit finish might not be as noticeable for some users. It ultimately depends on your specific needs, the type of knives you're sharpening, and the level of sharpness you desire.
esch5995 - The quick answer is there was a significant improvement in the polished edge and planed surface after using the 8000 Grit Ohishi waterstone verses the 8000 mesh diamond plate.
Visibly it was a brushed finish with the diamond plate verses a polished finish with the waterstone. An obvious difference.
Using (3) different handplanes - I put a fresh beveled edge on the handplanes using the 8000 mesh diamond plate and planed the edge of a piece of pine and a piece of maple.
Then dressed the beveled edge with the 8000 grit waterstone, and planed the pine and maple test boards.
The finished edge after sharpening with the waterstone stone was definitely improved.
Thanks to everyone for the comments and suggestions
I have been sharpening my plane blades and chisels for about 8years, and what I use now is a coarse grit diamond stone,for the first stage, until I get a burr, then for the second step I use an 8000 shapton ceramic stone and finish the 3rd polish on a 16000 shapton ceramic stone. flattening the ceramics with an extra coarse diamond stone each time. I also use a LN clamp guide for all my sharpening needs(well almost). It seems like a lot of time involved but only takes a few minutes to do a nice job. just my way right now, everybody does their sharpening a little different. and all I use is water on all my stones. good luck let us know what you find is the best method that works for you.
All you people with user #’s please change your profile to a screen name.
It’s very difficult to follow replies!!
Does anyone know how the Sigma 10000 stone does with A2 steel? Is it a viable replacement for an 8000 stone?
I've had good success with both the diamonds (following the method as taught by Paul Sellers - coarse, fine, super fine, strope) and man-made waterstones (following the method as taught by Lost Art press Oashi 1,000 grit then 5,000 grit, then 8,000 grit, no strop). Both seemed to work well as they were taught and I didn't notice a difference in the level of sharpness. If I was using 01 steel, I'd go with diamond stones. If I was using A2 blades such as LieNielsen, I'd go with the man made stones. The A2 blades took a lot of strokes to get sharp on diamond stones.