sharp, sharper, sharpest?

[Daniel Rode]

Please help me understand this concept a little better.

I can get my chisels and irons pretty sharp. Sharp, for me, means and edge capable of pairing pine end grain or shaving the hair from a forearm. Assuming I was accurate in my honing and didn't round the edge, I understand that that's about the limit of sharpness. In other words, I've once I produce a zero radius edge, I've made the tool as sharp as possible.

As I further refine the edge, I'm polishing, not sharpening. This, as I understand it, makes the edge more consistent (smoother) and should provide the primary advantage of durability. A finely polished edge should make more cuts before becoming dull. A secondary benefit should be a smoother cut due to reduced friction. The edge feels sharper because it take less effort and produces a (microscopically) smoother cut.

The practical application has to do with how far to go after the initial sharpening. One could stop at 5-10 micron (4k range) polishing and have a usable tool or go up to .5 -1 micron (8k) and have an edge that lasts longer. Stropping, then is nothing more than even finer polishing of the edge.

I probably misused a technical term or two, but is this generally correct?

[John Coloccia]

I think it's more of a maintenance thing. If you strop or otherwise "hone" a lot....and every 5 or 10 swipes is not too often depending what you're doing....you will maintain that sharp edge for a LONG time with very little effort. For the weekend warrior, it doesn't matter. If you're trying to make a living at this, you can't afford to be going through some sort of sharpening ritual ever hour or two. You need to get the tools SHARP once and for all, and keep them that way for a long time.

[Prashun Patel]

"Once I produce a zero radius edge, I've made the tool as sharp as possible".

It was explained to me this way:
Your edge is not truly zero radius unless both intersecting planes (front and back of the blade) are truly flat. If they are 'rough' then they will not meet cleanly along the entire length; it will be sporadically zero radius. That means only parts of the edge are doing their job. This puts more stress on the points that are truly meeting the edge, and causes the regions to the immediate right and left of such points to be lifted laterally instead of sheared. That's why the blade wears faster and risks more tearout.

Is this how you guys understand it?

[John Coloccia]

It's a matter of scale. You CAN'T get to 0 radius, because no crystal is perfect, and if it was then no atom is 0 volume if for no other reason than Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. So how do anyone measure 0? Anyhow, you won't approach any of this in a workshop, so it's not a matter of 0...it's a matter of "good enough" and that's all it will ever be. For me, good enough is if I can take a good number of swipes, strop for maybe 10 seconds, and go back and take another good number of swipes. That's sort of my practical definition of sharp enough.

[John Coloccia]

Incidentally, I dont mean that last post as a "bucking popular knowledge smartypants" post. It's more a matter of most of us not having any way of measuring or analyzing any of this in any sort of scientific or rigorous way, so why not simply use some sort of practical measure instead of worrying about particle sizes and things like that.

[Don Dorn]

I guess everyone has their own way. In my case, worrying about 0 radius isn't something that can be quantified. I think one must be able to sharpen quickly or you won't do it when it needs to be done. There are many ways to acheive great sharpness, and to test, I once used receipt paper and knew I was there when the iron "wanted" to slice it nearly in half. That takes too much time so now I simply place the edge against a finger nail and determine if it "sticks" at a very low angel. If it does, it's certainly sharp enough for anything I've wanted, because that level will also slice the receipt paper as well. If it doesn't (and it does), you would know immediately and before you would cut into a cuticle.

[Dave Anderson NH]

How many angels can sit on the head of a pin?

Rather than try to quantify how small a radius you can get at the intersection of two planes lets go the opposite and easier to identify way. A close friend who is, an expert turner, NH Furniturmaster, and former shop teacher has a nice workable definition of dull. A cutting edge becomes dull when there is a radius of .00025" which in the small included angles of our cutting tools pretty much equates to a .0005" "diameter". Note the parentthetical use of diameter since we are not talking about a full 180 degrees.

I think Daniel has the concept pretty well down. I have always said that super sharp is a moving target. What you consider sharp as a beginner will seem inadequate as your experience and skills increase.

[John Coloccia]

What you consider sharp as a beginner will seem inadequate as your experience and skills increase.

THAT should be a sticky. Getting to "sharp" gets so much easier with practice, and all the hand wringing seems to magically melt away. It's like grabbing "impossible" chords on a guitar. With a little practice, they become easy and then you start worrying about what to do with them :)

[Daniel Rode]

To clarify, I'm trying to figure out when to stop sharpening and get back to the real work of cutting wood.

Assuming good technique, a 4k stone can produce a sharp/fine/polished enough edge to be effective. That's not the case with a 1k stone. How much tangible improvement does one get on an 8k stone? How about 16k? 20 strokes on a stropping block? Maybe 1k, 4k and a quick run on the strop is a a good compromise?

I also understand that some of this is subjective and will, vary from person to person. It's not unlike harder vs softer iron. One is easier to sharpen but quicker to dull the other take more effort to sharpen but holds an edge longer.

[Chris Hachet]

I find about 8K right....I can cut the hair on my arm or get curls on the end grain of Hard Maple.

[John Coloccia]

To clarify, I'm trying to figure out when to stop sharpening and get back to the real work of cutting wood.

Assuming good technique, a 4k stone can produce a sharp/fine/polished enough edge to be effective. That's not the case with a 1k stone. How much tangible improvement does one get on an 8k stone? How about 16k? 20 strokes on a stropping block? Maybe 1k, 4k and a quick run on the strop is a a good compromise?

I also understand that some of this is subjective and will, vary from person to person. It's not unlike harder vs softer iron. One is easier to sharpen but quicker to dull the other take more effort to sharpen but holds an edge longer.

Just my opinion:

Typically, you'll see an improvement on an 8K stone, if for no other reason than it's faster than a strop. I have a 16K stone that is nearly unused. I see no real benefit.

But that's just my opinion, and that's just with the stones I happen to have. 8K on one stone is not the same as 8K on another. When I used stones, I went to 8K on a Norton. Now, I just use Spyderco ceramics, thanks to George, and I don't know what the "k" is. I use the "fine" and "ultrafine", and then strop to maintain it, plus I use a Worksharp 3000 to establish/fix my bevels.

I have one strop charged with Simichrome, and others that are just bare leather.

[Tony Shea]

From a 4K stone I really think you would appreciate the nicer edge off an 8k stone. But in reality some green honing compound (the stuff LV stocks) on some leather, MDF, etc will certainly get the job done as well. If you are hesitant on spending the $ on another finishing stone then the honing compound is no doubt going to give you a much nicer edge than stopping at the 4k stone. It's also very handy in maintaining your edge between sharpening as John mentioned. If you can get in the habit of hitting your strop more often than you think is reasonable then you can really go quite a long while before you need to start over.

[Brett Bobo]

Hi Daniel,
I'm sympathetic to your questions because I was there not too long ago and this whole sharpening thing was overwhelming. I think it's best if you just simply try out several procedures and determine for yourself what serves you best. Do a trial and error with various ending grits and see what works and what doesn't. Personally, I would continue through a 8,000 grit stone but I've started stropping using a honing compound on a piece of soft maple as well. Also, keep in mind that when you're only honing, this procedure should only be a matter of a few minutes so stepping up to a 8,000 grit stone or even stropping isn't adding but a couple of extra minutes at the bench. Enjoy it and you'll have that "ah-ha" moment soon enough.

[Federico Mena Quintero]

To clarify, I'm trying to figure out when to stop sharpening and get back to the real work of cutting wood.

When the tool is sharp enough for your purpose. A mortise chisel doesn't need to be as scary sharp as a paring chisel; a jack plane doesn't need to be as sharp as a smoothing plane; etc.

See http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/blog/483/title/Is%20This%20Tool%20Sharp? for an interesting analysis of the sharpness of carving gouges, for example.

[Jim Matthews]

I sharpen all my edge tools the same way, with the same four media - always in sequence.

I think Frederico is correct in the regard that the precision required for different cutting edges is according to the procedure.
In practice, I sharpen everything the same way, so the finer tools stay sharp longer and the coarse ones are always on the stones.

Whatever method is chosen, it's important to be consistent and concise - so you can get back to it.

I only wish I could file my saws as fast as I can sharpen a blade.

[Daniel Rode]

...and I don't know what the "k" is. I use the "fine" and "ultrafine", and then strop to maintain it, plus I use a Worksharp 3000 to establish/fix my bevels..
That's one of the few things I do know. The K stands for thousand (kilo). 8k is roughly 8,000 grit. However, 8000 grit in stones is not the same as CAMI sandpaper grit or the FEPA "P" grits used in Europe.

AFAIK, micron is the only objective measurement but it's not always clear what the micron size is of a particular abrasive. This link (http://www.jamarco.com/91b_Technical/sandpaper/Making%20Sense%20of%20Sandpaper%20-%20Page%202%20-%20Fine%20Woodworking.htm) helps take some of the mystery out of sandpaper. This one (http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Sharpening-Stone-Grit-Chart-W21C125.aspx) adds certain stones.

[David Weaver]

I think sharpening fits in the category of experience is better than analysis. If you start at it and you're not getting the results you want, make sure you raise a wire edge at each step to know you're working to the edge. After that, experience will pretty much tell you what you want without having to think so hard about it. Laziness is a beautiful thing when it breeds economy, and if you work with hand tools more than just planing off power planer chatter, you'll get there pretty quickly.

When you get into razoring, then the little details make a big difference, but with tools, you're just trying to get a fresh edge and make sure that nothing is holding on to it before you start to work again.

Just for curiosity's sake, I'll provide my two bits on polishing vs. sharpening. There is some arbitrary line people draw with cutting abrasives where one polishes and one doesn't, and I think it's more appropriate to say that you're cutting finely. To me, polishing has more to do with a burnishing kind of action, and the only stones that do that are settled in natural stones, but they still cut to some extent. If we polished our edges, we'd pull our hair out because of the amount of time it would take to do that, and I doubt the effect at the edge would be much better.

[Stuart Tierney]

Limit of sharpness is paring end grain pine or shaving arm hair?

Umm. No. In some cases the steel being sharpened limits you to that level of 'sharp', and what you're getting is serviceable for what you're doing, so it's sharp enough and for you, a satisfactory 'limit of sharpness'.

But plenty of folks can and do use tools that are sharper than that, and an awful lot of folks don't even get that sharp. If they're happy with what they're getting, then there's no debate needed. Go forth and cut wood!

I'm not going to say how 'sharp' I get my edges as it's a difficult thing to actually measure and quantify, but I do know that my edges are refined to a point where they don't fail due to chipping, they simply get blunt. The only time I have big chunks missing from my edges is when I've pushed the steel beyond it's capabilities and it's catastrophically failed. No amount of sharpening will change the composition of the steel, so I can't stop the steel failing in these cases aside from changing a bevel angle or just using a tougher steel.

And I don't make 5-20 cuts, then strop the edge. I make I-don't-know-how-many-but-it's-a-lot cuts, then resharpen the edge. I'm sure that some folks will tell me I know not what I'm doing and that their sharpening method is better and whatever. Good luck to them, what works for them is not what I do.

Stu.

[Jim Koepke]

Sharp, for me, means and edge capable of pairing pine end grain or shaving the hair from a forearm.

My finest stone used to be a 4K King. It was pretty good. My sharpening improved with an 8K Norton. I am not suggesting that either of those stones are superior to other stones available.

Paring the end grain of soft pine, producing a fine shaving and a smooth surface is a good practical test.

Shaving hair has a wide range in grading. Sometimes if hurried, as long as a few hairs are cut and not much pull is felt, it is good to go. If a smooth cut with a shiny surface left behind is desired, then the blade has to cut a patch of hair clean with no catches or pulls.

Beyond that is getting into the range of razor sharp where it turns into the Hanging Hair Test. My memory of the HHT would not portray it properly. There were different degrees of sharpness determined by how a free hanging hair reacted when touched by a blade. From catching on the hair before cutting to going through clean.

Recently saw something like this on one of the cable channels about a knife maker. I think it was free hanging 1" rope that he could swing the blade at 6" or less from the end and cut through the rope.

His knives are not inexpensive.

Found a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OCoS81G2CY

jtk

[Steve Friedman]

That's one of the few things I do know. The K stands for thousand (kilo). 8k is roughly 8,000 grit. However, 8000 grit in stones is not the same as CAMI sandpaper grit or the FEPA "P" grits used in Europe.

AFAIK, micron is the only objective measurement but it's not always clear what the micron size is of a particular abrasive. This link (http://www.jamarco.com/91b_Technical/sandpaper/Making%20Sense%20of%20Sandpaper%20-%20Page%202%20-%20Fine%20Woodworking.htm) helps take some of the mystery out of sandpaper. This one (http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Sharpening-Stone-Grit-Chart-W21C125.aspx) adds certain stones.
Daniel,

When John said "I don't know what the "K" is, he was referring to the Spyderco ceramic stones, where (according to Spyderco) the size of the grit is irrelevant. Apparently the composition of the binder causes the effective abrasiveness to change. I don't really get it, but it does work.

As a relative novice, I will add that getting the hardest part for me is in the final steps (highest grits) and trying not to degrade the edge by chasing perfection. Since getting the 13,000 grit Sigma stone from Stu, I no longer use a strop. For me, the edge off the 13,000 stone is as close to perfection as I will ever need, but more importantly, stropping after that stone makes my edge less sharp. I am sure it's my technique (I use the TFWW horse butt leather), but I just keep the 13,000 stone out and use it as my strop. I use the 3M diamond sheets on Plexiglass glued to an MDF backer for stropping my curved gouges, but only because I don't want to ruin my 13,000 grit stone.

Sharpening can definitely become an obsession, so I will just reiterate the obvious - get it sharp enough to do the job and start cutting wood.

Now if I would just take my own advice, I'd be set!

Steve

[Daniel Rode]

My finest stone used to be a 4K King. It was pretty good. My sharpening improved with an 8K Norton. I am not suggesting that either of those stones are superior to other stones available.

I use a honing guide and a micro bevel. I'm confident I can sharpen effectively at this point. My question is how fine do I need/want to go. With sandpaper on glass, I can easily get down below 1 micron and into the realm of truly scary sharp. But sandpaper on glass is fiddly to work with. The 3M PSA should help, the jury is still out on that one. It's also not cheap. As far as I'm concerned, sandpaper is not a long term solution for me.

However, I think somewhere around 5 microns/8k is enough. For stones, I have a 800/4k combo water stone and a fine/extra-fine Duo sharp. I don't like either setup and neither goes far enough. I like the Duo sharp better that the water stones but I dislike the patterned mesh and extra-fine is 9 micron. I'd like to get finer.

I like the ezlap diamond plates. They are not too expensive, a good size and have no pattern, need to lapping. However, the finest is still only 9 micron.

Do I just stop at 9 micron and either use a strop. Sellers does just that.

As I recall from Chris Schwarz sharpening video, he uses a 1k and 4k and 8k shapton. Thats roughly 15, 4 and 2 micron. Sounds great. However, those 3 stones, a holder and a lapping plate? around $700!

I can get a set of Norton 3x8 double sided stones and a lapping stone for $140. That gives me 220, 1k, 4k, and 8k but I'm concerned about the quality and durability.

Too many questions, too few clear answers.

[Bruce Haugen]

(snippage occurred here)
Recently saw something like this on one of the cable channels about a knife maker. I think it was free hanging 1" rope that he could swing the blade at 6" or less from the end and cut through the rope.

His knives are not inexpensive.

The hanging rope thing is part of the entry test for the American Bladesmith Society (http://www.americanbladesmith.com/index.php?section=pages&id=172). Every one of their members makes knives that can pass that test. Yes, those knives can be expensive.

[David Weaver]

If you're looking to try shaptons, you only need two stones. A 1k stone and a fine stone, unless you polish a whole long bevel on tools, then you need something interim. The shapton reference plate is something you absolutely can skip. Given its lack of long term durability, it makes no sense to me at all. I have never heard of an atoma that is:

* out of flat
* worn out completely from flattening stones

Substitute an atoma for the reference plate, and go to japan for shapton pros and a 1k stone, finish stone and an atoma 400 to go with them would be about $220 or so.

Unless you go with a shapton cream, though, there should be no real functional difference between it and an 8k superstone as long as you're not working too much metal.

BUT, I wouldn't buy anything else at this point, it seems the problem is not in the equipment, but in expectations or perception.

[Chris Griggs]

Dave. I think you're mixing this thread up with Dan Sherman's thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?208422-need-some-opinions-on-a-new-water-stone)? I don't believe Mr. Rode has told us what he is currently using. Based on his comments so far I'm thinking he has no stones at the moment? Is that correct Daniel? What are you currently using?

But yes, if you buy some new stones do what Dave said. 1 medium (800-1200), 1 fine (8k+), and something to keep them flat.

[David Weaver]

I think I'm getting old!

[Chris Griggs]

I think I'm getting old!

I think maybe, just maybe, you've responded to 1 or 2 too many sharpening threads in your life. An occasional mixup is forgivable.

[Noah Wagener]

i can shave arm hair with 1,000 stone so i don't think it is good benchmark unless i am making my blades too sharp and that is why they don't last long. By "sharp" i mean acute.

Veritas sent instructions with their block plane that said it is not necessary to work the back of the blade. In my experience it gets sharper using the higher grit stones on the back. do you guys sharpen the back every time you sharpen?

David, You should have learned to play the guitar, should have learned to play them drums.

[Chris Griggs]

i can shave arm hair with 1,000 stone so i don't think it is good benchmark unless i am making my blades too sharp and that is why they don't last long. By "sharp" i mean acute.

Veritas sent instructions with their block plane that said it is not necessary to work the back of the blade. In my experience it gets sharper using the higher grit stones on the back. do you guys sharpen the back every time you sharpen?

David, You should have learned to play the guitar, should have learned to play them drums.

Yes, I always work the back, not just to remove the burr but to remove any wear. ALWAYS, but only ever on my finest stones.

I believe the LV instructions are referring to the fact that their blades come lapped dead flat, so you don't need to lap them...maintaining a polish is however is still necessary.

[Jim Koepke]

And I don't make 5-20 cuts, then strop the edge. I make I-don't-know-how-many-but-it's-a-lot cuts, then resharpen the edge. I'm sure that some folks will tell me I know not what I'm doing and that their sharpening method is better and whatever. Good luck to them, what works for them is not what I do.

This seems like a more eloquent way of saying, "what works for you is what you should do."

We can all sharpen in different ways and still get the job done.

The OP mentions their current use of scary sharp and abrasive papers and the cost of this system over the long run.

My thought on this will be different than other's thoughts.

For me currently, an 8K stone works fine for me as the final finishing stone. If there was a bundle of money coming my way maybe one of the superfine stones would be purchased. As it is, during the winter freeze around here my finest stone is an Arkansas translucent stone. That and a strop rivals my 8K water stone. Could my blades be sharper? Yes indeed or at least I hope they can. Do they need to be sharper? Not for what I have been doing.


For me a dual grit stone is not my way of doing things. That doesn't mean it isn't the answer for another. I like to be able to flip my stones to get a fresh surface.

Then there are the different ways of looking at sharpening equipment. Some like the minimalist approach of having only what is needed for the job at hand. Then there are those of us who have more than is needed because we want to cover all the bases. It is enjoyable to have multiples of some stones so one can be in fine shape for straight blades and chisels and another can be allowed to be worn in to the shapes of curved blades and gouges.

If I see good orphaned stones at a yard sale or flea market, I always ask how much is wanted for them. There are some stones that I will ignore, but that comes with the experience of already having some of these odd balls that are more like a cinder block than a honing stone.

So what works best for anyone is the best way for anyone to go.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

i can shave arm hair with 1,000 stone so i don't think it is good benchmark

I can get to shaving with a 1,000 stone, but it sure feels different than shaving after a 4,000 or 8,000 stone.

It isn't just the acute angle, it is the size of the "teeth" at the edge that makes the difference.

The bigger the grit, the bigger the tooth at the edge, the more one can feel the hair being pulled before surrendering to the edge.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

I stop at 6000 today and get an edge that cuts well. But I think Dave Anderson's point is valid - what seemed sharp to me a year ago doesnt seem as sharp today.

I plan to buy a 10-12k stone downstream a bit. But I got the impression from previous posts here that going much higher wasnt really necessary for the woods I work with.
Fred

[Terry Beadle]

For normal wood working sharpening, I usually quit at 8000. That's all I need.
Occasionally, I have a paring chisel that needs a really good edge. Then I hit it with the 10000 IceBear after the 8000. Then I dig out my small diamond past hard maple honer and give it a short
work out.
That really works great on my sword steel Japanese 1/2 inch and the Blue Spruce 5/8ths.

Usually I strop on a green hard maple board when I think the edge is getting a little dull. I can get away with that through most projects. However, when it finally
gets reluctant, I take it to the stone pond and build a new edge with the ceramic 3000 and go up from that burr. Works great. Very sharp and I have the bandaids
parked near the work bench to prove it...hoot!

Enjoy!

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I can get a set of Norton 3x8 double sided stones and a lapping stone for $140. That gives me 220, 1k, 4k, and 8k but I'm concerned about the quality and durability.

Too many questions, too few clear answers.

Nortons were my entry-level into waterstone sharpening. They have served me well and are a great price for starters. There are a few issues once you get good enough to realize them:

They are very soft, especially the 8000 grit, and they must be lapped often. I lap them every use.
They cut well, but not as fast as the more expensive stones.
I am not a fan of dual grit stones due to contamination of one side from the other side.


That said, I always used to recommend them for beginners and as I said, mine have served me well. Now I amend that and say get one really good finishing stone like a Shapton 8000 or better, and go cheaper on the lower grits. (This is for starters if on a budget- if you have the money then get a really good set up front.)

I have a full set of diamond stones but I don't like them as much due to the scratchy finish. I do prefer them for lapping or setting a bevel. I have the DMT lapping plate for lapping waterstones and then every grit from X Course to XX fine in the 3 x 8 DMT stones. I use them for tools like my machete where I want to grind a fast edge and am not as picky as with a fine tool. I use waterstones for everything else. I am completely sold on them.

I strop on leather charged with "the green stuff" (Zinc Chromium Oxide), which is supposed to be around 0.5 microns.

I just ordered the Shapton Glass 16000 but it has not yet arrived. I am anxious to see the difference. Something to note- with the finer stones you have to use a very light touch or you will not get a difference past 8,000. Just let the stone do the work and apply no more pressure than the weight of the blade and jig.

I use a Veritas honing guide after trying a number of wheeled guides as well as the Pinnacle. Don't get the pinnacle contraption. Save your money. Get the Veritas. Don't feel like you are cheating. The precision bevel is easy to obtain and to maintain with it. I swallowed my pride and got the guide after years of doing it by hand and eye.

That's my $0.02 on the subject. I really intended to only comment on the Norton stones, but got carried away. My name is Malcolm, and I am a sharpaholic.

[Jeff Duncan]

To clarify, I'm trying to figure out when to stop sharpening and get back to the real work of cutting wood.



As the others have said....when it's sharp enough for you!

I'm not nearly as into the high grit stones and stropping gear and etc., etc., etc. as many others here are. My work doesn't call for needing as intensive an edge as some others do. I'm more towards the grunt-work end of things I guess:D As such my system is pretty basic, I grind a new edge, hit the 1200 grit stone and then a couple passes on a 6000 stone. I gave up on shaving hair and fingernails years ago when it dawned on me that I really don't need to cut hair or fingernails in my work:rolleyes: I need to cut wood.....so I toss a piece of maple in the vise and a blade has to be able to easily shave the end grain....pine is too soft for what I'm looking for.

As for time I can go from no edge to paring end grain in several minutes if everything is setup. I don't like spending more time than necessary as for me time is literally money! I want to focus on getting work out the door so I keep it simple as possible. I'm sure my tools would seem rough to many, but it's what works for me;)

good luck,
Jeffd

[Tony Wilkins]

I've been going back and forth whether to get a higher grit stone for a while. Right now I just have 1000 and 6000 grit stones. It seems to be working for me but I've never had anything to compare it too. There's always that wonder if I were to add something then the edge might be sharper and the paring/chopping easier.

[Daniel Rode]

I've had to deal with other things this week but yesterday I was able to get back into the shop for a bit. I had a few chisels that could stand a sharpening and 2 plane irons that I wanted to sharpen and (for the first time) add a camber.

This was my first time using the 3M PSA paper from TFWW. On the finest paper, I was at .3 micron which would be similar to a 12k water stone. The sharpening was also with sandpaper but I used standard wet/dry sandpaper and only went up to 1200 grit. The tools were clearly sharper. Moreover, using the PSA paper is far simpler than fooling around with normal sandpaper and adhesive. The PSA paper cuts much faster and as far as I can tell, lasts longer. It was simple (repeatable) enough, that I'm going to stick with it for a good while.

It's tough to do any sort of objective comparison because so many things are changing. Being so new, my skill with the tools improves day-by-day. I'm also improving my ability to sharpen consistently but I'm also adding techniques and making changes to the process (camber and back bevel, for example). Add to those changes a finer and more consistent sharpening media and it clear that I get better results but where does the credit lie? How much of the improvement was a more highly polished edge and how much was better handling of the plane or better setup or even the slight back bevel?

Since my results are repeatedly better, it's all good news. I just need to stay the course for a while.

Thanks for all the input and tips!